One long standing car tradition in my family is the Oakbrook Father's Day Car Show. The cars are placed around the inside of the open air mall, which provides a nicer backdrop than a parking lot, and also some nicer shaded areas which is good when it gets HOT in Chicago.
There is always a broad selection of cars, which makes it a nice event to share with family since there is a little something for everyone. V16 Cadillacs, muscle cars, Ferraris and euro cars - a very nice mix.
My grandfather Clayton, who my son is named after, was an owner of a Auburn Boattail Speedster like this. To me, this car captures Hollywood glamour perfectly. An exotic car done the Amercian way!
A very nice Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale. Its aero shape had a drag coefficient of 0.28, the same as a Corvette C6 - way WAY ahead of its time, and a very striking shape - there is no beauty without some strangeness.
I am easily impressed by Shelby Mustangs. This 1967 GT350 was a very nice example, with a 4 speed and that distinctive, 67-only hood. I think I'd actually prefer a GT350 over the larger GT500, simply because a modern Ford small block can be built to perform just as well as the original big block without the weight penalty.
Clay’s favorite car of the show was this Lamborghini Aventador. Lambos still have that certain something that captures a child’s imagination. This example had generous amounts of carbon fiber, and of course those famous scissor doors. Clay is also wearing the t-shirt I got him from Blipshift.
This Ferrari 328 was particularly striking. The last of the 308/328 series, these Magnum-era Fezzas have become quite the hot ticket lately, with nice ones hovering around the 80K mark, which is double what they were worth just a couple of years ago. As this car ages, it will continue to look better and better.
This 300SL roadster is always at the show. It’s unique yellow/green color combo is not to everyone's taste, but it does make for a memorable car. Early C1 Corvettes were offered in a similar color combo, which is very era-correct.
Another favorite of mine at the show was this Boss 351. This body style Mustang is not everyone's cuppa, but I think this big, imposing shape is entirely appropriate for a muscle car. This was the fastest production Mustang for decades, until performance began to return in the 90s. This example was exquisitely restored.
This 1969 Super Bee with the A12 package was a standout for me. The idea of selling a drag strip-ready car with a fiberglass hood that required two people to lift off is just outrageous to me. Together with a 4 speed trans and a 440 Six Pack engine and some black steel wheels and it is quite the package. I also like that these cars were no-frills with plane Jane stripped interiors too - only rubber floor mats. I miss the days of being able to option for performance without adding all the extra options that nobody really needs. Speed was the priority, and I can totally agree with that!
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