Throwback: Cruisin\’ Downtown Christiansburg 2018

Willys CJ-5

It\’s hard not to notice a bright orange Jeep! This \’62 Willys CJ-5 popped against the neutral tones of its surroundings at the show. Gray wheels, a black grille, and silver stripes accent the orange body, topped by a brown fabric roof protecting the brown vinyl seating beneath.

The CJ is one of a few vehicles ever built to maintain its basic appearance for decades, lasting from the end of WWII to 1986. Over 1.5 million examples were built over those four-plus decades.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible C3

What stands out more than an orange Jeep? A Corvette, of course! Under the hood of this red convertible is the 427 V8, which made 430 horses at the crank. No doubt the big V8 sounds like a dream through those side pipes.

The C3 era arrived at the peak of the muscle-car era in 1968, later following the trend of softer personal luxury coupes a few years later. The convertible would disappear after the 1975 model year, amid fears convertibles would soon be mandated out of existence.

Ford Model A

This Model A was among a quartet of old-school classic Fords holding it down at the other end of the street. The car was a follow-up to the iconic Model T, and a home run in its own right for Ford\’s sales department. Nearly five million were built in its short run (compared to the Model T, anyway) between 1928 and 1932.

The Model A is also a college mascot. The University of North Texas calls theirs the \”Mean Green Machine,\” while \”The Ramblin\’ Wreck from Georgia Tech\” leads the university\’s football team into Bobby Dodd Stadium during every home game.