It's not realistic to expect to see vintage vehicles mixing it up with the Toyotas, Hyundais and Ford Focuses every day in Merced. The old relics stay garaged during the week and only come out on the weekends, when the weather is nice. I manage to keep my appetite for old cars satisfied with my stack of street rod and custom car magazines and occasionally a Web site for vintage vehicles. Winter usually is the slack time for car events and you can go a long time without seeing something interesting in person.
After picking up to-go Chinese food last Friday night, I encountered an unexpected treat: the monthly cruise night in the Lowe's parking lot on West Olive Avenue. I counted 17 old cars and trucks and a few more may have shown up after I left.
The best "sightings" included a mid-1930s Chevrolet two-door "bustleback" sedan with a graphic and multi-hued paint job, tricked-out interior and down-in-the-weeds stance. That old Chevy resembled the "Grand Master," a million-dollar sedan that cleaned up on the show car circuit a couple years ago. It was definitely my "Best in Show" for the night.
Other visual treats included a Model A Ford pickup, a bright-red 1934 Ford two-door sedan, sparkling candy apple red 1955 Chevrolet two-door sedan, aqua-colored 1932 Ford full-fendered roadster, Studebaker pickup, and several muscle cars. The weather couldn't have been better, the atmosphere was laid-back and the bench racing was at its best.
While not cold, the Chinese food had cooled off somewhat by the time I got home. But not my zeal for soaking up all the old car ambience I possibly could.