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MSRA Back To The 50s Weekend 2021

This week, after the Back To The 50s Weekend 2021, our Facebook followers voted to pick their favorite as Best of Show. Their pick was the Lowe ’33, a 1933 Ford Roadster with ultra styling and a flawless custom body. It was shown at the Back To The 50s Weekend by John & Kim Lowe of New Richmond, Wisconsin. It received the most “Likes” from our Facebook fans this week. 

Throughout the past week we selected the “best” cars from the following categories: Best 50s Classic, Best Resto Rod, Best Street Rod, Best Muscle Car, Best Radical Custom, Best Custom Truck, Best Paint and Best Pro Street. Then we asked our newsletter readers and Facebook fans to vote for their choice as “Best of Show” by using their “Likes” on our Facebook page. Our readers know that Cars-On-Line finds all the top cars at the show and lets its Facebook followers pick the winners in each category. 

We’ve waited a really long time for a good car show … but we got one when we traveled to see the Back To The 50s Weekend 2021. The Minnesota State Fairgrounds was rockin’ with music and hot rod motors as the show got into top gear on Saturday. Good ole time Rock N Roll set the backbeat for an old car party like you have never experienced before. 

Here is a video of what it looked like this weekend at the Fairgrounds in St Paul for the incredible Back To the 50s Weekend 2021:

Rated the No. 1 Car Show in the Country in 2019, the Minnesota Street Rod Association’s big Back To The 50s Weekend 2021 is being held this weekend, June 18-20, 2021. And America is ready for the world’s biggest hot rod reunion. USA Today is taking a poll again for the best car show in the country. A lotta’ people are voting for this show as being No. 1. 

Since the 2020 show had to be cancelled because of COVID, there was some question as to whether all the hot rodders would return this year. There was no need to worry. The place was just packed. All the streets were crowded with spectators who were shoulder to shoulder walking throughout the Fairgrounds. They expect to have 12,000 hot rods, classic cars, custom cars and muscle cars cruising the streets inside the massive Fairgrounds. It will take over 2,000 volunteers from the MSRA to put on this event. (Luckily the MSRA is the largest car club in the country.) Over 400 vendors are on hand to show and sell their products. 

Every year the Minnesota Street Rod Association (MSRA) puts on the biggest collector car show in the country. Back to the 50s Weekend 2021 is the 47th Annual car show and swap meet. There is nothing like it anywhere else. You’d swear you’ve been transported back in time as you walk through the streets of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and see nothing but classic cars all around you, girls dressed in poodle skirts and hot rods cruising constantly.  It is so cool to revisit the 1950s and 1960s with all the cars and trucks you might have seen along the streets of any American town. Each year, Cars On Line.com reports on all the action at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds as hot rods, classic cars and classic customs cruise the fairgrounds complex.

For 2021, this will be the 47th Annual Back To The 50s Weekend. Once again they are in the running to be named as the No. 1 car show in the country by USA Today. You can vote for them by entering the USA Today poll, picking them as the Best Car Show in the country. Click here to enter your vote for Back To The 50s Weekend. 

2021 GAA Classic Car Auction

Saturday was prime time at the 2021 GAA Classic Car Auction in Greensboro, North Carolina. Our Cars-On-Line auction team was really impressed by the quality of the auction offerings and astounded at some of the prices achieved here this weekend. The top car was a 2017 Ford GT special edition that sold for $970,000 on Saturday. There were also some Camaros and Corvettes which sold for top dollar. 

What a sale they had at the 2021 GAA Classic Car Auction in Greensboro, North Carolina, February 25-27. The number of buyers here on Thursday was more than they ever expected. As of Saturday morning the official “sell thru rate” was 92 percent, an amazing sales rate for any auction. 

Here are the top cars and trucks seen here on Saturday. Click the photos in the slider below to get more information on each car or truck. 

Cars-On-Line.com’s Car Show team was in place here in Greensboro to bring our readers all the action as 650 cars crossed the auction block,  GAA’s special auction facility they call The Automobile Palace was recently expanded to over five acres of display area. The sea of cars was endless. 

We asked our readers to stay tuned to this page to find out what these vehicles sell for. It is a great way to keep up on collector car pricing. We are predicting that collector car values will rise this year as we work our way out of this COVID-19 pandemic. The way sales are going here in Greensboro collectors had better buckle up for a price increase on collector cars.

