Photos from CarQuest Car Show in North Phoenix

Last Saturday, April 17th, I was surprised to come across a small car show in the parking lot of my local CarQuest Auto Parts store. While CarQuest is not as well-known as Auto Zone and Checker Auto Parts, they do have about 3,400 locations nationwide including 20 stores in the Phoenix area.

What caught my attention was not the tent set up in the parking lot or the giant inflatable oil filter with the company's logo, but the row of cars of all different colors gleaming in the midday sun. With camera in hand, I got out to take a look.

The show was small but had a good mix of vehicles. The first thing I happened across was a bright green sand rail with paddle-shaped sand tires. Instead of the usual Volkswagen engine, this one boasted a turbocharged and intercooled 2.2L Ecotec motor. Everything on it looked brand new, as if it had yet to roar across the sand dunes.

Next, a couple of heavily modified 4x4s were on display. There were a couple of Jeep Wranglers, one beautifully restored and one that you could tell had been exploring trails regularly for years. A lifted Jeep Grand Cherokee had its factory taillights removed and a set of round brake lights set into the tailgate, which I thought gave the vehicle an unusual look.

A few steps away I spotted a GMC Syclone pickup truck. These limited-production trucks were produced for one year only in 1991. All of them came equipped with a turbocharged 4.3L V6 engine and all wheel drive. They are still one of the fastest trucks on the road, and I think they've got great styling, too!

Just past the trucks I came across a row of C4 Corvettes with removable hardtops. Their cockpit-like styling was loaded with an array of buttons and switches whose coolness was dwarfed only by the awesomely futuristic digital gauge cluster and information center. Across from that sat a bright red Corvette ZR1 that looked as though it had just rolled off the assembly line. The owner admitted it only had about 36,000 miles on it.

There was also an old-school gasser and a couple of very serious drag cars with air shifters. There was a beautiful silver Chevrolet Nova with a big block V8. Plus, I saw a pair of Chevrolet Caprices that had been converted to dirt track racers by a father-son team.

All in all, the CarQuest Auto Parts car show in North Phoenix was a laid back and fun experience. It wasn't crowded at all and everyone was very friendly. I can hardly wait for the next show!