Detroit Autorama 2010 It doesn’t have to be a Mustang to look good!

If you're into custom cars, you'll love these photos. Here are a few snaps from this year's Detroit Autorama, being held this weekend. '30 coupe; one of the dramatic vehicles parked up front to catch everyone's attention as they walk in.

"Rocket ship" T-bird

George Barris was brought in by the promoters with a few of his historic cars.

"Boondocker" Datsun pickup. Hey, it's all for the entertainment!

1933 Ford

Chip Foose "P-32" roadster, using a Lincoln Zephyr engine. Very nicely detailed, typical of Foose, but the exhaust outlets on the engine side panels are phony because the Zephyr V12 had only 4 exhaust ports on each side; end ports serviced one cylinder each but the siamesed middle ports serviced 2 cylinders each, just like Ford V8s.

The promoters brought along a few "historic" rods; these are from the '60s.

There were some commercial exhibits. This is part of the Pirelli booth, with 30 inch tire/wheel in foreground. The Ford Flex in background has "only" 24 inchers.

Restored Divco milk truck. I knew how the single clutch/brake pedal worked, but wasn't sure about the accelerator for stand-up driving. The owner said when getting up to speed the driver uses the twist throttle on the 4-speed column shift lever (you can see the black grip on the end of the column shifter, used to twist the shift lever). Once in 4th gear (with no more clutching to do) the driver can stand on his left foot and use the right foot accelerator on the floor (there's another accelerator positioned a bit higher for sit-down driving). Top speed is reported to be about 35 mph.

Tube frame chassis is blue. Suspension is by air over shock (you can see the air bladder at the top of the shocks). Common hot-rod signature elements: supercharger on top of engine, topped by injector and enormous air scoop at/above windshield.

Tools were in display too, including press brakes, metal forming machines, welders, and this selection of rubber and wood mallets.

A very nice, clean, '32 roadster with a '33 in the background.

Henry J. Station Wagon. I'm not sure if they made any or if this guy created one from a sedan. Typical of the "tail dragger" genre.

BMW Isetta with an engine swap.

Classic Cadillac, inspired by Big Daddy Roth.

Oldsmobile with full "jack" treatment.

'37 Ford.

T-roadster with classic midget racer grille.

Art Deco "Decoliner" Lincoln Zephyr with styling cues like a Delahaye is designed to allow the similarly styled motorcycle to be swallowed in the back.

I like it.

Very nice, clean, 1951 Mercury custom. I later learned the two women (behind the car in this view) in car-hop uniforms and platform pumps are twins.

Replica of Barney Oldfield's Miller "golden submarine" race car, but a bit smaller scale and narrower.

A '32; one of many very nice local cars brought by their owners.

Ridler award-winning Willys (for best rod shown for first time in Detroit ). Builder being interviewed for Meguiar's Car Crazy TV. One of the secrets of TV production: interviewer has back of shirt clothes-pinned so front fit will look best for TV.

Cadillac that had enormous body length. Looked like a stock body shell, but nicely customized and painted 2-tone yellow.

Buick Skylark concept car, brought from a museum in Flint, Michigan

Modern Cadillac-based roadster designed by Wayne Cherry, past head of GM styling.

1956 Chrysler 300B, lowered with big wheels.

"Rat Rods" are in the basement. This is unusually well finished for the "rat" category, with a Jaguar engine, Ford T woody body, antique lights and fan, etc.

"Rat bike", designed like a Schwinn with Triumph engine

The air scoop on this one is perfect. Rat rods are made with great imagination.

Rat roadster with nice, but smaller, air scoops and period- perfect ('50s) whitewalls.

V-12 Lincoln Zephyr power. This was in the "rat" category, but very nicely done.

Nice taillight treatment ('56 Buick?) on this rat 4-door. Even the rope stanchions are nicely done. A little difficult to see the big vertical exhaust stack up front in this view, but it's wired with a spark plug near the top of the tube, presumably to ignite flames shooting high into the night sky.

A few of the trophies.

Could that be ?