Photo journalist Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com did a short video to summarize the atmosphere inside the auction stadium this weekend. Click the photo window below and enjoy.

Once again this week we held an “auction watching party” for our readers as we followed the action at the 2021 GAA Classic Car Auction. Our readers were able to preview the cars here on this page before they appeared on the auction stage. Our Facebook page brought many of our readers into the conversation. The pricing has been pretty strong here this weekend so far. This could bode well for collector car prices as we get into the spring market. 

Click here to watch the GAA Classic Car Auction on You Tube. 

You can follow all of the auctions we cover here on the ClassiCarNews website. Click here to review some of our past auction reports. 

2021 Lakeland Winter Auction at Sun ‘n Fun

Lakeland Winter Auction

With much of the U.S. frozen in snow and cold, the one place that has escaped the chill is Florida. That’s fortunate for us as we look forward to the 2021 Lakeland Winter Auction at the Sun ‘n Fun Expo Campus in Lakeland, Florida. The collector car auction will be held Friday and Saturday, February 19-20, 2021. 

Every February a trio of airplane hangars come to life as the Lakeland Winter Auction invades the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus. The event, a two-day classic and collector car auction powered by Carlisle Auctions, hosts 400+ pieces of automotive history along with buyers, sellers and a hard-working staff.  The Lakeland Winter Collector Car Auction is a means to connect buyers and sellers with an investment that truly accelerates.  The auction is a means to start or add to an existing collection.  Some rides are head turners but are ultimately daily drivers.  Others are top of the line, best of show type consignments.  In between, there are a few that the owner can simply have fun with along the way. 

Cars-On-Line readers have been seeing some of the top cars as they were consigned over the past few months. They were featured in the Cars-On-Line newsletter. The Lakeland Winter Auction is a production of Carlisle Auctions, so you know its gonna’ be good.

These are the cars we will be watching go through the Lakeland Winter Auction beginning on Friday:

Click here to see more of the Lakeland Winter Auction inventory.  

Carlisle Auctions will spotlight an All-Truck Hour on Friday, February 19. Start time for this special hour is approximately 1:30 p.m. and at that time, the auction will transition from the standard mix of consignments crossing the block to a full hour dedicated to a nice variety of trucks! Stay tuned to this page to get the link to the live stream so you can watch with us. You can still register to bid online. 

On Saturday, our newsletter readers are being invited to join us on the Cars-On-Line Facebook page to follow the action as some of the most desirable cars cross the auction block. 

The Fall Carlisle Auction 2020 is Underway

It is so good to see collector cars crossing an auction stage again. With so many car shows cancelled this year, it is just a blessing to be here at the Fall Carlisle Car Show and Flea Market in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. We are here to see the Fall Carlisle Auction 2020 as part of the week long celebration of classic and collector cars here at the Carlisle Fairgrounds. This is where some of the best car shows in the country happen. The auction started here on Thursday and prime time cars crossed the auction block on Friday.  

Classic muscle cars got the most attention at the Fall Carlisle Auction 2020 on Friday afternoon. The Friday sale at the Fall Carlisle Auction 2020 featured some of the top cars here in Carlisle. Here is a sample of what we saw on Friday.

If you have followed the collector car hobby for the past 40 years, you know the Carlisle Car Show is one of the biggest car shows and swap meets in the country. Not even Covid could tarnish its status this year. The Fall Carlisle Collector Car Flea Market, Car Corral and Auction is one of the most “talked about” events in America. 

They had a full crowd of buyers gathered in the auction stadium on Thursday to bid on a nice array of collector and specialty cars and trucks. You can view some of the top sales we saw today at the Fall Carlisle Auction 2020 in the slider below:

The auction is held live and “In-Person”  with onsite bidding, as well as phone and internet bidding. As Thursday was the opening day we were surprised to see so many buyers in the auction stadium. It was a clean and safe environment, and people were being respectful as wearing masks and social distancing was observed. 

Stay tuned to this page to review the photos and sales prices as Cars-On-Line.com brings you all the live action here in Carlisle, Pennsylvania this weekend. 

