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Woodward Dream Cruise
August 17-21, 2004
Troy,
Michigan
FGMCC Award Winners
Members Choice | George Primm's 71 SS 454 |
Presidents Choice | Roman Dytko's 72 |
George Lines Best Modified | Stan Kulikowski's 70 SS 454 |
Long distance driver | Frank Wercinski, 840 Miles |
Best Paint | Les & Karen Lugibihl's 71 |
Best Interior | Marty Wuchte's 70 SS454 |
Best Engine | Leo Konik's 72 |
Best Unfinished | Tim Knight's 72 |
Best Stock | Bruce Stange's 71 |
Best Improved | Billie Edson's 70 |
Andreas’
thoughts about Woodward
Wow, What an event!
Th
I
left for Detroit on Thursday, August 19th by plane. After a
stopover in Cincy, I arrived safe and sound. My first question at the
HERTZ counter was: ‘Got a Monte Carlo’? The lady behind the counter
called someone outside and low and behold, 20 minutes later I drove off in
a brand-new 2005 Monte with 5 miles on the odometer. It had 190 miles when
I returned it, hehe…
Shortly
after I arrived at my hotel, Pete (our FGMCC president) called me. He
still had his Monte in storage, hmm. So I told him, let me pick you up and
we get that Monte running. He said: ‘OK, see you in 20 minutes’. Yeah,
right. The trip to his house through rush hour at 5 pm took one hour!
I
did not mind, since Donna supplied me with some excellent spaghetti when I
arrived at their house, yummy… We finally drove off to the place where
Pete stored his Monte, which was at the other part of the town. When we
arrived at around 7 pm, it was already starting to get dark.
Pete
came prepared with a booster pack and a screwdriver. After a bit cranking,
the Monte started up. We let it idle for a while and went for a smoke.
When we returned, we realized a strong fuel smell. The fuel line at the
in-line fuel filter had sprung a leak and spewed fuel all over the place,
yuk! I told Pete: ‘Don’t light that cigarette now!’.
This
was the first time that he said, looking at his Monte: ‘You are going to
Woodward, and if I have to PUSH you!!!’
President
Pete getting his Monte out for the first ride since October 2003!
The
cheesy hose clamps at the fuel filter failed.
No
auto parts store anywhere near. So we went to the local Meijers, which is
like a WAL-MART. They had some good hose clamps. Looking ahead, Pete also
bought oil & tranny fluid, just in case.
Back
to the garage. New hose clamps. Started up. Now fuel filter leaks.
Tightened fuel filter. Started up. Everything seems fine. Let the Monte
idle for another smoke break. Pete gets in the car to pull it out of the
garage. As soon as he hits the brake, the Monte dies. Twice.
This
was the second time that he said, looking at his Monte: ‘You are going
to Woodward, and if I have to PUSH you!!!'
I
tell him there is obviously not enough juice in the battery to sustain the
ignition.
So
out we go (it is now 9:00 pm and pitch dark) back to Meijers to buy a
battery. Back to the garage. New battery installed. Monte starts. Low
tranny fluid. Thanks god we bought some.
At
9:30 pm, Pete pulls out of the garage in the Monte, ha! After filling up
the tires at the gas station, we hit the highway and split later.
FRIDAY:
Met up with club members at the Drury Inn in the morning and we headed down to Woodward around noon. Cort gave me a lift in his 87 Monte.
Several
Members admiring Frank’s Monte dual headlight conversion
Cars
are cruising, but it is not too thick, since it rains slightly… We head
over to the car show in Pontiac, just two blocks from where we parked.
Back to the hotel around 4 pm. Then Gene and Lynn asked me if I would like
to join them cruising in their 70 SS. Sure….. So off we go together with
Billie and Alex in the Molly Monte and Les and Karen in their Monte.
Billie blasted by us on the freeway.
We
cruised down Woodward until around 9:45 pm. Three FGMC in a row, cool.
Many people on the sidewalks and on the road. The cops closed down
Woodward around 10 pm and diverted the traffic. Back to the hotel.
SATURDAY:
The
big cruise is today! The weather was cooperating, sunny and 75 degrees!
We
got out to the meeting spot after breakfast at 8 am. There were already
some guys there from the 90’s Impala SS club, who parked next to us. The
FGMCC banner was put up to show the cruisers we are here!
The
parking of our Monte’s was right on Woodward Ave in front of the Oakland
Press. So we could just bring out our lawn chairs and sit back, relax and
watch the rods and musclecars go by.
Cort,
Billie and I walked down to scope out the car show in Pontiac and found a
nice red Monte. The owner later dropped by our parking spot and signed up
as a member for the club. Cool…
Around
noon, Donna showed up with the grill and we made a quick run to buy soft
drinks and hot dogs to keep everyone happy…
Donna
made sure we had plenty of hot dogs! What would we have done without
her….?
Eventually, a total of 31 first gen Montes showed up. A new record for our Annual FGMCC Meet!
Alex
jumped around like a squirrel getting Montes parked and members signed up.
We signed up 8 new members on the spot!. Way to go, Alex! As a result, he
‘earned’ the club officer position as our new secretary. Lisa resigned
from this post after a splendid organization of this annual meet!
Some
of us took off cruising for a while. Pete and Lisa announced the club
awards around 5 pm. We will have nice plaques with the Club Logo this
year.
Oops,
looks like FGMCC member Dave slipped on the gas pedal…
Many,
many, many rods and cars cruised by our spot. Chevelles, Novas, GTOs,
Mustangs, Mopars en masse.
And if you cannot afford a muscle car, just take your barstool and a shopping cart with a lawnmower engine to go cruising…
Too
bad our club’s founder Kevin Wiles could not make it up here. I am sure
he would have loved this Olds Ninety-Eight cruising by:
Later
that day, things heated up. Traffic got thicker and the first burnouts
happened. As a matter of fact, I read in the Oakland Press the next day
that the area of Woodward and Huron street where we parked was one of the
‘premier’ burnout spots on Woodward. Thanks God nobody got hurt
because traffic was really dense at some times…
No,
that is not a car on fire. Some members of the Impala club practicing
tire-shredding
Most
of us stayed until 10 pm and then we drove back to the hotel. The 10th
annual Woodward Dream Cruise and 5th Annual FGMCC Meet were
over. I think I can speak for all who attended that we had a really great
time.
10
Things that I took from Woodward:
Pete would have pushed his Monte to the show!
Rob deserves a hard luck award
Billie and Alex did a heck of a job working on Molly (the car, that is)
Cort’s
'87 rides just as comfy as a FGMC
Eighty Hot Dogs is just not enough to feed a bunch of FGMClers
Any FGMC can do an easy burnout, even if it’s a one-legger. Right, Tim?
40,000 classic cars and 1.7 million spectators can put on quite a show!
Michigan can be a warm place in August
Alex is an organizational talent, might be his daughter’s influence…
Many nice people & many nice Montes = a good time
Photos
Big J |
Billie |
Bob |
Bruce |
Cort |
Curtis |
Dave |
Dave |
Frank & Jane |
George |
Gene & Lynn |
Jeff |
Jim |
Leo |
Les & Karen |
Lloyd |
Marchie |
Marty |
Mike |
Patrick |
Pete & Donna |
Richard |
Rick |
Rob |
Roman |
Roy & Marlene |
Tim |