Connecticut GTO Club, Hooters Cruise Night, May 21st, 2010

The CT GTO Club (http://www.ctgtoclub.org/) began its 2010 cruise season with 100+ cars in attendance on Friday, May 21st at Hooters, Wethersfield.

In 2009, the cruise was given the award of “Best Cruise Night” by the readers of Connecticut Cruise News (http://www.ctcruisenews.com/). With ample parking, friendly car owners and an occasional visit from the Hooters girls it’s easy to see why it got the vote.

A varied array of cars greeted the cruise visitors. Muscle cars, trucks, classics and a wild Ford Model T offered plenty of viewing pleasure. Later in the evening a rare 1955 DeSoto FireFlite appeared in the parking lot. When we went over to have a chat with the owner he proclaimed that he did not think that the car was worthy of being at the cruise. Needless to say he was put straight by more than a few show goers! The owner explained that the car belonged to his grandfather and it had never been displayed at a cruise before. Let’s hope that it becomes a regular visitor from now on…

Cruisin’s Star Car

Our Hooters star car of the night is this unusual 1961 Studebaker Lark VIII. Bill, the proud owner from Meriden, CT, has owned the car since 2003.

He found the Lark on a farm in East Granby, CT. It was not a barn find; it was in fair condition and was for sale for $500. The car had 58,000 original miles on it, was a tan color, and had a six-cylinder engine at the time. Bill bought it as a tribute to his grandfather who had owned a Studebaker many years ago.

Bill wanted to keep an original engine under the hood, but at the time it was an expensive option. He found a Mustang II that had a 351ci Windsor V8 engine in it so he bought the car to use for donor parts. The front of the Mustang was removed and the front clip and engine were grafted into the Studie, giving it a “gasser” stance, or as Bill called it a “West Coast Rake”. Backing up the 351 is a C4 automatic transmission and an eight-inch Ford rear end.

Bill told Cruisin’: “It can move. It’s lots of fun and I love it. I haven’t tried the car on the drag strip yet, but I may. The project is not complete. I need to finish the interior, have the bumpers re-chromed and paint the car again.”

Bill’s previous rides include a 1966 Chevelle, with a 327ci, 365bhp engine, a 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix – the first year of the Grand Prix – and a 1955 Chevrolet.