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Iconic and desirable, this 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air Convertible, one of the Tri-Fives, remains highly coveted 65 years later.
The last of the front-engined Corvettes, this stunning seventh-generation model (2014-2019) was one of the first to greet visitors walking from the parking lot to the green Thursday.
With its egg-crate grille inspired by Ferrari, Chevrolet set the automotive world on its ear in 1955 with this beautiful design that sheared away any post-World War II leftover design cues, bringing "shoe-box" styling into full bloom.
This gorgeous eighth-generation Corvette (2020-present) is the marque's first mid-engine design. Moving the engine just behind the cabin offers benefits and compromises. The car now has a frunk (front trunk) and another storage area in the rear.
What started in 1964 as Pontiac's Gran Turismo Omologato (GTO) on its mid-size LeMans models ended a decade later with this GTO, a package available on the compact, X-body Ventura. Pontiac purists often dismiss this as "not a real GTO." One of the show's restomods is on the right.
More of the vehicles on display Thursday at the American Legion Golf Course at Post #199 in Edwardsville.
Another Malaise Era model is the Dodge Aspen R/T Coupe on the right, with a Ford Mustang restomod in the middle and a current Dodge Challenger on the left.
Classic and modern vehicles of a variety of types and styles were present Thursday at the Kicks on 66 press preview in Edwardsville.
The Corvette's newest model caused a tectonic shift among its customers. The car now attracts a wider variety of customers and sells well but some of the older fans are not happy with the engine location change and the styling. Purists miss the pop-up headlights and round taillights.
C8, left, and C7 on the right, shows just how radical the new design is compared to the old one.
Donald Holtmann's Fathom Green 1969 Camaro SS396 Coupe. The Glen Carbon resident has owned this car for 20 years. He wasn't able to attend the 2021 show but he said he will return next month.
Another wide shot of the cars and trucks lined up on a green at the Golf Course on the Hill in Edwardsville Thursday.
One of the retro classics, designed to harken back to 1930s coachwork, the Excalibur uses GM's 454 CID V-8 and three-speed automatic transmission underneath uniquely styled bodies and wire wheels. These cars, along with those from Stutz and other small-market makers, remain popular.
Two rows of steel, glass, rubber, plastic and fiberglass stretched out on the greens at the American Legion Post 199 Golf Course Thursday.
Kicks on 66 had its annual press preview of classic and modern cars on display ahead of the main event, its third annual regional car and motorcycle show that will take place in the same spot on Saturday, Sept. 10. It is also known as the "Randy Gori Memorial Show." The former attorney and car collector was a driving force behind the effort to bring this show to life before his death in early 2020.
The City of Edwardsville considers the Kicks on 66 show as one of its five, key annual events, organizers say.
Parked under the late summer sun beneath lots of puffy cumulus clouds, classic Volkswagen Beetles rubbed shoulders with modern Ford Mustangs. There were Corvettes galore from several of the vehicle's eight generations. The car notches its 70th anniversary next year and is Chevrolet's second longest-running nameplate after the Suburban, which debuted in 1935. Classic Camaros were present, along with Malaise Era compact coupes, a Pontiac Ventura GTO and a Dodge Aspen R/T. A few Ferraris and BMWs also dotted the course.
For Donald Holtmann of Glen Carbon, who camped out in a deck chair under a big tree for shade, his pride and joy was just a few feet away, his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS396 Coupe. Built at GM's former Norwood, Ohio factory and finished in Fathom Green with white racing stripes, he said he bought the car in 2002.
Third Annual Kicks on 66 Car (and Motorcycle) Show Saturday, Sept. 10 On the Hill Golf Course & Lounge American Legion Post #199 58 South State Road 157 in Edwardsville (across from Woodland Elementary School) Entrant check-in and on-site registration open at 7 a.m. Entries will be accepted on the day of the show. Car show opens at 11 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. but visitors are encouraged to watch arrivals from the clubhouse patio before 11 a.m. Car entry is free, as is admission. There will be food trucks on site in addition to what fare the legion offers.
"I always wanted one since they were new but I couldn't afford the insurance on one," he said. He said he previously owned a 1970 Ford Torino, a mid-sized car then, packed with a 429 CID Cobra-Jet V-8 and while that was enough for a while, he retained his desire for a first-generation F-body Camaro.
Holtmann said he missed last year's show due to family circumstances but he intends to return to the golf course next month, Camaro in tow.
Parked just a few feet away in his own chair enjoying the shade was Pat Garvey of Collinsville. Garvey owns a 1956 Chevrolet Bel-Air Coupe, dressed in white over green. Other than the Corvette from 1953 to 1959, Chevrolet only made one size car that decade, what came to later be called full-size. Compacts, mid-sizers, subcompacts and such all came later. Chevrolet's coupe and sedan came in three flavors: the workaday 150, the mid-level 210 and the top-of-the-line Bel-Air. The rare, two-door Nomad Station Wagon is a chapter unto itself. The 1955-1957 models are collectively known as Tri-Fives and are highly prized.
Garvey said he's owned the Bel-Air for 22 years. He changed out the original V-8 engine for a 350 CID unit backed by a four-speed manual transmission. The car also has power steering and power brakes. Garvey said it's more of a cruiser than a racer but is "fun to drive." A pair of fuzzy dice dangled from the rearview mirror.
"It’s a labor of love so to speak in memory of Randy Gori, a great friend to the huge car culture of motordom scene in STL," said Ryan O'Day, president. "Hope to see all 41 car clubs of STL and beyond represented, including Need 4 Speed Exotics club, Edwardsville Racing Association and many more. We continue to cross-market with other events organizers in the area like Cruisin' on Lindbergh. Car people love connecting and that’s what we provide. A great atmosphere to connect, share ideas, stories and more."
For its inaugural year, the event had 300 cars and motorcycles on the show field and an estimated 1,500 people attended. Now, for the third year, between 650 and 750 vehicles and 2,500 people are expected to come. Organizers say that as of Aug. 19, 284 cars, motorcycles and trucks will be on display next month: antiques, classics, pre-war, post-war, hot rods, restomods, sports cars, exotics, 4x4s, muscle cars, dune buggies and more. Entries come from both sides of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area plus Quincy, Centralia and Columbia, Missouri.
Jeff Kennedy, the show's treasurer and field chair, said he receives more entries daily and he's working a Corvair Club and a Mini Club to get them in.
Admission will be free. The show partners for charity with Backstoppers (nationally) and Partners for Pets (locally). For more information, visit Kicks on 66.
Charles Bolinger covers Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Edwardsville Township and the Collinsville School District for The Edwardsville Intelligencer. A graduate of Webster University in St. Louis, he has been writing for the paper since 2018.