 

2020 Fall Auburn Auction

In the middle of the afternoon on Saturday bidders opened their pocket books as some of the finest vintage collector cars in the country crossed the auction block here at the 2020 Fall Auburn Auction by RM Auctions in Auburn, Indiana. It was a stunning reminder of how much Americans love their automotive heritage. With nearly 500 cars in the three-day sale, early results from RM Auctions indicate that the sale earned an 88 percent sell-through rate, an incredible success for any auction company. (RM Sotheby’s came out with the official numbers the following week. They said they actually achieved a 91 percent sell through. That is an amazing number for any auction house.) 

The top sale was a 1935 Auburn Eight Boattail Speedster, considered by experts to be one of America’s most popular sports cars. As the bidding progressed it became apparent it would be the top sale of the day. The final bid was $700,000 at the hammer. One of the star cars of the show was a 1936 Duesenberg Model J Tourster restored in the style of Derham. The reserve was dropped at $535,000. The hammer dropped at $575,000. The bidding was also heated for a 1953 Kurtis 500 B Indianapolis vintage race car with Bardahl Special livery. The car that actually competed in four Indianapolis 500 races sold for $500,000. 

Here are some of the top cars and the prices for which they sold.

The 2020 Fall Auburn Auction is the historic auction that almost didn’t happen. Many top collector car auctions had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In fact, the famous Auburn-Cord-Duesneberg Festival itself was cancelled in Auburn, Indiana. The annual 2020 Fall Auburn Auction by RM Auctions is a big part of a normal Festival weekend. So after RM Sotheby’s great virtual sale in Monterey last month, RM Auctions decided to move full speed ahead to have a top “in-person” sale while the market was hot.

This was the 50th Annual Fall Auburn Auction in Auburn, Indiana, held September 3-5, 2020. The auction docket for Saturday was full of top quality collector cars. There were an unusual number of wood-bodied wagons and classic Fords from the 1950’s. A huge collection of Buick cars was also sold here on Saturday. 

RM Auctions made the decision to close general admission for the 2020 Fall Auburn Auction. The auction, which was held September 3-5, 2020, was reported here on Cars-On-Line.com’s blog site. Only pre-registered bidders and accompanying guests were allowed into the Auburn Auction Park. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RM Auctions issued a statement that, “We came to this decision to safeguard the health and well-being of our clients, event attendees, and staff, and ensure that proper physical distancing can take place during the event while maintaining safety protocols as recommended by the State of Indiana.” All went well and there was a steady flow of cars through the auction all weekend. 

On Saturday, Cars-On-Line held another Virtual Auction Watching party for our readers. Follow our posts on Facebook and Twitter to monitor the cars and prices from the Prime Time docket. Noting the number of “Likes”, you can tell we garnered some interest in this very special sale. 

 

 

 

2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale

Prime Time Saturday at
the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction

Car collectors come to the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction to be amazed by the shiny metal cars and dazzled by the black-tie presentation. It is a Rolex world where car lovers can revel in a car culture fantasy. We come to be amazed, and the Barrett-Jackson never lets us down. 

When the first production 2020 Corvette Stingray came across the auction block the crowd was electric with excitement. GM CEO Mary Barra took the microphone and told us how excited she was to show off the new mid-engine Corvette for 2020. Then the Barrett-Jackson auctioneer proceeded to sell the No 001 VIN car to the highest bidder to raise money for the Detroit Children’s Fund. And the crowd shot to its feet as the bidding quickly passed the $2 million mark. Then the price of the first mid-engine Corvette was bid up to $3 million. Chevrolet dealer and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick had the high bid. That money will go to a good cause, and the first retail production Vin #001 2020 C8 Corvette will now be in his collection. History was made here today at Westworld. 

Today’s auction docket was filled with the most exclusive and desirable automotive treasures on the planet. Click through this slider of top cars. (You may tap the photos to get prices and more background info on each car.)

  • First 2020 Corvette sells at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction
    The first 2020 Corvette, VIN 001, was sold to raise money for the Detroit Children's Fund
 

Prime Time Sales Started Already on Friday

In the Friday session of the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction it almost looked like the buyers thought it was “Prime Time.” For many years they have called the Saturday session of the Barrett-Jackson Auction “Prime Time Saturday” because the way the auction is set up the top cars all run through the auction on Saturday. But the Friday sale last night had so many “over the top bids” that the auctioneers remarked, “People, its not Saturday yet.” 

