Woodward Dream Cruise Week has Started!

[Hisserman]

The Detroit area is going to be heaven for "car guys" this week. People are coming from all over the United States and the world, Saturday is projected to have an attendance of over two million. For those of you who haven't seen it, its sixteen miles of four lanes each way filled with specialty cars -- 50-60,000 of them -- called the greatest single automotive event in the world!

The cars start arriving every day (evening), building up to the main event on Saturday. Today was a car lover's dream on Woodward. Everything was there: Lambos, 4 Ford GT's, a Saleen, a convoy of 363 '57 Chevy's, 6 or 7 C6 Vettes, Lotus', Bentleys, all sorts of hot rods and customs. We hooked up a spontaneous convoy of 10 Vipers for a while!

The Motor City Viper Owners have about 45 cars signed up for our Thursday night dinner on Woodward. We've got the same restaurant's parking lot reserved for the main event on Saturday. I'll try to post some photos as the week evolves.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

Bruce- Must be quite a show, Its on my things to do (in this lifetime) list. I assume that everyone in the auto industy is out and about. How hard is it to get a room, get around during the festivities. Its about a 12 hour ride from my door to CAAP, so not out of the question at some point and time.

 

[Hisserman]

Jeff --

Rooms are often booked a year in advance, but you shouldn't have trouble if you're not trying to stay right on Woodward. It's always the third Saturday of August. Getting around isn't bad -- it's just one big party. Most just park in one place and walk (bring portable chairs). This is the tenth anniversary and it's always been a great family event with no trouble. Come on down!

 

[onerareviper]

Bruce,

I really want to check this out, but have obligations this Saturday. How is it on Friday day/night? Do people cruise parade style, or is that only Saturday? I have about a 4 hour trip both ways (from Pittsburgh), and need to leave Saturday morning for Atlantic City. Would it be worth 8 hours driving for Friday, or should I just wait till next year?

 

[pauls]

I'll be working at the Goodyear Display at Duggans, 13 mile and Woodward. Stop by a register for a blimp ride.

 

[Hisserman]

I'll be there, Paul!

 

[FE 065]

Bruce,

I really want to check this out, but have obligations this Saturday. How is it on Friday day/night? Do people cruise parade style, or is that only Saturday? I have about a 4 hour trip both ways (from Pittsburgh), and need to leave Saturday morning for Atlantic City. Would it be worth 8 hours driving for Friday, or should I just wait till next year?

At it's worst, previously Saturday only, it's like an hour to go a mile on Woodward if you're in the traffic as opposed to parked somewhere watching it go by. Fridays could be just as bad anymore. If that's worth a drive from PA. go for it

 

[YouWish]

I'm jealous!!!

 

[onerareviper]

To be honest, I was just going to spectate - since I'm so limited on time. So if I'm reading your response correctly, I should see nearly as many cars on Friday as I would on Saturday, right? Any recommendations of an intersection on Woodward for spectating? What is the peak time (ballpark) on Friday for spectators?

Thanks.

 

[GTSnake]

I actually would stay away on Saturday. It's not a cruise on Saturday as much as it a Dream "Idle". It's so congested no one moves and the cars just sit and overheat.

The best times are really the weekend and week leading up to the actual event.

 

[Hisserman]

A good intersection would be 13 Mile Road and Woodward. Chrysler is going to have a corporate exhibit there on Saturday and will be setting up. There will be some Vipers prowling around there and you will be in the heart of the action. The peak time will start around 4:00 pm on Friday -- it stays light until around 9:30 around here. There will be car shows and music performances all up and down Woodward that night.

 

[95Viper]

Buzzed by there today at noon and saw a ton of cars, no Vipers though. My dad just called me and it's nuts tonight! You be able to cruise through Wednesday, Thursday will be busy, Friday nuts, Sat standstill. We always go Fri and Sat without our cars and watch, tons of fun. The best kept secret though is Sunday at 13 and Woodward at 9 or 10. You get parking just off the road and it is packed full by noon.

