It's that time again....Woodward Dream Cruise has already started. Folks from all over bring their classic muscle cars to cruise Woodward Avenue, like they used to do back in the day. The movie "American Grafitti" is based on cruising Woodward.
I heard recently that it's the largest one-day car event in the world. Sav and I got a sneak peak last night, as this event has grown into a week long cruise-fest. We saw some beauties, but I decided that the 1966 Corvette Stingray is one of my favorite classic cars.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.copsnrodders.com%2FImages_memberscars%2Fbrucemangrum.jpg&hash=28e0a51611331537837d32dab2aee77737336d5e)
The Chevelle runs a close second.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.enginefactory.com%2FChevelle.JPG&hash=7b31fc2705cc6a9f85e8bdfedbbbe3b3042d2602)
We had ours last week. ;)
My boss was driving around in a Stingray just like that, powder blue. At the auction, he bough a 65 Metropolitan. :lol:
Here's what else is going to be in town for the event:
- Herbie the Love Bug
- Batmobile
- General Lee
- Monkee Mobile
- KIT
- Monkee Mobile
- the car from Starsky and Hutch
They'll be on display until noon on Saturday, then they'll join the cruising.
Here's a couple of websites about the event:
http://womc.com/pages/4845677.php (http://womc.com/pages/4845677.php)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.woodwarddreamcruise.com%2F&hash=e1482a7215270a66ba2555eb27ecbcfe2a8d4890)
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on August 14, 2009, 10:12:26 AM
We had ours last week. ;)
My boss was driving around in a Stingray just like that, powder blue. At the auction, he bough a 65 Metropolitan. :lol:
Did you see any of the cruise? What was your favorite car?
Another one my boss has (he's a collector): a 1936 Jag Roadster. :cool:
As for the ones who come into town, well it's impossible to pick really. Like 800,000 people come into town for the event from all over the country and maybe ten or fifteen thousand cars. Jay Leno is always here for it. I also like the muscle cars. Buick 442, Challenger R/T, that kind of stuff. Man, some of these people take this shit seriously.
Edit: I think the only way to get bigger would be to go to Woodward itself, and I bet a lot of the same cars do Hot August Nights and then head for Detroit.
My personal favorite is the mid-70's Cadillac El Dorado convertible:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.americanconcours.org%2FPortals%2F0%2FCadillac%2F1976%2520Cadillac%2520Eldorado%2520122896.JPG&hash=2f74289e84501330256845b3375208074ae0c50d)
One of my friend's parents had one when I was growing up. It would have been the perfect car to live out a Jack Keroauc fantasy; the trunk could hold at least a dozen cases of brandy.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on August 14, 2009, 10:54:35 AM
Man, some of these people take this shit seriously.
I can't even begin to grasp the money and time it takes to restore/maintain these cars. I saw a Chevelle last night that looked like it just rolled off the line.
Quote from: Savonarola on August 14, 2009, 11:12:53 AM
My personal favorite is the mid-70's Cadillac El Dorado convertible:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.americanconcours.org%2FPortals%2F0%2FCadillac%2F1976%2520Cadillac%2520Eldorado%2520122896.JPG&hash=2f74289e84501330256845b3375208074ae0c50d)
One of my friend's parents had one when I was growing up. It would have been the perfect car to live out a Jack Keroauc fantasy; the trunk could hold at least a dozen cases of brandy.
That looks like a perfect "Thelma and Louise" car. Care to go on a road trip?
Nice. :)
All right, I'll fess up. I have a difficult time driving cars with a long hood-line. I have an even harding time parking them, because I can't see where that parking lot block is. I usually have to bump it, and then back up a bit.
I am not proud of this.
I saw the Monkee Mobile this morning. Also saw the Firebird from "Smokey and the Bandit" and the van from the A Team. Some of the actors from the show autographed the glove compartment. Magnum PI's Ferrari was also there.
Quote from: charliebear on August 15, 2009, 11:27:59 AM
I saw the Monkee Mobile this morning. Also saw the Firebird from "Smokey and the Bandit" and the van from the A Team. Some of the actors from the show autographed the glove compartment. Magnum PI's Ferrari was also there.
KITT was also there; though KARR still remains at large.
