Meritage Band
What a great night in Downers for another packed Cruise Night event. The band Meritage from Lockport performed at the train station (scroll down to listen to some covers or click here). Russ drove his ’60 Impala with a 348 and Tri-power, with original interior. Frank’s blue/white ’55 Buick Century station wagon caught my eye and he fleshed out his ’53 Cadillac cars (his aquamarine his Dean Martin is here).
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The Featured Performers
This blog is about car shows and there were a few cars but I went with my camera and and wasn’t returning without ‘a few photos’ (say, 721 images). The music was definitely in the spirit of Cruise Nights and nostalgia.
Paul Gattuso really out did himself bringing all together Joe ‘Elvis’ Tirrito, Steve ‘Neil Diamond’ Richards and Nick ‘Tom Jones’ Miller nm for a summertime concert at Westbrook Commons shopping center. It was an amazing show with each performer singing many of their counterpart’s familiar tunes. There were too many songs to show here so I chose my favorites. And I must report that as Joe ‘Elvis’ Tirrito was singing the Tina Turner song Proud Mary, the power went out so the true showman he is, ‘Elvis’ treated us to almost three full perfomances of it!. Then some fellow in the front row asked for an encore of Proud Mary! Listen to Presley’s version here. I’d hoped to hear Girl Happy, an Elvis tune which Joe’s earlier performance sparked a memory so here’s a link to that from my 6-25-2012 Cruise Night page.
I have an unusual Elvis Army story of my own involving my step-uncle at one of my other blogs.
More photos are here (but not yet complete. I took over a hundred images of each man so it’ll be a bit of time before I edit all).
Find YouTube music and photos if you ‘Continue Reading’.
This was the last Cruise Night in Berwyn for the 2012 season although there will be a Car Show on September 30th. It was pretty much packed with cars and lookers. Showcase Classics emceed the event and provided the music (here are some of the tracks played). A teaser photo gallery is also below.
One of these is not a hot car
Weather negatively affected the turnout and the impending storm sent everyone, including the DJ stand scurrying. I’d hoped to get more pictures and info about Tom’s coronado red Bonneville convertible but I guess rain and ragtops are not compatible. This was an issue with John (’55 Buick Special) who told me Saturday he’d seen me from his ’75 Buick Le Sabre convertible and just got home ahead of the raindrops (I did see the Le Sabre on Saturday). Continue reading
1939 Pontiac
1937 Pontiac Business Coupe
Another great time and an incredible turnout in Lombard Saturday night; cars were everywhere and some were unable to park. One that I missed was Bill’s rare 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, which I saw only Cruisin’.
Flashback 50s DJ Tony provided the oldies music (scroll or click here).
Really ‘hot night’ (but the temp was cool) for Crusinn’ in Downers and it was time for serious Ponti-action at the North end of the Downers Cruise Night as they were lined up in the train station pickup/drop off lane. There were four Ponchos and behind them was John’s two tone ’55 Buick Super (which they brought to the Lombard show on Saturday). The Pontiac owners were gathered together and I found Rich, whom I’d met earlier at Lombard with a red Catalina convertible; tonight he drove his aquamarine ’62 Pontiac Catalina Tri-power and here’s a page I devoted to two of his cars. On the way home I was keeping up with a GTO along Roosevelt Rd.
Another terrific cruise night in Lombard with so many cars and friendly people. I saw several cars I’ve shot numerous times and discovered an incredible looking white Pontiac Bonneville convertible with a continental kit! I only saw this car cruisin’ so I didn’t chance to speak with the owner. (At Winston Plaza I saw this 1959 Bonneville and met Ron. Readers of this blog will know I’m partial to cars of the era when I grew up and the first car I remember was a black 1958 Odsmobile 98. One of the first cars I saw at the event was Jim’s black 1957 Oldsmobile 98 Starfire (my mom didn’t order her car with Tri-power like this one. There was another ’57 Olds with Tri-power with a different paint scheme.
I have now uploaded my photo gallery for this event and it is here. Continue reading
1956 Oldsmobile 98
1940 Buick Special Business Coupe
What an incredible night for a car show in Lombard! So many familiar cars and so many to explore. I spoke with a Pontiac Catalina owner who said ‘perfect weather’ and I said I’d like it a few degrees cooler before I’d call it perfect – sure nuff, by 7:00 it had cooled down! The band was L.T.D. and click here for YouTube videos of some of the songs they cover.
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’62 Corvair Spyder
’37 Pontiac Business Coupe
I had a wonderful time at my first Cruise Night in Downers. I saw Fred and Dawn who own a gorgeous red 1962 Corvair Spyder. Finally I had a chance to speak with Ernie, the owner of an elegant 1937 Pontiac Business Coupe, which I first saw at Westchester this year and have been hoping to find out more.
Today I uploaded my full photo gallery of this event at this page.
The weather was threatening but cleared up in time for a good number of cars but Flashback 50s DJ Tony didn’t bring his 57 Chevy booth. Click here for YouTube videos of music he played.
Dale Earnhardt Signature
My car story from this show is Ron’s ’33 Ford Three Window Coupe hot rod, and it is painted RED. He went to great lengths to have his dream car and he’s owned this hot rod over 17 years (Dale Earnhardt signed the car in 1995 at an Indianapolis show).
