by Jim Mac Monagle

Created on: November 02, 2009   Last Updated: November 03, 2009

Classic cars: What's your favorite and why?

Wow! Classic cars are just that, bringing smiles to so many faces. In my life time I have been fortunate enough to have grown up in Southern California one of the greatest cruising capitals in the good old USA. Growing up in Hawthorne California, right next door to the Beach Boys, 118th Street and Kornbloom, on that corner were the Original Beach Boys, Brian, Carl, Dennis and David Marks. Hawthorne Blvd. had to be one of the best cruises ever, Two lanes wide on each side of the street with an Island in the middle for parking.

The A&W Root Beer stand was a car show in itself every night, "Ah and yes there were car hops"! Thinking back on those days was just so much fun. "The Cruise" was through the A&W Root Beer stand which had rows of parking for California dreaming and then you would drive north for ten miles to the Witch Stand, in Inglewood California for more Hot rods and classics. Being able to cruise a twenty plus mile streatch made for some pretty exiting stuff, you name it you would see it. Cars, Cars, Cars! Little Deuce Coops, Surfer Girls, T-Birds, GTO "Grand Tourismo Omalogotto" "Grand touring option" just had to throw that in. Every Chevrolet muscle car you could think of Camero's, Chevelle's, Corvette's, Novas,and the Chevrolet Big Block engines 396 and 427 roared it's head, but the small block Chevrolet engine was the King of it's class in the smaller cubic inch engines and pretty much remains that today. Hemi Cudas, Plymouth Belvedere's with Aluminum Front ends, Hemi Roadrunners and yes the 426 Hemi had made it's stand. The Hemi engines of today can create as much as 8000 horsepower in nitro burning dragsters of today they still look the same except for the fact that they are all forged steel blocks and cylinder heads. Ford had their 427 engines and the famous Ford Cammer, Mustangs were everywhere! We could spend a life time talking about the cars that cruised So Ca. 57 Chevrolet Nomads, 41 Willy's coops, if you remember it, it was there guaranteed.

Being blessed with the ability to announce motor sports venues, I announce the main parade every year at Hot August Nights In Reno, Nevada. It has always been one of my favorite things to do every year. Classic cars, Muscle cars, Hot Rods, they are all there with everyone smiling. Sometime if you get the chance and there is an auction near you or at one of the local Hot Rod shows in your area ,get up close and personnel with alot of the cars, "Just don't Touch" it will really give you the feeling of what it was like to be there in the era young or old everyone has a little kid in them.

Remember some of tv shows and movies, The California Kid Wow! What a Hot Rod, here is an interesting thought for you that I have noticed at some of the classic car auctions. Women are buying alot of classic cars as investments, it's not only guys anymore. So what is my favorite. "Lets See" I guess I would have to say the SS 1966 396 Chevelle, 425 H.P. 4 speed car my wife of 42 years bought for me when we got married, still trying to figure out how to replace her! "Not My wife" The car.

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