Hines Park Cruise

Carmine

Carmine

Old Man with a Hat
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This past Sunday I tried out a cruise event on the advice of a friend. It’s called the Hines Park Drive cruise and what makes it unique is that it runs 7.5 miles through a massive park west of Detroit city-proper. The park is actually a designated flood plain, but that’s not even 1% of the time. The side effect is a great natural setting of grass/trees vs. the usual asphalt-jungle and limited parking. My only mistake was not making a day of it… Preparation consisted of two lawn chairs and a baby stroller in the back of the Fury. Next time I’ll invite some more family/friends and pack a BBQ, cooler and Frisbee. Also since this isn’t really a state road, they can legally keep out newer cars (unlike Woodward) so your eyes aren’t burning calories focusing on Hyundais and other debris. If anyone ever wanted to do a dedicated C-body area, it isn’t hard to find space. And with that, I give you photos.

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Just to give you an idea of size... there were cars pretty much along the whole route, some areas with higher concentrations than others (usually a club). Close up also helps give you an idea of size. White dot represents Sport Fury.

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I didn't take a ton of pictures because I was either driving or looking at stuff. There were a bunch of movie cars; Monkey-mobile, Speed Racer, Herbie, Mad-Max tow truck (with fire cannon), +that show with the orange sports car and illegal flag, set in the southern US.

Luckily I don't foresee a movement to strip E.N. Hines of his namesake park since he saved untold lives with this idea:

Hines originated the concept of painting a line down the center of a road to separate traffic in opposing directions. The idea came to him after watching a leaky milk wagon leave a trail down the street. Painted center lines were first used in 1911 on River Road in Trenton, in Wayne County. By 1922, all of the major roads in Wayne County had center lines. This simple idea has since been recognized as one of the most important single traffic safety devices in the history of highway transportation.

Although he appears to be an old white dude, so I'm sure he did something bad.

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Snow removal from public roads was another of Hines' innovations.

...because he was from Michigan.
 
"that show with the orange sports car and illegal flag, set in the southern US."

lol, Better not post any pics of that car!
 
Nice venue indeed!

Someone out enjoying a 1960 Imperial convertible - where else would you see something like that!

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One of these years....
 
Hines is a great stretch of road. Considering it's slap in the middle of a city. I used to exercise the cars from the Roush stable on that road back in the day.
 
bluefury361 said:
Hines is a great stretch of road. Considering it's slap in the middle of a city. I used to exercise the cars from the Roush stable on that road back in the day.
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I forgot you worked for Jack over on Plymouth road. His 5.0L reverse flow exhaust system for the 'Stangz waz fabbed onto the Batwagon. I used to deliver 40K loads of heads after the machining was done for the conversions over there and wonder thru' the building while I was being off loaded. Very Interesting place after you got beyond the Dozen or so conversion lifts aye Will?
 
There were 11 buildings in that complex Jer. You must have off loaded at the building housing the machine shop, engine build shop, purchasing, the SCCA build shop and my little corner way in the back, Special Vehicles dept. Perhaps we crossed paths there.
 
It waz the way-in-the -back I waz thinking about. 6 'er 7 of the Oval Trackerz hiding back there. Are you telling me those are the onez you played HOT SHOE with down in the Hines ditch? You Dawg you, lol
 
BIGBARNEYCARS said:
It waz the way-in-the -back I waz thinking about. 6 'er 7 of the Oval Trackerz hiding back there. Are you telling me those are the onez you played HOT SHOE with down in the Hines ditch? You Dawg you, lol
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Those cars did not go out on the street. The Livonia police were very tolerant of our "test runs" but there were limitations. Those were full out IMSA/SCCA Trans AM and GT race cars.
A short distance from the shop was Eckles road. four lanes of smooth blacktop 2 miles long with nothing but a couple of industrial buildings. It was where we would "dial in" the various projects we were working on at the time. I have a couple of great stories I'll share with you sometime over a St Pauli/Corona.
 
bluefury361 said:
Those cars did not go out on the street. The Livonia police were very tolerant of our "test runs" but there were limitations. Those were full out IMSA/SCCA Trans AM and GT race cars.
A short distance from the shop was Eckles road. four lanes of smooth blacktop 2 miles long with nothing but a couple of industrial buildings. It was where we would "dial in" the various projects we were working on at the time. I have a couple of great stories I'll share with you sometime over a St Pauli/Corona.
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You mean you were zippin' up 'n down Hines Dr. with Jacks converted 5.0L 'Stangz? That in it self would be ah story. I know where Eckles rd. iz too My Friend. You have to want to go there and maybe be guided in the 1st time jes tah find. The Last N+S that paralleled 275 and runz from Plymouth rd. north to the M14+275+96 interchange and slow down before you get to the R+R trackz? And we won't talk about them 'ole Livonia Cop Meaniez. I'll bring the St Pauli next July Pal and you bring your Memory Bankz and We'll have ah good time az all wayz, Jer
 
BIGBARNEYCARS said:
You mean you were zippin' up 'n down Hines Dr. with Jacks converted 5.0L 'Stangz?
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Those fox platform Mustangs conversions were done in my shop. Those days the customer would order a new Mustang and it would be delivered to us and built to the customers spec., or, for the less knowledgeable check writers, we offered different package levels including complete carbon fiber body panel packages made in house.
We were the predecessor of the current production style Roush Mustangs.
There were seven of us who got our direction directly from Jack. We started out as the "Special Vehicles" group and became known as "Jacks Toy shop" or "Jacks Toy store". We worked a lot with FoMoCo's SVO operation.

I had a 17 mile "exersize" route that included about 10 miles of Hines drive. Everything from the Mustangs, flathead Fords, Shelby and Auto Craft Cobras, Porsche's (356 cab, 911's, 930 slant nose), A Testorasa, and more. Jack was a big fan of keeping the cars fully functional.

I look forward to the next "sip and lie" session with ya Jer.
 
Well, this thread got me off on a nostalgia trip and I found this picture. SAAC, (Shelby American Automobile Club), meet at Charlotte speedway, must be 93/94. We had built and customized two Shelby cobras , (CSX2007 and CSX 3105), for a client from Brooklyn NY. Three of us prepped and delivered the cars to the track and he flew in to enjoy them for a couple days. That's me in the white t shirt by the trailer. I even had dark hair then.

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LIE iz kinda ah strong word Will. It kinda implyz neither of us can distinguish fact from fiction any more, lol. Letz think of it az Embellishing just ah tad. Yeah know like "That Bass waz really 8 1/2 poundz and went a little over 27" long and took me close to an hour to boat that big mouth sucker without snappin' that 10lb test line with all the weedz he brought up with him". Ah? My hair hasn't changed much since the '70s what there iz of it. You wouldn't EMBELLISH me on that now would you Pal?
 
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