Since 1962, the Chicago World of Wheels car shows has brought together some of the coolest cars on the planet. It’s part of a series of car shows that span the U.S. plus parts of Canada.
We attended the Chicago show held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, and were blown away by the sheer number of vehicles on display. The World of Wheels is one of several events we attend throughout the year, and it’s always a great one.
This year, it was held from March 11th to March 13th.
The Show
With hundreds of cars on display, it’s almost hard to pin down a theme of the World of Wheels. Custom roadsters share the stage with drag cars, muscle cars, both old and new, a few tricked-out Japanese cars, and plenty of chrome. A variety of car clubs were represented at the show as well. The classes are equally varied, with showroom stock alongside wild customs.
There are also plenty of vendors offering a wide range of products and services, from car cleaning supplies to car parts.
Muscle Car Restorations’ Cars
We brought two of our recently completed restorations to the show: A showroom-stock 1955 Pontiac Chieftain and a heavily customized 1937 Ford Fordor hotrod with modern touches. Naturally, the World of World of Wheels was the perfect place to unveil these two showstoppers.
The two cars represent the diverse restoration work that Muscle Car Restorations performs. The cars are years apart and represent two different styles of restorations with their own unique set of challenges.
Having a booth at the World of Wheels is a great way for us to meet prospective customers who can see our work in person. Not only that, but we were close to the concession stand (talk about a win-win!).
The ability for show-goers to get up close to these cars and walk around them really helps a person appreciate the high level of detail that goes into a world-class restoration.
Both cars went on to win first place in their respective classes. Not bad for a debut show.
Zingers! 50th Anniversary
Some of the most interesting cars at the World of Wheels weren’t even cars, at least not in the traditional sense. Zingers! are essentially real-life cartoons. They are the combination of a full-size engine with small and mostly go-cart-sized bodies.
The Zingers! cars were created to promote the popular model kit line. The Zingers! ranged from a semi-truck and trailer to a Corvette, but they all had one thing in common, massive motors (and in some cases, twin blowers). They have the kind of proportions that would make Ed “Big Daddy” Roth proud.
1932 Ford 90th Anniversary
The 1932 Ford, one of the most recognizable model years in all of hot-rodding, celebrated its 90th Anniversary at the World of Wheels with a group of classic hotrods.
Wild Motorcycles
Car fans didn’t hog all the fun at the World of Wheels; some amazing custom motorcycles were on display. There was everything from café racers to baggers.
The Legend Cup Award
The Legend Cup Award is given to a vehicle shown at the World of Wheels for the first time. Fittingly, the massive trophy is, like the vehicles at the show, a work of art in and of itself. Also, the first place winner finds themselves walking away with a cool ten grand. Not a bad way to end the weekend! For the full rundown on the award and its rules, pay a visit to the section dedicated to it on the World of Wheels’ website.
Student Career Day
Student Career Day is a way the World of Wheels gives back by supporting the future of the automotive industry. High School and College students have the chance to learn about possible careers in the automotive field and hear from industry insiders.
More Info
If seeing some of these amazing cars has left you feeling inspired about getting your car restored at Muscle Car Restorations, give us a call at (715) 834-2223 or shoot us an email at info@musclecarrestorations.com to learn more about how we can make your automotive dreams a reality.
To learn more about the World of Wheels, visit their official website.