Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged classic cars
Orphan Car Show, Ypsilanti MI
Jun 9th
I’ve managed to miss the annual Orphan Car Show in Ypsilanti every year for the past decade or so. Not on purpose–it’s just that something always seems to come up. This year, I was determined to attend the event, which as its name suggests is a gathering of “orphan” vehicles whose manufacturers have gone out of business. (The most recent inductee to the ranks would be Mercury, and it’s a fair bet that next year will see a collection of Cougars and Montereys joining the festivities.)
Unfortunately, this year’s show was rained out. A brace of thunderstorms squatted over southeast Michigan and dumped enough rain to flood the river-side park where the event was to take place. Even though the sun came out, the planned show grounds were a marsh. All was not lost, though. A few of the cars that had gathered for the show turned up in the parking lot of the nearby Automotive Heritage Museum, also known as the world’s last Hudson dealer–so I had some interesting vehicles to check out. And when will I ever complain about getting to do that?
Car spotting: Las Vegas, NV
Apr 14th
The Southwest is a car-spotter’s paradise. Not only does the dry climate preserve old autos, but because they last longer, there are more old cars to see just running around. Las Vegas and the surrounding area yielded a bumper crop, no pun intended. First off, out at the Nelson ghost town, there were a number of cars just sitting out in the desert, as old cars are wont to do.
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Healthy Obsession with Perfection: the Mercedes Classic Center
Feb 17th
During a recent trip to Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to visit the Mercedes Classic Center down in Irvine. The Classic Center is tucked away in a small industrial complex, but for Mercedes owners, enthusiasts, and car people of all stripes it’s a must-see. This unassuming building is like Mary Poppins’ bag for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. If you’ve got a Mercedes of any vintage, you can get any factory part you need from the Classic Center–literally. They’ll even restore your old Benz to its original specifications. Since we’ve got a classic Mercedes in storage back in Michigan, this place was of great interest to us.
The Classic Center acts much like a dealer with an unusually extensive service department. They’ll do everything from routine maintenance to ground-up rebuilds.
