If you were to make a list car shows that anyone might want to attend before they die—a custom car show bucket list—the Detroit Autorama would have to be at the top of the list. What separates this show, which celebrated its 60th year in 2012, from any other has got to be the amount of effort put forth by the owners and promoters over the past six decades to create a show like no other.
The first Autorama was held...
The first Autorama was held at the University of Detroit Field House, which was a regularly used as a basketball arena. The event was held on January 31, 1953, and roughly 50 cars were shown.
The template for today’s indoor car show extravaganza, with the best cars displayed along with contemporary entertainment (in form of TV star autograph sessions, rock ’n’ roll bands, and so on), can be traced to the first Autorama in Detroit back in 1953.
Originally a way for the newly formed Michigan Hot Rod Association (MHRA) to fund a local quarter-mile dragstrip, the show has grown after the MHRA teamed up with a small handful of promoters through the years who would elevate what was a basic hot rod car show to a world-class happening. And, by doing so, instill a large amount of respectability to a group of individuals (hot rodders) who were not commonly well regarded in their community.
By the mid-’60s the Autorama...
By the mid-’60s the Autorama was experiencing huge growth, and the aisles of Cobo Hall were packed with spectators.
But with all the razzle-dazzle aside, the stars of the Autorama have always been the cars, and they serve to feed our imagination as well as to inspire. It’s safe to say designers from the Big Three have stopped by the show throughout the years just to see what new ideas have cropped up, from custom paint and shaved trim to wheel and interior designs. And though the automotive industry has seen its ups and downs over the years, it’s safe to say rodders will never run out of new ways to express themselves with their rides, so the future of the Autorama can be guaranteed for decades to come. For the most comprehensive history of this show as well as many others from the ’50s until now, Bob Larivee’s Show Car Dreams and Master Edition books are a must-read. Meticulously written to cover the formation of the MHRA, ISCA, Promotions Inc., and other organizations central to the continued popularity of hot rodding phenomenon, the books are filled with hundreds of vintage and new photos covering 60 years of the indoor car show world.
The cornerstone of the Detroit...
The cornerstone of the Detroit car show scene would have to be the Frank Mack roadster, which won Best Rod at the first Autorama in 1953. The nose is hand-formed and the ’27 Ford body channeled. The E&J headlights are a trademark of the car, which is powered by a 59AB Flathead with Edelbrock heads. The car still exists in this form, and is owned by collector Bruce Meyers.
In 1961, the Autorama moved...
In 1961, the Autorama moved into the brand-new Cobo Hall facility in downtown Detroit, right next to the Detroit River—a location it has never left in the past 50 years.
Ed “Big Daddy” Roth with the...
Ed “Big Daddy” Roth with the “Outlaw,” a custom car he built from fiberglass and eventually sold to Promotions, Inc. (owned by Bob Larivee Sr.), along with his “Beatnik Bandit.” Promotions also bought Bill Cushenbery’s “El Matador” and Roth’s “Mysterion,” as the company saw the promotional value of displaying cars at the show that could only before be seen in magazines.
There were a number of great...
There were a number of great customizers in the Detroit area, but it would be hard to find one more famous than the A-Brothers—Mike and Larry Alexander. Their “Deora,” which started life as a Dodge A100 pickup, was designed by Harry Bradley and featured a unique front entry. The truck won the Ridler award for the A-Brothers in 1967.
Bringing entertainment into...
Bringing entertainment into the car show setting was one of the best ideas promoter Don Ridler had ever come up with. (He’s quoted as saying to Bob Larivee Sr., “Make your shows appealing to the whole family—and then you’ve got it made.”) Over the years the Autorama has seen Playboy Playmates, movie stars, rock ’n’ roll stars, and TV personalities such as Batman and Robin, who were a popular draw.
Artists, pinstripers, and...
Artists, pinstripers, and painters have always been a big part of the Autorama, and Stanley Mouse (seen here at the 50th Autorama in 2002) and his “weird monster pictures” was an integral part of the ’60s-era shows as the hot rodding sub-culture welcomed his airbrushed T-shirt drawings with open arms; Mouse always drew big crowds.
The crazy show cars of the...
The crazy show cars of the ’60s, built on a concept of a hearse, pool table, Coke machine, popcorn machine, or anything else you could dream up that helped bring car enthusiasts into the show. One of the most well known of these was the “Red Baron,” built by Chuck Miller after the car had already been a model car for Monogram.
“The Impression,” formed in...
“The Impression,” formed in steel by Marcel’s Custom Metal and finished by Foose Design, won the Ridler award for its owner, Ken Reister, at the 2005 Detroit Autorama. Nowadays cars are being built and finished (some reportedly above the million-dollar mark) just so they can compete for the coveted award, and why the best builders and owners with the best cars in the country choose to debut their rides at the show.
One of the best facets of...
One of the best facets of the Detroit Autorama is the Don Ridler Memorial Award, given to a first-time-shown vehicle every year since the award’s inception in 1964. At the top of most any rod owner’s choice of awards to receive, the prize will be celebrating its 50th year at the 2013 Detroit Autorama.