Jalopnik: Woodward Dream Cruise

Pervert Charged With Taking Upskirts At Woodward Dream Cruise

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT

With a million-plus people showing up for the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, you know there's bound to be at least one pervert, and that pervert's name is Michael S. Searle. For those of you who thought our Women of Woodward post was something, Searle actually went around with a camera in a bag, equipped with some kind of remote lens device, trying to look up women's shirts and skirts. Shockingly, the women who noticed had a problem with it and got the cops involved. Searle is on bond awaiting prosecution; the fact that he's from Ohio almost makes this a non-story. [ClickOnDetroit]

The Sports Cars And Exotics Of The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:30:00 EDT

We've mentioned already the Woodward Dream Cruise attracts all types of cars. In addition to locally-brewed sports car stars like the Chevy Corvette in every imaginable model and engine flavor, and a couple of Dodge Viper ACRs, we're also talking about rarified objects hailing from Italy, Germany and Great Britain costing more than your house. Exotic cars are definitely few and far between on Woodward, but we snapped a smattering of high-buck machinery — and some lower-buck but still just as special — idling alongside the Detroit iron this past Saturday at the 2008 running of the cruisers.

The Hot Rods Of The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EDT

We've given you the muscle and the customs of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise. Now it's time for the hot rods. — Ed.

Metal-flake, flames, chrome wheels or just plain flat-black, the appeal of hot rods stretches across generations. The Woodward Dream Cruise brings 'em out in droves, so here are just a few of of the chopped, channeled and shaved rat rods and T-buckets we saw on the Avenue over the weekend.

The Custom Cars Of The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EDT

We started with the Muscle and now we're taking you to another end of the spectrum of the cult of cars at the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the Customs. — Ed.

Yeah, we're just gonna be generous and lump everything that's been given a custom job into this category. Our friend with the custom Nova kit car would fit in here, for example, and he'd have plenty of good company. From stretched Corvettes to metal-flake paint-shop horrors, some of the most imaginative cars on Woodward came not from car factories but from the minds of individuals working quietly in garages year in and year out. Click through for the gallery below and judge for yourself.

The Muscle Cars Of The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EDT

One day, 40,000 cars and over a million people spread out on a ten mile stretch of Woodward Avenue in Metro Detroit. Yeah, the sheer size of the Woodward Dream Cruise is hard to express unless you've actually been there. Luckily, one good way's through photos, so here's our first of a series of round-up galleries we'll be running this afternoon showing off the best of the metal from Saturday on Woodward. First up are the muscle cars. — Ed.

Otherwise-sedate midsize American sedans and coupes with massive engines stuffed under the hood: That's the recipe for a muscle car, and it's the bread n' butter of the Woodward Dream Cruise. Muscle machines are out in force every year, with the Detroit three well-represented, along with independents and oddball makes (and we're lumping the "pony cars" in here too). What doesn't change is the police presence keeping these monsters from frying the treads at every stoplight. Oh well — they're still fun to look at even without turning their tires to smoke, so be sure to click through our full gallery to see the classic and modern muscular machines found at the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise.

Flame-Shooting Party Bus Cruises Woodward

Mark Arnold — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EDT

We're not so sure this is legal, but the cops were so busy hassling people doing burnouts that they probably didn't even notice the giant flames spewing into the sky from this party bus. By the sounds of it, we'd guess the fire-spitting mechanism was the sort of rig you'd find on a hot-air balloon, but maybe it was just the bartender doing his fire-breathing routine.

DeLoreans With Doors Up Parade Down Woodward

Mark Arnold — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Many car clubs converge at the Woodward Dream Cruise, but none are quite as impressive rolling down the strip as the DeLorean DMC-12 owners. Not only do they blind onlookers with their glaring stainless-steel body panels, but they also show off their totally rad gullwing doors by driving in formation up and down Woodward with the doors in attack position.

