The 2022 Detroit Autorama did not disappoint, with over 800 custom built hot rods and muscle cars as well as the creative creations. Thousands from Michigan along with many others from across the country came together to set their eyes on some the nation’s most impressive four wheeled beauties.
Keeping with tradition, the coveted Ridler Award was what so many car owners and builders were hoping to be in the running for. As the weekend came to an end, the Great Eight were chosen and Rick and Patty Bird’s was a candy apple red 1932 Chevy Coupe was championed as the 2022 Ridler Award winner. She for sure was impressive, and so were the other final seven.
Peter Toundas, President and Owner of Championship Auto Shows Inc. and MHRA President Butch Patrico sat down with us to help us all better understand the significance of today’s car culture and why the Hot Rod and Muscle Car movement is possibly bigger and stronger than ever. As part of interview, Butch helped us understand the significant role the Michigan Hot Rod Association has played on the success of the Autorama which dates back to 1953. Peter also let us in on what it takes to be considered for the Ridler Award.
We had the opportunity to sit and talk with Paul Potocki, General Manger of the International Show Car Association. Paul allowed us to film with some of the Ridler Award judges, who spend hours reviewing each car.
Of course, as expected, one of the biggest crowd draws was six-time Ridler Award car designer, Chip Foose, host of Overhaulin' an American automotive reality television series. The Huntington Beach based artist shared with us what he likes to see when traveling to the Autorama shows. As we filmed with Foose looking carefully over one the Great Eight, a 1970 Dodge Challenger named Kryptonite, the crowd swelled as word traveled through the air that Foose was reviewing one of the featured creations.
We enjoyed our filming with Chip Foose and look forward to spending a day with him in the coming weeks filming at his world renowned Foose Deisgn facility in California.
The three days of filming really broadened our scope of the story we are going to tell with our film, Detroit: A City of Hot Rods and Muscle Cars. Vietnam veteran, retired Brigadier General John Kulhavi offered his thoughts on why the hobby of working on cars was such a draw for the Vietnam veterans who returned from the war. Bob Adams, one of Michigan’s serious car collectors who is also on the board of directors for the Michigan Hot Rod Association shared his thoughts on the rich history of the custom car world.
Jerry Dixey, Road Tour Director at The Enthusiast network and President of Classic Automobile, is far from a newbie to the world of hot rods. Having produced shows and magazines for years about the creative car movement, Jerry shared his thoughts on just why the Autorama attracts so many people.
One of the more impressive displays was the twelve 1932 Ford’s celebrating the 90 year anniversary of the 1932 Ford. Historian and author of Motor City Garages, Rex Roy took us on an important historical journey of the impact Ford had as the birth father of the Hot Rod movement, not to mention all things that go fast.
One of the Great Eight that really resonated with us was Prohibition, a 1936 sedan built by Garaj Mahal out of Tennessee.
The ladies of Throttle Gals Magazine, Trish Hortsman and Doni Langdon, made sure we understood that this car building and racing is not just for the boys. We look forward to more filming with them in the coming months.
We met so many wonderful, passionate people that have found their calling in car design and/or collecting. We are thrilled we can feature the 2022 Detroit Autorama in our film Detroit: A City of Hot Rods and Muscle Car.