(Words and photos by Doug Gregory) – Stop number 2 was the Bluegrass Stockyards which are across I-75 from the Kentucky Horse Park where the new Goodguys Kentucky Nationals were held last month. Actually the Goodguys autocross was held at the stockyards which has also been used by the local SCCA club. The folks we were hanging out with agreed we should have gone here first as many of the cars that left the Aviation museum gathering came here to join an already larger and more diverse group. You have to figure that being right off the interstate ramp North of Lexington would provide easy access to folks from all directions and it did.
By now the temperatures were rising enough that a jacket wasn’t a necessity. I didn’t expect many cars because it was getting late, but there were plenty and I still managed to miss a bunch as lunchtime approached and folks began scurrying off.
This green Skylark had an authoritative lope and plenty of volume. I didn’t get a look under the hood, but I’d bet it’s based on a 455. The deep copper F100 is something we haven’t seen out in a few years and never with the hood open. It’s a thumper too and it’s got plenty of tire out back to put it down. Black early-80s Pontiac Bonneville Brougham and it was nice. You know you want one.
Check out this green 1950-ish Caddy. All that style, chrome, and a 500ci lump of iron trying to fill that massive engine bay. Cast your eyes on this super-clean, early NSX. Normally I don’t go for this kind of thing, but we don’t see many of these early models and this one appeared to be especially well-kept. Whether you like them or not the styling was bold for its time. The ’56 Nomad snuck up behind me when I was trying to wrangle another battery into my camera. I was told this blue 356 coupe is a rare piece (this one in particular) and Hagerty doesn’t know where to set its value. As the owner was leaving he exclaimed ‘Watch me do my burnout…!!!’. He gave it a good effort, however, these things were known more for their handling than ability to spin tires.
This side of the parking lot was heavy on Volkswagens and Porsches. Sort of a distant family reunion. So do you figure a Bus and a 930 slant nose turbo are 3rd cousins – twice removed…? Was the Thing disowned because it looked like a Kubelwagen…? Are the 924 and 944 considered red-headed step-children…? I must admit I’m not all informed on this family’s gossip.
One of the more interesting rides was this 1984 Mercedes 300D. A member of the Cincinnati Mercedes club drove this thing down and I have to report this car is mint. Though not a hot rod this is also not a slug like a 240D is. The fellow hadn’t had it too long and said it was a very pleasant ride. I image this was quite a daily-driver in its day and is still holding its own. Lastly check out the ’72 Cadillac limo. It appears to have light use and seemed to be in excellent survivor shape. The siren under the hood had us thinking it had been property of a funeral home for most of its life. To me it looks like a mobster ride from a 70s Dirty Harry movie (Magnum Force for one).
So while we were talking to folks we heard of a benefit car show being held at the Cardome Center in Georgetown. We hadn’t known anything about it, but figured since it was on the way home why not check it out. We grabbed a bite to eat and made it there about an hour before the trophies were awarded. Come back and see the highlights from our third stop of the day…!
here’s a dare;
maybe you guys should get out and see what some of us buick guys do. and we do it with limited parts available.