Woodward Isn't The Best Place For A Turbo Buick Burnout

Mark Arnold — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT

This guy in his Buick Grand National at the Woodward Dream Cruise clearly hasn't seen our How To Do A Burnout video. If he had, he would've known to pick a better location — one where he wouldn't get in trouble. Then again, maybe that friendly person in the uniform was just giving him kudos. Either way, he seems to have the rest of the steps down pretty well.

Are You Concours, Dream Cruise Or Sonic Parking Lot?

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:40:00 EDT

As you may have noticed, we divided our time this weekend between the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise and the Monterey Historics. Both events are full of the kind of people who love cars, though the people themselves are often as different as a 1967 Mazda Cosmo 110S and a 427 Cobra Limo. The greatness of our car culture comes from the variety of our interests, backgrounds and ideas. And while we celebrate this oil-stained plurality, we understand that your ideal car show may not be our ideal car car show. So, what is your ideal car show?

Do you love the perfectly maintained cars, wine and witty repartee of a Concours? Are you more into the wild customs, beer and cutoff jeans of a dream cruise? Or are you the type of person that eschews both for the beaters, cherry lime-ade slushies and put downs of the Sonic Drive-in parking lot? What's your ideal car show? Does it exist?

Community College-Built 550 HP Ford Five Hundred Wrecked Returning From Dream Cruise

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:20:00 EDT

In a sad follow-up to a story we brought you during our 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise coverage, the Ford GT-powered Ford Five Hundred built by Washtenaw Community College students was involved in an accident returning home from the Saturday event. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but newspaper reports of the incident state that the trailer containing the Five Hundred and a motorcycle swerved out of control and flipped, requiring both vehicles to be "cut from the trailer." To WCC and the entire automotive community, we mourn your loss today. Perhaps a GT500KR-powered Focus project would make you feel better. [MLive; Thanks, Mike the Dog]

The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise: What You May Have Missed

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:20:00 EDT

Surprise, surprise: Wert has a KITT-gasm driving the Knight Rider KITT Shelby GT500KR. Or maybe KITT had a Wert-gasm. We're still sorting it out.
Classy cars and not-so-classy ladies are a match made on Woodward.
A 2010 Mustang GT tries to sneak through the traffic unnoticed.
2009 Cadillac CTS-V police car is really giving the cops the wrong idea.
Classic rods are more than the sum of their parts, but those parts are damn important.
A local community college answers the question of whatever happened to the engine from Jeremy Clarkson's Ford GT by mounting it in a Ford Five Hundred. The result — a 550 HP Five Hundred.
Who says you have to keep engine parts tucked in an engine block? Not Buick!
The Ramchargers drag car shows you how it was done: Sitting on a metal chair.
The Devil's Joke may not be funny, but we bet it's fun to drive.
Nothing says mullet quite like a Turbo Trans Am Pace Car.
Despite what the Detroit News thinks, wagons are awesome and we've found one of the best.
There's more coming, but for the moment hit the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise tag.

The Bits And Pieces That Make A Classic Hot Rod

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:20:00 EDT

The difficulty in building a classic-style hot rod comes in knowing the code. The difference between a garden-variety clapped-together rat rod and a "patina'd" hot rod with $50,000 worth of engine parts is about being familiar with what's rare and desirable. We got our first taste of that difference two years ago when we chatted up Bill Jagenow of Brothers Custom Automotive about his rod. These days, on a steady diet of Autorama and Billetproof, we're culturing our classic hot rod palette and find some of the Dream Cruise cars here to be quite tasty. Incidentally, Bill's rod is the one with the 24-stud Flathead.

