CNY Mustang Club’s 42nd Year of their Spring Car Show

Mike Eves: [00:00:00] It’s X 1 0 1, always classic. I am Mike Eves here in the studio with me, Bill O’Gorman of Royal Auto Nissan. And of course he’s with the CNY Mustang Club as well. And, uh, can you believe it? You guys are already having your, uh, your spring car show coming up. It’s gonna be this Sunday, uh, May 18th. Bill, wanna welcome to the studio?

How are you? How have you been? 

Bill O’Gorman: I’m good. It’s great to be here. It’s, uh, been a while. It. Looks so different. There’s no records, no eight tracks. 

Mike Eves: Yeah. So it’s been a few number of years. Yeah. Yeah. Things a little bit different here too, and I know things are a little bit different too, but the cars are still the, the classics and the hot rods too, right?

Bill, you’re gonna bring out some of yours, right? 

Bill O’Gorman: Oh, absolutely. You know, it’s, uh, the cars. The music and the people. Yeah. That’s kind of what makes Century New York the way it is. 

Mike Eves: Mm-hmm. 

Bill O’Gorman: And this is 42 years 

Mike Eves: Wow. 

Bill O’Gorman: Of doing this car show. 

Mike Eves: Wow. That’s 42 years. We were talking a little bit before. I remember when I was, you know, just not even able to walk.

Coming down in the, and coming down and seeing, I know we as kids, we used to sit in the back of the front seat of your cars when we ripping [00:01:00] down the road with you guys. And the car show. So yeah, let’s kind of get into that too. It’s, um, all makes, all models classic cars, right. Bill and you guys, you meet over in Marathon, right.

And then you guys, um, you know, with a police escort Yeah. Wet, you know, so come on down. So down a 

Bill O’Gorman: few years ago. 

Mike Eves: Yeah. 

Bill O’Gorman: You know, we, this started, you know, in 1982. Wow. There was a car show. Marathon to Cortland, they ended at the, uh, at a and w. 

Mike Eves: Mm-hmm. 

Bill O’Gorman: And so the next year I thought I’d get involved and they met down in Marathon at the Corners and there was an ice cream stand there.

Mike Eves: Mm-hmm. 

Bill O’Gorman: And, uh, they said, uh, yeah, we’re not doing it again. See ya. And they all stood up and walked out and I’m thinking, well, somebody should do this. And so I, I put it together. Local businesses helped make it go. Your, your dad and the station have been with us ever since the official station of the cruise night and mm-hmm.

And here we are, 42 years later doing the same thing. We’ve ended it, A and w we’ve ended at the SUNY parking lot. Yeah. Many nights on Main Street. 

Mike Eves: Oh [00:02:00] yeah. I remember those times too. Yeah. And now 

Bill O’Gorman: we end at the, uh, the court lanes bowling alley out on, uh. 13 and 2 81. 

Mike Eves: Yeah, that’s right. Of course. Plenty of space out there.

And we have our fingers crossed. Hope we’ve gotten all the rain out of the way and things too. Um, and yeah, so of course anyone’s invited to if you can’t make the cruise from Marathon to, to Coral. And everyone’s still invited, right? Bill? 

Bill O’Gorman: Oh, all makes, all models and, uh, you know, the hot rods, the classics, but you know, it’s always neat when you’re walking around.

You can smell the fresh paint. The guy who just got it finished. Oh yeah. Or they’re still out there tuning. They, they had to get it ready for this show. Oh. 

Mike Eves: They’re buffering with the wax. 

Bill O’Gorman: Oh, 

Mike Eves: with it? With the spray and stuff. Yeah. And you 

Bill O’Gorman: see cars that we haven’t seen. Yeah. You see new ones every year.

Other cars that changed. There’s 

Mike Eves: some cool nineties ones too. We were talking about that too, before you see some really cool nineties cars that Wow. Yeah. That is a classic Now, some of those old thunderbirds and things. 

