How lucky I am! Sometimes it’s tough to find like-minded people who can appreciate a few hours of car talk. There are several people who live on my street who “get it,” and I finally got a chance to spend time with them and their sweet machines over the weekend.
We recently read about Diego’s encounter with a blue Oldsmobile at the Pavilions show. Dubbed the “Rock and Roll” car show, the Pavilions event in Scottsdale has been taking place every Saturday afternoon for decades. I remember attending it when I first moved to Arizona 20 years ago. The nice thing about the show is its variety – there is always something for everyone.
Here were the five rides in our convoy, in model-year order:
Terry’s 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupe
By the mid-1960s, the ‘Vette had evolved into its second generation and held its place in many garages (and hearts) across America. The 1965 Sting Ray sold 23,564 units – a record for annual sales up to that point. There were a number of noteworthy design updates implemented for 1965, including a refreshed grille, a smoothed hood and louvered front fenders. Terry’s C2 is a numbers-matching car in silver metallic that sounds as great as it looks. It is powered by a 327ci small-block V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Terry said that some of his maintenance over the years included replacing the original generator with a newer alternator. The turbine-style wheels, pop-up quad headlights and side-exit exhausts make for an attractive period-correct car from any angle.
Nick’s 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
Drawing an immediate crowd due to its commanding size and eye-catching turquoise metallic color, the DeVille ragtop was a conversation piece throughout our evening. Designed by Bill Mitchell, the 1968 DeVille carried a retail price of $5,736 when new. It had an overall length of 224.7 inches (nearly 19 feet) and tipped the scales at over 4,500 pounds. In order to get a car of its size moving, General Motors employed a 472ci big-block V8 mated to a Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic transmission. Exterior features like the stacked quad headlights were a favorite among consumers, and 1968 would mark the last year of such an arrangement. Nick told me he purchased his highly-optioned DeVille out of Georgia, and even though he had it transported home initially, he wouldn’t hesitate to drive it cross-country.
Chuck’s 1969 Plymouth Road Runner
Riding on the Chrysler B-body platform, the 1969 Road Runner was awarded the coveted Motor Trend “Car of the Year” award, receiving praise for its strong merits in both value and performance. Its front fenders bore the likeness of the famous road runner from the Warner Bros. cartoons. Even the “beep-beep” sound from the cartoons was licensed for use as a horn note. Power came from a 383ci “Wedge” B-series V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. Chuck obtained his Road Runner from his uncle, and the car has been in his family since it was new. Aside from commissioning a cosmetic refresh, Chuck added air conditioning and a modern sound system. The car is still basic in some other regards, though, since it lacks power steering and disc brakes. Every day is arm day at the Road Runner gym.
Tyson’s 1989 Honda Prelude Si 4WS
My beloved third-generation Prelude has been featured on The Journal previously, and the AutoHunter team even produced a video about it a couple of years ago. It is a relatively unremarkable car from a performance standpoint – its 2.0-liter DOHC inline-four was rated at just 135 horsepower – but what it lacks in muscle, it makes up for in fun factor. Contributing to the exhilarating driving experience is its innovative four-wheel steering system – a $1,485 option when new. At 186,000 miles and counting, the car is barely broken in by Honda standards.
James’ 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT
Now in its eighth generation, the newest Corvette took a vast departure from prior versions by adopting a mid-engine arrangement. With production beginning in February 2020 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, power was sourced from a 495-horsepower LT2 6.2-liter V8 mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. James summed up his Corvette ownership experience best when he announced, “Some guys bring their cars. I brought a lifestyle.” That’s because he showed up to the show with a camp chair, a Corvette-themed button-down, a laminated window sticker, and New Balance sneakers with athletic socks. His Torch Red C8 was special-ordered with the Z51 performance package, carbon flash aluminum wheels, red brake calipers and black exhaust tips. It was a hot topic among show attendees all evening.
There is always plenty of eye candy at the Pavilions show, and we were glad to represent our respective rides. By the way, there’s a house for sale on my street if we have any gearheads in the audience looking to move to a welcoming area of town!
