As a Hendersonville resident and a car cruise guy, I’m always happy when the Hendersonville Cruise-In kicks off for the season. This year, the location moved to the old World Market parking lot, which is basically the Target store off New Shackle Island Road. They hold this event every Friday night during the summer, and they always have lots of really nice cars to look at. I’m always amazed that they can hold this event this often and still draw in so many different and interesting cars each time. Naturally, we took the old truck there for opening night, and came home with a bunch of pictures and stories about the neat stuff in attendance.
1967 Impalas are among my favorite cars of all time. I think the fastback roofline has to be among the best looking things ever created. And yet, for as achingly beautiful as they are, you don’t really see that many nice ones. There was one there last Friday night, though. This Granada Gold Impala SS featured a 427 big block, rally wheels wrapped in redlines, and a Strato Bench seat. It also had a wood steering wheel, bumper guards, and cornering lamps. The setting sun was so harsh where it was parked that I had a hard time taking a good picture of it. I hope it shows up at some more of these shows so I can take some better pictures. Loved this thing.
We talked to the owner of this ’40 Ford Deluxe sedan and found out that he has owned it for several decades. He found it in a field in high school, and it went through a few transformations before becoming the pristine hot rod it is today. Now it’s simply flawless, with a fully-dressed Flathead topped with three carburetors. With this great stance and perfect wheel-and-tire choice, you don’t think “modern resto-mod” when you look at it. But there are some concessions to comfort here, including air conditioning. The ’40 Ford has a timeless quality that will never go out of style. And the classic modifications on this one will never go out of style either.
My first car was a Cream Beige 1974 Buick Century colonnade coupe. I loved that car, but I rarely see anything like it at a car show. This similarly-colored ‘73 does appear on occasion, and it is a welcome sight as far as I’m concerned. I could have looked at this sucker all night, because it brought back a lot of memories. The interior looked original and nice, and overall it just seemed like a solid car. This one even has a four-barrel atop its 350, as opposed to the two-barrel I had on mine. I’d love to have it. I’d put a chrome bumper back on the front, maybe get a nice set of Buick Road Wheels, and just settle in behind that two-spoke wheel like I was 15-years-old again.
Let’s talk Corvettes for a second. Here’s my favorite of the night. This ’66 roadster could fly just under the radar with its subdued Silver Pearl paint and Tuxedo Black leather. And fly it would, as the hood and fender emblems suggest the presence of a big block 427. Could I picture myself putting the top down, grabbing the teakwood steering wheel in the left hand, and the chrome-topped four-speed shifter with the right, and blasting off in a violent mashup of speed and tire smoke? Yes. Well, maybe. That sounds pretty exciting, but if I had this beautiful thing, I’d probably want to be so careful with it that I wouldn’t have any fun. Either way, it would be a nice problem to have to deal with.
You know this was a pretty strong cruise, because I took 307 pictures while I was there.
You can see them all by clicking this link.
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