RI: Cardi's Car Cruises offer peek of past

From the Rhode Show:  Cardi's Car Cruises offer peek of past

Classic Car Cruises has become a great summer past time, and with the great weather Rhode Island has been seeing lately, nothing beats a nice night checking out some hot wheels.

NiRoPe, Nick, Ron and Pete Cardi, who host Car Cruises at Cardi's Furniture each week, along with car collector Vinnie Calenda, joined The Rhode Show to talk more about it.

Nick Cardi: We host three Classic Car Cruises a week; Mondays in West Warwick, Wednesdays at our Braintree location, and Thursday nights in South Attleboro. We have big parking lots and some nights we get close to 90 classic cars! We have a DJ playing some oldies and it’s a lot of fun for the whole family, and best of all: it’s free!

The Rhode Show: Ron, you guys get some pretty amazing looking cars!
Ron Cardi: Absolutely, we’ve had cars from every decade in the 1900’s, and when you see how much time and effort the car owners put into thier own vehicles, you can’t help but smile and look at all the details of the cars! To see these pieces of history preserved and operational...People come with thier classic cars, they bring an outdoor chair, answer any question you may have, and if they don’t know the answer, they’ll make up something believable! The classic car owner knows a great deal about a quality built machine, and it’s fun to see how cars have evolved over the past century.

The Rhode Show: Vinnie, you've got quite the collection.
Vinnie Calenda: I've got a 1930 Pontiac Oakland, a 1950 Pontiac Chief and 1966 Pontiac GTO. It takes a lot of maintenance and care and you just have to keep up with them.

The Rhode Show: Pete, you've been hosting Car Cruises for years!
Pete Cardi: That’s right, it's a fun hobby, and lets face it, most of the car owners are men, and if he’s going to spend time and money to keep the car looking pristine, you know, the wife is going to get what she wants too, so we just happen to have a large showroom with beautiful furniture in it on-site! We appreciate the hobby of classic car collecting and cruising, we’re happy to host the cruises, these people are literally preserving history in thier own garage, it’s great they share thier passion with us at our stores!

Online: http://www.cardis.com/main/cruises.php

 

Classic Cars: 22nd Annual Belvidere Mopar Happening July 14-15

From The Rock River Times:  Classic Cars: 22nd Annual Belvidere Mopar Happening July 14-15

Classic car enthusiasts from throughout the Midwest will make the Boone County Fairgrounds their point of destination this weekend. The 22nd Annual Belvidere Mopar Happening presented by the Chicagoland Mopar Connection will take over the fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday, July 14-15.
The Belvidere Happening will have cars from the 1920s up to the brand-new 2012 Dodge Dart. Sunday, more than 300 cars are expected to be on display. In addition to the car show, there is also a huge swap meet on both days. Saturday’s participants are also planning a trip to the Byron Dragway to catch some Mopar drag racing in the morning. The afternoon activities include a cruise to Belvidere Motors at 4 p.m. and then on to Anderson Dodge at 6 p.m.

Admission to the show is $3 per person at the gate and free for children 12 and younger and holders of military IDs. Saturday features a special entry fee of $5 per carload. The grounds are open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. The show goes on, rain or shine, and there is plenty of free parking available on the grounds.

In addition to the many parts and food vendors displaying their wares at “The Happening,” featured guest Mr. Norm will be on the grounds. He is best known as the “King of Hi-Performance.” He revolutionized how performance cars were sold, and went so far as to develop the prototypes for the 383 Dart GTS and the famed M-Code 440 Dart, both of which were subsequently put into production by Chrysler Corporation, in addition to delivering the most Hemi Darts of any dealer.

Today, Mr. Norm’s Garage carries on this legacy with a comprehensive lineup of new turnkey performance vehicles, vehicle packages, parts and accessories, and vintage muscle cars built to order. His garage is in the building that previously housed Strandquist motors at 610 W. Jefferson St., Rockford.

