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passenger side quarter view of a vibrant blue classic truck
71st white stencil typography
Detroit Autorama bold red stencil typography
Pickups are Popular in the Motor City
By Eric GeisertImages by the Author
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ne of the best things about indoor car shows held in the winter is you can indulge in your favorite pastime even if there are 3-foot snowdrifts outside. Though that has been known to happen in Detroit, the weather at this year’s 71st Meguiar’s Detroit Autorama was about as perfect as you’d want it, and tens of thousands of people descended into Huntington Place (the old Cobo Hall) in the city’s downtown for three days of automotive glory.

Last year saw two pickups receive Great 8 awards and compete for the show’s nationally recognized top honor (the Don Ridler Memorial Award), but while this year no truck owner or builder got that close, there were plenty of other haulers of all shapes, sizes, stances, and styles on hand to satisfy every truck owner’s tastes.

If glossy paint isn’t your thing, then you could find a bunch of patina paintjobs and vintage color palettes in the Autorama Extreme: the basement area of the 800,000-square-foot upstairs show that caters to those not concerned about how much chrome your truck has but rather how much fun you can have driving it anywhere anytime.

You don’t get to be 71 years old without figuring out how to do right along the way, and the Detroit Autorama always delivers on their motto: America’s Greatest Hot Rod Show!

passenger side quarter view of a pale red orange classic Chevy truck
driver side quarter view of a grey classic truck with its hood propped open
passenger side quarter view of a ruby red classic truck with a fox tail tied to the front passenger side antenna
passenger side quarter view of a white classic truck with its hood propped open
a line of classic hot rods ending with one classic Ford truck seen at the 71st Detroit Autorama
driver side quarter view of a grey custom classic Ford F-100 with its front hinged hood open
passenger side quarter view of a white and blue brush stroked Custom Cab Ford F-100 with matching blue rims
driver side quarter view of a metallic slate blue classic truck with its hood propped open
driver side quarter view of a copper patina classic truck