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Thread: Hot Rodders in the North West

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    Hot Rodders in the North West

    Are you guys still out there?

    I went to the Preston cruise Friday just gone. I expected a cracking turn out with the weather being how it’s been, but there was much there was a few cool trucks and a couple nice yanks but not one hot rod. I remember being a kid and Preston cruise was something I looked forward to back when it was at the docks.
    On summer nights the place was packed cars everywhere, there was a buzz in the air and even the odd bit of crazy like when smax brought his top fuel dragster down and fired it up on axle stands. There was the burnouts as people left, people selling parts, and even the hot rod gazette.
    I’m just wondering is the Preston cruise really dead or is there something else hurting it?
    The north west needs a decent meet again!


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    NSRA member baz67's Avatar
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    Me and the missus had planned to go taking both cars, chevy pickup and a rod, unfortunately crisis at work meant we didn't get home in time to get there. But I agree we could do with another good meet. We do enjoy going to Preston tho and look forward to it each month.

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    Sadly the hot rod gazette has long gone and it'll be a few years yet before my willys is on the road!

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    Perhaps a clash with a weekend event somewhere? From my experience Preston is a shadow of it's former self (i also recall how it used to be exactly as you describe). That said, it does still have some good nights. Never fear, hot rodding is still alive and well in the North West. Rainy City Cruisers are still going strong in Manchester, meeting every Wednesday night in reddish, and also a daytime monthly meet, the third Sunday of every month at the Old School BBQ Ranch in Hollinwood (see my article on the inaugral event in the Summer issue of CC). Also Northern Car Cruiser meet monthly. Pages for all of the action can be found on FB if you are that way inclined!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by baz67 View Post
    Me and the missus had planned to go taking both cars, chevy pickup and a rod, unfortunately crisis at work meant we didn't get home in time to get there. But I agree we could do with another good meet. We do enjoy going to Preston tho and look forward to it each month.
    Yeah I agree that it’s a ok a cruise with some good nights but I would but, I just can’t help think maybe it could be more with a little help somewhere and hopefully the weather stay for next month



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    Quote Originally Posted by Willys coop v8 View Post
    Sadly the hot rod gazette has long gone and it'll be a few years yet before my willys is on the road!
    Yeah I love looking through my dads stash but then that just reminds me of how it used to be, and maybe with a more lively cruise the gazette could make some sort of a comeback


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    Quote Originally Posted by billyboy132 View Post
    Perhaps a clash with a weekend event somewhere? From my experience Preston is a shadow of it's former self (i also recall how it used to be exactly as you describe). That said, it does still have some good nights. Never fear, hot rodding is still alive and well in the North West. Rainy City Cruisers are still going strong in Manchester, meeting every Wednesday night in reddish, and also a daytime monthly meet, the third Sunday of every month at the Old School BBQ Ranch in Hollinwood (see my article on the inaugral event in the Summer issue of CC). Also Northern Car Cruiser meet monthly. Pages for all of the action can be found on FB if you are that way inclined!!
    I thought that to but just thought I’d put some feelers out there see if there was something more to it, I keep meaning to check these Manchester cruises out, I’m hearing nothing but good things and I’ll be sure to read your article, but still can’t get past how good the riversway cruise was and can’t help thinking could once again be some how. Being a non FB user I do feel I miss a little, but surely people still spread the word by word of mouth, right?


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    NSRA member morris's Avatar
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    Sad fact Preston isn't as good as it was , think a few things factor in the price of fuel people don't travel fro Liverpool or Yorkshire for the night , the demise of the HRG didn't help as it was their local cruise ( they didn't run it ) as they advertised it very well , and remember there's not a lot of new blood and the cruise is 24 years old first one being April 94, lost a few friends in those years

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    Quote Originally Posted by morris View Post
    Sad fact Preston isn't as good as it was , think a few things factor in the price of fuel people don't travel fro Liverpool or Yorkshire for the night , the demise of the HRG didn't help as it was their local cruise ( they didn't run it ) as they advertised it very well , and remember there's not a lot of new blood and the cruise is 24 years old first one being April 94, lost a few friends in those years
    Most months we go, and normally there will be 3 or 4 other cars with us, all travelling from Liverpool, we also meet up with a couple of friends who make a long trip down from the Lakes! (they usually have a Friday off). But I do think it needs a little more to attract others, we enjoy just going for a cruise anyway but this gives us somewhere to head to and meet new people.