 

Limbs crush classic cars at auto shop in Dade City

From TBO:  Limbs crush classic cars at auto shop in Dade City

DADE CITY --The mechanics at JLP Motorsports checked the sky as they worked Tuesday, warily eyeing the oak tree towering over the business. That morning, the tree had dropped a huge limb, nearly adding to the damage people already were having to work around.
Overnight, another massive oak, stretching 50 to 75 feet in the air, had cracked and fallen, smashing several classic cars JLP Motorsports had been restoring.

When workers returned Tuesday morning, they found several of the cars they'd been painstakingly restoring buried under tons of rotted wood and leaves. The 1977 Ford LTD was smashed, as was the 1967 Buick Skylark. A 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air was crushed inside a shed that was hit by one of the tree's main branches.
Maybe worst of all: A 1968 Ford pickup belonging to Max Bridges, who works at the shop, was totaled. Its restoration was nearly complete, and the truck had gone for a spin Monday, hours before the tree fell.
"We're just not even sure where to start," said Lois Simmons, who owns the shop, at 10301 U.S. 301, along with her fiancé, Jasen Law.

JLP Motorsports opened about two and a half years ago and does a little bit of everything. The shop specializes in classic car restoration but also repairs RVs, does body work and auto repairs.

Workers spent Tuesday making sure the cars that were spared – including a '78 Corvette, a '69 Camaro, a '64 Falcon and a couple of 1954 Chevys – were out of harm's way. The tree didn't touch the main garage; so with a little tree-trimming, workers were able to get in there. The shop's outdoor lift also was still in operation.
Simmons said she was waiting for the insurance adjustors – hers and the neighbor's, because the tree was rooted next door – before bringing in a tree service.

Considering the tree had damaged or destroyed several classic cars, it was hard to estimate the extent of the damage, she said.

In the meantime, work continued, with intermittent breaks to gaze up at the second tree looming over the property, and to talk about the damage that already had been done.

"We got lucky," Simmons said. "We had several other vehicles right next to the lifts and on the lifts, and it just missed them.

"It could have been worse."

 

Orewgon: Graffiti Night Cruise highlights classic car show weekend

This will doubtless be a yearly thing, so mark it on your calendar for next year.

From the News Review:  Graffiti Night Cruise highlights classic car show weekend

Dashboard computers and hybrid technology was absent in downtown Roseburg Saturday evening as classic cars rumbled through the streets during the 31st annual Umpqua Flatheads Roseburg Graffiti Night Cruise.

Vehicles made in 1972 and older returned downtown to an era before the words fuel efficient were ever used to describe cars. Spectators lined sidewalks as classic models from Ford, Chevrolet and Studebaker rolled down Jackson and Main streets for the closed route cruise that is the culmination of Graffiti Weekend.

The five-day event draws classic car enthusiasts from around the Northwest and beyond with the cruise drawing the largest crowd and car participation.

Umpqua Flatheads Car Club treasurer Lance Wetteland said 650 cars participated in last year's cruise. Organizers expect a similar number for Saturday evening.

Wetteland drove his 1947 light blue Ford pickup, one of three vehicles at the head of the cruise.

He said an appreciation for quality and nostalgia makes this an event people come to year after year.

Vic LaBrec and Mark Shelton of Coquille set up chairs a few hours before the cruise on Jackson Street across from the Douglas County Central Library.

The two have made the hour plus drive to Roseburg each year to get a glimpse of their favorite cars. LaBrec's is a 1934 Ford Coupe, while Shelton prefers muscle cars from the 1960s and '70s, especially the 1969 Chevrolet Corvette.

The two said they value classic cars because many were hand built before the days of robot assembly lines. They said a car put together by hand comes with a certain level of quality not seen in modern vehicles.

“It's just about seeing old iron,” LaBrec said.

Roseburg residents Harv and Pat Feagin shared a similar sentiment. The married couple has frequented Graffiti Weekend since moving to the county 17 years ago. Pat Feagin said the cruise brought them back to their youth when classic cars were a frequent sight.

“It's fun to see them and relive the glory days,” she said.

Harv Feagin was driving in his first cruise with his grandchildren Camerin and Coby Feagin of Sutherlin. He drove his 1959 Meyers Manx.

On the sidewalk of Main Street, Paige Dille, 2, of Roseburg, sat perched on her father Danny Dille's shoulders. Paige's brother Dayton, 5, sat next to them, giving a thumbs up to passing cars.

