Cruise-quality classics at Maple Motors

I might not be completely with it as far as the car show scene here in Nashville yet, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find some interesting old rides to look at.  Last night I stopped in at Maple Motors in Henersonville, and there were quite a few things to check out at this family-owned business.  For some 30 years, Jim Fite and his family have been selling affordable, driver-quality classics from this location.  You might not find many councours-quality rides here, but if you’re looking for a fun car to take to the local cruise-ins, this is your place.

A first day of work inside the Renaissance Center, GM's world headquarters

My journey to my new position with General Motors in Nashville began with a whirlwind day-and-a-half orientation session at GM’s world headquarters in Detroit, Mich.  That massive structure of seven meticulous skyscrapers is called the Renaissance Center, or “RenCen” as it is known by insiders.  Not only does it house the GM offices, but it contains a downtown shopping district that includes storefronts, a food court, a Marriott hotel, and a movie theatre.  I've had the opportunity to check out the RenCen a few times during my travels to the Motor City, and it really is as impressive as the pictures on the news makes it seem.

One last trip to the KC Classic Auto Display in Lenexa

When I first moved to Kansas City in the 1980s, one of the first places we visited was KC Classic Auto Display in Lenexa. My dad and I were always on the lookout for old cars, and they had a bunch of them in the old industrial warehouse off 435. The place is pretty fun to look through, as they always have a fun mix of both high-end and affordable cars in their inventory. As I’m nearing the end of my time here in Kansas City, my dad and I decided to take one last visit and check out what’s on sale now.

2014 Cadillac XTS VSport test drive review. This is what makes a Cadillac a Cadillac

There was a time when Cadillacs did not compete with cars like Mercedes and BMW.  They had rivals like Lincoln and Packard.  But even among their peer group, they stood alone.  If you bought the best watch or refrigerator or lawn mower money could buy, someone would call it “the Cadillac of lawn mowers.”  That’s because Cadillacs were the best, both in perception and reality.  They were the most luxurious.  They were the most technologically advanced.  They were the most stylish.  And in many cases, they were the biggest.

Basehor Boys get an early start to the Kansas City car cruise season

The Basehor Boys Car Club is one of the earliest to begin their cruise season, and one of the latest to wrap it up.  These guys love to get together, and it showed once again during their season-opener last Friday night at the Sonic off State Avenue.  It was a surprisingly nice night, and there were quite a few cars that emerged from winter hibernation.  I made sure to bring my camera, even though decent photos were a little hard to get amid the harsh setting sun.

C.A.R.B. Clyde Ellis Race-On Car Show highlights the Snake Saturday Parade in North Kansas City

The Central Auto Racing Boosters (C.A.R.B.) Clyde Ellis Race-On Car Show has been a tradition during the Snake Saturday Parade in North Kansas City for a long as I can remember.  This event is often cold, miserable, riddled with rain and sleet, and oftentimes snow.  But somehow, they avoided all that this weekend.  The weather couldn’t have been nicer for this event , and there were some interesting things to look at both in the car show and in the parade.

Onward and upward

I’ve said this before, but I really appreciate everyone who checks out this website, reads the stories, and follows along with what I’m doing here.  I’ve met tons of great people around Kansas City at car shows, races, and other events because of this place, and I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.

But because of that, the announcement I’m about to make is bittersweet.  I am moving away from Kansas City.  Starting April 1, I will be the Senior Remarketing Specialist for General Motors at the Adesa Auto Auction in Nashville, Tenn. 

Vintage cars from the 2014 Greater Kansas City International Auto Show

When you go to an event like the Greater Kansas City International Show (GKCIAS), you expect to see the latest and greatest new cars, trucks, and SUVs.  What you might not expect to see is a first-rate classic car show.  But if you were in Bartle Hall over the weekend, that’s just what you saw.  Several groups had vintage iron on display, including the Kansas City Automotive Museum (KCAM), the Art of the Car Concours, the Heart of America Corvair Owners Association (HACOA), and the auto show itself.  So if you’re one of those people that says, “they don’t make ‘em like they used to,” there was still something for you at this event.