Raleigh Archives — Auto Trends Magazine

Capital City Cruisers hosts their 12th annual event.

Chevrolet Chevelle SS Capital City Cruisers — Check out the wheels on this Chevrolet Chevelle SS!

Weeks of above normal rainfall in the Carolinas means one thing: if you have plans in place, then know for certain that they’re subject to change. Moreover, if those plans involve hosting a car show with scores of classic and antique cars prepared to compete, there is a good chance that at least some owners will stay away.

Happily, the bad weather held off long enough for the 12th Annual Capital City Cruisers Car, Truck & Bike Show to welcome more than 100 vehicles to its location in Garner, NC. This judged event awarded the top 100 vehicles, which were split between 75 “old school” models (1987 and earlier) and 25 “new school vehicles (1988 and later). Fittingly, a portion of the proceeds raised money for the local schools, Angel Tree and the Give Back Organization, Inc.

Capital City Cruisers Photo Gallery

My time was limited on Saturday, but I was able to show up early on and stay until just after the noon hour. That allowed me to take hundreds of photos and converse with various owners.

About 40 photos were posted on the day of the event on the Auto Trends Magazine Facebook page. Another four dozen or so are included here, with details covering specific vehicles or categories. If you’re the owner of a vehicle featured here and would like a copy, simply right click on the photo and save it to your hard drive.

So, without further delay, I give you a broad sample of the stars, cars, people and other vehicles featured at this year’s Capital City Cruisers show.

Cars, Trucks and a Motorcycle

1948 Buick Roadmaster Convertible Capital City Cruisers

Ford Falcon Thunderbolt Capital City Cruisers

1973 Chevrolet Camaro Capital City Cruisers

Chevrolet pickup truck Capital City Cruisers

2007 Honda motorcycle Capital City Cruisers

1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville Capital City Cruisers

Ford Model A Capital City Cruisers

Mopar Madness

What is a car show without sufficient Mopar representation? In this case, various Plymouth and Dodge models, old and new, paraded in and took over their own slice of the lot.

Capital City Cruisers Mopar

Mopar Capital City Cruisers

What is it?

Not every vehicle at car shows fit under the antique, classic or contemporary car theme. Take this customized vehicle which got everyone’s attention when it arrived around noon. The owner said that it is powered by a 1834cc Volkswagen engine with VW front and rear suspension parts. The rest of the vehicle is a mish-mash of anything goes. Oh, the vehicle is a tribute to America’s fallen heroes — the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

Capital City Cruisers dune buggy

But Wait…There’s More!

Pontiac Trans Am Capital City Cruisers — 1979-1981 Pontiac Trans Am models featured this quad headlight look.

1940 Ford Coupe Capital City Cruisers — And all of a sudden there was this gorgeous 1940 Ford coupe.

Phillips 66 Capital City Cruisers — Your Phillips 66 assist truck at your service!

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Not every vehicle on display is in mint condition. Some are in a work in progress, including this classic Chevrolet pickup truck. Many a classic or antique model have gone through a long process of restoration. Best wishes to this owner as he or she renews this beauty.

Chevrolet truck Capital City Cruisers

We Have Pickup Trucks

Long before crossovers became a thing, pickup trucks have served American consumers and business owners. Nearly every mainstream manufacturer had one, including Studebaker, International and Jeep. These days, the segment remains strong with American and Japanese manufacturers dominating.

Pickup truck fans were not disappointed at the Capital City Cruisers show as more than a dozen were spotted. In addition to the ones we already featured, the following 10 trucks were on also on display.

1957 Chevrolet 3600 pickup truck. Capital City Cruisers — 1957 Chevrolet 3600 pickup truck.

1961 Ford F-100 pickup truck. Capital City Cruisers — 1961 Ford F-100 pickup truck.

Chevrolet “Goldfinger” C/K pickup truck.

Chevrolet 3100 pickup truck. Capital City Cruisers — Chevrolet 3100 pickup truck.

1947-1955 Chevrolet pickup trucks. Capital City Cruisers — 1947-1955 Chevrolet pickup trucks.

