Many things come with living in a big city: loud noises, bustling streets, a plethora of diverse foods, and cars, especially nice ones. Luckily there’s a wonderful place to see some extravagant cars aside from the crowded streets of New Orleans- the parking lot of Landry’s Seafood.
On the third Saturday of every month from 8am to 1pm, community members from New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Mandeville, and other local towns gather to show off their cars, old and new, or simply just to mingle with other car enthusiasts over a cup of coffee on a Sat. morning.
While many may think of a car show mainly involving swooped-up sports cars, some prefer to show off some more vintage vehicles. Jeff, a staff member at Tulane, brings his 1930 Model A Ford he’s been driving since he was 19 and has since inherited from his wife’s grandfather almost every weekend. An almost 100-year-old car hasn’t survived the Louisiana humidity without some repairs and changes, but Jeff has remained determined, unlike many other antique car owners, to keep his car as authentic as possible. “The only modern part in here are seatbelts in the backseat my wife insisted on having,” Jeff jokes, “no AC either.”
Having the opportunity to boast about your authentic antique car can certainly have its downsides too, especially when enthusiasts like Jeff use their vehicles on a regular basis. “Driving a car like this in the city certainly comes with its risks too,” he explains, describing his constant awareness of the car not from the stick shift, but from the Ford’s manual brakes. “No hydraulic brakes means I have to plan every stop, on top of already being unable to go as fast as most people.”
Another coffee-drinker and antique car-driver, Chris, was happy to explain his journey with his car to me as well. The 1937 Chevy Master Deluxe Sports Sedan he originally got from Montreal, Canada was another rare find at the show. Another completely authentic restoration, Chris’s car has completed a rare feat of driving in Canada, France, Germany, and the United States, all driven by Chris in the 80s.
When asked about how one can survive the brutal heat of a New Orleans summer in this AC-less car, Chris demonstrated the clever design of the Chevy. The car’s thin windows and adjustable panes are specifically designed to create airflow throughout the car. “It actually works very well,” Chris says, “…as long as you’re moving.”
The idea of Cars and Coffee is a worldwide event, in which individual towns and cities organize their own times and meetup locations. While the group of New Orleans is relatively small compared to other events I’ve had the opportunity to attend in Falls Church, VA, just outside of Washington D.C., the community is constantly growing.
