News Room
Collectors start drive for summer auto show, parade
Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune
March 7, 2004
How about another auto show in Chicago?
Outside-in the summer.
And rather than a display of new cars that people can buy, how about old cars that most people haven't seen in years-if ever-that they can admire? And what if it were called the Chi-Town Kruze?
Jerry Robbin, president of the 1,500-member International Mercury Owners Association, has been trying to pull off just such a show.
He's gathered a group of local car collectors and enthusiasts who love cars, especially old ones, to organize what they hope will become an annual event-a cruise of vintage, antique, collectible and classic cars followed by a massive show.
The event, Robbin said, would be modeled after the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, where about 1.5 million folks gather in the city and suburbs for a weekend cruise and display of rare machines every August.
"We envision a cruise or parade down one of the city's many arterial streets. Anyone with a car they are proud of could be in the cruise. We'd then converge downtown and empty into Soldier Field or McCormick Place for a main show with a display of products from GM, Ford and Chrysler and maybe even an auction," he said.
"There are lots of car clubs in Chicagoland-Corvette, Mustang, Hudson, DeSoto, Packard-we're trying to get them to take part," he said. "There are so many car enthusiasts in Chicagoland that I can't see why we can't be as big as the Woodward Dream Cruise."
Robbin has tried to get the city involved but has found that "they want the show, but they don't want to do it by themselves."
The major problem in getting a show started is finding a weekend without another event downtown or car show that enthusiasts usually attend.
"It would be contingent on the City of Chicago working out the logistics, such as conflicts with other events as well as possible summer road construction problems," he said.
Robbin said his committee has asked Chicago for a date and site to hold a mini-cruise this year "as a small teaser show so people will know what to expect from us and to introduce the city to what we hope will be the main event in 2005. We hope to hear back from the city in a few weeks."
Anyone interested in helping pursue an event like this can contact Robbin and the committee at info@mercuryclub.com.
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