It's Classic Car Time Again!

Just a quick, short post today, sort of a 'tease' for the upcoming nice weather. As the calendar turns from March to April, gearheads and car nuts all across the region begin to drool in anticipation of the best time of the year - Car Show Season!

Yes, it's time to get out the car wash soap, chrome polish, armor all, etc., and shine up the old rides. Here on Long Island, there's a really large car culture, and once we hit summer, there are multiple 'cruise nights' each night. On some evenings, we have 3 or 4 different places to choose from!
For me, the season always starts with the Garden City Easter Show and Parade. Sponsored by the GC Chamber of Commerce, this one is lots of fun. We take our rides and park them in one of the big lots on the East side of Franklin Avenue, usually around 10 am. A big crowd of spectators wanders around checking the cars out, there are bands, food vendors, folks in rabbit costumes - a lot of fun for all, especially the kids. 

At around 1 pm, we fire up our engines, and 'parade' down Franklin Avenue to Seventh Street. Up Seventh we go, to Hilton, where the parade ends. Now, the thing to understand is the size of the crowd. All along Franklin, and Seventh, the crowd lines the sidewalk 6 or 7 deep. There are literally thousands of people watching this parade! Lots of us who participate carry bags of candy in our cars and we toss it out the window to the kids who are watching. And you hear folks commenting along the way; 'Wow, a 'Cuda, I haven't seen one of those in years!' 'Hey, look, a Fiat 850!' and the like. It's really a fun time, and it's become a tradition for Tom and I to be there. Karen usually goes as well, and usually one of her children is there with their kids - a fun family event!
Last year, we showed both the Barracuda and the Fiat, and that was fun. The Fiat attracted quite a crowd around it, since back in the day these things were all over. But most of these cars rusted away, or just came apart, and you rarely, if ever, see one. Ours looks pretty good, and folks just like looking at it. Of course, the fact that it's tiny (Karen calls it a Matchbox car) is part of the attraction.
This year however, it's just the Barracuda. The Fiat, as is it's habit, has become maddeningly unreliable, and has been getting us stuck whenever we take it out. A gas tank full of gunk and dirt seems to be the culprit, and I just don't have the time to get it worked out before the parade. But I'm sure we'll drag the little piece of crap out to some show this summer, it'd be a shame to just leave it sitting on the driveway.
So if you're anywhere near the Garden City area on Sunday April 16, pop on over to GC Parking Field 9E. Wander through the cars and enjoy a look back to when cars were stylish and simple. Then line up on the streets and watch a parade that's so 'middle America' it could be mistaken for someplace out in Iowa. And bring the kids - classic cars are a great hobby that's fun, interesting, and a lifetime pursuit.
And now, back to cleaning the old buggy up!