by Wallace Wyss –
I heard about it only minutes before sunset but I think I captured on film The American Dream, Mexican American Style.
The occasion was the Route 66 Cruisin; Reunion in Ontario, California about an hour’s drive from Los Angeles. It’s a two day event and several blocks of the main street are cut off to regular traffic. This is the event’s eighth year.
The town has a four lane wide main street that is perfect for parades with its wide grassy center sections. The cars were Old Skool, ’50s Fords, pickup trucks, led sleds, ’32 Ford pickups, muscle cars, rat rods and the like. Many had the trends popular in their day like candy apple paint, pin striping, raised front ends, lowered rear ends, and diamond tufted leather.
But the one I enjoyed the most was a Buick ragtop (’48?) that I’ve seen at this same event in previous years. It is lowered but otherwise looking pretty stock (maybe the windshield is lowered). The mustachioed Latino man driving it, I’d guess, is upwards of 75, wearing a straw hat. I’d say he’s someone who arrived in America in the ’50s, and was dazzled by American luxury cars. He worked long and hard, and now, in retirement, he toodles around at such events showing, hey, for one guy, the American dream is achievable and you can do it too (but somehow I don’t imagine if he was in say a modern Buick, it would be the same…)
The event is free and occurs once a year. There’s similar Route 66 celebrations in other nearby towns but Ontario has one of the best venues.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR: Wallace Wyss is the author of 18 car histories. He loves attending all types of car events.
Looks like such a great time!!! I just completed a 3 weeks road trip from Las Vegas to Austin, Texas, more driving in those 3 weeks than I have done total in the last 20 years. I wanted to try to hit Route 66, but it was way too north for my trip. However, while in San Antonio, stumbled by chance into the weekly Alamo City Rods car show, held every Friday night, by the Tower of America’s, at the 1968 HemisFair grounds, complete with live band. The picture is me by a ’53 Chevy with a modern crate engine, possessing a racing pedigree. Glenn in Brooklyn, NY.
Actually, that is an EMustang, the first I have ever seen, in Las Vegas. This next picture should be the Chevy from the Alamo City Rods Club. Glenn in Brooklyn, NY.
This is my girlfriend standing next to a Porsche at Hoover Dam – we had a 2021 Chevy Malibu rented car.
A ground effects souped up Nissan and a stock Corvette at Mount Charleston outside Las Vegas.
Glenn Scott Krasner,
Thanks for sharing. I always like to see photos and hear about road trips.
A Mexican-American gentleman polishes his beautifully preserved ’36 Chevy while waiting outside a Tucson church for the bride and groom he will be transporting to their next destination.
More of the Mexican-American car culture was on display at this week’s “Tucson Meet Yourself” gathering. Attendance is down but there were still a few cars. This ’40 Chevy was the standout. None of these are my cup of tea but they are sill owned by car guys.
More low and slow. ’54 Chevy.
Really not my cup of tea, but different strokes. A ’39 Chevy
Wes Stewart: Love that front grill & bumper on the 1940 Chevy, with custom fog lights, no less!!!! Glenn in Brooklyn, NY.