I live a couple blocks from Woodward; a number of streets by my house are still shut down. There was already a healthy crowd on Woodward (and cars cruising) by 9:00 this morning. Woodward is a divided boulevard (in the suburbs, where the cruise takes place.) There were people already camped out in the median beneath the trees by then. The local Tim Horton's was charging $35 to park and stay there all day.
Quote from: Savonarola on August 14, 2009, 11:12:53 AM
My personal favorite is the mid-70's Cadillac El Dorado convertible:
Really dig 90 degree angles, huh.
more pix please
http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story/Way-More-Pics-We-Had-a-Blast-at-the-Cruise/07uQi6Mu1k2eOMDyGmzIPQ.cspx (http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story/Way-More-Pics-We-Had-a-Blast-at-the-Cruise/07uQi6Mu1k2eOMDyGmzIPQ.cspx)
http://www.wxyz.com/ugc/cat/wdcgarage/default.aspx (http://www.wxyz.com/ugc/cat/wdcgarage/default.aspx)
http://myfoxdetroit.mycapture.com/mycapture/photos/Album.aspx?EventID=816114&CategoryID=52490 (http://myfoxdetroit.mycapture.com/mycapture/photos/Album.aspx?EventID=816114&CategoryID=52490)
These are links from the local tv news.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on August 15, 2009, 09:12:41 PM
Quote from: Savonarola on August 14, 2009, 11:12:53 AM
My personal favorite is the mid-70's Cadillac El Dorado convertible:
Really dig 90 degree angles, huh.
Nostalgia is a funny thing. Now that pretty much every car on the road is a formless aerodynamic blob, the classic boxy cars like 1980ies Chevy Caprice look simple and appealing.
Quote from: DGuller on August 17, 2009, 09:53:56 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on August 15, 2009, 09:12:41 PM
Quote from: Savonarola on August 14, 2009, 11:12:53 AM
My personal favorite is the mid-70's Cadillac El Dorado convertible:
Really dig 90 degree angles, huh.
Nostalgia is a funny thing. Now that pretty much every car on the road is a formless aerodynamic blob, the classic boxy cars like 1980ies Chevy Caprice look simple and appealing.
Heh, it also used to be much easier to know nearly every car make and model seen on the roads, foreign or domestic. But now, with all the similar looks and so many car models from each maker, it's just not possible. Though having so much variety to pick from now is much better.
Quote from: DGuller on August 17, 2009, 09:53:56 AM
Nostalgia is a funny thing. Now that pretty much every car on the road is a formless aerodynamic blob, the classic boxy cars like 1980ies Chevy Caprice look simple and appealing.
I think the aerodynamic blobs are also blinding us somewhat to subtlety in car designs- I remember helping my parents pick out a brand-new 92 Toyota Corolla because it "had curves in the right places and straight lines in the right places," but sitting next to a 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse, it's hard to notice the curves on one of those Corollas anymore.
I have always like the simple chevelle ss.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on August 15, 2009, 09:12:41 PM
Quote from: Savonarola on August 14, 2009, 11:12:53 AM
My personal favorite is the mid-70's Cadillac El Dorado convertible:
Really dig 90 degree angles, huh.
Only in Euclidean space. :cool:
A world record was set during the Woodward Dream Cruise. Check it out: a 1,224 pound cupcake.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32438528/ns/us_news-weird_news/?GT1=43001 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32438528/ns/us_news-weird_news/?GT1=43001)
Quote from: charliebear on August 17, 2009, 03:19:24 PM
A world record was set during the Woodward Dream Cruise. Check it out: a 1,224 pound cupcake.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32438528/ns/us_news-weird_news/?GT1=43001 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32438528/ns/us_news-weird_news/?GT1=43001)
His name is Jaron. :mad:
Why are you folks over there incapable of designing a single good-looking car? Is it something in the water? :unsure:
Quote from: Iormlund on August 17, 2009, 04:11:15 PM
Why are you folks over there incapable of designing a single good-looking car? Is it something in the water? :unsure:
We focus our energy on reliability and fuel efficiency.
Quote from: DGuller on August 17, 2009, 04:12:06 PM
We focus our energy on reliability and fuel efficiency.
