Bloomfield Hills: Dream Cruise Traffic, Weather Keeping People Happy

The is over, but our live blog from Bloomfield locations all day is ready to transport you back to a wonderful day.

7:35 p.m.: The sun is setting along Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Township, but something tells me the Dream Cruise isn't over just yet.

5:35 p.m.: Why They're Here

The clean-up is under way as the 8th annual Bloomfield Township Classic Car Show is now officially over. Earlier, as soon as patrons of the Bloomfield Township Classic Car Show turned from the parking lot to toward the front of the Mercedes Benz dealership facing Woodward Avenue, they were greeting by a sparkling red muscle car that even non-gearheads could appreciate. It's hood raised and impressive engine exposed, it appeared ready to take on any other car moving along Woodward.

But "Unlawful," as it was named by it's late owner Gary Davis, would stay put today, parked in a perfect spot to represent why the car show exists in the first place. Davis, 36, . His death at the hands of a speeding motorist in 2004 had a profound impact on the department that is easily still felt today.

"That really kickstarted this effort, and it really why we're here," said Capt. Scott McCanham, who also serves as president of the Bloomfield Township Police Department's Benevolent Association. The group receives proceeds from the classic car show to help the families of local officers that are killed or injured in the line of duty.

"We love having (his car) here to help make that connection," McCanham said of having 'Unlawful' on site for the first time during the Woodward Dream Cruise.

According to the sign placed nearby, Davis had a passion for racing and detailing the vehicle, which was equipped with a 618 horsepower HP 440 wedge engine that could run a quarter-mile in 10.70 seconds at 124 mph.

4:30 p.m.: All the fun isn't just on Woodward's south end in Bloomfield Township. There are large crowds — two-to-three rows deep in some places — on both sides of Woodward near Square Lake Road, where local eateries and restaurants are bustling. Free parking . . . if you can find a spot!

4 p.m.: the Corvette, the Mustang, the Trans Am . . . the debates about the best sports car can be overheard amongst groups of Dream Cruise gawkers between the throttle of engines roaring along. But there's little debate about today's weather and the impact it's having.

"It's just a picture-perfect day. We couldn't have asked for a better two days than we've had," said Rachel Hindelang, of the Bloomfield Hills Optimist Club. The organization had volunteers at both township events Friday and today.

3:15 p.m.: For those watching the Woodward Dream Cruise in Bloomfield Township, a single car can inspire memories of song.

Rob Deakin of Sterling Heights has worked for six consecutive years as the DJ at Mercedes Benz Bloomfield, where parking costs benefit Bloomfield Township Fire Department charities and the Bloomfield Hills Optimists Club.

There is no event that quite compares.

"This is the fun aspect of what I do because I always have a front row seat," said the Sterlig Heights resident who recently turned 50. "Cars as much more than a means of transportation, they hold a connection to the era." 

Deakin works without a set playlist, choosing popular music from seven decades with help from onlookers like Jim Bird, who requested the Animals' version of "House of the Rising Sun." "I saw a 1968 GTO just drive by and remembered that time," said Bird, 67, of Clarkston.

"That's when we had am radio, two stations, and drag raced between stoplights a quarter mile apart."

The irony of playing music on cd and mp3 isn't lost on Deakin. "Someone came up to me and said, 'You use CDs? How retro!"

2:30 p.m.: A handful of volunteers from the Bloomfield Hills Optimist Club just finished their shift working the parking lots and T-shirt booths at the Bloomfield Township Classic Car Show. Proceeds from today's festivities will help their efforts to engage and empower local youth.

"We're the friend of youth in this community, and the Dream Cruise is an extremely family-friendly event, so it's a perfect place for us to be," said Stuart McCormick, an Optimist Club member and past president. "Every penny we collect today will go to children in our community in some capacity."

2 p.m.: Officials with the Bloomfield Township Police Department report no incidents, injuries or any general mischief thus far along the Woodward Avenue coridoor. Several are on bike patrols through the parking lots and along the main drag.

1:15 p.m.: Detroit Pistons Mascot Hooper and several members of the 'Automotion' dance team are on scene trying to get people fired up about the upcoming season. He has not attempted to fit in any of the DeLoreans . . . yet.

11:40 a.m: The inaugural run of the Friday was an overwhelming success, said Leslie Helwig, the township's director of community relations.

"People were lined up here before we could even get started. It was much more than we expected," Helwig said today during the Saturday morning.

For $15, more than 50 participants took a 15-minute ride in one of the Superformance Cobra vehicles to help benefit the Bloomfield Hills Optimist Club, Bloomfield Township Fire Department Charities and Bloomfield Township Police Department Benevolent Fund. Rider's had their pictures taken in their favorite Cobras and will be included in compiled gallery for the township's website. and Facebook.

Due to congestion on Woodward and the high interest, Helwig said the event last about 30 minutes longer than expected.

"The cars were gorgeous, the drivers were wonderful and people came back just so excited," she said.

10:20 a.m.: Pat 'the Book' Caputo broadcasting live on 97.1 FM The Ticket from the parking lot of the . Ponders what car of today will be the classics of tomorrow?

9:40 a.m.: 40 minutes in and crowds are starting to show up. Plenty of parking left at the .

6 a.m.: Who says the Dream Cruise is all about cars? A new event this year, the , will be held on southbound Woodward between Normandy and 13 Mile Road from 7:30 to 9 a.m. today. Registration for the  starts at 6:30 a.m. The course start line located behind on Yorba Linda Boulevard.

5 a.m.: Temperatures will be in the low 70's today under mostly sunny skies, the National Weather Service says  — perfect cruising weather. Last year, forced authorities to call off the festivities early so.

Patch editors Judy Davids and Tim Rath contributed to this report.