OT: Talking Cars Tuesday - Woodward Dream Cruise
Well, Tuesday again. Also coming up on the 3rd Saturday in August, that means crawling traffic, sprawled humanity, and the smell of unburned hydrocarbons and burnt rubber.
Who's heading to the Woodward Dream Cruise this weekend? Also, if you could have ONE car to cruise on Woodward, what would it be?
August 11th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^
Time for Royal Oak to lose it's collective mind.
57 Chevy
August 11th, 2015 at 12:31 PM ^
Though nowadays he's more into italians I believe
http://jalopnik.com/5958462/this-is-eric-claptons-custom-47-million-fer…
August 11th, 2015 at 12:44 PM ^
Slowhand is doing a bit better than Ginger Baker these days I see.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^
This is a bit tricky for me. I'm a Porsche fan, but if I'm cruising Woodward I want to buy American. I wouldn't want a Corvette... just like everyone else has. Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers seem a bit overdone. I've seen the occasional Ford GT, and Vipers always bring a bark and a bite... I think that if I had to pick one thing I'd want it to stand out a bit, be somewhat unique, and really be able to "lay down the elevens".
I'll take a Ram SRT10 for the uniqueness factor. Is that a bad answer? I mean, otherwise I'm in a '69 Camaro SS 454 black with white racing stripes. Either way.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:54 PM ^
I love the black/white racing stripes pattern. Looks like a skunk. ;)
August 11th, 2015 at 1:41 PM ^
Same
Wooderson's ride, only a little more lithe.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:35 PM ^
I have a long way to go before I'm ready
My wife saw that last weekend and said, "I can't ever see that being a car again". I work on cars as a hobby. This is going to be a pro-touring firebird.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:36 PM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 12:53 PM ^
Which one? Roadster? S? S-variants like the P86D?
Also, have you considered what happens in aforementioned Tesla if you cruise too long up and down stop-and-go traffic?
August 11th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
would be my choice with Ludicrous mode enabled of course...
August 11th, 2015 at 12:37 PM ^
This one has always been my personal dream car. 1969 GTO Judge - In my dreams it has a white interior (like the one below), 4 speed and a RamAir IV and the exterior is carousel red just like the one below.
Yes I know not the fastest muscle car ever produced (but certainly in the discussion with the RamAir IV) but in my mind it was DEFINITELY the coolest. Ponchos rule.
August 11th, 2015 at 4:03 PM ^
He has a bodyshop and has done a few magazine restorations. The Judge came up for sale when it's original owner died. The very same car he lusted over as a kid. 40k miles and completely unmolested. He's fretting because the original laquer paint is starting to crack.
Right now he's doing a 70(71?) Torino SCJ. One of (insert ridiculous low number). There are no repop parts so he's actually cut up 2 other cars just to get what he needs.
August 11th, 2015 at 5:11 PM ^
Damn I wish I could just spend one day back then car shopping. Of course I'd need a good three or four thousand dollars to get the one I wanted optioned out just right.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:41 PM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 12:52 PM ^
Why replica? If we're going with "dream car", I'd want the original.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:32 PM ^
This is my pick too, but I get it. He's trying to be even the slightest realistic.
If you go into Birmingham in the parking lot by the 555 building there is always a Shelby Cobra car club parked there.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:37 PM ^
Shelbys, there's a Model A Club, and a gorgeous 356 convertible that all park in the same spot there every year
August 11th, 2015 at 2:54 PM ^
Oh yeah forgot about those. I love going there and hate going there. I hate it because I'm just way to freaking jealous.
August 11th, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
I think I'd be too afraid to drive a production '65 Shelby Cobra around given the recent auction value of $5M+, but my god are they a thing of beauty.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
if I could pick a car to drive down Woodward, it would be something like a 1973 Baracuda. Very American. A bit funky because it was before the fastback roof line was introduced. Best driven in a straight line. Available in Hot Wheels colors like purple, orange, and lime.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^
My Pony and I will be there.
Spent 5 hours polishing her on Friday with a DA to get all the swirl marks out.
Took her to a paintless dent repair place in Livonia to get her factory-new (been long overdue). Freakin' miracle workers, them.
