The Vintage Air Tour wrapped up it's week on the road with drag racing excitement in Bowling Green Kentucky at the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion. After the weekend it was back home for most of the Vintage Air participants. The there was still some fun ahead as the Classic Automobilia Tour was heading from The Hot Rod Reunion to the huge Back to the 50's Weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Classic Automobilia Tour was scheduled to make stops in Youngstown, Ohio Dearborn, Michigan St. Ignace, Michigan and Superior, Wisconsin. Since my wife Mary Ann and I own Classic Automobilia I will be wearing a few different hats during this Tour. I headed from Bowling Green towards my home of Youngstown, Ohio on Saturday afternoon. When 40 people are stopping by your house for a visit it is usually a good idea to get home early and help straighten up a bit.
Some of the Classic Automobilia participants headed out from Bowling Green on Saturday and other waited until early Sunday morning to make the 490 mile trip to Youngstown. Sunday evening we were all welcomed at the Quaker Steak and Lube in Austintown, Ohio. The Lube is known for their hot wings and cold beverages. They have 35 restaurants all are decked out in automotive decor. Thanks to Jason and Ken at the Lube we were set up with special parking and seating when we arrived. Sunday night is cruise night at the Austintown Lube and the about 400 local cruisers were there to greet us. After we had some great wings and talked to folks about the Tour we headed just around the corner to Mary Ann and my home where I was to be able to show folks our collection of cars and collectibles. Besides Mary Ann, I even got to introduce the Roadtourians to my Mom and brother Jack . It was a special evening for me to share a bit of my homelife with my Road Tour friends.
Monday morning we met at the hotel at 8 AM and made the short trip to the Classic Automobilia showroom in Austintown. Mary Ann and I started Classic in 1989 and carry pedal cars, Coke coolers, gas pumps and neon clocks. It is appropriate that the Classic Automobilia Tour was heading to Back to the 50's. That's the era of the products we sell. Special goodie bags were assembled by Mary Ann and friend Dawn Damron and handed out to the participants. After around look the Classic showroom we traveled about 20 minutes north to see the incredible collection of street rods owned by Patti and Fred Warren. It was fantastic to see the Smoothster, Shockwave, After Shock, The Aero Coupe and others in Patti and Fred's collection all in one room. It was even better to have Fred walk from car to car explaining in detail how each show winner was built.
From Fred's shop we headed to the Cleveland area and some folks made a quick stop at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for lunch. From downtown Cleveland we headed west to Berea. Ohio and the Flaming River facilities. The folks at Flaming River have been great supporters of the Road Tour program for many years. We were able to get a behind the scenes look at what goes into there steering components and products. We were also treated to some great homemade cookies. By mid afternoon it was time to head towards our evening stop of Dearborn, Michigan. We arrived in about supper time in Michigan and it felt real good to relax after a long day on the trail.
Tuesday morning we were greeted in the hotel parking lot by Hot Rod Magazine's Publisher Bruce Miller. Bruce arrived in a very cool early 60's Ford station wagon driven by Don Hardy Jr. Bruce and Don had just finished the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour and gave us a full report. Also on Tuesday morning the Road Tour Convertible received it's official VIN sticker from Officer Ray Robinson of the Michigan Secretary of States office. We had gone through the registration process and the car was now officially registered by the State of Michigan as an assembled vehicle.
We then made the short trip to Plymouth, Michigan to visit the offices of American Speed Company. American Speed are the folks that produce the Speed33 body that is on this year's Road Tour car. We were treated to a behind the scenes look at what goes into one of these steel bodies. From American Speed we headed to Fenton, Michigan and the home of Kathy and Dick Confer. They have assembled and incredible collection of pedal cars, gas pumps and collectibles and it was fun to get a look at their collection. We also enjoyed a wonderful lunch prepared by Kathy Dick and some of their friends and family. Thanks folks, it was a great afternoon stop.
From Fenton it was a 4 hour drive to our evening stop in St Ignace. We had been blessed with great weather the last few days but as we neared St Ignace our luck ran out and we drove about an hour in the rain. We were greeted in St Ignace by Ed Reivie. Ed is the fellow who puts together the great St Ignace car show the end of June each year. Ed had arranged for us to have a great meal at the Kewaden Shores Casino just down the road from our hotel. We even met the Mayor and head of the St Ignace Chamber of Commerce. They really enjoy street rods and classics in this northern Michigan town and we may be making a stop at the St Ignace show next year on a Road Tour.
There is still lots more coming up on the Classic Automobilia Tour. Wednesday we head to Superior Wisconsin for a tour and big party at the AMSOIL Center where we will be joined by Jo Coddington of the TV show American Hot Rod. Jo will be traveling with us from Superior to St Paul and the Back to the 50's Weekend. Chcek back here for all the details and updates.
Jerry Dixey