Super-Smooth Custom T-Bird Could Use Some Rough Edges

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EDT

This car is almost too smooth. An original-series Ford Thunderbird is a fairly common occurrence at car shows, Woodward Dream Cruise or not. So it would be easy to pass right by this one. But the subtle lack of ornamental chrome and flawless pearl paint draw the eye. From the front, gold-painted perforated steel replaces much of the backdrop chrome mesh; it's not until you head to the back that you realize the huge changes that have been made. Extended fins take this Thunderbird from mild to kustom in one fell swoop.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

The Women Of Woodward

Wes Siler — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:30:00 EDT

More below the jump

Images Copyright: Wes Siler and Jalopnik.com

Old-School Drag Cars Bow Down: Ramchargers High And Mighty II

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Now here's a heaping pile of awesome parked curbside at the Woodward Dream Cruise: One of the original cars from the locally famous Ramchargers Car Club, this one is called the High And Mighty II. We don't know what happened to High And Mighty I, but this one is hairy and full of radical detail. Obviously, those insane exhaust pipes manically dumping out along the fenderless sides of the car draw the most attention, but what about inside? Check out the brutal steel throne and the analog tachometer, which does away with a traditional redline in favor of a "Shift! (Dammit)" zone. A couple more great shots below.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Daytona 500 Pace Car: Feel Your Mullet Flow

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EDT

Oh baby, can you feel those short hairs on the back of your neck growing? Here's a pristine 1981 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am down at the Woodward Dream Cruise that's so complete it even has the original Monroney sticker in perfect condition. Gaze lovingly upon the flaming chicken on the hood, the mesh inserts on the headrests and those sexy turbine wheels. It's almost too much for the senses. We're so happy these are coming back around as sorta respectable cars again. More pictures after the jump.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

Cobra 427 Limousine: Champagne And Five-Point Harnesses

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EDT

The thing about the Cobra 427 is that you can never take all of your friends along while they're getting drunk. If only there was a longer Cobra with another four seats, each with its own five-point harness, a bottle cooler in the middle with six glass holders (?), and big amps. Then you could be your own Woodward Dream Cruise stretched-limo Cobra party — yay!

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

1915 Buick Express Delivery, With Exposed Valve-In-Head Motor

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:40:00 EDT

Here's something you don't see every day — a 92-year-old four-cylinder Buick engine purring away like a kitten, hanging out just off Woodward Avenue. This Buick truck is in largely unrestored condition and fired up on the very first crank of the hand starter. The truck is equipped with a "Valve-in-Head Engine", with the pushrods ascending the side of the engine; the valve springs and rocker arms are exposed as well. One of the main questions we had was how do you oil the whole thing? See those little knobs atop the rocker arms? Those are full of oil: Give 'em a couple turns every 50 miles and the valvetrain oils itself. Close-up gallery below the fold.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

Community College Students Build 550 Horsepower Mid-Engine Ford Five Hundred

Andrew Stoy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:20:00 EDT

At Washtenaw Community College near Ann Arbor, MI, you can take algebra and English lit. You can also take Custom Cars & Concepts, where your assignments might include building a mid-engine Ford Five Hundred with a supercharged 5.3-liter Ford GT engine putting out 550 HP. What course would you choose? Instructor Scott Malnar told us this beast was entirely student-built and took first place at the Autorama show two years ago in the "street exhibition and performance" category. One look at the gallery below will tell you it was well-deserved.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

'57 Ford Ranchero Custom Takin' A Break From The Cruise

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EDT

The Woodward Dream Cruise can be tough on an old car — stop-and-go traffic for miles, overzealous and crowd-pleasing engine revving, the oft-times brutal heat — so why not a stop to cool down at Micky-D's? The owner tells us he and his wife tore the little truck apart about eight years ago and totally renovated it. Everything on the outside, sans the steer head on the bumper, is original, while the interior has been customized with styling elements from the body. You can see the shape of the chrome strip running on the side in the door panels, and the logo on the seats matches the one on the tailgate. Very nicely done, sir.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

1957 Mercury Proves The Awesomeness Of Vintage Wagons

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:40:00 EDT

"1957 Merc Wagon, 368 Engine, PS, PB, new paint, interior, tires, wheels, some new chrome, rebuilt carb, gas tank gas tank cleand and coated, new battery, new spare & wheel. 'Very rare.' Runs Great!! $30,000." Wagons, definitely not cool enough for the Woodward Dream Cruise. Yep, keep 'em at home.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

