The first weekend of the month means there's a car show at The Varsity in Athens. The Street Masters Car Club of Athens hosts a monthly Cruise-In on the first Saturday of each month during the show season.

I've been more of a spectator than a participant at these shows in recent years. But since the XJS was already pretty clean thanks to last weekend's show at Crystal Hills, I decided to head to The Varsity this afternoon.

I paid my $5 and parked with everyone else in the show field.

Naturally, someone emerges from behind the hood as I push the camera button.

Ah, that's better.

1963 Chevrolet Nova SS.

The display sign for this car described it as an almost completely original car with 59k original miles on the odometer.

Chevrolet introduced the Chevy II for the 1962 model year positioning it in between the compact Corvair and full-size line. The name "Nova" indicated the upper level Chevy II trim, (ahead of the entry-level 100 series and mid-level 200 series). Two engines were available: A 90 hp 154 CID inline 4-cylinder and a 120 hp 194 CID inline 6-cylinder.

The RPO Z03 Super Sport package became available for 1963 and was available only with the 6-cylinder engine. This car is one of 42,432 Super Sports produced that year.

The carpet and door panels have been replaced. But the upholstery is original.

1966 Chevrolet Corvette convertible.

This car is finished in Trophy Blue, the second rarest color for that year (behind Tuxedo Black). A total of 1,463 Corvettes were painted Trophy Blue in 1966.

This car has the optional RPO L79 327 CID V8 that makes 350 hp.

1965 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible.

Power comes from Ford's famous 289 CID V8 that makes 200 hp in 2-bbl form, (4-bbl cars have 225 hp).

This is a rare car, being one of 6,035 Comet Caliente convertibles made that year.

A pair of modified Chevrolet Novas. The left car is a 1974 model and the right car is a 1966 model.

1956 Dodge Royal Lancer.

Now here's something you don't see very often !

The mid-level Royal series was positioned in between the entry-level Coronet and upper level Custom Royal.

The paint on this car is beautiful !

Dodge offered a 315 CID V8 as either a Poly engine (with Polyspherical cylinder heads), or as a Hemi engine (with Hemispherical cylinder heads), in 1956. This car has the 4-bbl version of the Super Red Ram Poly engine that makes 230 hp.

1959 Chevrolet Corvette.

This car has the base 283 CID V8 that makes 230 hp.

This car is one of 9,670 Corvettes produced for 1959.

1959 Chevrolet Apache 31 pickup.

This is the first of three Chevrolet Apache pickups on display today.

This 1959 model would be the last year for the Chevrolet Task Force series of trucks, (the line would be replaced with the familiar C/K Series for 1960). I don't know what engine has been installed. But it looks like a later model small block V8.

The Apache name appeared in 1958 and was first applied to the light duty truck line, (medium-duty line was called Viking, and the heavy-duty line was called Spartan).

Next to the previous truck was another 1959 Chevrolet Apache 31 pickup.

1966 Dodge Dart 270 (L) and 1957 Ford Thunderbird (R).

1966 Dodge Dart 270.

I saw this car at the Crystal Hills show a week ago.

1957 Ford Thunderbird.

This beautiful and unusual color is known as Thunderbird Bronze Iridescent. The number of cars painted this color for 1957 is not know. But I haven't seen very many of them.

The interior is the matching Thunderbird Bronze.

1957 Ford Thunderbird in a beautiful color combination.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop.

I'm a big fan of a stock restoration, especially on something like a Tri-Five Chevrolet where so many of them are modified.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop.

1956 Chevrolet 210.

The 210 was the mid-level series, (in between the entry level 150 and upper-level Bel Air). This car features a modified small block V8 and some modern upgrades like a/c and power brakes.

1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS.

According to the display card, this is a 24k original mile car.

1953 Ford F600 truck.

The F600 designation identifies this as a 2.5 ton chassis with a 16,000 pound GVW.

Power comes from a 239 CID Flathead V8 that makes 100 hp.

1970 Chevrolet Camaro (L), 1956 Chevrolet 210 (R).

1953 Chevrolet 210 DeLuxe hardtop coupe.