The top sale was a 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible which sold for $2 million. It was a charity sale to raise money for the Bob Woodruff Foundation to support veterans and their families. The sale also benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Not only is this the first LC 500 convertible ever produced (has VIN number 100001), but it also is the first of 100 models to be produced for the limited edition Inspiration Series of LC 500s. Toyota says this one is unique and will be the only one with special features such as the Platinum Liquid color accents. 

Celebrity sightings and glimpses of rare collector cars are adding excitement to the laid back Valley of the Sun this week, as the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction is underway in Scottsdale, Arizona.  During Arizona Auction Week the Phoenix area becomes the epicenter of the collector car world. The top collector car auction companies are all here in the Phoenix area to benefit from the convocation of car collectors gathering for the Barrett-Jackson Auction which is the main event. Show me the money! Setting an electric atmosphere, some of the highest priced collector vehicles in the world will be sold here this week. 

The Cars-On-Line.com car show team is on hand to bring you all the action from the Barrett-Jackson Auction here in Scottsdale. (Check the Car Show Calendar online for all the events and times of all seven big auctions in the area this week.) Bookmark this page to see our live updates and previews. 

 Here is what happened on Friday. 

  • A 2021 Lexus LC500 Convertible brings $2 million for veterans and their families

Little Red Unveiled Here For the First Time

When we were told to expect a history making moment at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction here today we had no clue. But at 9 AM, bright and early on Thursday morning, there was a history making event that could only happen here at the Barrett-Jackson. Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson, unveiled a restoration he had been working on since 2018. As the cover came off, the media assembled at the Ford Performance display could not believe their eyes when they were told that the Candy Apple red Mustang Coupe before them was the legendary Little Red, a 1967 Shelby GT500 EXP prototype which was presumed to have been destroyed. It seems that Jackson and a team of Shelby experts had found Little Red somewhere in South Dakota and had restored the car to its original glory. For a full story on Little Red and the Green Hornet, a 1968 Shelby Mustang Coupe prototype, follow this link to the Barrett-Jackson press release. 

The actual Little Red, the 1967 Shelby GT500 EXP Coupe prototype, was revealed at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction on Thursday.

Here is a look at some of the top cars sold on Thursday here at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction. Click the photos to get prices and more background info on each car. 

  • One of the star cars for Thursday, a Chip Foose designed 1968 Pymouth GTX Custom

On Wednesday, the crowd erupted when a four-car sale with a Dukes of Hazzard theme stole the show. A replica of Cooter’s wrecker, a 1971 Chevy C-30 truck, a 1975 Dodge Coronet replica of Roscoe’s police cruiser, a recreation of Boss Hog’s 1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible and a 1969 Dodge Charger replica of the General Lee were offered all in one lot to the highest bidder. Actor Tom Wopat (Luke Duke) was on the stage for the sale. In one of the highest sales of the day these replicas sold for $60,000. Here are some of the memorable sales for Wednesday.

  • Dukes of Hazzard themed sale get the crowd excited

Every day the selection of top quality collector cars just gets better. Follow our 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction coverage all week. You’ll see our posts on Facebook. Join the conversation and guess what each car will sell for when it crosses the Barrett-Jackson auction stage. This is gonna’ be fun. 

40th Annual Wavecrest Woodie Show

The surf was the best its been in years here this morning along the Pacific coast in Southern California. This Sunday morning, September 22, 2019, many of the woodie wagons from the Wavecrest Woodie Show gathered for a ceremonial cruise up Historic Hwy 101, from Encinitas to the beach at Oceanside. Every year at 8 AM the cruise to Oceanside begins at the Encinitas City Hall. You have to witness this to get a feel for the excitement of seeing dozens of old wood-bodied cars cruising along Hwy 101. Locals wait for it all year. The cruise skirts Pacific beaches all along the way.  The 25-mile cruise is a great opportunity to see these cars in action.

Here is how it looked this morning on the 2019 Cruise To Oceanside: 

Be sure to bookmark this page where we will update you on all the action from the Wavecrest Woodie Show 2019. Or watch for our videos on Facebook and Twitter.

Saturday at the Wavecrest Woodie Show

As usual, the early morning overcast skies gave way as the sun shown brightly on the beautiful wood bodied classics on display here at the 2019 Wavecrest Woodie Show. More cars were arriving as we climbed the hill overlooking Moonlight Bay in Encinitas, California where a concourse of woodies was arrayed. First sight of that many woodies all in one place simply takes your breath away. The official record will show that there were 188 wood-bodied cars registered to display on Moonlight Beach this year. 