1940-1941 Ford Pickup Truck. Capital City Cruisers — 1940-1941 Ford Pickup Truck.

GMC S15. Capital City Cruisers — GMC S15.

1994 Chevrolet S10 customized pickup truck. Capital City Cruisers — 1994 Chevrolet S10 customized pickup truck.

Chevrolet El Camino SS. Capital City Cruisers — Chevrolet El Camino SS.

Previous Spotlights

Spotlight: 24th Annual Rod & Custom Show Presented by the Stray Cats

Spotlight: American Children’s Home Show-off Show

Spotlight: 2018 Piedmont Classic Chevy Club Car Show

2018 Piedmont Classic Chevy Club Car Show

As an automotive writer, most of my focus is on what’s new and upcoming, thus the “auto trends” moniker. But I also know that the industry has a rich history spanning nearly 150 years. Keeping an eye on the past while looking toward the future supplies the right perspective about the motorized conveyances we love.

When an opportunity to take in a local show comes up, I like to seize it. And not just any show, but one featuring the classic cars that define America. The 2018 Piedmont Classic Chevy Club Car Show is one such event, held on the Saturday preceding Memorial Day.

This year’s event was the 29th running of the show and it was a good one. Indeed, Hemmings listed it amongst its featured shows for the weekend. With Lake Wheeler Park in Raleigh, NC, serving as the venue, I knew it was one event I had to attend.

I’m glad that I did, because this car show was better than I had expected. One special note: our war dead were remembered — Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). What a pleasant surprise to hear a young lady sing the Star-Spangled Banner.

1968 Chevrolet: 50 Years Later

This year’s show celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Chevy. That year featured such model names as Bel Air and Biscayne; Camaro and Corvette; Corvair Chevelle, and Caprice; Impala and Nova. Not to mention various “C” and “K” trucks and the Suburban.

Most of those models were present and the ones on display were entered for judging. The club welcomed owners of other US brands, including AMC, Buick, Cadillac, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac and Studebaker. As long as the vehicle was made in the US and was from 1992 or earlier, they qualified.

I did not stay around long enough to learn who won an award. Contestants plunked down $20 to enter, otherwise, admission to the general public was free. Proceeds from the show benefited the private, nonprofit Raleigh’s Hilltop Home. The home serves children with severe developmental and medical disabilities.

2018 Piedmont Classic Chevy Club Car Show

As for the models on hand, the following represent the photos taken. The first group includes stories gleaned first hand from the respective owner.

If I got something wrong, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll make the necessary correction.

1967 Cadillac de Ville Convertible

Several vehicles on hand also prominently displayed “for sale” signs, including a 1967 Cadillac de Ville Convertible. This beautiful specimen of Cadillac hugeness looks factory new with its white body, white sidewall tires and a red interior.

This model is powered by a 429 cubic inch (7.0 liters) V8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor and has a three-speed automatic transmission. This engine makes 340 horsepower.

The owner was present and said he was asking $38,500 for it.

1967 Cadillac d'Ville Convertible

1950 Chevrolet Fleetline

Not displayed on the green, but sitting in the lot directly across from the field was a 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline. This model was also for sale, with a listed price of $8,500. Some wheel well rust was evident and the interior has seated many passengers for nearly seven decades.

The Fleetline was a subset of the Fleetmaster. All models have a 215 cubic inch (3.5-liter) inline six-cylinder engine making 90 horsepower.

1950 Chevrolet Fleetline

Chevrolet Pickup Truck — A lowrider Chevrolet pickup truck with an “aftermarket” umbrella.

1968 Plymouth GTX

The owner of this 1968 Plymouth GTX told me he purchased this model from the previous owner for just $5,000. He replaced the original engine ($7,000) with one displacing 480 cubic inches, otherwise it is true to the original and showroom clean.

With an estimated value of approximately $21,000, the owner stands to enjoy a handsome profit should he decide to sell it. He plans to keep it and keep driving it about three days per week.