Cruisers never ‘tire’ of Cruisin’ Gratiot

ROSEVILLE — “Seeing this just takes you back in time,” Kathy DiCenzo said as the 23rd annual Cruisin’ Gratiot switched into gear June 18.

DiCenzo, secretary of the Cruisin’ Gratiot committee, was among the many volunteers who helped put on the family-friendly event.

The day included a classic car cruise, on Gratiot Avenue between Eight Mile and 10 Mile roads, and a car show at Eastpointe High School, sponsored by the engineering firm of Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, which is located in Shelby Township.

The parade of vintage vehicles that adorned the city drew in car buffs and brought back memories of cruising Gratiot in days gone by. The car show also drew in spectators who shared stories about their antique automobiles.

Ken Tolksdorf, of Warren, found a corner spot in the high school parking lot to display his 1977 Chrysler New Yorker, which he purchased in 2013.

“It was fate. We saw it on a used car lot at 12 Mile and Dequindre,” he said. “It wasn’t selling.”

Although it needed some polish, a battery and a tune-up, it was his wife, Helen, who said, “Go ahead and buy it.”

“It was in pretty good shape,” Helen said of the Wedgwood blue car that had 34,000 original miles on it. “A lot of people say it’s a pretty car.”

The Tolksdorfs, their sons Nicholas and Alex, and Alex’s wife, Katie, all came to the car show. Ken’s 1977 Chrysler New Yorker is a regular at the Woodward Dream Cruise. The family also has driven it in the Back to the Bricks classic car tour in the Flint area.

“We drive from little town to little town,” Helen said. “You take the back roads so you see Michigan.”

“At night, you stop at a town and do a car show,” Ken said.

Lee Urbanowicz, 72, drove from his home in Chesterfield Township to the high school to display his 1972 Wimbledon white Ford Mustang, which he purchased four years ago upon retirement.

“I didn’t want a big car. I wanted something small,” he said. “I like the flame on the side. They change color from blue to white.”

Urbanowicz likes attending Cruisin’ Gratiot because, “It’s local and it’s family-friendly.”

Ron Kolozvari, 70, also of Chesterfield Township, joined in the car show with his gray 1987 Chevy pickup truck, which pays homage to the rock band Poison. He’s owned it for about 15 years. Family member Tom Galli, who has since died, did the pinstriping on the vehicle.

“I told him I had to have green in there because of Poison. Everything is green with them,” said Kolozvari, who added that people stop him to talk about the truck. “They like the way it looks and the color. They don’t see too many like it. It’s nice looking out in the garage every day and seeing it.”

Kolozvari, who has won trophies for his Chevy, started coming to Cruisin’ Gratiot about six years ago.

“I like it. It’s nice, peaceful,” he said. “The people are nice all the time.”

Next to him, John Chapoton, 49, of Warren, parked his 2012 Dodge Charger.

“I bought it right before the pandemic from a guy who owned a vinyl wrap shop. He put on the graphics,” Chapoton said. “It’s a classic right off the assembly line. It looks like a 1970 Charger on the front grill and the back lights. From 2014 and up, they look like a 1971 Charger.”

The car show was a family affair for James Rouleau, 70, of Mount Clemens, who attended with his son, Matthew Rouleau, 43, of Mount Clemens, and sister Harriet McAvoy, who will soon turn 77, of Mount Clemens. In addition, he has known Kolozvari since high school.

James Rouleau owns a 1958 Chevy Bel-Air Impala with a seafoam green top and teal body. Rouleau bought it from his sister’s work supervisor, who was from Yemen. He had to return to the Middle East temporarily, as his father was dying; therefore, he sold the car to Rouleau.

“I love it. It’s a reminder of all the things I used to do when I was a kid,” McAvoy said. “My whole family loves cars.”

“People ask about the chrome on it,” Matthew Rouleau said. “They also ask what size the engine is.”

Matthew Rouleau brought his gold 1980 Buick Regal to the event.

“Having a great time,” he said.