Garbage Truck Acts As Mafia PR Play

Andrew Stoy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:20:00 EDT

Waste Management hauls out their Dream Cruise garbage truck every year, often filling the back-end with Chinese-made trinkets to throw to the kiddies. Garbage, in other words. The pristine truck is always a crowd-pleaser, though, and no doubt engenders goodwill toward an industry better known for mob ties and landfills. Enjoy the full WMI Green Machine gallery below.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

DeLorean Fleet Locks S-Foils Into Attack Position On Woodward Avenue

Andrew Stoy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:40:00 EDT

Byron Cancelmo of the DeLorean Motor City car club showed off the first arrivals of about 12 expected Belfast-born sports cars on Woodward Avenue today. The club sometimes has as many as 20 cars show despite the fact they've grown primarily from word of mouth with no real organization. Additionally, James Espey from DMC down in Humble, TX was on hand to share the gullwing love and talk up their upcoming RHD DeLorean; stay tuned for more, and click through for a full gallery.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest single-day automotive event in the world!

2009 Cadillac CTS-V Police Car Creates Car Enthusiast Paradox

Wes Siler — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:20:00 EDT

On one hand, this 2009 Cadillac CTS-V police car is all kinds of awesome. We can’t put our finger on precisely why. Maybe it's because it kind of reminds us of Robocop. On the other, it sort of feels like the police outnumber cruisers on Woodward today, and they’ll send your ass down for the pettiest of driving and/or walking infraction (as Wert and Ben found out two years ago). So is it awesome that the police have a CTS-V, or oppressively depressive?

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

The Tri-Magnum Looks Strange, Gets 50 MPG

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:20:00 EDT

This Tri-Magnum built around a Kawasaki KZ900 engine and rear suspension (go big green!), a VW Beetle front suspension, and more fiberglass than you can shake a stick at. Strange looking, yes, but 50 MPG ain't bad on a car with a fold-forward canopy top. This baby's one of the real gems you'll find at the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise. Sure, there's tens of thousands of muscle cars and classics but it's the plain ol' bizarre and fascinating crap that makes this event the greatest automotive spectacle in the world.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

Even Chihuahuas Join In On The Woodward Dream Cruise Fun

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT

This is blindingly idiotic. It's a little hat-wearing chihuahua "driving" a Volkswagen Buggy RC car alongside the Woodward Dream Cruise. This fella could be the mascot for the Cruise — an event where you see the best of the best, the worst of the worst and everything in between in car culture. By the way, the dog's name is Peanut and he's actually moving faster than the mess of traffic that's currently Woodward Avenue.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

1969 Ford Bronco, Dutifully Awaiting Woodward Deployment

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 10:15:00 EDT

Here's a very nice, very bone stock 1969 Ford Bronco we stumbled on at the corner of 13 mile and Woodward (the mile roads lie in escalating number the farther north you go from the Detroit River). We're diggin' the flawless orange paint and houndstooth brown interior. The Bronco has always, always been a fantastic all-around vintage crawler, but they're so often built up to fire breathing beasts, its always nice to seem them in original form.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

Jalopnik Drives KITT In Woodward Dream Cruise, Pretends We're Michael Knight

Ray Wert — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:45:00 EDT

That's right boys n' girls, I'm cruising down Woodward Avenue today in the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise in none other than the Mustang-powered KITT from the new Knight Rider TV show hitting NBC this fall. Unlike most of those used in filming, this isn't a fancy-pantsified Mustang GT. Nope, it's a heavily-modified GT500KR, with light bar and all. I'm not sure what else I can tell you about the car as my drive impression's embargoed until September 1st, but let's simply say it's got more horsepower than the run-of-the-mill King of the Road. Screw it, there's 605 HP under the hood. But if you happen to be cruising down Woodward, or sitting on the sidelines today — keep an eye out for a midnight black 'stang with the cobra on the front — one of our team will more than likely be behind the wheel. Then remember to come back on September 1st to see Ben's review of the new beast from Knight Industries.

Follow the fun at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag for all of our coverage of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest one-day automotive event in the world!

