Cruisin’ The Commons
Written by Keith Fudge

Recently, we have heard tales of a scene that would chill most "Certified Car Nuts" to the bone. It seems that in the small town of Solon, Ohio, a ritual of sorts takes place every Tuesday night. It is a pastime that in many places had been assumed long gone--this event is fondly known as "Cruisin'".

To satisfy our own curiosity, Dennis Gage and the crew from Hemming's My Classic Car traveled to Solon to find out the skinny, and after spending a Tuesday night on the streets of northeastern Ohio, we can testify that cruisin' is alive and well in Ohio! "Cruisin' the Commons" is a Tuesday night tradition in the town of Solon from mid-May thru September. In fact, it is a happening that has been going on for eight years now! In this southeastern suburb of Cleveland (also home to Stouffer's), typically as many as 700 to 1,000 cars of every conceivable make and type are out struttin' their stuff."

The Rock-N-Roll Capital Street Machines Car Cub is the host for this weekly gathering of fine iron. Not only do 700 to 1000 "cruisers" make the scene, but often 300 or 400 Harleys ride on in to check out the street scene. And guess what? They all get along. Where else can you find up to 1000 fine cruisers sharing hallowed cruisin' ground with a bunch of Harley riders, just enjoying the scene!? And it all goes to help the non-profit RNRCSM support their favorite charity, The Ronald McDonald House. Truely awesome!

While we were there, we could not believe the variety of automobiles out for the evening, and as Dennis made the rounds he found everything from an early 1900s electric car, to a Duesenberg, to several monster trucks to a plethora of street machines. One particular ride that caught Dennis's eye was a replica of a 1935 Auburn Speedster 851. Powered by a Ford 351 Cleveland engine, this beauty is often on the streets. In fact, the owner says that since it is a replica, he can enjoy it and drive it every day! Dennis also found an Opel GT complete with a ground effects package. This asphalt-hugging ride sure was a head turner!

Finally, one of the wildest cars we saw was a custom 1963 Oldsmobile. "Starstruck," as this ride is appropriately named, has been chopped, widened, customized, and handmade from the grill, right down to the 1959 Chrysler Imperial headlights! Starstruck's owner takes the car cruisin' four or five nights a week and last year racked up more than 13,000 miles! Now that's some custom cruisin'!

We had a rockin' time in Solon, Ohio, and take our word for it; cruisin' definitely lives there! So if you're ever in the neighborhood on a Tuesday night, crank up the tunes, roll down the windows, and let the good times roll! Cruise on in to "Cruisin' The Commons" and enjoy being a part of a scene straight out of "American Grafitti!" Happy Motoring!