Wisconsin Dells Automotion Car Show Report

I traveled out to Wisconsin last weekend for the HUGE (1,200+ cars) Wisconsin Dells Automotion Car Show.  I was the guest of Arlo and Captain Bob from Wisconsin Hot Rod Radio (WHRR).  These guys are authentic hot rodders, and I had a blast at the car show, as well as the after show party.  The event would see the unveil of the All Womens 427 build from “Detroit Muscle TV” with team member Jo Coddington.  It was fun (and a ton of work) to serve as an official car show judge, and everyone from Wisconsin was super nice and welcoming.

Here’s some photos from the event.  We definitely plan on being there next year, and I want to send out my personal thanks to Arlo and Captain Bob and their crew at Wisconsin Hot Rod Radio.

Dave Smith
President

DSC_0725
The guys set me up with a killer shop shirt and an official Wisconsin Hot Rod Radio license plate.

IMG-20140517-03664
There was a great variety of hot rods and customs at the show, as well as a good number of muscle cars.

IMG-20140517-03669
Jo Coddington (passenger seat) and a customer check out the All Womens 427 build.

IMG-20140517-03670

Above and Below: Pug from WHRR helps with customers wanting pictures in the All Womens 427.

IMG-20140517-03671

IMG-20140517-03675
Factory Five customer Sten J. has 35,000 miles on his Mk3 Roadster.  His car was directly across from WHRR’s booth.  Sten was the only Factory Five at the show.  He spent the whole day talking with customers, telling them how he started his build on Memorial Day weekend in 2006, and finished it by Labor Day.

IMG-20140517-03677
The crew from WHRR with Jo Coddington.

IMG-20140517-03679
Jo Coddington and Captain Bob check out one of the more famous show attendees.

IMG-20140517-03680
This hot rod was on the cover of Street Rodder Magazine a few years ago and was built by Jo’s late-husband, Boyd Coddington.

davearloandcaptnbob
Left to Right: Arlo and Captain Bob from WHRR, Jo Coddington, and Dave Smith.

20140518_140956
My pick for one of the show awards was this nice ’55 Chevy Bel Air converted to a vintage gasser.  The owners are Randy and Cheri Nelson from Fon Do Lac, WI.

Latest Factory Five News

Factory Five Night with Mass Cruisers

We had the BEST night at Factory Five Night with the Mass Cruisers at Patriot Place! It was an incredible evening filled with great cars, great people, and plenty of Factory Five stories. It was so much fun catching up with customers like Dave W., who shared stories from his trip across the country with pro-builder, Ron E. and their adventures cruising the Tail of the Dragon. We love hearing about where our customers take their builds and seeing these cars out on the road doing what they were built to do! We had an awesome Factory Five lineup and customers… Read More »

Read More

USA 250th Celebration Sale Ends Labor Day!

2026 is off to a great start, and the team wants to keep the momentum going! They have put together a sale for all of our kits to help you build your car your way this year. Score a Free IRS Upgrade OR Save $2,026 Off Options on Mk5 Roadsters, Mk4 Roadsters, Type 65 Coupe, and ’33 Hot Rod To ensure your finest ride is possible, we are offering FREE IRS Upgrades (up to $3,199 in value). Our Independent Rear Suspension is the best suspension configuration Factory Five has to offer. This upgrade package includes: OR you can save $2,026… Read More »

Read More

Peter D. Graduates Mk5 Build for Son Scott’s Wedding

Factory Five customer Peter D. from Pfafftown, NC and his son Scott started to put thier Mk5 Roadster plans together early in Fall 2025. The submitted their order in mid-October 2025 with the kit arriving in mid-December. They soon started to inventory the kit and start building the car as they had a goal of having the Mk5 featured at Scott’s wedding in June 2026. “I am a retired healthcare administrator, and Scott is a project manager for a transportation company,” wrote Peter on The Factory Five Forum. “We are both very mechanically minded. I bought my first car at 14… Read More »

Read More
Top