Michigan's largest Cars & Coffee event series kicked off Saturday at M1 Concourse in Pontiac.
The free family-friendly aims to celebrate various genres of automakers every month.
This week's theme was Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. However, other brands also participated, bringing the vehicle count to over 2000.
"Well, it's the car enthusiasts who make it possible. If they don't show up, we just got a lot of coffee," said Tim McGrane, CEO of M1 Concourse.
McGrane says the goal is to have the event on the first Saturday of every month with a different theme.
"Whether they bring a car, or just park at our spectator area, they can come over, and enjoy what we have here," said McGrane.
There were some unique ones as well, including a 1974 Volkswagen Thing.
Dan Pierce bought it three years ago to take his family out on drives, including his two grandkids.
"It's got an air-cooled 4-cylinder engine that was designed in the 30s. It's a magnesium block, aluminum head. I like taking the top down, flopping the windshield forward, driving straight through town at 20 mph, and just cruising," said Pierce.
Pierce also loves that the car comes with an AM/FM A-Track CB.
"They are awesome. You can find A-track tapes all over the place, online or sometimes I find them at thrift shops," said Pierce.
While on the topic of rare finds, another participant, Frank Jiovani, was showing off his customized street-legal Legends car.
"It's based on the 1937 Dodge coup," said Jiovani.
With a motorcycle engine and a spec racing body, Franks says it meets all the safety standards while packing a whole lot of fun.
"How long did it take for you to customize this?" I asked.
"It took about four months. So, I have two kids at home, so in my free time, I was able to spend just a couple of hours working in the garage over the winter. And this is the first outing for this car," said Jiovani.
"Obviously, this event is for Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln vehicles. Do you feel out of place?" I asked.
"No, you can see the variety of vehicles around here. I totally feel in place with the motorheads and car enthusiasts around the metro Detroit area," said Jiovani.
The M1 Concourse Cars and Coffee wraps up in October. The next showcase is on May 4th. To learn more, head to www.m1concourse.com/cars-and-coffee/.
