You can’t really call it a car show. The Summit Racing Equipment I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama has the word “auto” in its name, but naming this event for everything it’s about would make the name too long to print on the T-shirts.
This event grew out of the Cleveland Auto-Rama, which started back in 1967. When it merged with the Piston Power show five years ago, it adopted a new name. Nowadays, the event is open to any and every type of piston-powered vehicle. Most are cars, practically 1,000 of them. The variety includes street rods, custom cars, muscle cars, Pro Street cars, rat rods, race cars of practically every type, antiques, restored classics, sports cars, restored and custom motorcycles, classic trucks, and vans. Beyond that, there are vintage boats, tractors, military vehicles, industrial vehicles, and big rigs. We were wondering if we would see any snowmobiles and, sure enough, we saw several. What about planes? Watch the video and you’ll see that the center of the I-X Center is taken up by a Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighter, powered by four 3,500 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-4360 piston engines, the largest piston engine ever produced. So when we say, every type of piston-powered vehicle, we mean it.
In addition to the vehicles, the Piston Powered Auto-Rama has many other attractions. Some of the country’s most talented pinstripers are here, ’striping creations to be auctioned off in support of the Wags For Warriors program that provides service dogs for veterans. High school students are here participating in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge. In the South Hall, Soap Box Derby racers are competing in their gravity-powered racecars. Street legal drag racer Jeff Lutz is on-hand to meet fans and sign autographs. Shops and vendors have set up booths to display performance parts and answer technical questions. And don’t forget the Pin-Up Model contest because you just have to have a Pin-Up Model contest, right?
Keep checking this website for more coverage from the 2018 Summit Racing Equipment I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama, including the Cruisin’ Times All Stars, the Hot Rod Asylum cars, the action from the basement, and assorted galleries of our favorite vehicles. In the meantime, check out this gigantic general gallery from here in Cleveland.
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