The Devils Joke Laughs At Helmet Laws At Woodward Dream Cruise

Ben Wojdyla — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Unfortunately, the guy on this thing was in a hurry to get on his way, so we only got a little info, but the pictures here speak for themselves. This home-built thingamajig named "The Devil's Joke" was built as a tribute to Vietnam vets and apparently, total insanity. The power train here is a 2.8 liter Ford V6 sporting an Offenhauser intake and a four-barrel carb. Pay close attention to how it's steered, throttled and suspended. Brilliant.

2010 Ford Mustang GT Caught Sheepishly Hiding Behind Corvette On Woodward

Wes Siler — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:30:00 EDT

The team was camped out on Woodward checking out the pre-cruise action when, in between countless special editions of the current model, the 96-days-away 2010 Ford Mustang GT appeared. Not bold enough to move down Woodward undisguised, it hid meekly behind this Corvette, hidden under black vinyl and blankets. While we have it on good authority that this is actually the 2010 Ford Mustang Warriors in Pink edition, Ford’s communications staff won’t officially verify that.

Cruisers Converge, Pity Those Who Commute On Woodward

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:40:00 EDT

Traffic ahead of the Woodward Dream Cruise has come to a cruiser-clogged snarl already. Great for us, but woe unto those with business on the Ave, as they will be silently screaming in their air conditioned coffins. Here's a gallery of the escalating madness that is the Dream Cruise. And for Pete's sake, if you don't want to cruise, stay away from Woodward. Be sure to click through for the full gallery.

Jalopnik Does The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

Ray Wert — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:40:00 EDT

Just a reminder we'll be here all day tomorrow with live 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise coverage as Team Jalopnik does the biggest single-day classic car event in the world. We'll have our troops running up and down Woodward Avenue bringing you the best of the weird, strange and epic — so you'll want to be here too. Follow along at our Woodward Dream Cruise tag or if you're RSS-inclined, click here. Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Corvette ZR1 Police Car Will Kick The Corvette Z06 Police Car's Ass

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EDT

We thought the Corvette Z06 cop car the Royal Oak PD is sporting for the Woodward Dream Cruise was impressive. But now they're rolling out the bigger guns with a Corvette ZR1 police car. The cop driving this 'Vette is exactly 26.3% more bad-ass than the Johnny Law in that weak-sauce Z06. Now you hooligans have to roll out some real hardware to even think about keeping up with the boys in blue, much less escaping in the blistering 3 MPH speeds seen at the Dream Cruise. And yes, we were getting the shakes: There were no fresh ZR1 stories for like, 37 seconds.

For All You 60's-Era Chrysler Fans, Imperial And New Yorker, Oh My!

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EDT

These two 60's-era Chryslers were rolling ahead of the Woodward Dream Cruise and parked around the corner from each other at Duggan's Irish Pub, the place where we saw the same company unveil the Chysler PT Dream Cruiser Series 5. The contrast in awesomeness could not be more poignant. The wagony goodness of the New Yorker and the impossibly complex curvature of the Imperial were causing heart palpitations amongst the assembled. There's even a flaming eyeball on the New Yorker. How cool is that? More pics below.

Jalopnik Discovers Jake's Unofficial Successor At ZR1 Ice Cream Break, Meet Elwood

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:40:00 EDT

We were cruising Woodward a couple minutes ago, scoping things out for spontaneous conflagrations of coolness, and we got way more than we bargained for. Parked outside the Dairy Deluxe, an ice cream parlor staple along the Ave, was a pair of Corvette ZR1s. So of course, like moths to a flame we descended for picture taking. Only thing is, the ZR1's kept coming, in all, five of the super-Vettes had been driven in by various members of the GM engineering squad, and that wasn't all we saw, we discovered the unofficial mascot of the ZR1 — he's blue, he has horns, and his name is Elwood. Get it? Jake and Elwood, like the Blues Brothers. Jump for more.

