While the multi-millionaires are sipping champagne this weekend at Pebble Beach, a more democratic celebration of the automobile is taking place along a 16-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue in suburban Detroit.
This populist celebration draws an estimated 1 million visitors and more than 40,000 cars – street rods, muscle cars, collector cars and other wacky “one of a kind cars” that comprise the biggest celebration of automobility that I know of.
(Click on Photos to enlarge; send a photo not larger than 5 meg via e-mail, of your ride!)
Chamber of Commerce types estimate it’s worth $50 million to a local economy that was built on the automobile, which misses the point entirely.
What makes the third Saturday in August special is the do-it-yourself nature of the Dream Cruise.
It started decades ago when a bunch of teenage guys in their borrowed family cars went cruising on Woodward for a burger and a root beer, and — with luck — the car in the next lane over was filled with a bunch teenage girls, also in borrowed wheels. With even more luck the cars ended up parked next to each other a the Totem Pole or other such joint or drive in.
To greatly oversimplify a social phenomenon, from such a uniquely American courting ritual today’s Dream Cruise is made.
Also needed to be acknowledged here is the American tinkering tradition with all things mechanical, which dominated the 20th century and gave us the automobile and the airplane, and powerboats and the racing of all three.
Well out on Woodward now, the guys are older; alas some of us way older, and courtship days are behind for most of them. But the borrowed family sedans of the 1950s have given way to a breathtaking assortment of the best cars from the days of their youth.
Remembrance of things past turns into the ride of today, which is not coincidentally a hot car from the days of youth.
Today’s cruise emerged from the efforts of a group of volunteers who looked to relive and recreate the nostalgic heydays of the ‘50s and’ 60s, when youth, music and Detroit cars ruled on Woodward Avenue. That year, 250,000 people participated in the fund-raising event for a soccer field in Ferndale, an order of magnitude larger than the number expected.
It’s only gotten bigger, more festive since then.
Two things are particularly heartening about this “run what you brung event.”
First, many, many of the cars have an owner sitting beside them or driving who has actually busted a knuckle or three working on it. And then drove it to the street festival.
And second, there’s no snobbery involved. People are here to talk about cars – their car, your car, the car creeping along Woodward Avenue. It’s a friendly crowd. And if you don’t know the difference between a rat motor or a mouse motor, no problem. As much information as you like will be provided with a smile. And the six-packs on display are hot and meant for sippin’ fuel not suds.
In our humble attempt to provide you with a smile, here are a couple of cars to enjoy. Join in and post a reply, or send a photo (not larger than 5 meg) via e-mail, of your ride.
All photos by Len Katz.