I took my boy to walk the Buggies ‘n’ Blues last weekend and peruse all the cars and trucks on display. He’s only five months old, so I’m not sure what he gets out of it, but he sure was rubbernecking the entire time! So I guess it was a worthwhile effort. I can’t wait until he gets old enough to appreciate this stuff, because I’m going to take him EVERYWHERE.

There were a lot of vehicles on display this year. Everything from unremarkable Hondas whose owner had taken the time to Krylon the brake calipers to painstakingly restored works of automotive art. There were even some “motorcycles” there as well. I’m not a car guy…I mean, I never met a Corvette I didn’t like, but I’d be the last one in the world to sink a ton of money into something with four wheels. High performance motorcycles, though? That’s another matter. Anyway, here are a few vehicles that caught my eye over the weekend:

This 1930 Ford Model A has been given a bit of a hooligan treatment, so I thought it had a lot of character. It isn’t bristling with chrome or a high-dollar paint job, but it looks like it would be a blast to get in and drive it like I stole it! Nice work.

I want a convertible for some reason, and this Fairlane really stood out. My wife thought it looked like fun as well, and I think she’s right. I think it’s that gigantic mechanical hard top that does it. Sweet!

The orange and cream color of this Pontiac instantly won our hearts, especially because I grew up scarfing Dreamsicles back in the Rocky Mountains in the 70’s. Do they still call them Dreamsicles? I think they quit doing that in the late 70’s. The paint job on this car made the difference for us; if it had been any other color, I don’t think we’d have stopped.

Despite years of ridiculing all things Chrysler, I must admit my respect for the Cuda. Especially one that’s Kawasaki Green! Mom didn’t say anything as my boy and I were magnetically drawn to the shiny green car, but this wasn’t just about paint. This is a mean machine that just happens to be green. Just like Kawasaki, it takes a bit of boldness to make something such a blazing, in-your-face color, and I like it. There are only three cars in the history of Chrysler that I’d even give a second glance, and this is at the top of the list. And it’s in my color, too!

There you have it. An extremely unscientific and pretty much random look at Buggies ‘n’ Blues. A guy could put up a whole website about the event; the lime snow cones we had, the cars which represent thousands of dollars and hundreds of restoration hours on the part of the passionate folks who brought them, or even just the idea of getting out and walking around Mandan for an afternoon. It was a blast, and I like to see that many people pour into Mandan for a weekend. I’m really glad we were able to attend, and we look forward to next year’s show!