Cruisin' Gratiot Avenue!

[elacruze]

I had no idea this was going on until yesterday-

http://www.cruisin-gratiot.com/

Gratiot Avenue is the 'other half' of Detroit area cruising, with Woodward Avenue (honorable mention to Telegraph road)

I'm going to hit it this afternoon and take a bunch of photos-I suspect this will be great for a few seasons before turning into another Woodward Dream Cruise circus.

<edit> Hm, 13 years...maybe it's already bigger than I realize. Full report to follow.

[Ghoste]

The Gratiot cruise has been going on for quite awhile now but has managed to stay away from becoming the same kind of show as Woodward.  Maybe it's the shadow cast by Woodward, maybe it's the "east side" part, who knows?  But it is a good cruise IMO (although I have to admit I've only done it once).
Have fun Elacruze!

[BrianShaughnessy]

Sweet       Basically spent most weekends cruising Gratiot...  30 years ago 

   
   

[Ghoste]

Remember when all of the best speed shops were on or near Gratiot?

[BrianShaughnessy]

Remember when all of the best speed shops were on or near Gratiot?

    Like shopping at Gratiot Auto Supply?      Or when Mancini was actually in Detroit? 

    There was a lot of people hanging out in the strip mall parking lots here and there.   The old Korvette's store (12 mile ?)  was a big hangout for awhile but the late 70's we got chased out of a lot of places.    There was some Sunoco down around 9 Mile where I got the last 96 octane 260 I remember.    Then we got older and went to the Main Act at 10 1/2 and listened to the bar bands and pretended we knew how to dance... when it was closing time we got White Castles at the corner then went and found more beer to take back to somebodies house.

   But mostly I remember racing some stupid vette up Gratiot from somewhere around Macomb mall and bending up pushrods and losing oil pressure when the lifters popped up.   My friend's dad came down from Armada and towed our sorry azzes back at the end of a chain behind his chebbie PU.   

    Well,  I remember the Gratiot location in Utica on Van Dyke just north of Hall Rd in what used to be an A&P or something like that better than the Gratiot store.    I got back the ISKY adjustable rocker arms and fatazz pushrods that I bought there when Sinnamon came out to her new home. 

[Ghoste]

Did you ever go to Angelucci's for parts?  They were off Gratiot too back then.

[hemi-hampton]

Well,  I remember the Gratiot location in Utica on Van Dyke just north of Hall Rd in what used to be an A&P or something like that better than the Gratiot store.    I got back the ISKY adjustable rocker arms and fatazz pushrods that I bought there when Sinnamon came out to her new home.


Interesting, I lived right behind Gratiot Auto Supply in Utica. Lived there from mid 60's to late70's. My Mom worked there in late 60's when it was A&P then around 1975 or 76 they changed it to Gratiot auto supply. I remember On Grand Opening day they had Linda "MISS HURST" Vaughn there signing autographed pictures & giving out Gratiot Auto supply decals/bumper sticker. I got both, still may have the decals somewhere. Spent all of the 80's Cruising Gration & going to the Main Act bar when it was called the Ritz. Had lots of buddy's in Bands that played there. Good ol Days, Brings back Memories. LEON.

[elacruze]

Photos!

I have a bunch more on my other camera.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pressureangle/

[drifter69]

Looks like alot of nice cars there. And a sweet looking 68.

[71ChallengeHer]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.