Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The Sunday Gladstone Hy-Vee Cruise is the place to go for Maid-Rites

Toward the end of last year, the Sunday Gladstone Cruise presented by the Cowtown T’s wasn’t really pulling in a big field of cars. I hadn’t been back this year, and assumed that with as stinkin’ hot out as it was, no one would be there.

Luckily, I was wrong. It wasn’t the Cruise of the Century or anything like that, but there were actually quite a few cars and people hanging out in the Gladstone Hy-Vee parking lot.

There’s an original ’36 Ford sedan that turns up at car shows around town occasionally that was probably my favorite. I told my wife that I even liked the way it smelled inside. One thing you really can’t recapture when you restore a car is that wonderful, musty, gasoliney aroma that can only be achieved by a 75-year marinade.

I’m not a Plymouth ‘Cuda expert, but there was a red one there that I’m thinking was a ’73. Anyway, the real surprise on that car was the interior, which had some very ‘70s-ish crushed red velvet inserts.  I think it was leftover material from when Hugh Hefner had his couch redone.  It was definitely not the upholstery I was expecting to see in there. If nothing else, it had to be a real conversation piece.

There was also an early-‘20s Overland there that looks like it was just awakened from an 80-year nap in a barn. Understandably, it was drawing a lot of interest from the curious crowd. That car was pretty raw, though. I didn’t think to ask how he got it there, but if he drove it, it had to be a white-knuckled trip.

For the most part, this cruise had the usual assortment of Tri-Five Chevys, familiar hot rods, and memorable muscle cars that we’ve seen numerous times at cruises all over Kansas City’s north side. But there’s never anything wrong with looking at them again.

Now if you did want to get out of the heat for awhile, there was no better place to do that than the Maid-Rite loose-meat hamburger place located in the adjoining gas station. It should have been cram-packed with cruise attendees, but it wasn’t. That’s because Maid-Rite is one of the best-kept secrets anywhere. I usually only get them when this cruise comes around, but if they weren’t inconveniently located on the far side of Gladstone, I’d eat there every day!

OK, enough commentary. I know you’re here for the pictures anyway. So there they are, right down there, in the slideshow below.


2 comments:

  1. Nice job Tom.

    As always whenever I miss a show or cruise I just log on here and enjoy your great perspective.

    Vince.

    Light Blue Slammed 67 Barracuda Fastback/Orange 1970 Super bee.

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  2. Thanks, I appreciate that!

    I know your cars very well. The Super Bee seems to get out a little less, but I've probably taken 100 pictures of that nice blue Barracuda!

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