Bill O’Gorman: That’s right. And we don’t say no to anybody. Yeah. If you think it’s special, we will find a place for it.

Mike Eves: Awesome. That’s awesome. Bill, any costs or anything like that? What time does it start? 

Bill O’Gorman: [00:03:00] Well, it’s, it’s a $5. It’s been $5 now for 42 years. Yeah. We’re not gonna raise it. 

Mike Eves: Yeah. 

Bill O’Gorman: That helps to fray the insurance cost in there. Oh yeah. We, uh, meet in Marathon at Level Field, the parking lot down there at one o’clock.

Mike Eves: Okay. 

Bill O’Gorman: Everybody kind of gathers, hangs out visits. We leave at two o’clock with a police escort. Yep. And cruise up Route 11 and in Port Watson Street with an escort. And you know what’s neat is people sitting there for years in their lawn chairs, their kids waving. Yeah, yeah. They’re gonna 

Mike Eves: come out. Or even people in their cars, you know?

Oh my gosh. Yeah. 

Bill O’Gorman: Look, years ago. There was kids, they grew up, they had kids. Now they’re bringing their grandkids. It’s been a tradition. Yeah. Yeah. We’re talking 

Mike Eves: three generations. Four, even four generations. Some of the great, great grandfathers, they had their cars and they’re out there now with their grandkids.

That’s awesome, bill. Yeah, 

Bill O’Gorman: and we invite other clubs, people and clubs come from Pennsylvania. Mm-hmm. They come from Syracuse. It’s not just the Mustangs, it’s. Yeah, the love of the classic cruising [00:04:00] cars 

Mike Eves: and it’s really, you guys, I think have one of the earliest car shows in May. You know, so it’s pretty cool.

You guys kind of kick off the car season and you know, and 

Bill O’Gorman: that’s It’s rain or shine. Yeah, we are gonna get ’em out. They’re meant to be driven. It’s the only car show that you can go to. Mm-hmm. And they’re moving. 

Mike Eves: Yeah. Starts 

Bill O’Gorman: in one community, ends in another. It’s not being trailered, they’re driving them on road.

Yeah. And it was 

Mike Eves: always a lot of fun. Even if you’re, you know, watching them park ’em and stuff Here, you hear all the, you know, you’re hearing all the cars and you’ll hear ’em as you go by. Yeah. That’s for sure. And you know, 

Bill O’Gorman: a shout out to Donna and John over to court lanes. You know, they welcomed us. They made space for us.

You know, they have the public restrooms, they have food and snacks. Mm-hmm. Um, they make it so that the people attending the show to look at the cars. As well as the folks who brought the cars. Yeah. Enjoy themselves and it feels like a family. 

Mike Eves: No, that, that’s awesome. And yeah, that’s awesome. They can open up their doors and, and things too.

It goes a long way. Um, that’s for sure. And plus they’ve got the great parking lot, the great, right off the Tompkin Street, route 13 [00:05:00] grant. They got a great location, huge parking lot, and it’s perfect for it. 

Bill O’Gorman: We fill it every year. So folks, please come on down to Marathon, join us. Down in Marathon and cruise with us to Cortland.

This is Sunday, May 18th again, we’re gonna meet at 1:00 PM at the Level Field parking lot in Marathon, New York. 

Mike Eves: Perfect. Hey Bill, anything else you wanna say? We’re almost outta time here. 

Bill O’Gorman: No, we’re doing great. We love what we’re doing. And you are the official station of Cruise night. I’ll say tap in, always will be.

Yeah. 

Mike Eves: Yeah. Here’s to 42 more years. Bill. Let’s do it. Wait a minute, what? Hey, thanks so much for coming to Bill, growing Royal Al Nissan. Of course, he’s been with the CNY Mustang Club for real long time as well. Bill, thanks so much for coming in. Well, thanks Mike for having me for X 1 0 1. Oh, always classic.

I’m Mike Eves.