The annual Wavecrest Woodie Show is the world’s largest All-Woodie Party on the Beach. It is one really laid back event on Saturday, September 21, 2019, from 8 am to 5 pm. The event is sponsored by the San Diego Woodie Club, one of the largest all-woodie car clubs in the country. It is a sanctioned event of the National Woodie Club. 

Here is how it looked as the Woodies swarmed the beach for the Wavecrest Woodie Show on Moonlight Beach today. 

  • Wavecrest Woodie Show
    Woodies at Moonlight Beach for the Wavecrest Woodie Show 2019

After the woodies had filled in most of the open spots on the paved concourse area on Saturday morning, the San Diego Woodie Club honored our veterans with a Marine honor guard and flag ceremony. It was nicely done. Pride in America and pride in our heritage. They were all on our minds today. 

Here is how it looked here on Moonlight Beach in Encinitas this morning. 

It is just simply jaw dropping to see so many wood-bodied vehicles on display in one place. Woodie passenger wagons were produced from the 1910’s through the early 1950’s. They are a part of Califonia’s culture because they were the preferred transportation for surfers over the years. Not only were they relatively inexpensive to buy as used vehicles in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but they could easily carry a longboard on the roof. The San Diego Woodie Club observes the lifestyle and the woodie car culture every year at the Wavecrest Woodie Show. Meet and greet starts on Thursday and woodie owners will have events all day on Friday. Then on Saturday morning the main event is the big concourse at Moonlight Beach, historically one of the top surfing venues in California. 

Once again this year, Cars On Line.com is on hand to bring you photos and videos of the Wavecrest Woodie Show for 2019. Woodies will be here from all over the U.S. Make sure to bookmark this page to catch all the action all weekend.

 

Short History of the Woodie Wagon

“It’s An Oldie, But it’s a Woodie” read one of the bumper stickers here in Encinitas as the downtown is filling up with classic Woodie Wagons for the 40th Annual Wavecrest Woodie Show. It was an obvious reference to a Jan and Dean song called “Surf City.” To understand the impact that wood-bodied wagons had on the car culture, you first have to know what place they took in automotive history. 

As the 20th century rolled in, most every form of transportation was framed out of wood … boats, horse-drawn carriages and even planes. It didn’t seem unusual at all back then that wood might be used to frame out the rear of a multi-passenger motorized depot hack. And so the “station wagon” was born. “Hey, Joe, go down to the station and pick up our guests,” the hotel manager would say.

Somewhere along the way, wealthy rural land owners began to think it was trendy to own an out-dorsey looking wood bodied wagon as a utility vehicle around the estate. Ford came out with the first factory made wood-bodied transport around 1929. By the time Chevrolet joined in in 1939 these vehicles were alreay known as station wagons. These wood-bodied station wagons were never profitable for the auto manufacturers. They had to be hand assembled, and the wood was hard to maintain. Yet they stayed in the American rubric until the 1950’s.

It was simply a random happening that the wood-bodied wagons became a cultural icon during the 1960’s. Surfers in California, totally unbeknownst to themselves, brought the wood-bodied wagons back to life. They found that these old wood-bodied utility wagons were very cheap to buy, and they could carry a longboard on top rather easily. Perfect. Along came the Beach Boys, a California rock group that wrote songs about the surfing culture. At that point, the name “woodie” was coined to describe the wood-bodied wagons. Unintended as it were, they became “cool.” The surfers didn’t restore them though. They just tried to keep them running.

According to an article written by Charlie Crowell, the National Woodie Club was organized by Will O’Neil of Hawthorn, California in 1973. Already at that time, woodie owners were organizing to combine their knowledge to preserve these wood-bodied treasures. They could not have known what woodie wagons would mean to car collecting in the 21st Century. Today, fully restored wood-bodied cars, utility vehicles and wagons can command mind boggling prices. Here at the wavecrest woodie show we’ve seen a woodie Rolls-Royce, a wood-bodied Packard Boattail and dozens of woodie buses. Follow this link to read one of our past articles on rare Woodie’s at the Wavecrest Woodie Show. 