 

[onerareviper]

Hisserman,

Thanks for the info.

 

[Hisserman]

Craig's dad is right, tonight was crazy!! Here are a few teaser photos (I was too busy driving and looking to take many):

All the traffic lanes were full. About 50% of the cars were specialty cars mixed in with the commuters.

Here's a new little prototype wearing Manufacturer's plates.

This baby has a mid engine transverse Cadillac Northstar V8 behind the seats!

Cars like this are parked and cruising everywhere.

Here are some of the guys in our Viper posse (there's a
Roe lurking under that red sleeper in the front!).

It was about as wild as the first cruise (1994) tonight. The crowds were lined up 2 or 3 deep for miles. And it's just the first night -- it builds every night!

 

[GR8_ASP]

Bruce looks like you had fun. Tom also. Not sure who the third GTS is.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice weather (for a change). Any plans to cruise or meet somewhere?

P.S. that funny looking M plated car from GM has been around quite a bit in the last year or so. I have seen it at several cruise events, even the one in Rochester Hills on Mondays.

 

[Hisserman]

Ron --

The wife and I are planning to cruise tomorrow evening (Wednesday) if the weather is as good as forcasted. We haven't thought about a meeting place -- have you got any ideas? I'll pm you with my phone number at work and you can call me tomorrow.

We went out tonight after the rain and it was crazy again. There were over 500 specialty cars at the shopping center parking lot at 13 Mile. There was EVERYTHING there!

 

[95Viper]

We were at Duggans last night from 6-9...rained like crazy but the rest of the night was fine. I saw 2 new Vipers and 3 others. If weather holds out, I'll be there tonight.

 

[Hisserman]

Great! Ron and Tom are coming out too. Sounds like there will be a lot of Vipers on Woodward tonight. A warm up for tomorrow -- I hear that 46 cars are registered to be at Bennigans for our dinner.

 

[JGK95]

More Pics??


Please!

 

[DodgeViper01]

Nice pictures.

 

[Hisserman]

OK guys, you wanted more pics. Because of some of the file sizes I'll break these up for faster loading. Here was the typical cross section of cars:

 

[Hisserman]

More in the same area:

And more . . .

Not all these cars are lookers, but if you look close you will see there is some serious muscle out there. The roadside sound will get you blood pumping!

 

[Hisserman]

The Cobras were out in style.

There was plenty of horsepower around . . .

Of course Ford was heard from . . .

 

[Hisserman]

More of typical roadside -- these are hard to take while driving a Viper!

One of the Lambos . . .

Who said Corvettes weren't family cars . . .

 

[Hisserman]

A view from within the Viper . . .

Part of our Viper posse -- we had 6 in our group and must have seen another 6 cruising.

They just keep coming and coming . . . a warm-up for the main event this weekend!

If the weather holds we'll have pictures of the Viper dinner tomorrow night.

 

[Casey]

Great pictures!! I would love to hang out there and hear the muscle! :thumb:

 

[genXgts]

I'll be out there on Friday night if any else is out there!

 

[Hisserman]

There will be plenty of us out there Friday, Ryan (unless it rains!!). I've sent you a pm with my cell phone number and maybe we can hook up. It will be absolutely crazy tomorrow night!

 

[GR8_ASP]

Some pics from today's Viper gathering. All I can say is Whew!

This is Bennigan parking area from the west side:

This is also of the parking lot but from the east side:

And no we did not have a requirement to place a red Viper in every other position

And lastly a picture of several of us in line. this would not last as we made a U-turn and made much quicker time in the other direction.

Saturday is going to be crazy!!!

 

[Hisserman]

Ron's right, the club gathering was a real Viper pit! A lot of people were impressed to see so many Vipers in one place. Our thanks to Bill Gill for a great job coordinating the whole thing.

We tried to hook up for one long convoy after the dinner, but the traffic on Woodward was too heavy to get everyone together. We wound up with four convoys of about ten cars each.