Blog

Latest Industry News

2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, Part II

Another Perfect August Day
A few weeks ago, I spent the afternoon at the Meadow Brook Concours d’ Elegance. While the West Coast had Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, this weekend we had the 14th annual Woodward Dream Cruise, turning the area Woodward from Pleasant Ridge to Pontiac into an automotive playground. Below the jump, are just some of the vehicles that caught my eye.

Rolls-Truck.jpg

Tell me, where else will you see these two vehicles kept pristine and rollin’ along the same boulevard?

woodward_a.jpg

Or a toy motoring along next to the delivery van?


Dream Cruisers often favor the usual muscle cars, but there seemed to be more Dodge Challengers and Chargers than years past, and nearly every block and parking lot or vehicle-packed green space had at least on Chevrolet Camaro. This year we saw more cars, crowds thinned out by a longer Cruise, and weather better than anyone could have hoped. Areas empty in prior years were flooded with vehicles of all shapes and sizes. All historic periods or vehicle types are encouraged, and with the addition of the Next Cruise event in Pleasant Ridge, alternative fuel vehicles are formally welcomed. In fact, looking at variety, it seems that the language of automotive appreciation is one of the few in which we celebrate differences of opinion and objects of idolization.

parkinglot_1.jpg

Despite concerns over the environment, economy, fuel costs, and all the bad news the automotive industry is taking these days, America’s love affair with the automobile hasn’t lost its luster nor its variety.
KarmannGhia.jpg
woodwardmix.jpg
BuickCentury_c.jpg
Camaro_oldandnew2.jpg
Moose_Ferrari.jpg
America’s favorite pony and Italy’s prancing pony taking a break.
CorvettePair.jpg
ChevyCorvette_gold.jpg
Easy to spot plenty of Corvettes, any vintage, at the Dream Cruise.
Chevy_MalibuSS.jpg
It is possible for Americans to appreciate wagons!
Keene32HotRod_2.jpg
This car’s plate reads KEENE32, with car seats for the little ones, too.
Cutlass_cvt.jpg
Before the multi-shade paint job, the owner said this Cutlass spent twenty-five years in rental-car service, from Ohio to Oregon to Hawaii.
DeLorean_one.jpg
Katrina showed you the lineup, but this one might be guilty of false advertising, hinting at the power necessary for the flux capacitor. The whole group took a Woodward Dream Cruise spin together later in the afternoon.
Bricklin.jpg
The DeLoreans weren’t the only gullwing cars to be found. Remember the short-lived Bricklin?
Jaguar.jpg
Though not a strong European presence this year, we did spot this Jaguar taking a break from his cruise.
MustangBoss302.jpg
One of the nicest Mustangs of the day.
PontiacGTO_red2.jpg
PontiacFirebird_cvt.jpg
DodgeChallengerR-T.jpg
DodgeCharger383_black.jpg
CadillacFins.jpg
CorvairConvert.jpg
ChevyBelAirRow_b.jpg

Once upon a time, these were work vehicles.
Chevy57SedanDeliveryVan.jpg
ChryCheckerCab.jpg
DodgePurpleTruck.jpg
ChevroletPickup.jpg

And at least one car just ran out of gas…not the best way to end their day!
OutofGas.jpg

Back to top