National Impala Club 29th International Convention

It's show time in Charlotte for the National Impala Club host their 29th Annual International Convention! The show brought together local Impala owners and enthusiast traveling from across the country. It was truly amazing to have gathered together Impala years ranging from 1958 to 1970.

The five day event started with a traditional "Meet and Greet," and continued throughout the week with various activities for the passionate owners of these beautiful classics. The N.I.A members had the opportunity to participate in Day at the Dragway, Cruise and Picnic Dinner, Judging Event, Awards Banquet and more!

There are a couple classic models not normally present in cruise-ins or car show events, and that would be the Chevrolet Impala. The '69 Impala SS 427 Convertible is a fantastic classic, and it was exciting to see one at this event.

Congratulations to the N.I.A staff for organizing a great event! If you're interested in becoming a member please click on www.nationalimpala.com.

Peak into the '69 Impala SS 427 Coupe and Convertible!

Take a look at this remarkable '69 Impala SS 427 Custom Coupe with only 16,000 original miles!

Sneak through the '69 Impala SS 427 Convertible pushing 390 Hp! This is a gorgeous classic!

These two vehicles and more were at the 29th Annual National Impala Association International Convention held in Charlotte, NC!

Cruising Downtown Concord

Location: Union St. Downtown Concord, NC

Time: Every forth Saturday from 3:30 to 9:00 pm

The afternoon started with a Meet and Greet host by the Autobarn located in Concord, NC. The Autobarn has a wide array of classic car inventory including a gorgeous 1957 Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop. Find your dream classic at http://www.autobarnclassiccars.com/.

After visiting the Autobarn it was time to cruise through Union St. to downtown Concord. The downtown venue is a great place to park your classic while enjoying the sights and sounds of rumbling classics creeping down Union St. The local merchants are welcoming to classic car enthusiast, and enjoy the benefits of seeing plenty of beautiful classic cars. The trees drape over Union St., and provide welcoming cool shade for spectators and classics alike!

The downtown venue with the organization from the staff really make this Cruise-In the place to be every forth Saturday of the month! Please visit www.concorddowntown.com/cruisingdc/ for additional information!

Congratulations on a great event!

B.R.A.K.E.S Teen Pro-Active Driving School

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to view B.R.A.K.E.S Teen Pro-Action Driving School in action at the ZMax Dragway in Concord, NC!

B.R.A.K.E.S, which stands for Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe, is a Teen Pro-Active Driving School. The organization was created by NHRA driver Doug Herbert. The motivational passion in developing the non-profit organization was fostered from his own tragic experience. The mission of B.R.A.K.E.S is to prevent injuries and save lives by hands on training and educating teenage drivers and their parents about the importance of safe and responsible driving.

The teen driving school takes driving education to the next level with professional driving instructors encouraging, building driving skills and vehicle handling education with the teenage students. The various driving courses include a Wet Skid Pad, Panic Stop, Accident Avoidance, Distraction and Slalom course.

It was exciting to view the interaction between the professional drivers and students. The building of driving skills and confidence behind the driving wheel will properly prepare the young drivers for real life situations.

To learn more about this remarkable program please visit http://www.putonthebrakes.org/.

Yadkinville July Cruise-In

Location: Downtown Yadkinville
Time: Every third Saturday from 4:00 to 8:00 pm

This July event host over 200 classics and collectable vehicles! The downtown square venue had classics lining the streets, and welcoming all year collectable cars. This was a special day for the Yadkin Valley Cruisers since gave tribute to the Yadkinville Veterans.

The live entertainment combined with the downtown square created a warm welcoming atmosphere to enjoy catching a glimpse of your favorite classic. A couple of my favorite cars included a '36 Ford Humpback with only 22,000 original miles, and a '07 Shelby GT 500 with the Super Snake package. This GT 500 is signed by Carroll Shelby, Jack Roush, Lee Iacocca and more. This is truly a special collectable car.

Congratulations to the Yadkin Valley Cruisers for host a great event! Please visit http://www.yadkinvalleycruisers.com/ for more information.

Car Cruizen!

How does a thrill ride tour through the Blue Ridge Parkway sound with 11 other classic cars?

Sign me up!

There were 12 classics cruising for the day enjoying the excitement of the roaring engine and scenic view of the Parkway. The day started at 8:30 am and ended near 9:00 pm.

The cruising tour took the eager group of enthusiast through the wining and hilly road of Rt. 268 to the Overlook on Rt. 321, which was a remarkable view of the mountain terrain spanning for miles. The day continued with a stop in Blowing Rock for lunch. While the mini parade of 12 classics was leaving the small town visitors were taking photos and lining the street to catch a glimpse. On the way south, traveling on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we stopped at the Linville Falls where the stream of classic cars were getting more attention from visitors than the falls themselves.

The tour continued to Doug Herbert's Performance Parts store. This was a special stop since Mr. Doug Herbert gave a personal tour of his shop, and told the emotional story behind B.R.A.K.E.S, which in a non-profit organization dedicated to the continued hands on education of driving safety for youths. Please visit www.putonthebrakes.com for more information.

This was a great tour with fellow enthusiast enjoying the beauty of North Carolina! A cruise with fellow enthusiast is a great way to exercise your classic while enjoying the benefits of the hobby. I encourage you to cruise!

See you on the road!

The next generation!

In my travels, I've witnessed multiple car show events, and have been overwhelmed by the participation of classic car owners and fellow enthusiast enjoying the collector car hobby. This past weekend while attending the Downtown Mooresville Cruise-In I had an "Ah-Ha" moment.

The organizers of the event have a road dedicated for classic cars to enter the cruise-in. While observing the streets lining up with classic cars I noticed a gentlemen driving through in is '28 Ford Model A. It was then I had a "Ah-Ha" moment, because the gentlemen brought his grandson who was in the passenger's seat.

After they parked I ask for a quick picture next to the Model A. The photo tells it's own story, but for me this represents the passing of our hobby to the next generation.

If you have a son, daughter or grandchildren take them to a classic car event or for a ride in your classic, and share the stories behind your classic car. The next generation plays a key role in the stories and passions of the classic car hobby, and it's encouraging to witness moments like this one. Thank you for the photo!

The MAAC 42nd Annual Car Show

The 4th of July is a celebration of our Nations birthday, but it also means there will be plenty of classic cars!

The weekend started on Friday with Mountaineer Antique Auto Club hosting their 42nd Annual Car show and Swap Meet. This three day event was one of the most dynamic events I've attended this year! The events swap meet covered the venue with over 500 vendors with parts and supplies, and collector car owners from across the state traveled the distance to find a specific part to complete their restoration.

The car corral brought in approximately 250 classic to buy and sell. Among the unique collection of cars was a '65 Amphicar in remarkable running condition. Other cars included muscle cars, trucks, resto-mods and a couple newer classics.

The car show was another part of this event, and over 250 classics registered. Classic cars cruised in from neighboring states to participate in the three day event. The show had early era Fords, pickups, street rods, muscle cars and more.

The event only cost $5 for spectators, and free for children 11 and younger. The MAAC organized a great event, and everywhere you turned there were a club member to answer questions. I would encouage car enthusiast to venture over to next year's event. Please visit http://www.mountaineerantiqueautoclub.com/ for additional information on next year's event.

Congratulations to the Mountaineer Antique Auto Club on a successful event!