THE AUTO BUILDER
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SENSUOUS AT SUNSET
It’s a mammoth effort—building world-class street rods, that is, and to accomplish the goal generally means employing the skills of craftsmen from all across the country. Dave Tucci Jr. is one of the “young gun” rod builders on the scene right now, but he has enough experience to know that finding the right people is more important than where you find them, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves a bit here.
Full Throttle Glory
Alright, let’s take look back at the Holley LS Fest West 2024 Autocross event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was a wild ride, with LS-powered machines tearing up the asphalt, from vintage muscle to modern speed demons, all vying for glory in a whirlwind of horsepower and adrenaline.
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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!