:lol:
Quote from: Iormlund on August 17, 2009, 04:11:15 PM
Why are you folks over there incapable of designing a single good-looking car? Is it something in the water? :unsure:
Elitist. They're not the best-looking in the world, but not the worst, either; just hopelessly average.
I cite these for examples that you can do worse than American designers:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.paultan.org%2Fimages%2FTata_Nano_13.jpg&hash=ceb0de6a161652daf2a39d6242aa065677314e32)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinklily.com.au%2Fimages%2Fmedia%2Fsmartcar.jpg&hash=fbcb6ea165a9a80d003f75ca0535989e7cee3fbb)
I love those midget cars on the Interstate. One day, I'll see a semi pulverize one.
Quote from: Ed Anger on August 17, 2009, 04:50:58 PM
I love those midget cars on the Interstate. One day, I'll see a semi pulverize one.
I doubt you'll be able to see much.
Quote from: DontSayBanana on August 17, 2009, 04:40:34 PM
I cite these for examples that you can do worse than American designers:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.paultan.org%2Fimages%2FTata_Nano_13.jpg&hash=ceb0de6a161652daf2a39d6242aa065677314e32)
That would be an Indian car. :contract:
Quote from: DGuller on August 17, 2009, 05:06:57 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on August 17, 2009, 04:50:58 PM
I love those midget cars on the Interstate. One day, I'll see a semi pulverize one.
I doubt you'll be able to see much.
I'll slow down to 5 mph and rubberneck
Quote from: Barrister on August 17, 2009, 05:25:49 PM
That would be an Indian car. :contract:
Here is one from Japan:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eliteautoworx.com%2Fstore%2Fimages%2Fhonda_element.jpg&hash=64c8e66c2df8f80136a5bdc1c585ad464a4933e9)
Quote from: DontSayBanana on August 17, 2009, 04:40:34 PM
Quote from: Iormlund on August 17, 2009, 04:11:15 PM
Why are you folks over there incapable of designing a single good-looking car? Is it something in the water? :unsure:
Elitist. They're not the best-looking in the world, but not the worst, either; just hopelessly average.
I cite these for examples that you can do worse than American designers:
The Fiat Multipla is much worse than any of those (and yes, Tata is an Indian brand although I don't know who designed that thing).
Though nothing is uglier than the PT Cruiser. Hod that thing is awful.
Anyway, it is just that I compare the cars built over the years by Lambo, Maserati, Ferrari, Jaguar, Aston, Lotus and the like to the sports cars built in America, and the difference is mind-boggling. The only American car that I'd let myself be seen in is the gorgeous Ford GT40, which was designed by Lola (small Brit sports car firm).
I personally think that Corvette looks all right.
Ah yes. A bit bland compared to Italian and Brit designs, but that Covette in the A-team is an icon for my generation. I actually saw one of those a few months ago (American cars are virtually nonexistent here)
Quote from: Barrister on August 17, 2009, 05:25:49 PM
Quote from: DontSayBanana on August 17, 2009, 04:40:34 PM
I cite these for examples that you can do worse than American designers:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.paultan.org%2Fimages%2FTata_Nano_13.jpg&hash=ceb0de6a161652daf2a39d6242aa065677314e32)
That would be an Indian car. :contract:
Correct. They're butt-ugly. The upper image is a Tata Nano (Tata Motors is the company that bought Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford, BTW) from India, and the lower image is a Smart Car, from France.
Quote from: Savonarola on August 17, 2009, 06:00:56 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 17, 2009, 05:25:49 PM
That would be an Indian car. :contract:
Here is one from Japan:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eliteautoworx.com%2Fstore%2Fimages%2Fhonda_element.jpg&hash=64c8e66c2df8f80136a5bdc1c585ad464a4933e9)
I think the Honda Element (and the whole sub-genre of Japanese box-looking vehicles) look kind-of cool... :unsure:
Quote from: Barrister on August 17, 2009, 08:24:12 PM
I think the Honda Element (and the whole sub-genre of Japanese box-looking vehicles) look kind-of cool... :unsure:
Agreed. I'll disclaimer that I do tend to like stylings put forth by the Japanese companies, but I really never understood all the hate on the Element- it's got a jeep-ish look that I could equally picture sitting in the driveway or making rounds plastered with company heraldry (as opposed to the Chevy HHR being used as a logo'd company vehicle around here- THOSE look funny).