Danny Dille said he has come for the past four years. He said he considers himself a car enthusiast and added that both of his children share his interest.

“I like the ones with flames,” Dayton said, pointing at a car driving by.

Before Saturday evening's cruise, many enthusiasts spent most of their day basking in the sun at the River Forks Show-N-Shine. That event was from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hundreds of classic cars were parked on the grass for patrons to view the cars and there was plenty of opportunities to talk to car owners.

Jim Valentine of Bandon took pictures of cars as he moved about the park. He was attending his first Graffiti Weekend and said he was impressed with the quantity and quality of vehicles.

Valentine, 70, said he considered himself a classic car enthusiast since he marveled as an 8 year old in 1955 at his neighbor's 1934 Ford Flathead.

Valentine said he's seeing a shift in the dynamic of classic cars. While Fords and Chevrolets will always have a place in the category, he said a younger generation is finding interest in hybrid vehicles and lighter weight cars. One day those will be the classic cars people gather to see, he said.

“This is an exciting time,” he said. “Green energy is a real thing. The old timers are passing the torch.”

Graffiti activities continue today with a Graffiti Weeks-End Fun Run from Roseburg to Canyonville.

Registration is from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the parking lots between McDonalds and Parkway Medical off Stewart Parkway in Roseburg. The run ends at Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville where classic cars will be on display. A barbecue is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Boomer Band will perform from 2:30 to 5 p.m.

 

Muskegon's Witt Buick celebrates 100 years of selling cars in the same spot

From Michigan Live:  Muskegon's Witt Buick celebrates 100 years of selling cars in the same spot

MUSKEGON, MI – When the Witt family set up their auto dealership in Muskegon, they rented horses and carriages out of the back of the garage.

The “horseless carriage” was a relatively new invention in 1912, but it apparently didn’t take Muskegon residents long to decide they liked it better than animal-powered transportation.

Witt Buick, 67 W. Western, celebrated its centennial Friday afternoon with a classic car show, a milestone that seemed out of reach three years ago. General Motors had slated Witt for closure in 2009, but the Witt family fought to keep their Buick affiliation.

Gary Scharlow said he has worked as a car salesman for 40 years, with 20 of those years at Witt. The customers’ loyalty struck him, he said.

“Probably the best return customers I’ve seen anywhere,” he said.

Scharlow estimated he had directed about 100 classic cars onto the Witt lot over the first two hours of the show. The current Buick inventory was moved to the other side of the building, he said.

Paul and Patricia Petermann of Silver Lake brought a five-passenger Buick Model 29 touring car to the show. It was from 1912, but wasn’t purchased at Witt -- although Witt co-owner Jan Witt had asked them to display it there from time to time.

They brought it on a trailer, Patricia Petermann said, because the car can’t get up to highway speeds.
“It likes 30 (mph),” Paul Petermann said. “It starts to make weird noises at 32.”

The lack of horsepower isn’t something to lament, he said, because it also doesn’t have modern brakes that allow it to stop quickly. In a way, it’s a window into the past.

“A trip into town was an all-day event,” he said.

George Mazurek of Cloverille, who volunteers at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, said it’s “almost unheard of” for a dealership to last so long.

“It’s amazing having a dealership in one family for 100 years,” he said.

Witt actually sold Hudsons before bringing Buicks to their lineup Mazurek said. Hudson merged with American Motors in 1958 and soon ceased production. But in the 1920s and 1930s they were favorites with both cops and gangsters. They could go one-quarter mile in 20 seconds, he said, which works out to about 45 mph.

“They were the fast car of the day,” he said. “Hudson was the car of choice because of their performance.”
Scharlow said the show was a “thank you” for Witt’s customers.

“We’ve got a lot of 89-year-old customers,” he said. “It’s fun for them because it brings back when their mom or dad drove one of these. Everybody’s got a story to tell.”