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    Still try and get down a couple of times a year. Last time was in April although there were only four or five cars there. Definitely down in numbers over the last few years. Still it is my local cruise even if it is 200 miles away.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gerry28a View Post
    Still try and get down a couple of times a year. Last time was in April although there were only four or five cars there. Definitely down in numbers over the last few years. Still it is my local cruise even if it is 200 miles away.

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    See this is exactly what I’d like to see there a nice clean A truck to have a good scan round but I can see why don’t make it out each months 200miles it’s a tall ask for a night where you coming from Ireland??


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    Quote Originally Posted by baz67 View Post
    Most months we go, and normally there will be 3 or 4 other cars with us, all travelling from Liverpool, we also meet up with a couple of friends who make a long trip down from the Lakes! (they usually have a Friday off). But I do think it needs a little more to attract others, we enjoy just going for a cruise anyway but this gives us somewhere to head to and meet new people.
    See this what I’m thinking is the location killing it a little, there’s no real motorway links for people that are coming a distance, have to get of the motorway and then make your way to the other side of Preston might put people off, but then is it a time thing maybe Friday nights people are as free as they used to be, I really don’t know but like you. I like there to be a bit more ( I need a kick in the butt to get car finished my dad to, and think this would help ) maybe a northern show that lasted more than a couple of years??


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    Quote Originally Posted by morris View Post
    Sad fact Preston isn't as good as it was , think a few things factor in the price of fuel people don't travel fro Liverpool or Yorkshire for the night , the demise of the HRG didn't help as it was their local cruise ( they didn't run it ) as they advertised it very well , and remember there's not a lot of new blood and the cruise is 24 years old first one being April 94, lost a few friends in those years
    I understand the young blood isn’t as strong as it needs to be either but surely there’s still enough tricks and rods knocking around to get a bit of that old buzz back. Maybe there time of the meet hurts it, Sunday cruises seem to be more and more common in many car circles.


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    It was Pete Whiteside and myself who organised the first Preston/ Riversway cruise and it attracted about half a dozen vehicles if my memory serves me.I got the lads from Blackpool to go and Pete chased up others from around the NW.Word soon spread and the numbers steadily grew and we moved over the road from the small car park onto Morrisons car park.Pete and Sandra approached the manager and got the ok as long as the shoppers were not inconvenienced and no silly antics by the cruise attendees.

    All was well for a few years and cars came from far and wide, even had a few Swedish HotRods turn up one Friday night.A couple of hot hatch type cars snook in and parked up one night and behaved themselves,next a couple more and the tailgates went up and dance music was blasted out.One night Pete had to remonstrate with one of them for driving like an idiot in the carpark.It was about this time I stopped attending as the laid back atmosphere had changed and you were constantly looking out for the idiots to do something stupid.

    Eventually the management at Morrisons had had enough and stopped the cars from using their carpark so it was moved to the Lea Gate pub just up the road.This venue was always used previously after the meet at Morrisons along with the OK Diner across the road when it was there.The traffic lights at the exit of The cruise lead onto a dual carriageway all the way to the pub,and cars would pair up and race the full length.The move seemed to breath new life into the meet and it attracted a good selection of cars and great people and the " Hatch" problem went away.

    I got out of going and missed a couple of years if not more.I went over one Friday in my then 40 coupe but could not find a space due to modern cars and hatchbacks and did not recognise a soul.We turned around and went for a drive instead.I do not know if this was a one off or if that is the norm these days,none of the lads from around here attend any more for similar reasons.It used to be a meet up for Hotrods and American motors but was killed by its own success and too many stock cars from spectators and hatchback hang ons.

    This is entirely my own take on things and others may well have a different standpoint.I hope it gets back to its former glory,as we had some amazing nights there......as with most things,you only miss it when it's gone.

