Getting Ready to Leave the Basement...

Here are a few more pictures taken from the basement at the Cobo Center during the 2008 Detroit Autorama. I really like this little roadster pickup!

I think this is the first car I've seen with metal flake scallops. This 1932 Ford Sedan was one of the last cars I checked out before we returned back upstairs at the Autorama. We still had 1/2 of the main level to visit!

I was very surprised to see this car. Last summer, it was on a trailer parked right behind us at the Aesthetic Finishers Customer Appreciation Cruise-In in Piqua, Ohio. At that time, the car was not finished. The owner had started his focus on the engine and engine "accessories" at that time. Last summer the car was not running, absolutely no interior, glass, etc. Nice to see that it's finished!

Mama...There's Rats in the Basement!!!

Well, we finally made it to the basement of the Cobo Center! It was everything I had envisioned and more. Traditional hot rods side-by-side with Rat rods and ol skool bobbers. Lots of VERY cool stuff.

Here are a couple pictures of some cool 60's style wild customs. The orange roadster is from Indianapolis. I've seen it before at some cruise-ins last summer. The metallic red bubble top was affectionately named "Atomic Punk".

I'm a sucker for anything painted flat black. This Cushman had some slick pinstripe work. The Ford Pickup was also very simple and clean.

When you walked into the basement, the very atmosphere changed. Upstairs every Joe Blow and his wife and kids were wandering around, but the basement had a different feel. Guys with pompadors and Betty Page wannabees wandered the aisles, mixing with other kustom kulture folks. On a side note... The Detroit Chapter of the "Road Devils" were all sporting some VERY cool club jackets! There was also a couple walking around in Bonneville 200 mph club "life-time member" jackets...VERY sic!

Have a GREAT week! Stop back, I've got many more photographs from the 2008 Detroit Autorama that I will be posting soon!

Still More From the Motor City

I'm a sucker for a tricked-out Cadillac!

This chopper was upstairs. Thought it had a pretty interesting custom paint scheme.

This Chrysler was just wicked.

Took this one for my 23-month old. He thinks Lightning McQueen is pretty cool.

Still having trouble uploading photographs. At any rate, my wife, son and I worked our way through 1/2 of the main level of the 2008 Detroit Autorama before my curiosity got the best of me. "Hey", I said to my wife, "Since we are right here by the escalator, let's go downstairs to see the traditional hot rods and rat rods now and then we can come up and see the other half of the upstairs."

This truck was one of my favorites of the day.

This was a nice HEMI powered coupe.

So, we got on each end of the stroller and took "junior" for a ride on the escalator. What followed was truly a "religious experience"....Watch my next blog post for pictures and details!

More From Detroit Autorama

Well, earlier, I began uploading photographs I took during our weekend visit to Detroit, Michigan for the 2008 Autorama. For some reason, I've been having trouble uploading photographs. Everytime I try, my wireless kicks me off. I'm "sitting on" about 80+ photographs that I took to post for my "faithful readers". It's a bit frustrating to not be able to get them out on the web.

Back to our Autorama experience...I was truly impressed with the overall quality of the show. It's been a long time since I've attended a large indoor show. When I was a kid, my dad used to take us down to Hara Arena in Dayton Ohio to the Carl Casper Autoshow. It was always a great time. On an interesting side note...many of the cars that toured in Carl Casper's autoshow are now on display in Auburn, Indiana at the Kruse Victory Museum.

For some reason, I am still only occasionally able to upload a photograph, at at a rate of ONLY one at a time! What gives?!?!?!

Took this photograph for my father and son. Dad has an S-10 about this year that my 16-year old son would love to get his hands on. I thought this one was "done right". Note the wide whites, painted steelies, and classic pinstriping on the hood and dash. Very cool.

The Autorama show had a great mix! Something for every car enthusiast! Vendors, high dollar 'trailer queens', hotrods, street rods, muscle cars, motorcycles, rat rods, traditional hot rods, tuners, 4x4's, and even a section with custom bicycles.

We got to the show right as it opened, so you will not see very many people in the background of the photographs I'm currently posting. However, as the day progressed, it became harder and harder to get pictures without some sucker walking into the photo.

Want to see some "professional" photographs of the Elite 8 finalists for the 2008 Ridler Award? Click on this link: http://www.autorama.com/casi/great8.htm

p.s....In my last post, I gave a "shout-out" to the friendly folks at Detroit Muscle. Thought I should have included a link to their website, so here it is: http://www.detroitmuscleusa.com/newsite/index.html

Waiting on my Shirt...

O.k....this summer my son picked up a great looking shirt at the Ducktail Run in Gas City, IN. The shirt was from Aesthetic Finishers in Piqua, OH. I really liked the design as well, but they did not have any 2XLs.

A month or so ago, I found one on eBay in my size. I was excited to learn I'd won the bidding, but since that time I've had to wait for several weeks to receive my shirt. I won the auction on October 30th and am still waiting for delivery.

I have received a couple of emails from the seller. Supposedly, they are waiting on a shipment of shirts and will mail mine as soon as they arrive.

In the meantime, I ordered a new set of Dice valve stem caps on eBay for my Chevy Venture!

What The Heck Is It?!?!?!?!

Hey! Not a lot happening around here this week. It's Thursday night and I've FINALLY gotten the chance to check out what is current for auction on eBay. I ran a search for rat rod motorcycles and came up with the pictured contraption. This thing is for sale in Ft. Worth, Texas with what appears to be no reserve. There are currently 9 people who have bid on it and the high bid right now is $850.00.

The description says it is a complete running trike. The guy built it himself with the body of an old slantback Ford and a VW engine. The motorcycle tank looks like it is "just for show". This thing is ugly man! I'm into "rats" but this thing is even too ugly for me! What kind of frame does this thing have? Looks like the guy used whatever was lying around the lot! Interesting yes?

Fort Recovery, Ohio Fall Cruise-In 2007

After our morning outing to Bradford, Ohio, my father, eldest son, and I traveled to Fort Recovery, Ohio in the late afternoon. Fort Recovery puts on a fantastic Fall cruise-in right along the streets of downtown. This year was no exception. There were several great looking cars and trucks spanning a variety of genres...(muscle cars, restorations, classics, hot rods, 4-wheel drive trucks, and rat rods).

Once again I tried to capture a few pictures of some of the more interesting cars (at least to me!). The weather was great, but Fort Recovery has some downtown sewer drain issues! Occasionally, you would get a 'whiff" that would curl your toes when you walked by a street drain. WOW!

At any rate, it was another great show and a great day spent with my father and son. Hopefully some day soon I will be able to drive my own ride to some of these shows...but until then, I will continue to enjoy the rides of others.

Well, it's my guess as October nears its end, the days of summer car shows and weekend cruise ins are coming to a close. Many owners will be preparing their cars for a safe winter's rest, not to be seen again until the coming of June. Until then, I will continue to look for car related items to 'blog' about.