Race cars are purpose-built machines, designed to meet a series’ ruleset. Custom cars throw out the rulebook. Distorted proportions of chopped tops, bigs-and-littles, and wild modifications all done to the owner’s particular taste. Even if that taste includes pink paint. Motorama had plenty of one-of-a-kind customs on display.
In the Truck-O-Rama area monster trucks Train Wreck and Sabotage towered above the competition with 66″ tires, four wheel steering and a custom wrap that would make the F&F tuner crowd smile.
Both modern and vintage Mini Coopers were on display. These pocket rockets are a blank canvas for customizers to build their wildest time-attack cars with box-fender flares and super wide wheels, all the way to custom chassis monsters running Cummins diesel engines.
Vintage hot rods, American iron, is really at the core of shows like Motorama. They even had a special section at the back of the building called Motorama Mayhem with a unique old school vibe. Pretty girls dressed in 50’s era pinup girl dresses, an on-site tattoo parlor, plus a barber shop to get a show visitors that vintage greaser look. Customs ranging from chopped Cadillacs to classic T-buckets were give a glimpse at the roots of car culture.
Even though Daniel Demaras and Chris Demaras had exhibitor’s passes waiting at the front gate, the outlaw vibe of those early hot rods inspired them to sneak into the show through a door jammed open. There were some greasers hanging around the back door, smoking Lucky Strikes, their cigarette packs rolled up in their T-shirt sleeves.