Flint’s Back to the Bricks Classic Car Show Photo Gallery

Detroit might be the Motor City, but it did not give birth to General Motors. No, what had been the world's largest automaker was founded an hour to the northwest on Sept. 16, 1908, in Flint, a gritty town that has experienced more than a hundred years of economic expansion and brutal contraction at the hands of an increasingly global automotive industry. Despite decades of hard times (well documented in Michael Moore's 1989 film, Roger & Me) and water quality issues, the town is gradually coming back and has fantastic museums in a thoroughly modern cultural center.

What hasn't changed is Flint's love for a good car show—an extended one called Back to the Bricks that began this year with Tune Up parties as early as Aug. 7. The Main Event Week had rolling cruises, concerts—even a drive-in movie night. All of it culminated this past Saturday with Back to the Bricks, a massive, free car show running about a half-mile on the brick-paved Saginaw Street right through this historic downtown.

A short walk from Saginaw Street across the Flint River puts you at GM's recently refurbished Factory One, which William C. Durant and J. Dallas Dort began leasing in 1886 to manufacture road carts—the infancy of GM. And right outside Factory One was, appropriately, a show of classic Buicks as well as a Corvette reunion.

Hosting Back to the Bricks on the third Saturday in August conflicts directly with another car show down the road: the Woodward Dream Cruise, which draws 40,000 classic (and not-so classic) cars and about a million spectators to suburban Detroit. On Dream Cruise Saturday, a drive north to Flint for Back to the Bricks is a much better option.

That's GM's Factory One in Flint behind a pristine 1953 Buck Eight Roadmaster woody wagon.

1953 Buck Eight Roadmaster woody wagon.

This 1958 Buck Eight Roadmaster was built here in Flint. At the time, there were SIX plants making this model.

1958 Buck Eight Roadmaster.

1956 Ford pickup truck replica.

1935 Plymouth Touring Sedan from Bowling Green, Ohio, next to the 1956 Ford pickup.

An extensively customized Jaguar coupe.

The interior of an extensively customized Jaguar coupe.

An extensively customized Jaguar coupe.

A 1961 Bentley S2 offered for $145,000.

1961 Porsche 1600.

1961 Porsche 1600.

The Motor City Packard Club was well represented on Saginaw Street.

1937 Packard 120.

1937 Packard Super 8 Dietrich Victoria convertible.

Wheel-mounted sideview mirror on the 1937 Packard 120.

Bruce Blevins spent seven years restoring this 1933 Dietrich Packard 1002 Victoria convertible.

1950 Packard Super 8 Touring Sedan.

A 1956 Packard 400 hardtop painted in a distinctive Scottish heather shade.

Father and son Ed and Jim Cuttill own several Packards, including this 1954 Rally Red Pacific and this yellow 1954 Clipper Super Panama Hardtop.

Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, spent the day at Back to the Bricks and appreciated this 1953 Packard Patrician.

Hot rods customized with a military theme.

This is not a real Stutz Bearcat.

This is not a real Stutz Bearcat but perhaps someone's 1970s interpretation.

This is not a real Stutz Bearcat, but it's got a special paint job.