Cruising Englewood

Cruise in and cruising are two different things. In Sweden we use only one term. The difference is simple and can be heard on the floor. by Krantz

Cruise in  means to cruise in to the site, park and walk and look.  A meeting we say.

Cruising is like  in Sweden even if the differences are many.

Differences are major in the US too. The cruising I visited in Ocean City east of Washington DC was like in Sweden, except that everyone drank coffee and the police acted  cruising guards who carried barriers, were directing traffic  and greeted all enthusiasts welcome. Very nice.

The cruising  on Dearborn Street in Englewood is something else.

First, it begins at 5 p.m but all are there from two o’clock to get a “good place”.

Meaning  they park in front of the most popular restaurant. Cruising continues until nightfall i.e. half past seven. Then everybody  goes home. At that time it has not even started in Sweden. Different but it’s what spices up travelling, seeing other manors.

A  big difference is the average age.

Cruising is not for the young American.

In the US, it’s mainly those who were 18 in the fifties that  takes their  classic car and drive around the block as in the good old days, but preferably not at all.

It will be good enough to park in a good spot to sit in the sun and watch.

Sure, sure, cars drive on the street but it is quite uninspired and certainly no one goes ten laps

Sweden style. 

Smoking tires , playing Jerry Lee, jumping between the cars, crowded in the rear seats, horse play and party until 2 a.m. No, I have never seen it here. Only in the movie American Graffiti.

Though I have heard the Californians  who cruised Van Neus Boulevard in LA in the fifties tell me  that it was like in the movie …  back then.

Today? Nope …. Correct me if I’m wrong you guys who have seen more of America than I. Cruising USA 2015 is a parade.   Party they do somewhere else. 

But awesome,  killer cars  are everywhere-  thats for sure. 

The square. This is the place to be but you need to come here at 2 p.m.

Most spotlight this evening. Chevrolet around  1950.

A lot going on here. Corvette emblem on the tailgate, Cadillac taillights, split rear-window with a fin over the entire roof. No vent windows, shaved, lowered. Flawlessly done. People around the car and owner constantly.

Just a common Dodge but hey  … check the  scoop. I’d better go around even if my boots are complaining. Well worth it!

Buick Riviera 72 .  Found in a garage. Sold with many complications when the relatives suddenly smelled it might be  worth “a ton of money”. Rising fastest right now.  Straight pick up trucks from the seventies.

Ooops!

This is what the yanks do best.   Put in modern motors with super clean engine compartments.

 

Really fun

A chopped 1937 Ford pickup.

…and as were talki’n . A  Chevrolet El Camino from 1959,

Good friend  Paul Hodson thundered  by with his  gasser.

As said. Nice cars are always around.

1934 Hudson Terraplane.

Packard with a Cadillac engine