Customs Shine at 74th Annual Sacramento Autorama, Chevys, Corvettes and Fords Steal the Show

Photo courtesy of Sacramento Autorama

The 74th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Sacramento Autorama wrapped up on Sunday, May 4 at Cal Expo, bringing together more than 500 world-class custom vehicles under one roof. As one of the longest-running indoor car shows in the world, this year’s event was packed with automotive artistry, history, and horsepower. More than 400 awards were handed out, highlighting the best in custom car culture.

Lit Up and Leading the Pack

The prestigious Custom d’Elegance award—one of the show’s top honors—went to Jimmy Hervatin’s jaw-dropping 1952 Ford F1 pickup, dubbed “Lit Up.” Inspired by a Keith Weesner painting of the same name, this stunning truck was chopped six inches, sectioned, and dropped on a custom chassis. With custom running boards, shaved handles, and a completely reimagined bed, it’s powered by a 1954 Oldsmobile 324 and finished in pearl blue, pearl white, and red flake flames. Hervatin walked away with a $5,000 prize from ARP Fasteners.

Best of the West: Corvette “TwelveAir” Takes the Crown

The West Coast Challenge Car Show Series, presented by ARP Fasteners, named its Grand Champion at the Autorama. David Maxwell took home the Best of the West trophy and a $12,500 check for his futuristic 1953 Corvette “TwelveAir”, a jaw-dropping Kindig-It Design build. Maxwell competed against 10 other elite builds across a series of top-tier events in California, Oregon, and Washington. Cliff Mattis and Carlos Martinez rounded out the top three with their 1957 Chevy Convertible and 1964 Impala Convertible, earning $6,500 and $3,500 respectively.

Lowrider Royalty: “Breaking Bad” Impala Wins Big

Back for a second year, the World’s Most Beautiful Lowrider award was once again a crowd favorite. This year’s winner: Eric Wisterman’s 1962 Chevrolet Impala, inspired by Breaking Bad. Co-built by Jim Basgall, the custom lowrider features stunning murals by Albert Herrera, pinstriping by Alan Signs, an interior by Daniel Moreno, and hydraulics by Mike Ishiki. Wisterman also received a $5,000 prize from ARP Fasteners.

Celebrating a Sacramento Legacy

“This weekend was a celebration of Sacramento’s deep history of hot rodding and automotive culture,” said John Buck, owner of Rod Shows. “The cars, the people, the energy—it all came together to make this year’s Autorama truly special. We’re already looking ahead to celebrating the 75th!”

Big B Awards: Celebrating Custom Car Heritage

Four of the most anticipated honors at the Sacramento Autorama are the historic Big B Awards, and this year’s winners did not disappoint:

Giving Back

Sunday’s Pinstriper Charity Auction raised nearly $10,000 for UC Davis Children’s Hospital, reinforcing the strong bond between the custom car community and its local roots.

For a full list of winners and updates on future Rod Shows events, visit RodShows.com.

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