 

Fall Auburn Auction 2019 To Make History

History Made at Fall Auburn Auction 2019

Some historic cars were sold here at the Fall Auburn Auction 2019 as the tradition of celebrating automotive history continues on this Labor Day Weekend. Once again on Saturday, the top sale was a silver 2005 Ford GT  with a hammer price of $265,000. The previous day, on Friday, the same thing happened with a Mark IV red 2005 Ford GT selling for $275,000. But two of the most hotly contested bidding wars broke out when a 1933 Chrysler CL Dual-Windshield Phaeton sold at $175,000, and a 1923 Duesenberg sold at $170,000. It is all part of the big Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival here in Auburn, Indiana. It is Prime Time Saturday here at the Fall Auburn Auction, and the bidding action got hot and heavy here this afternoon at the RM Auction Park. 

The 1933 Chrysler CL Imperial Dual-Cowl Phaeton was impressive as it took the auction stage here in Auburn, during the 49th Annual Labor Day Weekend sale, August 29-September 1, 2019. It is one of fewer than twenty authentic survivors. It has a known history and is loaded with provenance. It is no wonder that the bidding was hotly contested. The bidding did not stop until this beautiful dual-windshield convertible was sold at $175,000. Here are photos from the Saturday sale.

  • Stars of the Saturday edition of the Fall Auburn Auction 2019

This year’s Fall Auburn Auction on Labor Day Weekend, is shaping up to be the one big national auction you just cannot afford to miss.  With hundreds of collector cars and automobilia items expected to cross the auction block for the giant sale, the auction at the Auburn Auction Park during the ACD Festival is a tradition that collectors dearly treasure. Cars-On-Line.com is on hand to bring you all the news and report on the top sales here in Auburn, Indiana this weekend. Find more of the top cars from the Fall Auburn Auction 2019 at the auction inventory page on Cars-On-Line.com. 

As we are on the ground here in Auburn, Indiana, our readers will be treated to the sites and sounds of the Fall Auburn Auction almost like they were here themselves. Here is a sample of what we saw on Prime Time Saturday at the Fall Auburn Auction 2019. (Click video window below.)

For more detail on what was offered each day this weekend, click here to read the RM Sotheby’s Fall Auburn Auction catalog of auction vehicles.

Don’t miss any of the action as your favorite collector cars cross the auction block. Then follow our Facebook page for commentary. Our Facebook friends can even join in on the discussion. 

The giant RM Auction Park grounds also includes a swap meet, car corral and dozens of displays to entertain the automotive enthusiast. 

The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival is a Homecoming for all the vintage motorcars produced here at the Auburn plant as they find their way back home to Auburn, Indiana. The annual Labor Day Homecoming is such an amazing display of Americana that we count it as one of the major car shows to add to your bucket list. Follow our live coverage of the ACD Festival, including a Concours in the Park, Parade of Classics and even a tour of the ACD Museum at the site of the original headquarters and plant here in Auburn, Indiana. Click here to read our live coverage with hundreds of photos of beautiful vintage cars. 

 

Hot August Nights 2019 Live Coverage

World’s Biggest Car Show

By Sunday, there were already over 10,000 collector cars and trucks in downtown Reno, Nevada for the final Hot August Nights 2019 cruise. The big parade down the strip in Reno drew lines of cars which were never ending. If you own a collector car, this is where you get your “fifteen minutes of fame.” The cars are the stars, and thousands of spectators were lined along the strip in downtown Reno to remember the car culture in America. 

Cars-On-Line.com is covering Hot August Nights 2019, August 6-12, 2019 here this weekend. Wow! It’s like we stepped back into the 1960’s all over again. We are here at the world’s biggest car show. Watch with us as the action unfolds through Cars-On-Line’s camera lens. 

In fact, this is more than a car show, it is a tribute to the car culture here in the U.S. People come from all over the world to see it. That’s because Hot August Nights 2019 has it all: nightly cruises, show and shines, a swap meet, collector cars for sale and drag racing in the desert. Recalling the days when cars were the culture here in the U.S., cruisin’ and cars were the way we celebrated summer. Not to mention, Reno is an adult playground where every major casino has a car show on its grounds each day during this event. They say there are over $108,000 in cash awards and trophies available at the Casino shows throughout the Reno and Sparks area this week. Show ‘n Shine in Reno can pay off. 

Here is what we saw this week in Reno and Sparks, Nevada as the 33rd Annual Hot August Nights car show invaded this desert town.  

