Goodlettsville Cruise was a nice little gathering

Saturday night, I made a quick stop at the Goodlettsville Cruise in the Publix/Firehouse Subs parking lot. I say “quick,” because there weren’t many cars there to photograph. Now that’s not really a reflection on the cruise itself. I’ve been to this same location when you would consider yourself lucky to find a parking spot. Unfortunately, they were right up against the new Cruizin’ Hendersonville event going on 15 minutes away. I think that was their biggest challenge. But I guess as a car guy, having too many cruise options seems like a good problem to have.

This ’67 Nova would have stood out even if there were 1,000 cars sitting out there. It had a subtle mixture of stock and modified parts that really came together. Under the hood was a factory-looking 327 awash in just the right amount of chrome. The retro wheels and spinners give it that fresh-of-the salt flats look. I even kind of like the bench seat and column-mounted automatic shift lever. This is just a simple, nice, clean, good looking little car.

There were two full-sized ’63 Chevys out there. This Ember Red Impala SS was particularly stunning. The super-wide wheels and little hubcaps gave the impression that this car could be a terror at the drag strip. Inside, the radio delete plate, four-speed shifter, and factory tach looked like they meant business. There were some creature comforts, though. The vents in the dashboard would indicate that this car was plumbed for factory air conditioning. The red bucket seats and period-correct floor mats were also nice touches.

This Classic Cream ’59 Chevy Bel Air two-door sedan was worth the trip to see. It had that original, patina’d appearance that everyone’s looking for these days. It had some really old seat covers that fit the overall theme of the car very nicely. The wheels and lowered stance worked here too. I also loved the fact that it still had its column-mounted three-speed. Of course, in 1957, the Bel Air was at the top of the Chevrolet hierarchy. When the Impala showed up in ’58, the Bel Air dropped a rung down on the ladder. But in the case of this ’59, it’s probably cooler since it isn’t an Impala. This car seems right all over.

Of course, I took a few pictures of all the cars that were at the Goodlettsville Cruise while I was there. You can see them in the slideshow below, or click this link for a nicer version.