SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to The Jewish News

our car buffs, all Jewish,
won't take a step into the
past — not if they can drive
there. And drive there, they
will, for the fourth annual Woodward
Dream Cruise on Saturday, Aug. 15.
On a day for reliving the '50s and
'60s through the vintage vehicles of the
time, Larry Cohen, Howard Fridson,
Howard Green and Eric Schiffer will be
among the droves of enthusiasts parad-
ing prized restored autos before more
than 700,000 visitors.
With Michigan Gov. John Engler
serving as grand marshal, drivers and
car watchers will be offered many
events and entertainment opportunities
to celebrate a Motor City coming-of-
age tradition. More than 30 local chari-
ties will benefit from the cruise with
the help of the participating cities —
Berkley, Birmingham, Ferndale, Hunt-
ington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac
and Royal Oak.
"My romance grew cruising down
Woodward," said Larry Cohen, who

Fl

will be behind the wheel of a 1965
white Pontiac GTO.
Cohen and his wife, Janice, who
joins him for every Dream Cruise,
dated during the years teen-agers
turned Woodward into their weekend
social center.
"Now, we go out to Woodward as
early as things start," Cohen said. "It's
fun to bring back memories."
When Cohen, 51, reached driving
age, he was behind the wheel of an
older car he fixed up. With his GTO,
he still enjoys getting under the hood,
only now he does it in real style.
A builder, Cohen recently decorated
his two-story, eight-car garage with
black and white tiles arranged in
checks, the official pro driver design

8/14

1998

76 Detroit Jewish News

and what he consid-
ers the appropriate
setting for his
Autorama trophy
winner.
"I love shifting
gears, feeling the
power and picking
up speed," said this
hobbyist, who links
cruising with getting
sliders at Hunter
House in Birmingham, a must then
and a must now.
Cohen, who regularly drives a Town
and Country van, belongs to the Royal
Pontiac Club of America and enjoys
reading auto material.
"This has been great competition

Far left:. Larry
Cohen will cruise
in his 1965 white
Pontiac GTO.

Left: Howard
Green, enjoying his
1956 red Thunder-
bird, may choose to
cruise in his '56
two-lone gray
Bentley.

without being destructive." said Cohen,
who makes a point of walking through
the displays.
Although Howard Fridson will be
driving a 1957 Chevy for the Wood-
ward Dream Cruise, he will spend
more time parked, watching the other
cars go by

"I wonder where all these incredible,
-beautiful cars are the rest of the year,"
said Fridson, 48, an illustrator who
appreciates all the artistry that' goes into
restoring the classic models.
Although Fridson bought the copper-
colored car in 1973, when he was look-
ing for a new car and happened upon it,