  • Final day Parade at Hot August Nights 2019

 

Hot August Nights Cup Award

Saturday afternoon the awards committee announced the winner of this year’s Hot August Nights Cup Award was the 1965 Chevelle Custom built by Mike Goldman Customs in Meridian, Mississippi. Owner Sonny Freeman of Lafayette, Louisiana and his wife, Debbie, were on hand to accept the award. The Builders Award also went to Mike Goldman Customs, with Mike Goldman and his wife and son, Talbert on hand to accept the Builders Cup. Freeman said his Chevelle was built the way Chevrolet should have done it back in the day. He calls the car “Reflections.” 

A crowd of hundreds packed the square at 4th and Virginia streets in downtown Reno on Saturday for the awards ceremony. Here is what they saw. 

  • 1965 Chevelle Custom at Hot August Nights 2019
    1965 Chevelle Custom called Reflections wins Hot August Nights Cup award

Over $42,250 will be available in cash and prizes for the winners in this year’s Hot August Nights Cup. The Cup Award winner will received $15,000 in cash plus prizes; second place recieved $8,000; third place, $4,000, fourth place, $2,000; and fifth place, $1,000. 

The Hot August Nights Cup Award tophy is becoming one of the most coveted awards in the custom car hobby. In the last decade, the city of Reno has been able to get the sponsorship to give big cash awards for the top cars to show here. That has attracted some of the top custom cars in the country to this show. Two of the cars in this year’s Hot August Nights Cup Award competition were Great 8 Award winners at Detroit Autorama. 

Read our Facebook page and vote for your choice as “Best of Show” among the Top Five contenders. Simply “Like” your favorite and we will post the results on our Facebook page on Sunday. 

Cruisin’ at Hot August Nights 2019

Cars-On-Line.com is here recording photos and videos from Reno’s famous car show. You’ll see some of our posts here on this page, with updates in real time. Be sure to bookmark this page to enjoy Hot August Nights 2019 through our camera lens, just like you were here yourself. I’ll bet by the end of the weekend, you’ll have this show on your bucket list for next year.

Cruisin’ happens every night during the week-long show. Click the video window below to view Cruisin in Dowtown Reno along with a mix of fun in the desert sun. 

There’s nothing like cruising at Hot August Nights under the famous Reno arch as thousands of people crowd along the streets to get a look at all the cars.

Friday Night Drags in Sparks

Drag Races at Hot August Nights 2019

Remember Friday night drag races? Well, here in Sparks, Nevada they still remember the Friday night ritual. Nightly drag races are part of the show at Hot August Nights. Registered show participants can make passes at the track each night during the week-long car show. Here is what you’ve been missing:

 

Stay tuned to this page to see stories and photos from Hot August Nights. Or follow this link to the Hot August Nights website.

 

Iola Car Show 2019

The Iola Car Show 2019 reflects the American dream. So much of who we are is wrapped up in the things we did and things we experienced. Most of our dreams revolve around the cars we loved. That’s why there is an Iola Car Show, and this year’s was everything we’d hoped for. 

The tiny rural Iola, Wisconsin community was overrun by 120,000 collectors and spectators from all over the Midwest and Canada this weekend. It is one of the largest swap meets in the world with 4,200 vendor spots on 300 acres of grassy slopes. It takes days just to go through the parts meet.  In addition, there were 2,500 cars on display. 

Our favorite displays from the Iola Car Show 2019 include the Blue Ribbon Concours and the Lindsay Collection Showroom. Here is some of what we saw displayed here today:

  • 1937 Cord Phaeton in the Lindsay Building at the Iola Car Show 2019

Our Cars-On-Line.com Car Show team will be covering the Iola Car Show 2018 this weekend. Watch for our updates on this page with photos and videos of the top collectors and their cars. Or you can follow us on Facebook or Twitter to read our posts.  

Taking a break from searching the car corral area for good deals, we caught some of the excitement at the Cruise in Review portion of the aftternoons activities. Captain Bob and Arlo, personalities from Wisconsin Hot Rod Radio were talking about the the cars in this short video. 

Celebrities here today talking with fans included Linda Vaughn, Jo Coddington, Joe and Amada Martin from the TV show Iron Resurrection, and “Daisy Duke” Catherine Bach from Dukes of Hazzard. The legendary chopper, Gene Winfield was on hand signing autographs. 

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