 

Kansas: Sumner County Car, Bike Show taking place today in Wellington

This took place last week - so mark it on your calendars for next year:  Sumner County Car, Bike Show taking place today in Wellington

Wellington, Kan. — Just before the railroad tracks, in the 400 block of South Washington Avenue in Wellington is the place "Where downtown ends and the fun begins." Today the Sumner County Classic Car and Bike Show is taking place at Julie's Passtime Bar.

"Today's event is another way to raise money for the children of Sumner County," said Julie Crow, owner of the bar, and event organizer. "All of the proceeds from this car show will go towards the Sumner County Toy Run."  The toy run has taken place on the last Saturday in October for the last few decades.

"We've been doing the toy run for approximately 30-years," Crow said. "We started it with like 10 bikes, and it's just grown; sometimes we have more than 100 bikes." Last year, Crow said the toy run brought in about 3,000 dollars for the County's kids. With the added help of today's car and bike show, she hopes that amount will double this year.

"It's just kind of been dwindling number wise, and money wise," Crow added. "This is just another way we can raise funds for the kids." Around the Passtime Bar today, the street is lined with the shimmering sight of classic cars, and motorcycles. There will be live music with the Backroads Blues Band at 12:30 p.m., there is also a bikini motorcycle and car wash on the schedule, along with food vendors, which include barbecue by Tom Washington and John Wells.

There are also a number of awards that will be handed out by days end. There are 10 people's choice car, and bike awards, along with best paint and best in show for cars and motorcycles. Ballots are due by 3 p.m. today, with the awards presentation around 4 p.m.

With today's event leading up to the toy run in October, event organizers are always seeking more people who want to get involved.

"They can come talk to me [if they're interested in helping]," Crow said. "I'm always needing volunteers to help go out and round up new sponsors...I do a lot of it, and I've got a lot of good friends that help me, but you can always use more people." Julie's Passtime Bar is located at 424 S. Washington, and the phone number is 620-326-8618.

"It's just a matter of raising toys, raising food, and raising money for the less fortunate."

 

Auto enthusiasts line up for the monthly classic cruise-in

From Bainbridge  Island Review:  Auto enthusiasts line up for the monthly classic cruise-in

Get your motor running, and head out on the highway that leads to the Bainbridge Island Cruise-In.
The monthly cruise-in attracts classic car and motorcycle enthusiasts from the area who come to congregate and talk shop.
Across a line of classic cars parked on the lawn of the island’s First Baptist Church, drivers discuss maintenance, engine rebuilds, or simply how cherry a ride looks.
Jerry Hanrahan brought his wife’s 1960 Porsche to the event on Tuesday.
The red sports car looks pretty good at 52-years-old, though Hanrahan had to put a little elbow grease into it. The Porsche has had generous and thoughtful owners all its life. The Hanrahans are no different.

 “If its lucky, it comes out two or three times every year,” Hanrahan said.

Hanrahan eagerly popped open the rear-engine hood on the Porsche and pointed out his modifications.
But he really lights up when discussing his prized 1967 Jaguar.

The Jag wasn’t able to make it to the cruise-in this time — Hanrahan had it in pieces in his garage — but he had a picture of it in his wallet, right next to pictures of his family.

“To me it’s my Franken-Jag,” Hanrahan laughs when talking about all the extra work he has put into it.
His wife found the car in a field, grass growing around the high-end auto and through it.
It had no engine, transmission or even upholstery.

“She said, ‘This will keep you busy,’” Hanrahan said. “It took five years.”

The car is Hanrahan’s special project and he likes to regularly take it to the motorcar meet-ups.
Parked next to the shiny red Porsche at the cruise-in this week was quite a contrast — a 1943 Willys Jeep, complete with drab military paint job, canvas top and an ax mounted to the side.

“I had to rebuild the engine, transmission, and put in new electrical, new brakes,” said Don Teresi.
“There are maybe a handful of them around the world that are still fairly original,” he added.
The Jeep has been kept as original as Taresi possibly can. If he isn’t reproducing a feature, such as the rear-view mirror, he’s looking as far as France for old surplus parts laying around.

The cruise-in is held every last Tuesday of the month on the lawn of the First Baptist Church on the corner of Madison Avenue and Highway 305. Burgers, hotdogs and pizza are sold, with the proceeds going to benefit the island’s Helpline House.