For 72 years the Detroit Autorama has hosted some of the greatest custom cars and trucks ever built. From the vehicles competing for the prestigious Ridler Award to the rest of the show, there’s always a great variety of TREMEC-equipped vehicles to enjoy.
This article highlights quite a few of our favorites from the 2025 Detroit Autorama. And if you want to learn more about the two special vehicles TREMEC unveiled at the show, check out that article here.
ABOVE: “T.B. Cooper” American Gasser’s 1934 Ford Coupe isn’t your typical TREMEC-equipped vehicle. It starts with the blown all-aluminum 572 Hemi up front cranking out more than 1,200 horsepower routed through its TREMEC Magnum 6-speed transmission has plenty to send to those fat Hoosier Quick Time Pro DOT slicks. The chassis is from JW Rod Garage and the wheels ET Dragmasters. Don’t fool yourself, Brian from American Gassers tells us this won’t be a trailer queen; the owner will be on the streets, lighting up those tires whenever possible. Watch for a future TREMEC article and video on this one.
ABOVE: Mark DiMilo’s custom 1969 Chevrolet Camaro might look like your typical first-gen Camaro build, but every time you look at it, you’ll spot a new custom detail or nuance you didn’t see before. Carbon fiber hood and inner fenders cut the weight being carried by the Roadster Shop chassis that packs a 427 LS-based engine featuring a 3D printed custom design intake. And, of course, it uses a TREMEC Magnum 6-speed transmission to transfer all the power to the rear axle.
ABOVE: This TREMEC-equipped Ridler Great 8 competitor – the 1963 Corvette built by Steve’s Auto Restoration – was another build with multiple layers of details and subtle things that added up to one of the most impressive C3 Corvette builds you’ll see. Keep an eye out for a future TREMEC article on this car with full details, but for now we’ll cover some of the highlights. The fender peaks were extended an extra six inches into the doors, the front fender scoops were re-angled while the hood louvers were tweaked and made functional. The whole rear of the car was treated to extensive reworking, further accenting the car’s body lines. Bolted to the Corvette’s TREMEC TKX 5-speed transmission is a Chevrolet Performance L8T 6.6L crate engine.
ABOVE: This 1968 Pontiac GTO hides a lot more than its headlights; it’s a classic story of never letting a special car get away from you. Luca has owned this GTO since he was 19, and its current form has come a long way from original. The stock frame is gone, replaced by Roadster Shop spec-series fully equipped chassis. Inside the GTO’s Roadster Shop foundation is a TREMEC Magnum 6-speed transmission connected to an LS3 Chevrolet Performance crate engine. That luscious red hue the Pontiac is bathed in? A very fine Candy Brandy Wine.
ABOVE: Vernon Mackillop’s Ford Coupe was a gorgeous display of classic hot rodding craftsmanship. From its time-capsule looks you’d never suspect a classic TREMEC T-5 5-speed transmission was hidden in the coupe’s transmission tunnel, bolted to a nostalgia-inspired supercharged Ford 286 CID flathead V8. In fact, the transmission is one of the few concessions to modern technology, deemed necessary to make this coupe a joy to drive. Watch for more on this one in a future TREMEC article and video.
ABOVE: Don Snell’s 1933 Ford built by After Hours Hot Rods is another standout classic roadster build. The first thing that grabbed our attention (after its TREMEC Magnum 6-speed transmission, of course) was the impressive engine: a 520 cubic-inch Jon Kasse Boss Nine engine. The roadster’s interior features hand-sewn leather accoutrements, and in the back an old-school Winters Quick change rear.
ABOVE: Brian and Jennifer Watson’s 1965 Mustang convertible was built by Jeff Matauch, and stands out with its PPG “Sofa King Blue” hue. The gold paint on its 347 Windsor V8 pays homage the original 289 and a TREMEC TKX five-speed transmission delivers the power to the ground. Overall this Mustang looked ready to have the top dropped for some cruising on the back roads of America.
ABOVE: Jason Ramsey’s 1983 Mercury Capri was a blast from the past. For a few years, Mercury had its own version of the Fox Body Mustang with unique front and rear facias. Instead of its original smog-choked 5.0L V8, Jason’s Capri now has a 501 horsepower 357 Windsor with a TREMEC TKX 5-speed transmission. It also has a slew of suspension upgrades and a 1994 Mustang Cobra rear end.
ABOVE: It’s a shame we never saw the Gulf paint scheme on a Mustang racing in Trans Am back in the day, and this 1965 tribute car shows just how good it would have looked. One of the coolest packages we’ve seen around a TREMEC TKX 5-speed transmission, this Mustang has a three-link coil-over rear suspension so all the power made by its Ford Performance 363 crate engine can be used for maximum enjoyment. Originally Wimbledon White with red interior and a six-cylinder, this car had been parked since 1968 until the current owner, Mike Radonovich, rescued it and started the restoration in 2017 to make this Mustang 2+2 what it is today.