TUNNELED, NOT FRENCHED
March 26, 2025
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
Considered a “gentleman’s muscle car,” the upscale Plymouth GTX two-door hardtop was restyled in 1970, offering cleaner side body panels along with revised front and rear fascias. The grille had a unique telephone-receiver look to it, the taillight treatment was changed, and the car was no longer available as a convertible.
GOODGUYS COLUMBUS 2007
Over the last several years, the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, has established itself as one of the nation’s premier hot rodding events. This event, along with the Detroit Autorama and a few others, has proven to be one of the main events at which builders choose to debut new cars, and trophies are as hotly contested here as at any show in the country. But Columbus is about more than just trophies—it’s about bringing your own car, no matter what kind of shape it’s in, to hang out with the owners of the other 6,000 vehicles that will be there, and to have fun at Goodguys’ premier event.
40 Years Later
Carl Casper’s name has been synonymous with the custom car movement for a long time. As a teenager, Casper created his famous ’51 Chevrolet custom, the Exotic Empress. The car went on to win the 1961 NHRA National Custom Car Championship. (You know it was a long time ago if NHRA was promoting car shows!) Carl Casper is a talented guy who can perform virtually every task required to build a world-class custom car, from metal fabrication to paint and upholstery, and while many of his creations took the form of wild custom cars, they were all driveable.
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!
