Vintage car shows have returned to the Motor City. Here’s our report on the annual Motor Muster at Greenfield Village, including a big photo gallery.

After a hiatus of more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, live collector car events have returned to the Detroit area in a major way—with proper safety precautions, naturally. We were especially glad to see the annual Greenfield Village Motor Muster back on the calendar. After all, it’s a Father’s Day weekend tradition in the Motor City that now dates back more than 30 years. While we were raring to go, a major rainstorm kept us away from the first day’s proceedings on Saturday, but we were there at the gate for opening time on Sunday.

One of two big car shows at the Village each year, the Motor Muster features cars and trucks manufactured between 1932 and 1977. (The other show, the Old Car Festival in the fall, features vehicles produced before 1932.) Naturally, we got to visit with hundreds of exceptional cars and trucks again this year. To name but a few:

+  In an impressive display of U.S. armed forces fighting vehicles, a 1941 Dodge WC27 4×4 ambulance (known in its day as a “Beep”) presented by Beth and Jim Turza.

+  A sweet 1940 Studebaker Champion (the car that saved Studebaker, arguably) painted in the red and yellow livery of the Village Taxi Cab Co. and owned by Larry and Patricia Gordon.

+   In classic black lacquer, an elegant 1938 Packard Super Eight 1605 Convertible Sedan. At nearly $4,000 when new, this imposing vehicle cost more than four times as much as a Ford in the same body style. Owned today by Lynn and Ralph Boyer.

+   The work of Bill Mitchell, the epitome of Harley Earl style, and the car also pictured at the the top of this page, a 1941 Cadillac Sixty Special Sedan by Fleetwood. Now owned by Katy and Jarvie Bentley.

You can check out all these beautiful machines and more in the gallery below. Click on any photo to start a slide show.