Eastlake Car Cruise
Written by Keith Fudge

Hello, and welcome to a new season of My Classic Car . One recent trend in automotive events that is rapidly gaining popularity is the “Cruise-In.” These events are generally held on weekends and in some cases what started to be an event just for local car clubs is now turning into a regional or even a national happening. Such is the case with the Eastlake Car Cruise held near Cleveland, Ohio.

Recently, Dennis Gage and the My Classic Car crew had the chance to see what this event was all about, and to learn a bit about the history behind the event itself. After he arrived, Dennis spoke to Event Coordinator, Don Moyer, who told him a little bit about this event. Don told Dennis that the weekly cruise starts each Saturday at 5:00 pm and that the event has the full cooperation and support of the city of Eastlake . Held at the city park on the beautiful Boulevard of 500 Flags, this weekly get-together features music, cookouts, family fun, and some fabulous cars! Don went on to say that the weekly Cruise-In begins on the weekend of May 15 th and then ends on Halloween, with the last cruise-in of the season featuring a party for children. Don then told Dennis that there are usually anywhere between 400 and 800 cars per week; however, this week he said that he expected more than 1,000 cars in attendance! And just to show that this party is more than a local shindig, Don said that there were participants from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan! With all that info in his pocket (particularly the part about 1,000 cars in attendance), Dennis could no longer stand still and had to get around to see some of these classic rides!

First, Dennis ran into John Martin and his sweet custom 1953 Studebaker. This stunning coupe has been chopped and features custom taillights from a 1956 Chevy that are fitted into fins from a 1957 Chrysler Hemi convertible. The interior of this Studie is absolutely “leathered and luxurious” and even features a full roll cage. Under the hood lurks a beast of a 1971 Chevy 491 cubic inch engine that makes approximately 650 horsepower at 7,000 rpm! While strolling around the grounds, Dennis also met the Mayor of Eastlake, Don DiLiberto, who also shed some light on the history of this event! Don told him that the cruise had been taking place since 1998 and that the scene of this beautiful park combined with 500 American flags and a host of America's favorite automobiles simply creates a great atmosphere for everyone! After speaking with the mayor, Dennis continued to take a turn about the park where he found Bob Ashley's immaculate 1954 Buick Skylark as well as Jeff Gasier's jumpin' and slammin' 1964 Impala that sported and entire trunk full of sound! Finally, he ran onto Bruce Bunker and his sweet '34 custom rod and he just had to take a closer look. Nicknamed “Lucifr,” this rad ride has been chopped five inches and dropped nearly to the ground! Powered by a 350 cubic inch/350 horsepower small-block Chevy fitted with six deuces, this cool ride features wide whitewalls, custom paint and some creative pinstriping. Some of the other more creative touches include skull and bones handles for the switches and signals, and iron cross side mirrors. Bruce told Dennis that this was the type of hot rod that he remembered from his youth and this was exactly what he wanted to build! Great job, Bruce!

Dennis and the gang had a great time at the Eastlake Car Cruise, and if you're ever close to Cleveland, Ohio, on a Saturday night, head over to Eastlake and check out some of the most American fun you will ever have. If you would like more information on the event you can check them out on the web at www.eastlakeohio.com . So, until our next road trip, remember, “Honor the timeless classics. Happy Motoring!”