Gonna spend this week doing touch up paint and clearcoat and whatnot, and then Saturday, cruise; Sunday, Mustang Meetup at Ford Proving Grounds.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
Navy MkVII GTI, Illinois plates, Michigan alumni window sticker & license plate covers. #SaveTheManuals magnet on the tailgate. Happy cruising
August 11th, 2015 at 1:07 PM ^
Methinks you get a bit better gas milage than I do ;)
Navy ("vista") blue '07 Mustang V6, Michigan plates and alumni plate surround; no stickers. ever.
Come say hi if you see me, I'll probably cruise up and down once and then park it and walk.
#SaveTheManuals -- were you at Cars & Coffee last Saturday at Car and Driver?
August 11th, 2015 at 1:15 PM ^
I'm averaging a little over 30MPG with mixed /commute driving. When we head out to Michigan I'll get 36-38MPG.
The Alumni sticker is the window peely kind, easily removed, and the Save The Manuals is a magnet for that reason.
I haven't yet attended a Cars & Coffee as we live in Chicago, but it would be fun. We'll do the same, maybe drive up and down once, walk around a lot more.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^
Coming from Chicago eh?
Come *early* Saturday (a pain, I know) and join me at Zingerman's Roadhouse for A2 Cars & Coffee that morning!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1656564701296823/
August 11th, 2015 at 1:32 PM ^
We have a wedding to attend, plus I'm making it a work trip and visiting 2 of the Big 3 on Friday. If you do those on football Saturdays maybe I can stop by while picking up tailgate stuff though
August 11th, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^
If they go on during September, then yeah, I'll be there!
I'm also hoping to host a tailgate at the golf course for most home games.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:54 PM ^
but I'd have to go with the split-window '63 Corvette Stingray. What a beautfiul machine.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:55 PM ^
My dad's (second) favorite Vette variant. He's fallen head-over-heels for the new Stingray...which I've heard, due to being first-year of it's new generation, has all kinds of problems...
August 11th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
the rear-end of that car. The tail-lights look strange to me, like an aftermarket Camaro.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:28 PM ^
The (2015+) Camero, new Vette, AND the Malibu all have similar taillights.
GM recently (like when they started cranking out the Camero en masse again) went through a design philosophy shift where they kind of skip the "lets take away the concept away from the concept art" step.
All their cars now look like Hot Wheels. Which theoretically is cool, but I feel they lose some soul in the process. Really aggressive angular lines.
Ford's Mustang and Dodge's Charger have also fallen "victim" to this design philosophy, much like the 80's were boxy, and the 90's became well-rounded.
Hence why I bought an '07 Stang instead of a (at the time) 12.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
[[double post, pls ignore]]
August 11th, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
If you're inclined to attend the "Dream Cruise", don't forget to spend money in local (non-chain) businesses on and near Woodward. Those businesses that don't sell gasoline, cigarettes or hot dogs lose thousands during Cruise week. The biggest myth of the Cruise is that its good for local business when it's truly awful.
But if you really like old cars and enjoy driving them...go up north and take a nice drive through the woods. The Cruise is a celebration of traffic (and spaghetti stains).
August 11th, 2015 at 1:34 PM ^
The cruise is a celebration of SE MI heritage, and I'm more than OK with that.
Sure, there are better/more focused events, but I don't see why I can't go to both.
And yes, go to local places. I make it a point to get a beer at Duggan's.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:40 PM ^
Well, I'd disagree on what the Cruise really is (having lived and worked near Woodward), but having a beer at Duggan's is the opposite of supporting local businesses impacted by the Cruise. Book stores, art galleries, banks, toy stores, nice restaurants, florists, etc. The vast majority of Woodward businesses (and their employees) get crushed by the Dream Cruise. Duggan's is one of very few that profit.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^
C'mon man. It's ONE DAY out of the year. There are 51 other saturdays to go to the bookstore. Your comment reminds me of the bars near wrigley field that bitch about how Cubs Night Games impact their profits. They wouldn't exist without the cubs!
Woodward - the stretch of road - has years of business thanks to automotive culture. And it can't handle one day celebrating that?
My wife bought her wedding dress from a shop on woodward. They close the 3rd Saturday in August. You make it sound like companies are going out of business thanks to a one-day-per-year festival that's been happening in some form or fashion for decades.
August 11th, 2015 at 2:45 PM ^
Spoken like someone who doesn't live near the Cruise and has little understanding of its impact. The Cruise used to cost my small, local business (which existed prior to the Cruise) about $15-$20K each year. My employees also lost out on wages when we had to shut down.
