Autorama Creates A New Generation of Hot Rod Lovers [VIDEO]

DETROIT (WWJ) - More than 800 customized hot rods fill the floor at Detroit's Cobo Center for this year's Autorama. The annual custom car show bringing in far more vehicles than normal, many of them customized by younger people, who have now made love for cars a generational thing.

"My dad was a car nut," said Bruce Harvey, of Pittsburgh. "That's probably why I'm just as crazy about cars as he is."

Harvey brought a fully customized 1968 Camaro to the show. Like many of those who spend hours customizing these vehicles, Bruce wasn't even born when his vehicle first cruised the streets.

Not unusual, say Autorama organizers, who see a new generation of muscle cars, and a number of cable TV shows about customization, creating a new generation of hot rod lovers.

"There's a lot of guys who are interested in muscle cars again," said Peter A. Toundas, President and Owner of Championship Auto Shows Inc, operator of AutoRama. "There's a lot of street rods being built. We see a lot of modern muscle cars that are being customized today."

The 64th annual Autorama runs from noon Friday through 7 PM Sunday, February 28th. Organizers say it's one of the largest and oldest hot rod-custom car show in North America, attracting visitors from across the U.S. and the globe.

The elite vehicles compete for the Ridler Award, which organizers call "The most coveted award in hot rodding." It's a 53 year honor, presented to the "most outstanding new custom car."

Most of the vehicles being displayed at Cobo are less about winning awards, and more about personal satisfaction.

"Keeps me out of the doghouse," said Richard Broles, a retired chemical company manager from Tennessee, who spend the last seven years completely restoring a 1941 Ford pickup truck. He had to pretty much start from scratch.

"It was in pieces. I didn't have a real vehicle. I had most of a vehicle."

The goal is not to restore these vehicles to their original condition, as you would see in a typical classic car show. The original vehicle becomes the canvas, and the final creation is the art.

"It's mostly all my imagination."

Broles has been working on cars all of his life. Retirement gives him more time to do it. But a younger generation has taken up the torch.

Sal Iannotta, of Naples Florida brought his restored 1965 Corvette.

"It's just in my family," he said. "My dad did it. My grandpa did it. All my friends did it. I just kinda grew into it, I guess."

Connect with Jeff Gilbert
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