Vintage cars are ubiquitous in the Phoenix area. The dry, warm, sunny climate is ideally suited for the preservation of old cars. I’ve noticed that you don’t have to wash cars very often, they always look good. Another great advantage of the climate!
I notice that the owners of these cars could also be described as “vintage”. The typical vintage car enthusiast is a grey/white-haired male who grew up in the ’50’s and ’60’s. Sort of like me. At that time we didn’t have today’s “high tech”; iPads, cell phones, Go Pros and so on. Cars were king. Young males of the day were immersed in the technology of the automobile and most could converse fluently about engines, transmissions, suspensions and tires. Power and speed were revered. “Muscle cars” of the ’60’s were the pinnacle of tire burning, ear-splitting brute power and speed.
The love of the cars from that era lives on in Arizona. Today’s competition among owners has evolved from street racing to displaying one’s prized car at an exhibition. These exhibitions are an industry with different categories to suit all interests. They range from the big, spectacular shows, like the Barrett-Jackson Auctions to the neighbourhood congregations of hot rod enthusiasts.
The Carefree Car Show is one such neighbourhood gathering. It happens every Saturday from 7:00 am to 9:00 am in front of the Venues Cafe in nearby Carefree, AZ. The car owners park their vehicles in front, park themselves on the Cafe’s front porch, then drink coffee and talk about their passion, old cars. This show is not entirely limited to older cars. The selection is quite eclectic and includes a few late-model sports cars. If they’re unique and interesting, they’re welcome.
Enough background. Following are some pictures from yesterday when I visited the Carefree Car Show.
This first car is a 1931 Ford Model A. It’s a two-seater with a rumble seat in the back with room for this mannequin or possibly one teen couple.
One of the early Corvette Sting Rays, a true classic.
One of those late-model sports cars I mentioned, a Porsche Boxster. Behind it is another fast car from current times, the Dodge Viper.
One of the archetypical muscle cars of the 1970’s, the Chevelle 396 SS, a popular and formidable competitor in the street racing scene.
A more prim looking Ford sedan from the pre-war era, a 1939 Model 91A.
An entrant from the hot rod category, a 1932 Ford convertible, heavily re-styled and re-tooled.
The last photo for today is another sedan, this one from the late 1940’s. It’s a Buick Super, powered by an inline, 8-cylinder engine, the Fireball 8. Pretty racy for the time, but modestly powered by today’s standards. Hood was raised to display the Fireball!
I could go on. There are many more but largely different perspectives of these same cars. I hope to publish a few more when I get some new material later. Vintage car enthusiasts stay tuned. You old guys know who you are.