A&W Cruise Night 4

8/1/23

Sam: With one show under my belt, I decided to try my luck and attend the local A&W cruise that David and I have photographed numerous times over the years. This time, there would be one fundamental difference: I'd actually be a participant in the cruise-in! The turnout at this one didn't disappoint, either, as not only was there a large crowd of spectators and a record number of vehicles, but two other Impalas showed up! With that, let's get into the photos.

Above: Dueling Triple Threats

Left to Right: 1969 Impala and 1964 Impala. The '64 has a few minor customizations to it that most Impala afficionados would recognize. For one, I believe it's been repainted in Evening Orchid, which was a one-year-0nly color for 1965. Additionally, the reverse lights have been swapped to the inner two lights, instead of the middle lights in each cluster. That, and the two rear antennas are likely aftermarket, although I believe you could get a matching dummy antenna as a dealer add-on when these cars were new. Regardless, I love the car and the color combo. Same for the '69 next to it.

Row Shot at the A&W

Here's the beginning of "hood row" earlier in the show. The white Cutlass in the foreground is a regular at the cruise-ins, but I haven't talked with the owner yet because he usually leaves early.

1987 Buick Grand National

This clean Grand National was parked by the entryway to the A&W. It's usually a regular at these shows, and I always enjoy seeing it out on display. I'm not as big a fan of '80s GM as I am of '60s GM, but this car is definitely an exception.

1967 Pontiac GTO

What cruise-in would be complete without at least one example of the famed Pontiac GTO? I'm a fan of just about any GTO body style from 1970 or earlier, so I was excited to see this example at the show.

Above: 1974 Oldsmobile Cutlass

These Cutlasses are a rare sight, indeed. Not many people are preserving peak Malaise-era cars, so it's good to see this one around. I'm not sure what the badge on the decklid refers to, but I was surprised that this New England car had survived so many harsh winters and was still in one solid piece of steel. I hope to see this car again at future shows. Drive on, Cutlass!

1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Following up one Cutlass with another Cutlass, this one ten years younger. I don't know too much about this car, but it's a regular at the cruise-ins I attend and is always well cared for. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to speak with the owner at one of the shows next Summer.

1969 Chevy C-10 w/ Detroit Diesel Four Cylinder

A little while after I arrived, this '69 C-10 showed up. Besides the fact that its patina look fit right in with my Impala's lack of a paint job, this car was also unique in that it was sporting an original Detroit Diesel four-cylinder engine under the hood. This is the first time I've ever seen a diesel from this era up close and personal, and it was definitely a neat find.

1954 Nash Metropolitan

Here, we have a little Nash Metropolitan. It amazes me how little these cars changed during their production run, sort of like the Volkswagen Beetle. This example was in amazing condition, as you can tell from the photo.

Above: 1965 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible

A late arrival to the show was this '65 Cutlass convertible. I talked with the owner a bit, and he told me he'd sold a blue '65 Impala sedan to a kid from Massachusetts a few years back. He was wondering if it was the same car, but I explained to him that my car came from Arkansas originally and had been with the previous owner for the past 40 years. I'm bound to appreciate anything '60s GM, so you already know I was a fan of this car. I got some more photos of it towards the end of the show.

Above: 1971 Chevy Super C-10 Cheyenne

Towards the front of the lot was this mint '71 C-10 Cheyenne. If I recall correctly, this is a fully-original car, which makes its condition all the more rare and special. Everything on the truck looked as if it had just rolled off the showroom floor.

GM Classics Old and New

Left to Right: 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass, Chevy Corvette C2. and a hot rodded 1942 Oldsmobile Coupe Here's some more GM iron from several generations. I didn't really get a chance to check out too many of the cars because, as with the previous show, I was hanging out by my car talking to other participants and spectators.

Above: 1963 Ford Falcon Gasser

This thing was pretty slick. I'm still confused by the kill switch mounted on the back.

Double Trouble! 1962 and 1969 VW Beetles

Speaking of cars that changed very little appearance-wise during their production, here are two clean Beetles. Actually, now that you have the two years side-by-side, it's easier to spot some of the differences, like the marker lights, headlights, and bumpers. That being said, the general aesthetic of the car remains the same, despite all the little changes. These cars always hold a special place in my heart (along with Impalas) because my grandfather went through five of these before buying a Volvo 240 in the late 80s.

Above and Left: "Hood Row" at A&W

As promised, here are some more shots of the Cutlass, the diesel C-10, and my Impala. I like to think I started a trend, as I was the first arrival out of these three and the first to put my hood up.

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