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    NSRA member morris's Avatar
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    Met some guys on that first night 24 years ago who are still good friends Nige , we have had a lot of fun since then , I'ts not just a Riversway problem was at Leeds cruise a while back , been going since 78 , and that was full of hatchs and retro stuff who infect advertise it on fb . RCC Sunday morning BBQ is going strong but the thing with sundays they clash with shows .
    Nige as you say the Lee Gate was always the meet after the meet but was never really suitable for the main cruise , the stint at the Grasshoppers never really worked either
    Sam the A truck comes from Scotland

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    Thanks Morris, I thought up that way first, but I thought the was a nice little hub of hot rodders and American guys up in Scotland, so I just presumed there was a cruise somewhere up there.

    And hotroddeuce I understand the hot Hatcher’s ruining things only being 3 or 4 when the cruise was starting up, by the time the max power/ fast n furious craze swept the country that’s what my mates were into and I was never a fan, but thanks to the cruise I was brought up on proper cars. And I think the hobby needs busy cruises up and down the country to get young people into it.

    I’m going to try attend a rainy city cruisers night, some time in the coming weeks, hopefully there’s a good turn for both weather and cars, i was even thinking if the north had a good show or two, but I can’t imagine the work it would take to get something like that going.



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    Quote Originally Posted by Hotroddeuce View Post
    It was Pete Whiteside and myself who organised the first Preston/ Riversway cruise and it attracted about half a dozen vehicles if my memory serves me.I got the lads from Blackpool to go and Pete chased up others from around the NW.Word soon spread and the numbers steadily grew and we moved over the road from the small car park onto Morrisons car park.Pete and Sandra approached the manager and got the ok as long as the shoppers were not inconvenienced and no silly antics by the cruise attendees.

    All was well for a few years and cars came from far and wide, even had a few Swedish HotRods turn up one Friday night.A couple of hot hatch type cars snook in and parked up one night and behaved themselves,next a couple more and the tailgates went up and dance music was blasted out.One night Pete had to remonstrate with one of them for driving like an idiot in the carpark.It was about this time I stopped attending as the laid back atmosphere had changed and you were constantly looking out for the idiots to do something stupid.

    Eventually the management at Morrisons had had enough and stopped the cars from using their carpark so it was moved to the Lea Gate pub just up the road.This venue was always used previously after the meet at Morrisons along with the OK Diner across the road when it was there.The traffic lights at the exit of The cruise lead onto a dual carriageway all the way to the pub,and cars would pair up and race the full length.The move seemed to breath new life into the meet and it attracted a good selection of cars and great people and the " Hatch" problem went away.

    I got out of going and missed a couple of years if not more.I went over one Friday in my then 40 coupe but could not find a space due to modern cars and hatchbacks and did not recognise a soul.We turned around and went for a drive instead.I do not know if this was a one off or if that is the norm these days,none of the lads from around here attend any more for similar reasons.It used to be a meet up for Hotrods and American motors but was killed by its own success and too many stock cars from spectators and hatchback hang ons.

    This is entirely my own take on things and others may well have a different standpoint.I hope it gets back to its former glory,as we had some amazing nights there......as with most things,you only miss it when it's gone.
    Suppose I am guilty as well having not been for about 12 years (yikes, where did time go ) or more, don't know why to be honest as I really liked going, and have met lifelong friends from that little car park at the side of the River, (I was a lot younger then!!!) so maybe as I have got older I have become a lot lazier or is it the internet?, as back then you would meet up to find out what was going on , who was building what etc etc nowadays it's all over the internet in an instant.....

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    I try to go when I can, maybe 6 times per year, look out for my green 58 Apache.


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    Quote Originally Posted by Magneto View Post
    Suppose I am guilty as well having not been for about 12 years (yikes, where did time go ) or more, don't know why to be honest as I really liked going, and have met lifelong friends from that little car park at the side of the River, (I was a lot younger then!!!) so maybe as I have got older I have become a lot lazier or is it the internet?, as back then you would meet up to find out what was going on , who was building what etc etc nowadays it's all over the internet in an instant.....
    Very true the internet has took over the social, but nothing beats actually seeing and hearing the cars in person but least you’re last memories will of the better days

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    Quote Originally Posted by uber cool View Post
    I try to go when I can, maybe 6 times per year, look out for my green 58 Apache.

    I’ll definitely be on the look out for you truck next time I’m up there


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