April, 2007, Cruise News

STORY LINE: SEMA 2006 .. NAIAS 2007 .. SCOTTSDALE 2007 … all good ‘stuph’

AUTORAMA is one of the most anticipated shows of the year in the Detroit area as it signals the beginnings of old car/specialty car/custom car and cruising season for the greater Detroit areas. Welcome to the old car world and way glad to be here, thank you. And, at AUTORAMA we were ‘shootin’ cars for the new TOP HAT JOHN’s MOTOR CITY cable television show that is airing out of Clinton Township Cable Television and Communications Department. Just plain good old Detroit automotive entertainment.

SEMA 2006 in Las Vegas was an excellent show as usual for the aftermarket and intro of new products and show vehicles of all types-new and old. Over 1,000,000 square feet, 1,000s of cars, displays, exhibits and people. Jay Leno and GM displayed the latest joint venture between the two at the Wynn Hotel. The ECOJET featured helicopter jet engine power and a look-a-like to a modern show modified Corvette with Cadillac XLR styling cues and color finish similar to Harley Earl’s favorite hue of Cerulean Blue Firemist. Runs on peanut oil, E85 and a various assortment of alternative fuels. Chevrolet/GM introduced the new 454CID LSX engine based on the 427 Corvette LS7 C5R. Wrapped in a way trick 1969 Camaro coupe painted in the same colors as the new concept Camaro … done by Mike Copeland in the GM ‘skunkwerks’ and ‘sponsored’ by GM Performance Parts, you’ll be seeing a lot of this way cool piece of machinery. Out in the front lot near the Las Vegas Convention Center entrance, cars are displayed that were built for … SEMA. Two wild blown classics were a 1960 multi hued Chrysler and a ’59 Caddy with a ‘wacked’ top. The best outside vehicle though, was the WHEEL to WHEEL Green and grubby 1970 Chevrolet Nova with the twin Rotrex supercharged LS2 alloy Chevrolet-V8. Streetable as proven on last years HOT ROD PowerTour ’06 it runs the 1/4 at around 150 … in the 8’s. A late model Chevy pickup with fiberglass panels by RETROKITS, www.retrokits.us to look like a ’61, but with modern drivability. Even Mt. Clemens, MI. PT WOODY Company exhibited a way cool ‘07 Dodge Caliber fitted with woody trim and a surfboard on the roof. SEMA, Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley, cruising the desert at speed, and wait till Dayton wire wheel company sees the 1870’s wire wheel that I stood inside of!!! Laguna Beach and Johnny Rockets great burgers, Donut Derelict’s Huntington Beach early Saturday 6 AM car show … all great ‘stuph’. Palm Tree land!!

NAIAS 2007, the Detroit new car auto show at Cobo … the new Camaro Convertible, Mercedes Benz tu-tone Sand Pearl Oceandrive 4dr concept convertible, a fabulously styled droptop with groups of zoom power to match it’s uncompromising looks. I’ll take the Merlot finished ‘fat fendered’ Effigy from GM Holden Australia, wittled into perfection by a group of down under engineers headed by Chief Designer Richard Ferlazzo. Best of all though was that GM garnered both North American car and truck of the year award; Saturn Aura, Chevrolet Silverado and …. Corvette got a special top ten award. Works for me …. All AMERICAN!!!! Good job Steve Harris and crew.

SCOTTSDALE AZ 2007 is a great place to see some 1,500 cars hit the auction block at BARRETT-JACKSON, RUSSO and STEELE, RM auctions. A circus, a car show and a place to see and buy cars if you can afford it. ’65 Altered wheelbase Dodge with late model HEMI and streetable! Loved the 1957 Mercury Powder Blue 4dr hardtop ‘long roof’ with Turnpike Cruiser NASCAR 2x4 barrel 335HP/368, sold $33,000.1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix 4dr sedan 383 cross-ram, sold $27,500. Bill ‘Grumpy’ Jenkins Pro-Stock Vega, sold $577,500. AAR, Cadillac, Copo, Corvette, Ferarri, GTO, Hemi, Packard, Yenko, street rod, woody, Ford drifting program, vendors …. the B-J auction/show had it all. RM auction on 1/19 at the Arizona Biltmore sold the last Duesenberg ever built … look up the sale and story as it is history at it’s best!!! When was the last time you saw a Muntz Jet and knew what it was, RM had one. The Saturday night McDonalds cruise where some 500+ cars show up … loved the flaming Chrysler with bar in the back seat. AZ in January just don’t get no better. Love them palm trees!!

In theory, theory and reality are the same. But in reality, they are … not. Dr. John V.