Photos and Words by Nick Gehlmann, Iron Block Photography •
Winter is a dreary time for a gearhead in the Northeast. When the temperatures drop, the trees go bare, and the holiday festivities cease, there is little with which to connect other than photos, videos, and unfinished projects yearning for attention. However, in the gray doldrum of the winter months, a precious few gatherings cast beacons far and wide signaling safe haven. One such event is the annual World of Wheels show held in the heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The annual World of Wheels show occupies a large portion of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. While the cold temperatures and grueling traffic create formidable challenges before one even enters the building, what lies beyond the entrance is well worth the effort. Hot rods, customs, survivors, tuners, trucks, motorcycles, and more are scattered across the wide exhibition hall. A quick glance and one might think they walked into the Grand National Roadster Show with the amount of chrome, pearlescent paints, and dazzling lights present.
One of the event’s greatest contrasts, and one of its main strengths, is the variation on display. At World of Wheels, a display of junior dragsters from the local race track shares the same floor as Bill Jenkins’ “Grumpy’s Toy” Camaro. Autorama Ridler Award-winning customs sit in spitting distance of a Model T rat rod powered by a 4-cylinder diesel engine. In attendance at the 65th annual event this year was a collection of vehicles from the Dukes of Hazzard show, including Daisy’s Jeep CJ, Sheriff Roscoe’s Plymouth patrol car, Cooter’s GMC Holmes tow truck, and the star itself, the General Lee. Between the sections of mini lots of parked cars stood vendors of nearly every kind promoting their wares or offering refreshment as well as local car clubs recruiting new membership.
The show offers a precious chance to get out, meet up with old friends, and make new connections. Stories ranged from a young girl showing her survivor ‘68 Camaro willed to her by her grandmother at just two years old to a gentleman with his Volkswagen Rabbit pickup sourced from a local field of nearly 40 other cars and a barn full of parts for next to nothing. While the show held a healthy bustle throughout the day, the individual stories and connections really make the event feel alive.
The 2026 World of Wheels lasted only two days before closing early due to impending severe winter weather. However, that did not dampen the mood much, if at all, of those in attendance because World of Wheels means more than just another indoor car show. It serves as an outlet for creativity from builders, a social gathering of likeminded folks, and a warm and colorful respite from the frigid gray world outside. Even as the seasons change and summer events kick off, the organizers of the World of Wheels show maintain their focus on making the next installment just as good, if not better, than the last.
