Huge turnout for the 25th-Annual AACA Wilson Bank Spring Meet in Mt. Juliet

I haven’t been to enough car shows lately, but I’m sure glad I didn’t miss the 25th-Annual AACA Wilson Bank Spring Meet in Mt. Juliet over the weekend. This is always a good show, and this year’s edition didn’t disappoint. There were cars crammed in every little crevice of that place. It has been quite a while since there was a local AACA show, and I think everyone decided to get out of the house. This was in spite of it being a cloudy, somewhat rainy day.

 

The cars are sweet at Hot Rods on Beale Street

Beale Street is the most happening place in all of Memphis, and that makes the monthly Hot Rods on Beale event the most happening car cruise. Imagine an automotive gathering so popular that there’s a waiting list for parking passes. Only a limited number of participants even have the chance to display their rides, but those that do fill every available spot. While there, the smells of authentic soul food and the sounds of Memphis jazz fill the air. This more than just a car cruise. It is a party. But unlike most parties, the cars are the center of attention. Let’s take a look at some of the cars that showed up for the June edition of Hot Rods on Beale.

Winding down the season at the Mafia's Pizzeria Cruise in Overland Park

We really have just about run out of car cruises around here this year.  That’s too bad, because I know there are a lot of car guys just itchin’ to display their rides one last time.  Luckily, there are a few late-season events, like the Mafia’s Pizzeria Cruise, which took place last Sunday in south Overland Park.  Quite a few owners brought their cars out to take advantage of food discounts and T-shirt giveaways.  It was a little overcast; a little breezy.  But it was still nice enough to enjoy a great afternoon of fun.

Slickstock. Where members of the Slick '60s Ford Truck Club get together and eat lots of Pizza Shoppe

As the owner of a 1963 Chevrolet pickup, sometimes it is hard for me to remember that they actually made some other kind of truck in the early-to-mid 1960s. But on our way to dinner Friday night, I stumbled upon a reminder that yes, there really was at least one more brand out there. I think they were called Fords.

Actually, when we saw a bunch of them parked at the Platte Woods Pizza Shoppe, the first thing I thought was, “hey, I didn’t know we had a Ford truck club here in town.” And as it turns out, I thought right. These were members of the Slick ‘60s Club, which is a nationwide group of ’61-’66 Ford F-Series enthusiasts. Every two years these folks meet up for “Slickstock” to catch up on old times, talk trucks, and eat pizza.