Old Town Cruise
Written by Keith Fudge

Hello, and welcome to this week's edition of My Classic Car . Recently, we had the opportunity to experience a truly great duty assignment: The Ole Town Saturday Night Cruise in Kissimmee , Florida . Located just outside of Orlando and close to Walt Disney World, this section of Kissimmee is known as a place for fantastic food, super shopping, and excellent entertainment! We talked with “Cruise Master,” Mike Tollefsrud, who told us about the history of the event. Mike said that this “happening” had been taking place for more than 14 years. As far as he knew, there had only been two interruptions. One was a hurricane named Charley, and the other was a hurricane named Frances . Mike also said this event is an offshoot of an earlier show called Autofest at Old Town . Since the cruise began, he told us that folks come from everywhere to attend. In fact, Dennis and the crew saw cars from Vermont and New York as they walked the brick street of Old Town .

Another reason the event is so successful is the location itself. Old Town has something for everyone. It is “family friendly,” and there is a great variety of shopping and dining options that pleases almost all who attend. The average attendance for a Saturday night cruise is approximately 335 cars. At 8:30 sharp, they ride on the brick-paved streets! The response is so overwhelming for Saturdays (which is open to cars 1972 and older), that now they have added a Friday Night Cruise for cars from 1973 to 1987, especially customs. Since cars are what this event is all about, we decided to go check out some of the awesome autos that were on display.

First, we ran into Ken Garmany and his1972 Maverick Grabber clone. Painted in what Ken described as almost “banana yellow” and sporting black trim, this pony car is outfitted with Cobra R replica wheels. The interior contains Ford Probe seats that have been re-upholstered and feature the Maverick logo stitched in them. Under the hood is Ford's legendary 302 modified with an Edlebrock RPM intake and a set of Hooker Headers. The car's suspension had also been lowered, and Ken said that it handled admirably. Next, we found a unique combo: a 1927 Chevy pickup that had been modified to fit a current motorhome frame. Bob Rattiger is the owner of this unconventional hauler and told us that it took him and his buddy eleven months to build it. Another thing that made the hauler especially sweet is its cargo-a matching T-Bucket. This rad rod has a matching paint scheme and is powered by a 350 Chevy. One thing is for sure, this was the only matching pair of this kind at the show! Bob said he has been coming to the Old Town Saturday Night Cruise since 1994. With his taste in cars, we can assume that he'll be coming here for many years to come!

Here's something you don't see every day: a 1967 Goggomobile. Billy Paul is the proud owner of this micro-motorcar, and he says that it's a hit everywhere he goes! Billy told us that these cars were made in Dingolfing , Germany . He purchased this car at a Micro Car Show. Obviously he likes them because he said that he owns eight of them. Powered by a 250 cc. engine, this mini makes almost 14 horsepower. The Goggomobile is definitely a rarity and a ride that puts a smile on everyone's face. Finally, no cruise-in would be complete without some Mopar muscle. Lydia McConnell had a 1971 Charger Super Bee. Lydia told us that 1971 was the only year in which the Bee was an option for the Charger. That fact makes this car a pretty rare ride. In addition, this car is a 4-speed with the famous “pistol grip” shift, and it is equipped with factory air conditioning. The exterior color is “butterscotch,” and the complementary brown interior makes it look as if it had just rolled off the showroom floor. Since it is powered by the bulletproof Dodge 383 Magnum and coupled with the 4-speed tranny, it can hit the road in a hurry. Sporting a license plate signifying that it was “Her Bee,” Lydia says that her husband is a Mopar guy and has a 1967 Coronet R/T. It just goes to show you that the family that Mopars together, stays together! Thanks, Lydia .

Remember, if you are in the Orlando area, and if it is a Friday or Saturday night, head to Old Town to see some of the greatest cars around. There are some great places to visit down there too. If you would like more information, give them a look on the web at www.old-town.com . That's it from fantastic Florida . Until our next visit, remember; “Honor the timeless classics. Happy Motoring!”