MANDY: Honda Integra Type-R build
June 24, 2025
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Chasing Immortality: The 2026 AMBR Competition at the Grand National Roadster Show
The nine-foot AMBR trophy doesn’t celebrate excess. It rewards builders who understand proportion, restraint, and craftsmanship at the highest level—where every decision carries weight and every imperfection is amplified. Under the scrutiny of an expert judging panel, the 2026 AMBR contenders were evaluated on the fundamentals that have always defined America’s Most Beautiful Roadster: stance, line, finish, engineering, and an unshakable respect for roadster tradition. The margin between first and last place was razor thin, and the pressure showed in every detail.
FORD HANDLING GUIDE
Although modifying a car to handle well can often seem like a black art, virtually every aspect of handling comes down to three things: the weight of the vehicle, the traction generated by the tires, and the distribution of weight on each particular tire at a given moment.
The Heart of GNRS 2026: Highlights from the ARP Booth
At GNRS 2026, the ARP Booth was a centerpiece of precision, passion, and performance. Automotive Racing Products (ARP Fasteners) has long been a cornerstone of the Grand National Roadster Show, sponsoring iconic awards like the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) Award and the Al Slonaker Memorial Award. Each award offers $12,500 in prize money, and during the show, the Al Slonaker Memorial Trophy is proudly displayed at the ARP Booth, symbolizing ARP’s commitment to hot rod craftsmanship, innovation, and community.
Spotlighter
The Cavalcade of Customs Thrills at the 2025 Detroit Autorama
Stunning Builds, Fierce Competition, and Pure Automotive Passion
If you weren’t at the 2025 Detroit Autorama, you missed out on a pure, unfiltered dose of horsepower, chrome, and custom car insanity. From February 28 to March 2, Huntington Place (yeah, the old Cobo Hall) became ground zero for everything loud, fast, and meticulously built. And smack in the middle of it all? The Cavalcade of Customs—a no-holds-barred showcase of the wildest, cleanest, and most mind-blowing custom rides the country has to offer.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photography by Julie & John Aschenberg
A Showroom Full of Dreams (and Horsepower)
Walking through the Cavalcade of Customs was like stepping into a gearhead fever dream. Every car on display had something special—whether it was an over-the-top candy paint job, some wicked metal fabrication, or a fire-breathing big-block crammed under the hood. The lineup had everything from old-school hot rods to cutting-edge builds, all dialed in to perfection. If you’ve ever spent hours in the garage, dreaming up the ultimate custom machine, this was the place to see those dreams turned into reality.
Awards, Glory, and Bragging Rights
Of course, it wouldn’t be Autorama without competition, and the Cavalcade of Customs brought out some of the best builds vying for top honors. The Ridler Award? Yeah, that’s the big one, and the competition was as brutal as ever. Every builder brought their A-game, hoping to take home a trophy—and eternal bragging rights.
More Than Just Cars—It’s a Culture
But here’s the thing—Autorama isn’t just about cars. It’s about the people who build, drive, and love them. The Cavalcade of Customs isn’t just a show floor full of metal and rubber; it’s a gathering of the hardcore, the obsessed, and the passionate. Swapping stories, sharing techniques, and getting inspired for the next big build is what this scene is all about.
Until Next Year…
As the last engines rumbled out of Huntington Place, one thing was clear—the 2025 Detroit Autorama delivered once again. If this year’s Cavalcade of Customs was any indication, 2026 is going to be even bigger, wilder, and packed with more horsepower than ever. So if you missed it this time, don’t make that mistake again. See you in Detroit next year!
