Cruisin' the Dam Car Show and Cruz-In at Carlyle, Illinois

I own a 1969 Pontiac GTO. It is far from show quality, but I love to go to car shows and dream that someday my car might proudly sit among the rest of them. On August 12, 2011, I attended the "Cruisin' the Dam Car Show and Cruz-In" at Carlyle Lake in Carlyle, Illinois. I found many GTOs to admire, along with other perfectly restored classic cars. I always look them over first and then search out the strange and interesting cars on show.

The Strange Cars at the Cruisin' the Dam Car Show

A group of hearses was attracting a lot of attention from show enthusiasts. Six of them were lined up as if putting on a Halloween exhibit. One in particular was getting squeals and laughter as onlookers stepped up to see the coffin in the back. Imagine their surprise when the coffin slid out towards them, emitting smoke.

The group of hearses came from several locations, but were all from friends and members of a hearse club. I spoke with Ray Kienzler who owned the hearse with the sliding coffin and who brought his car down from Springfield, Illinois. The others came from Collinsville, Madison, and Oakville, Illinois, I was told, and one was from as far away as Arnold, Missouri.

The owners all seemed to be having a great time as people stopped to look and ask questions about their "strange" classic cars. The kids especially loved this group, and some squealed in delight, while other kids were skeptical about getting too close.

The Interesting Cars at the Cruisin' the Dam Car Show

There were cars of every type on display, so everyone was sure to find something they loved. The selection ranged from old restored Jeeps to a Lamborghini that was for sale. Bill and Vicky Ernst, from Albers, Illinois, were displaying a 1984 Toyota 4x4 in a unique way. They had a series of logs tied together and had one of the front wheels balanced on them so you could get a good look underneath.

Bill said that he bought the truck in 2002 for $500. He had turned it into a flat-bed complete with a lift kit and a flamed paint job and said he had done all of the work himself. Those are the kind of custom cars that interest me the most. If you have the money, any custom shop can do the work, but when you do it yourself, a lot of love, sweat, and tears go into the project. I hope to put that same love, sweat, and tears into my GTO.

Some History of the Cruisin the Dam Car Show

The 19th Annual Cruisin' the Dam Car Show and Cruz-In is a huge car show that began as a small show in Bartelso, Illinois. The show is sponsored by Carl's 4-Wheel Drive & Performance Center. Carl Huels said that after a few years the show outgrew his space and moved to the McDonald's parking lot in Carlyle. After six or seven years, the show then moved to The Mariners Village Micro Motel on Carlyle Lake. The expansive lawns and view of the lake are a perfect setting to display the cars and enjoy a day of socializing with other car enthusiasts.

The latest event was threatened by rain and storms, but it didn't stop people from attending, and according to Carl, an estimated 250 to 300 cars were in attendance. Carl credits Dick Connors with helping out with this event and being responsible for working with the Corps of Engineers to make the cruise across the dam possible.

I spoke with Carl the day after the show, and he was pleased with the turnout, despite the early rain. Carl said, "There is never a registration fee, there is no judging, nor or any trophies given out to say one car is better then the other." Carl's purpose in doing this show is too keep it a fun, family-oriented place for people to continue to come to year after year. There are always games for kids, giveaways, and live entertainment.