2009 Detroit Autorama - Dee-vine Dee-troit

How's this for different? This unique '36 Ford pickup owned by Paul Knowlson is an Australian Ute, a half car, half pickup of sorts. The radical creation was meticulously worked over by Gerald's Rod Shop in New Paris, Indiana, with almost every panel being modified in some way. A few modifications include a chopped top, modified bed, and a full custom dash.

Arguably one of the best-designed early Ford pickups has to be the '40 Ford. It is real easy to see why when you lay your eyes on Doug and Vicky Smith's flawless red example. Their '40 used to belong to Doug's dad and since Doug took the truck over it has been completely rebuilt from the ground up by Outta Site Hot Rods.

It would be very hard for anyone to miss this '37 Ford Wild Rod pickup at a large show like Detroit, thanks to its electric lime green paint paired with silver metallic. Built by Rose Works and dubbed the F-37, this wild pickup features water jetted hood trim, custom bumperettes, and a radical engine compartment.

One can never go wrong with deep black paint. Not only does it give this '55 GMC a sinister look, it makes the body and bed look like a piece of glass. Owner/builder Blair Taylor set the slick hauler up on a Heidt's Mustang II frontend matched with a Ford 9-inch in the rear, which not only provides a smooth ride, but gives a stable platform for the Summit Racing 350ci motor strapped to it.

Although a '94 Chevy S-10 may not be considered a classic truck yet, that didn't stop Steve Grybel from giving his '94 a classic look. In order to achieve the look, Grybel dropped his S-10 over a set of wide whites and steelies, accented it with a nice amount of pinstriping, and gave the interior some '50's flavor to create a classic look on a '90's mini truck.

Amongst some of the wild creations in the Extreme area of the show downstairs, we came across Kirk Hanning's killer '34 Ford pickup. His hot rod hauler had plenty of attitude thanks to an ultra-low stance and a 365ci Caddy motor between the rails, but the 6 1/2" channel and 4" top chop made this satin copper '34 a pure hot rod.

It's not that often you see a Dodge A-100, but you almost never see a Fargo A-100. Sold only in Canada through Plymouth dealers, Fargo's are the lesser-known Mopar workhorse of the north. This incredible '70 model is owned by Mike Krieger of Ontario and with the Cragar wheels and tach on the dash, it's easy to see that this is one truck that hauls ass.

The Barris built Ala Kart was on display along with a few other Barris creations. Easily one of the most significant hot rod trucks of all time, the Ala Kart was the winner of the 1958 and 59 AMBR Award. Built from a '29 Ford roadster pickup, the historic hauler was recently restored by Roy Brizio Hot Rods for John Mumford to exactly the way it was in the late '50's.

Silver and blue are always a great choice for a two-tone, especially when they are painted on a slammed International pickup. If you need proof just look at how perfect it looks on Shawn Pengilly's ultra-smooth '49. Built by Pro Comp Custom, the '49 features custom rear fenders, a 347 Stroker motor outfitted with a Weiand supercharger, and a big set of meats in the rear.

This '38 Dodge Brothers Humpback Panel truck is not only unique, but also rare with only a few still in existence today. This particular one was originally used as a dairy delivery truck when new. Ron and Carol Crist purchased the truck in 1974 and over the years have transformed it into a 318 Chrysler powered delivery with hot rod appeal.

Grabbing plenty of attention from onlookers inside Cobo Hall was this 1954 GMC 1/2-ton longbed owned by Tom and Linda DeMarco. The DeMarco's '54 has a number of unique touches like the use of a '56 Chevy passenger car bumper up front and a '55 Chevy bumper in the rear. Mixing unique touches with immaculate detailing and incredible finish work makes this an incredible GMC.

There is a lot to be said about the success of simplicity used on this pearl green '54 Chevy 150 owned by Brenda and Poncho Mateo. Just the right amount of trim was removed for a cleaner look and an altitude adjustment was given over a set of polished billet hoops for a fantastic look, which proves you don't have to modify everything to have a great looking pickup.