It's absolutely not a one-day event. Clowns begin camping out in lawn chairs to watch traffic as early as May. Crazy Cruise traffic begins about one week before the scheduled event. If it were truly just a one-day event, it wouldn't be so bad...but it's not even close.
Beyond that, you've got the issues of trash, drunks urinating on lawns, etc. The only good thing I can say about it is that it's slowly dying. The size of the Cruise has reduced a ton in the last decade. May it only continue to shrink and disappear one day.
Last note...the Woodward businesses (many of which existed before the Cruise) owe zero to the Cruise and they certainly don't exist because of it. "Automotive culture" supports a place like Duggan's (and maybe some auto repair shops); your impression of the Cruise and the region is far out of line from reality.
August 11th, 2015 at 3:00 PM ^
Last year was the largest cruise to date.
Ughh, I must apologize for not finding the link to the article that I read that in. I hate giving points without the proof to back it up. I promise I read it, and when I find it I'll link it.
August 11th, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^
The Cruise is now concentrated between 11-14 mile, where it used to be packed from Ferndale to Pontiac. Saturday traffic in Ferndale is lighter than a decade ago on Cruise Thursday. You can cite any article, I can look at my personal video (though it was mostly taken to goof on the toothless clowns in lawn chairs).
August 12th, 2015 at 8:19 AM ^
Your comments make no sense and I can't tell if you're trolling or not so I'm done with this discussion after this, but really, video? So do you count heads in your video every year to come up with numbers?
Last year I spent a good chunk of time on foot in Ferndale because it was so packed. The median is packed with lawn chairs and then there's Mustang Alley. In Pontiac you have the same. I really don't know what your point is but you clearly are feeling hurt over something and you're venting or you just don't like cars and you're trying to make fun of people on this site.
August 12th, 2015 at 1:31 PM ^
Video...yes, because when your business is empty because customers can't get to you (due to Dream Cruise) you might decide to take footage of the hillbilly carnival outside your door. That's so odd to you? Do you not have a cell phone?
Bottom line is you've gotta ask yourself if you'd spend $15,000 on the Cruise. That's what it cost me as a small local business each year (and that doesn't even get to my staff's losses). I'd say that's a reasonable gripe. Given that the average Cruise customer spends more on lawn chairs and styrofoam coolers than locally, it's a pretty shitty deal for local business. Enjoy it all you want, but keep in mind that you're hurting the businesses who do business all year...and not just one week.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 2:03 PM ^
I'm on the first block off Woodward in Ferndale, and i try to get out of town for at least part of the weekend. This thing might be somebody's "dream," but that's not what I'd call it.
August 11th, 2015 at 2:04 PM ^
OK. What year did you buy your house? Did the Cruise exist?
It's like buying a house off Main Street and complaining about football traffic...
August 11th, 2015 at 2:15 PM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 2:18 PM ^
Those people are idiots who are just asking for the hammer.
Lot of cops in Royal Oak. Lot of cops in Royal Oak during Dream Cruise Week. Lot of cops with 0 tolerance in Royal Oak during Dream Cruise Week.
Especially since Royal Oak is a wealthy community.
August 11th, 2015 at 3:50 PM ^
Have to imagine repaving Coolidge between 12 mile and Woodward will only exacerbate the problem.
I certainly can't relate to the business interruption costs associated with the Cruise, but I enjoy the festivities while only a few blocks removed from Woodward. It's a good excuse for me to have friends and family over for the weekend / evening.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:01 PM ^
The point of cars is to drive them. I don't get parading them down a major road, at all. Not that I hate it or anything, but I would never waste my time by participating.
I do understand the people that collect cars because as they get older, and other owners drive the mileage up on theirs, or wreck them, they can appreciate in value. So, while not being appreciative of "LOOK AT MEEEEE" car owners who participate in such parades, I can appreciate collectors such as Jay Leno who have more cars than they can drive (and thus don't get driven often enough).
August 11th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
Some of us see cars as something that just looks good.
We know that we "lose money" and they "aren't an investment at ALL", but they are considerable amounts of money, and we feel if we're dropping that much money on anything, it should look amazing and turn heads.
If I wanted a car to "just drive", I'd buy a beaten, dented, automatic Honda or Toyota with 200mi on the odometer.
Woodward is a chance to show off our mentality and get some heads to turn.