There is nothing more American than our cars.
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The Germans may have their Porsche, the Italians their Ferrari and Brits their Jag. Each is a symbol of luxury and performance.
These high-end cars are great for royalty or rich guys with open shirts and too much grease in their hair. But when red-blooded everyday Americans close their eyes, they dream about ‘51 flathead Mercs with red ghost flames and Appletons or a rat-rodded Deuce coupe.
Nothing symbolizes the baby boomer generation more than the cars that defined its youth. Ask a 50-something guy about a choice recollection from high school. His memory invariably includes car. For most, there’s usually a backseat involved, and it’s not a Toyota.
Hollywood gets it.
It’s no accident that some of our most iconic movies — the ones with which real Americans identify — feature a customized star that was born on the hardscrabble factory floors of Detroit or Flint.
Memorable Moments in Film
Who could forget the yellow ’32 Ford five-window or the ’55 Chevy that cruised the streets of Petaluma in “American Graffiti.” How about the ’70 Challenger R/T in “Vanishing Point” or the definitive car chase through the hilly streets of San Francisco in “Bullitt.” Steve McQueen might have been every guy’s definition of American cool. But it’s the ’68 Mustang GT 390 he drove that captured our imagination.
Other than maybe a vintage VW Bug, it’s tough to picture a guy and his date rolling up to Mel’s Diner in a Fiat.
American rockers don’t sing about Audis or Austin Healys. They croon about “Mustang Sally” or their “Little Deuce Coupe.” Even though a Jag XKE was the challenger in Jan and Dean’s famed ballad, it was a Stingray that was the true tragic hero in “Deadman’s Curve.”
It’s ironic that even in Cuba, long a haven of anti-American fervor, American is all they drive. Driving through the streets of Havana is like cruising through a slice of American automotive history. You don’t see Mercedes, Toyotas or even Volgas. Everywhere you turn there’s another well-preserved ’55 Chevy coupe or ’53 F-100 pick-up.
The Cubans know what every backyard car buff has always known — if you treat them right, American cars will last forever. Unlike their more glamorous foreign counterparts that require a NASA engineer just to adjust to valves, any grease monkey with a set of wrenches and floor jack can keep ’51 Shoebox Ford running like a top.
The Car Show
Nowhere is the American love affair with our cars on better display than Saturday’s Cruisin’ Back to the Fifties Car Show in Downtown Culver City, from 8:30 until 3. As in years past, the seventh edition of this annual celebration of American wheels will exhibit hundreds of custom classics and street rods lovingly restored by their owners.
Put on by the Exchange Club of Culver City, this year’s show will be anchored by its legendary co-sponsor George Barris – King of the Kustomizers. Along with live music, which will include the Dynatones and dozens of themed vendors, television and film actor Joe Mantegna will be the Grand Marshal. For fans of the classic 77 Sunset Strip, Edd (Kookie) Byrnes will be on hand with former Playmate and Baywatch star Erika Eleniak to autograph the collectible car show program.
In addition to being one of the largest free admission car shows of the year, Saturday’s Cruisin’ is a judged competition.
Vehicle entry applications for car exhibitors are available on line at http://www.culvercitycarshow.com/ . Online registrations are open until Friday at noon. Exhibitor applications will be accepted on the day of the show, starting at 6 a.m., at the National Guard Armory, 10808 Culver Blvd. Show entries are limited.
Nothing is more American than street rods and rock ‘n roll. For information: 310.499.4840.
