History Old DETROIT AUTORAMA picture thread, what do you have ?

I look forward to seeing you in the spring Dwight,..!
Stay warm in Florida,... I guess I'll shovel snow, till ya' get back.

 

Would you have any pictures from 1950-1951 Detroit Show?

I thought the first show was in 1950?

I'm looking for a picture of the 1927, "Hamke Car" that won in 1950
Where in the hell was "Half Day Speedway?"

Thanks
Here's the car

 

I wonder what that valve went to , in the foreground?

 

Stumbled upon a very cool thread...
Instead of watching the Lions getting their asses kicked tomorrow...I'll dig through some of Dad's old photos. He used to go every year since the first one and started taking my brother and I since 1969. Maybe, I'll even find my photo with Batman and Robin...lol

 

That would be incorrect,.. The very first Detroit Autorama was in 1953

Very cool ,.. I am looking forward to seeing them !

 

Here's some from 2010. 1.Gene 2.Friends Shoebox 3.Old ads

 

May I ask, what '51 Mercury is that in the 1953 pictures?

 

I have never been able to identify it (perhaps somebody else on here has a catalog in which it is mentioned). But a couple of years ago I came across this photo on ebay... as you can see by the poor image I was not able to actually buy it. But this is the same car.. somebody took a snapshot of it somewhere on the street. It has an odd looking chop with what looks like a sunken rear window,(or at least a straight dropped rear portion of the top) and an angled back windshield. I also would love to have some more info/pictures of this car... The grille also looks very interesting. (51 with the ends cut off and moved inside?)

 

In the great picture of the first Autorama, the Buick in the center really pretty new. I remember that we really thought that Frank Mack, owner of the black 27 T, was old because he was in early fifties. That little roadster was hot rod perfection.

 

This Buick? Stan Lendzon '52 Buick built by ClarKaiser




Here is a color photo of it from the Bill Johnson (TwoChops) Collection




And a b/w photo... also from Bill

 

Alot of people tend to forget about the talent and the outstanding work that was being done in Detroit in the early 50's to mid 60's. What a golden time for the history of the Kustom car and so many were built here by the likes of Bill Hines, Dick Dean, The A Bros., Clarkaiser, Styleine Cutoms,. The Westside of Detroit and the Downriver area was our version of Kustom City. Than you add that other great memory from our Hot Rod past that was located on Sibly and Dix known across the Country as Detroit Dragway! Man sometimes it's unreal and I wish I could have experienced it firsthand.

 

Come on guys, don't let this one die. I can't sleep and it's 3:45 AM. I've never been one to take pictures..........always too interested in spending time looking at the cars and chatting with the owners about some detail or how they went about getting a cetain effect.
I've only missed 1 year since 1965 so the early years are are really something to see pictures from.

Frank

 

Cool thread, keep it going guys and girls.

 

any pics from 58

 

Glad someone verified for me that the show was also held at the Detroit Armory. I keep telling a couple bozo's around here, but they won't believe me. I remember as a kid running aroung the grounds where Cobo would be built. Got stopped by 3 guys in suits asking what we were doing there (FBI?) Let us go after they realized we were just being kids.

 

The first autorama was at Uof D fieldhouse. Then at the fairgrounds. Also at the armory. Finally cobo hall.

 

This is Frank Taubitz's 36' Coupe that won 3rd. place overall at the first Autorama,.. the first two pictures were taken during the show, and after trophy presentation,...

 

Alright....I love the picture of Dave Ventimiglia's 56 Chevy........I used to see that car at the Shell Station at McNichols and Lahser every day........I believed he worked there, it was a small block (302) car for a while then they put a 427 in it! Great Picture Thread!

 

Come on !..more pics..
Going to Cobo was the "bright " spot from a cold winter.
More pictures ...please !!!
Rick

 

Here ya' go,... But! (And we all know, everything up to the word "BUT" means absolutely nothing! ) I am really trying to entice you guys to go through your photo albums, shoe boxes,... whatever, To get out your old pictures from Autorama,... scan them and share them with the world, on the Best Real Hot Rod sight in the world !,.... after all,... "It is more blessed to give than receive" ,...... Ain't it ?

 

1967











CC

 

======================================

Harms Way;

I'm lookin,I'm lookin..got a few from other shows...not Cobo..

Thanks Pro enfo..great stuff..
Rick

 

Just wanted to make a point as the Turkey is in the oven ,... Please bare with me as try to put this into perspective,...

I don't think even Ryan had any Idea just how big the Jalopy Journal & the HAMB would become at it's inception. Like it or not (and I like it !) It has become a driving force in the world of traditional Hot Roding, And as I see it, It will become a vital historical record, for future generations of Hot Rodders.

This is why I would like to see the "Real" history captured on the HAMB.
Many people make mention of all the "Old Timers" that were there and actually did it in the early days of Hot Rodding,... and those people and there first hand experiences are being lost to age and time,...

I would encourage anybody that has connections with Real Hot Rodders, from back in the day,.. to listen to, and write down there stories, scan and share there pictures... And more people than they could ever imagine could show them the respect and admiration they deserve.

Furthermore,... I would encourage others to start Official picture threads for all images of the Oakland Roadster Show (GNRS), LA Roadster Show,..
You know what I am talking about,.. All the significant events in Hot Roddings history,... And what better place, than on the HAMB ?

(In my best Walter Cronkite voice,... )

"And that's the way it is,.. Thanksgiving day, November, 25th. 2010,...."

 

Great pictures ProEnfo !

And another one to prime the pump again,...

 

The '46 Ford, center picture bottom row is the "Artic Sands". Then owned by Ken Nicholson whose father owned the Topinka's restaurants in Detroit. Anybody remember eating there?

 

Rikster, that sure looks like the same Buick.
I was in the 1958 Autorama and in was at the Armory. Bill Hines was debuting the "lil Bat 1", the Clarkkasier guys had several cars, and Dick Dean was there and just getting started, they were all in the same show.
Few people took that many pictures cause you got 12 shots to a roll and many times would screw them up, changing the roll. Not like the digital of today.
Thanks to Harms Way and Rikster for preserving what we can find.

 

Hi Rik,

Thanks for replying. Interesting car, early chop etc. Is it a big chop too... 5" or more inches you think?

 

Another problem was flash photography wasn't the greatest,.. big crowds, and the old lights at COBO really played havoc with taking pictures,... But!, no mater how good or bad your pictures are,.. I urge you to post them.

The 25th. Detroit Autorama 1978! , Frank was asked to bring his famous roadster,..
He drove it there,... and drove it home in a snow storm after the show,... This little roadster was never babied.

 

In the first picture, you can see a AV8 Roadster, right behind the Buick Custom,... That Roadster belonged to Bob Vivian. Bob was a very good friend of Franks,... Frank helped him on this car.


Summer 1953,.. Just a few months later, Bob was hit, head on by a drunk driver,... on 9 mile near orchard lake,... Here is the same car, on Franks trailer at Franks house on 8 mile & Randall,... What a shame.

 

And a few from recent years,....









The last one was from a thread I did about the last Autorama,... titled

"In the still of the Night", Detroit Autorama , In the Witching hours,......
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=450664&highlight=autorama+in+the+still+of+night