• Thursday-What'sUP August 15 - 01:31 pm

Culver's Restaurant, in Houghton is the place to be on Wednesday's from 4 to 7 p.m., weather permitting, if you love classic cars. Vintage car owners from around the area, bring them to display during that time, so you can check them out and talk to the owners about their particular vehicles and how they've been restored.

It took these photos of the event, snapped by Paul and Nat Brandes (a.k.a Capt. Paul and Dr. Nat), to make me aware that it takes place each week. It's like I so often point out, that those of us who live here in the Keweenaw full time, often take things going on for granted and don't always pay attention to everything that is happening. Thanks for the photos and pointing out another event that I need to add to my 'to-do' list, Capt. Paul!

ohhhh -some very cool wheels there! Great pix!

I remember those days ~ back when cars were cars ~ more metal than plastic!
Thanks to the Capt. and the Dr.!

Good timing...Woodward Dream Cruise is underway.

http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2013/08/2013_woodward_dream_cruise_sch.html

Capt, in the first picture do you know if that is a 1963-64 Ford Thunderbolt. Instead of having the extra headlights, that is the air intake for the Ram Air set up on that model.

A few years ago, Paul and I were in Detroit at the time of the Dream Cruise. That is a great event for anyone who likes classic cars. Paul likes the muscle cars. I prefer pre-war vehicles. I'll never forget a jaunt I was able to undertake in a Ford Model T. Driving one of those is an adventure.

Was that Model T the Capt.'s first new car?;>

Dr. Nat, I share your preference for the pre-war cars. My grandmother always talked about the best seat was the Rumble seat!

Thanks Mary for once again featuring some of our photos from a most wonderful trip to the Keweenaw.

Just a little bit about the "show"; I was talking to the folks at Culver's and told me that every Culver's across the midwest is encouraged to have these events at their restaurants once a week. The Houghton restaurant has theirs on Wednesday and the one in Marquette is Thursday night. This was the third event at the Houghton location which drew I believe 16 cars that night, but apparently the first event drew well over 30 cars. The managers said they will keep having these events weekly so long as participation and the want is there. I can definitely say my Roadrunner would fit right in!!

Janie, while that car does look like a Thunderbolt, it is actually a 63 Galaxie 500 made to look like a Thunderbolt, complete with 427 top loader engine, 4 on the floor, and ram air. Needless to say it sounded pretty healthy when it arrived, as did the Comet......

Capt, those Ford 427's are healthy engines for sure. We had a Red '68 Shelby GT-500 with a 427 side oiler. Drove it to Dearborn Heights for a SAAC show, every 80 miles time to fill up!

The Model T was not the Capt.'s first car. He might be grey, but he's not quite that old. I actually took the car on an outing a few years before I met Paul. A friend of mine was fond of pre-war cars and also had a Ford Model A, a Dodge Brothers delivery, a Graham Brothers pickup and a Packard that he was in the process of restoring. He also had a two newer cars-- a Baracuda and a Charger. He drove all the cars regularly (except the Packard, which was having its engine rebuilt).

I think the most fun about the Model T was the confusing configuration of controls. Driving was quite terrifying until I got used to the fact that reverse is one of the pedals and the throttle is a lever on the right side of the steering wheel.

I guess that was a bad joke, Dr. Nat ~ just thought I'd jerk the Capt.'s chain a bit.;)
The '40s Packards were my favorite cars when I was a kid...our family doctor drove one. Beautiful car! Also liked the LaSalle. Anybody remember that one?

A friend of ours has a '37 LaSalle.

I knew you were kidding. I just have to remind him he has a lot more grey than me! Or maybe that's wishful thinking...

Capt...lose the gray and do what I did, shave the cranium, the chrome dome. Only your hair dresser knows for sure (:-0

Only problem with that; Dr. Nat IS my hair-dresser.....

One other thing I wanted to mention is that the cruise-in runs from 5-8 pm every Wednesday evening.

When I was a kid in Hubbell I would sit on the side of the road and watch Mr. Koepel drive his Packards. I was going to drive them when I grew up. Sadly they went out of business before I could own a new one.

At age 16 I was able to drive a LaSalle ('39 or '40 model) for a local wealthy landowner, to collect from rental property dwellers. I felt like I was living in 'high cotton' driving that big car.;>
Dr. Nat, I'm so glad you knew I was joking.

Hi Bill.