Thread: the american graffiti car show & cruise in in petaluma calif.

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is anyone going the the 35 year aniversery cruse-in for american graffiti cruise-in, in petaluma calif. this may 15-17 2008?? most of the original cast will be there!!!!!. petaluma is the towm were most of the film was made. has anyone be to this cruise-in, in the past years? is it a good show to attend? I am considering driving my '57 chevy from indianapolis to petaluma to attend, unless this is just a hyped -up deal ? would like any info from people with first hand knowledge of the show!!!!

never been so im not gonna trash a show that could more than likely be very cool, but a few of the actors i wouldnt get caught at a dogfight with..
of course there are a few i would like to meet ..

bo hopkins would be at the very top of that list..

No way I can make it, but I sure do hope somebody gets a bunch of pics!!!!!

That show is only a few minutes south from where I am but I've never attended. They only allow about 200 cars and it's always filled up from the previous years entrants. I could just go and be a spectator but I'd rather participate.

I hear it's a great show though.

It's my home town, and I was killing myself trying to figure out how to get my truck on the road by then! I gave up, but will definately be there, work schedule permitting, and I will take a lot of photos! We are a small for California town of about 50-55k people. Petaluma is a great place. If you come out I'm sure you'll have a good time, and I'd love to meet you. It's a pretty time of the year, weather is usually gorgious and people here are friendly, not to mention tons of great restaurants! We are also only 45 minutes from the beautiful coast line, so a cruise up the US 1 is a must. After being in S. Calif. the hot rod scene is more subdued here, but very active! I would come because it is smaller, easier to get around and a great Victorian downtown to visit.
Here is what I found on the web
Event Dates: May 15, 2008 - May 17, 2008
Location: Petaluma, California

Petaluma’s Salute to American Graffiti is an annual celebration of the “happy days” of the ‘50s and early ‘60s as portrayed in George Lucas’ 1973 film, American Graffiti. This year’s festivities will take place on May 15, 16 and 17, 2008 and will include the Classic Car Extravaganza and American Graffiti Downtown Cruise on the streets of Petaluma, where most of the scenes in the movie were filmed in the early summer of 1972.

Come cruise the same streets where the movie was filmed. Meet the stars of the movie. See the cars that helped make this movie great, the 32 Ford, 55 Chevy, 58 Impala and the 56 T-Bird. Come join us at our downtown street dance as our live bands play all the latest 50's hits.

This years show is dedicated to Manuel Padilla Jr. (Carlos the Pharaoh) 1955 - 2008 RIP my friend.

2008 marks a special year for both the movie and our town of Petaluma. It's Petaluma's 150th birthday and American Graffiti's 35th anniversary so we plan to make this event a big one with lots of special happenings, but we can't tell you because it's a secret! "Stand by for Justice 2!"

Join us at our "VIP Dinner with the Stars" on May 15th. We still have a few tickets left, so make your reservations now. Check out our website for more information, www.Americangraffiti.net We're sorry, but our car show is full.

American Graffiti Salute is produced by Cruisin’ The Boulevard, Inc., an all-volunteer, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit California Public Benefit Corporation. A significant portion of the proceeds from each annual Salute benefit our own community projects; schools; and other community programs that focus on the arts, history, health, safety and welfare of Petaluma.

If I still haven't convinced you, we have a local brew pub(Dempsey's), and a microbrewery(Laganitas) too!

Has anybody here seen the American Graffiti deuce in person? Any thoughts about the car? What is it's history?

I am going to fly into oakland if I can get a reasonable plane ticket

Originally Posted by hottrodd57

I am going to fly into oakland if I can get a reasonable plane ticket

At the present state of affairs you're going to need some luck finding a reasonably priced ticket.

I've seen the duece. It is a "real" car, not a mocked up show car. I would consider it pretty period correct. It's not a spotless show car. It looks like something that a talented gas station mechanic would build in the day.

Pat

If you guys come out, I'll buy you all a round at the local brew pub. I have to work saturday, but not until after 2pm!

Cindy (we need to crush them all) Williams , shes probablly discussing
how easy it would be to do away with the evil lil 55 chevy!!
she could just step on the little sucker and crush it!!
and the Fonz! HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!! no idea what hes doin there..


Paul Lemat , time has not been kind my friend , but i have heard hes a hell of
a nice guy , not sure what he charges for autographes..

Went to a car show a few years back where Candy Clark, Bo Hopkins and Paul LeMat were there. All were decent people and easy to talk with. The 32was not at the show (I believe it was in private hands at that time) and the Merc and 55 Chevy were borrowed clones owned by some local rodders. I didn't get any autographs, because I am not in to paying for that stuff. Nice not to have to pay just to talk. But many, many did.

Steve wrote: We are a small for California town of about 50-55k people.

Wow!! Steve, in my neck of the woods, a small town is about 300 - 500 people. Man, Petaluma would be a big city to us. Closest thing that size would probably be Harrisburg PA (State Capital) and even that is about 10% smaller than Petaluma.

Bob the nice thing about our town is that is is surrounded by agriculture/ chicken and cattle farms. So we aren't part of the sprawl from 45 miles south to the Golden Gate bridge. We also survived the 1906 earth quake so the heart of the downtown is much as it was during the turn of the century. Most old buildings are still in use (our feed mill is a 24 hour fitness!) Funny on a side note, George Lucus was instramental in getting us a new theatre after the old one pulled out quite a few years ago. A bunch of girl scouts approached him with a buissness plan, and now we have a cool new theatre that has a retro 50's markee all in neon and two rocket towers!
Petaluma was only 22 k people 30 years ago, but has grown. We now have strick growth limits designed to keep the herritage of the town intact. It is very unique in this part of the country where most of the towns around us have exploded with growth and strip malls. We still have a lot of mom and pop shops thriving here!

Originally Posted by Stu Cool

I've seen the duece. It is a "real" car, not a mocked up show car. I would consider it pretty period correct. It's not a spotless show car. It looks like something that a talented gas station mechanic would build in the day.

Pat

I was disappointed at the NSRA show in Sacramento in 2006, I understood that the American Graffiti duece was supposed to be there with Paul LeMat, well.....as it turned out no one knew anything about it and neither were there. I understand that someone in the bay area owns the car now. Stu,
where did you see the car at? Is there some regular venue where they display it?