First Annual Fly-In & Drive-In Roundup

Yesterday was the first annual Fly-In/Drive-In show at the CAF hangar in San Marcos, Texas. Being a "first annual" event, I wasn't sure what the turnout would be, but the allure of classic cars and classic aircraft was more than I could ignore. Thankfully, it was a terrific turnout, with plenty of great cars and awe-inspiring aircraft. Here are some of the machines that attended.

To start things off we have this 1934 Chevrolet Master. Fords of this generation are plentiful at any given car show, but it's not too often you see a Chevrolet from this time period. This one is customized rather nicely with a gorgeous two-tone paint scheme and a sweet set of Hot Wheels rims.

This 1950 Plymouth Suburban was another pleasant surprise. The mild patina shows the little wagon's age, and those curb feelers are a great touch. Vintage station wagons are awesome in my opinion, and this one is one of my favorite examples yet.

That said, I also adored this 1962 Corvair 700. I'm not sure I've seen a prettier shade of blue, and it fits this car perfectly. As far as I could tell, this Corvair is in great condition. It's also one of the most practical classic cars you can drive. I love it.

Mustangs were plentiful at this event, and this 1965 2+2 was a very nice example. The Torque-Thrusts are perfect for this car, and this shade of red is not too dark or too bright, and accentuates the classic lines of the car. It's hard to go wrong with a classic Mustang.

Not all of the Mustangs on hand were Fords. Take, for example, this 1941 P-51D Mustang. Nicknamed "Pecos Bill", this is one of the most iconic aircraft ever built. A WW2 legend, not many P-51s are left, so seeing this one was awesome. The Ford Mustang was actually named after this airplane, not the horse. The horse simply served as a convenient logo.

I imagine the paint on this Bel Air can be seen from space. It is best described as "In-Your-Face Blue", and it makes this classic Chevy hard to miss. 1959 was a great year for the Bel Air, and the design has aged well. The modifications on this car work fairly well, it's a handsome machine.

This 1929 Ford Speedster is bursting with character. Named "Bear Flag Special", it's a one of a kind car, to say the least. The hood straps and vintage helmet in the passenger seat complete the look. It's great to see a car with so much personality.

Here's something you don't see everyday: A 1935 Hudson Terraplane. Hudsons in general have become pretty rare, but the 1930s Hudsons, like this one, are practically extinct. This one has been updated with modern rims, a surprising choice for this car. Still, they look good, and so long as it's being driven I really can't complain.

This 1968 Chevelle SS 396 was simply beautiful. I love muscle cars, and the Chevelle is one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time. This one, looking very nice in silver, had the black decals and white letter tires, must-have items for any muscle car. The big 396 V8 doesn't hurt either.

Another airplane on display was this Nanchang CJ-6. Primarily a training aircraft for the Chinese, it's a very cool classic. I'm digging the checkered nose and yellow wingtips. This is something you don't get to see too often outside of a war museum. Very cool.

This 1956 Chevrolet is a very clean car, and it's pristine condition is amazing, considering it's story. It was wrecked pretty severely a few years back, but the owners slowly rebuilt it to the condition you see here. It's very lucky to have avoided the junkyard, and luckier still to look so good now.

Also in remarkably good condition is this 1941 Dodge Business Coupe. There aren't very many of these around, and this one looks brand new. The chrome and the whitewalls are great, and make this classic really stand out.

This customized 1955 Buick Special is fantastic. The color is unlike anything else, the chrome is spectacular in the sunlight, and the whitewalls match the roof. This Buick really is special.

This 1973 Plymouth Duster was a great little muscle car. Packing the Mopar 340 under the hood, it's a street machine all the way. Cragars on Radial T/A tires are a perfect fit here, and the factory graphics are quintessentially 70's. Super cool.

Last but not least is this spectacular 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The Mach 1 is one of my all-time favorite cars, and this one is particularly nice. Power comes from a 351 Windsor V8, a sturdy motor that Ford used in many of its muscle cars. The only thing I coul complain about is that this shade of red hides the graphics, which are the Mach 1's defining characteristic. The optional spoiler and louvers would be a nice touch, too. Still, a killer car in awesome condition.

That wraps up this roundup here on Shifting Gears, but there's plenty more to come, so stick around.