2002 Dream Cruise, Day Three

by Mark Phelan

Get all the 2002 Dream Cruise coverage here:
2002 Woodward Dream Cruise (8/16/2002)

The 2002 Woodward Dream Cruise officially began at 11 a.m. Saturday, but the vintage cars were out in force by 7 a.m., as were observers who brought their lawn furniture and staked out prime viewing spots on sidewalks and in parking lots northern Detroit to Pontiac. By mid-afternoon, the 17-mile route was the most good-natured 5-mph traffic jam on the planet, and festivities continued well after the road officially closed at 9 p.m. – photos and text by Mark Phelan

2002 Woodward Dream Cruise

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Have A Seat
The Dream Cruise affects all aspects of life along its route, as St. James Catholic Church in Ferndale warned parishioners to expect heavy traffic on their way to an early Saturday mass. Meanwhile, some spectators settled in for a long day with all the comforts of home in Royal Oak.

Bring Me Your Tired, Your Overheated
No parade of classic cars would be complete without a few vintage cooling-system failures, and the 90-degree temperatures took their toll Saturday.

1959 Ford Edsel Corsair
An attractive design that became the punch line of jokes through no fault of its own, the Ford Edsel drew admiring looks at the Dream Cruise. This car has 22,000 miles on its odometer and features a 361 cubic-inch V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor and a single exhaust pipe. Owner Dave Truex of Canton, Michigan restored the chrome himself. The car still has its original interior.

1969 Plymouth Road Runner

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Chrysler 300 and 1969 Plymouth Road Runner
Chrysler will return to the rear-drive layout of classic 300-series cars like this one with a new high-performance luxury model due next year. However, the demise of the Plymouth brand means we won’t see the like of this 1969 Road Runner with its 383 cubic-inch V-8 again.

1965 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa
This Chevrolet Corvair Corsa convertible features a rear-mounted air-cooled turbocharged 180-hp flat-six engine and has about 68,000 miles on its odometer. Owner Mike Harrison of Farmington, Michigan, bought it in 1997 in Savannah, Georgia, and spent three years restoring it himself.

Team Mustang
The city of Ferndale hosted Team Mustang, a Ford-sponsored owners’ club, and a juried show of cars and trucks from the first half of the 20^th Century.

Chevrolet El Camino SS
General Motors executives made no secret of their delight every time a vintage Chevrolet El Camino passed by. They hope to rekindle the excitement of that first sport truck with the new 2003 Chevrolet SSR.

Absolutely fabulous
What of this 1959 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman convertible? It's just gorgeous. If only everyone could have seen the the fuzzy dice and hula dancer on the dashboard.