omip l he let the auto sit around for 10 years before

starting to restore it. He does some minor main-
tenance but leaves the rest to the pros.
"This car is part of the family," said Fridson,
who is joined along Woodward by his wife,
Cathy, and three sons — Nate, 15; Blake, 13;
and Russell, 9. "Sometimes, if we have compa-
ny, they will go with us, too."
On days other than the cruise and the
Huntington Woods Fourth of July Parade,
Ob. Fridson will drive his Chevy short distances.
On good-weather days, he takes it to his studio
in Royal Oak.

If Green doesn't bring the Bentley to
Woodward, he will move ahead with a
1956 red Thunderbird. He also has a
1979 Corvette, but it isn't a cruise candi-
date because it's too young.
"I'm mechanically inclined, but I
don't get real involved with the work,"
said Green, a member of the Classic
Thunderbird Club International and
the Rolls Royce Owners Club.
Green, whose day-to-day wheels
come on a Navigator, does not
believe in keeping his cars to him-
self. He allowed his sons, Fred-
erick and Ross, to use them
because they showed the cars
respect.
Ross Green has built on
his father's auto enthusiasm
by going into the limousine
business.
Like the Greens, Eric
Schiffer's entrance into a car
hobby crosses generations,
only in an opposite way. The
business came before the

Above: Howard. Fridson,
pictured with his son Rus-
sell, will be behind the
wheel of his '57 Chevy.

os•

a

II

g ffaccfG

Many events are planned for the Dream
Cruise weekend. A partial listing by city,
with information phone numbers, follows.

BERKLEY: (248) 546-2450
Friday — 4-10 p.m.: Sidewalk Sales, Food,
Beverages; 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Official
Classic Car Parade; 7:30-10 p.m.:
Static Classic Car Display; 7-9 p.m.:
Street Dance; 8:30-10 p.m.: Mitch
Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
Saturday —11 a.m.-4 p.m.:
Sidewalk Sales, Kids Play Area,
Entertainment, Food, Beverages

BIRMINGHAM: (248) 433-3550
Saturday — 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Children's
Activities at Community House
11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.: Rock Performers
at Shain Park

FERNDALE: (248) 546-2380
Friday: 7 - 11 p. m .: Live Corvette
Performance Event
Saturday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Car Show; 9 a.m.-
9 p.m.: Entertainment and Children's
Activi ties

Right: Eric Schi er, with
wife Janis and children
Sam and Stephanie, in
their 1968 dark green
Pontiac GTO.

Chevy parts have even become music to his
ears. His wife, on their seventh anniversary,
gave him a jukebox formed from the rear end
of a '57 Chevy.
"I think I'll always have this car," said Frid-
son, who regularly sits behind the wheel of a
Mitsubishi. "I couldn't sell it for as much
money as I've put into it."
Besides putting cash and energy into restor-
ing classic cars, Howard Green puts Grey
Poupon mustard in one. How could he not
when it's a 1956 two-tone gray Bentley?
He thought of including that edible gear on
his way to the first Dream Cruise. Sure
enough, he and his wife, Linda, were only a
mile into the Woodward flurry when the criti-
cal question was called out by a woman in the
next car.
"It was unbelievable how many asked," said
Green, who held up the bottle and shared a
laugh with the inquisitive cruisers familiar with
the Grey Poupon ad on television.
"My brother-in-law started restoring cars,
and I got interested," said Green, 59, retired
from the restaurant equipment business. "It's
an ego trip. When I'm driving in one of my
,
cars, everybody looks. They're also a good way-t
to get away"

D )Eoc;

hobby. Schiffer's family operated
auto parts stores.
"Cars have been important to
me all my lite," said Schiffer, presi-
dent of the Royal Pontiac Club of

America.
When he was in college, Schiffer
drove a 1957 Corvette. Now, he has a
1968 dark green Pontiac GTO con-
vertible and a 1968 black Firebird 400.
His interest is shared by his wife,
Janis, who regularly can be seen behind
the wheel of a 1987 Mustang convertible.
"We also set up at Autorama," said
Schiffer, 46, who recently retired from
being a chiropractor and works in sales for
a steel company.
Schiffer, who regularly drives a Ford
Expedition for practical reasons such as
pulling his boat, likes to take his vintage cars
on short rides, including restaurant stops.
Besides enjoying the cars, he enjoys meet-
ing with the people responsible for the cars
and has spent Dream Cruise time with Jim
Wangers, who was behind the marketing cam-
paign for the Pontiac GTO.
"I even enjoy working on the cars," Schiffer
said. Li

HUNTINGTON WOODS:
(248) 541-3030
Saturday —12-7 p.m.: Slot Car Racing,
Moon Walk, Contests, Games, Food,
Beverages; 12 p.m.: Live
Entertainment

PLEASANT RIDGE: (248) 542-7322
Saturday — 1 0 a.m.-5 p.m.:
Entertainment; 9 a.m.-6 p.m.:
Classic Car Display, Feed

PONTIAC: (248) 857-5603
Friday — 5-11 p.m.: Swap Meet &
Official Car Show including
Chubby Checker; 6:30-8:30 p.m.:
Auto Cruise Parade National
Saturday — 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.: Swap Meet
& Car Show, The Commodores

ROYAL OAK (248) 544-6680
Saturday-10 a.m.-5 p.m.: 10th Annual
Royal Oak Grand National; 10 a.m.-
9 p.m.: Michigan Hot Rod
Association Display, Family Fun and
Restaurant Taste Fest at Memorial
Park

8/14
1998

Detroit Jewish News rn