The "Jake" logo originally born of the Corvette C5R racing program has been officially nixed from all ZR1 activities. That doesn't mean the GM Design Studio couldn't work up a new, unofficial logo to act as the mascot for the ZR1. The little blue devil skull borrows elements of the Jake logo, but also hearkens back to the originally rumored name of the car, the Blue Devil, an homage to Rick Wagoner's Duke Alma Mater. Anyone else think these should come standard on the car? Because we think this whole idea is both totally awesome and damn funny.

Remember to come back Wednesday the 20th of August for our first impressions of GM's Corvette ZR1, where Wes tests the limits of his sanity, and his pampers.

2008 Woodward Dream Cruise Schedule Broken Down In Excruciating Detail

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:20:00 EDT

Chalk it up to personal style, but some folks prefer to wander aimlessly through the sea of cars during the big Saturday Woodward Dream Cruise event, while other like to have a plan of attack for the whole day. If you fall into the latter category, the Detroit News has breakdown of every event, by town and price, put together for your planning pleasure. We tend to be more of the former though, so we don't need no stinkin' plans. [Detroit News]

People-Powered Quadcycle Makes Stop At Woodward On Way To Burning Man

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:30:00 EDT

Last Saturday we wandered down to metro Detroit's progressive little berg of Ferndale for the Green Cruise, an anti-Woodward Dream Cruise, billed as a gasoline-free alternative to the Big Event. We were hoping for electric cars and grease-burners, but it turned out to be mostly just a big bicycle parade — with one marked exception. Dubbed "The Dogsled" by the father-and-son duo who engineered and built it (each of whom refers to the other as "Dog"), the Dogsled is actually destined to roam the playa at Burning Man.

The entire thing is hand-built out of a combination of scavenged parts and steel. The 500-pound machine centers on four huge-diameter wheels built out of salvaged drainage pipe, modified golf cart wheels and chopped up old tires. The four peddlers generate power, which is combined to turn the right rear wheel — the left rear runs on a separate axle and does the stopping with a disc brake. Steering is done with a chain-driven drag link and pitman arm system.

It won't be winning any drag races, but the Dogsled will be cruising Woodward this year alongside its gasoline road mates, undoubtedly collecting a heck of a lot of stares and questions. If you're interested, you can check out the build blog for the beast at Dogsled homepage.

Woodward Dream Cruise Pictorial Potpourri

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The tough part about the Woodward Dream Cruise is the staggering array of awesomeness that shows up. Focusing on any one car for more than a couple of minutes would test anybody's concentration. That said, here's a collection of various forms of superlative automotive excellence from last night's wanderings. Also, let us know if you've got something you'd like us to keep an eye open for — might as well provide some cotomer sevis during this festival of style.

Seriously Awesome '34 Ford Hot Rod Hits Woodward

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT

We were doing our Woodward Dream Cruise thing again last night and amidst the sea of classics, this gem stuck out like a pin-striped offering to the hot-rodding gods. Name the goodies and its got it: white-walled Coker bias-plys, a supercharged Chevy 350 wearing vintage Corvette valve covers, six single-barrel carbs, individual straight pipes with fish-tailed tips, and the details... oh, the details. We best be seeing this baby win something at next year's Autorama or there is something wrong with the world. Many more pictures after the jump.

Nash Rambler Cross Country Custom

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EDT

As is traditional for the Woodward Dream Cruise, the best cruising is already happening, days early. Now is when all the good stuff comes out of barns and garages for a run through the cool evening air, avoiding the choking crowds and coolant-boiling traffic of the Saturday cruise. Last night we stumbled onto this rare gem of a vintage station wagon at 13 Mile road and Woodward Ave — a Nash Rambler Cross Country Custom. What makes these ulta-rare is they were basically the last gasp for Hudson, which existed in name only after the marque merged with Nash in '54 to form AMC.

It goes without saying this one is magical not only for its quirky peachy color, but also the rad textured vinyl on the bench seats, the pristine roof rack carrying a surf board (natch), and oh yeah, the vinyl woody applique. Totally awesome. What a great way to kick off our car coverage for the Dream Cruise.