Gallery: Hot Rods & Cool Cars

The Summit Racing Equipment’s Piston-Powered Auto-Rama roared into Cleveland’s International Exposition Center (I-X Center) a few weekends ago, bringing more than 1,000 customized and classic cars, motorcycles, boats, aircraft, antique trucks, monster trucks, military vehicles, and historic construction equipment. As the show’s motto says: “If a piston makes it go, it’s in this show.”

Over a millions square feet of the I-X center were filled with 120 vendors, 70 swap-meet tables, over 1,000 vehicles, 70 toy modelers, and more than 46,000 attendees. Many of the vehicles and car clubs were competing in several competitions, but many were just there to show off their hot rods, speedsters, and customized and restored cars, trucks, and vans.

Just a note on the venue: The I-X Center was built by the government in 1942 and served as an assembly plant for B-29s during World War II. After the war it did duty as an exhibition hall and storage site for soybeans. In 1950, the Korean War pushed it into becoming a tank plant for GM’s Cadillac Div. Tanks and armored vehicles were made up through 1972. It sat idle until 1977 when it was purchased and turned into a full-time exhibition center. With more than 2 million sq. ft. available, it is the largest single-building convention center in the U.S.

For more on the International Show Car Association, which sanctions Auto-Rama, click here.

Now here’s a look at a small part of what I saw at the show.