On a sunny Saturday morning, Downtown Arlington was popping as over 200 classic cars of various colors, builds and stories lined the streets. Children ran and pointed to the bright neon cars as couples strolled by with chicken tenders and fries from the food trucks nearby.
“Streets are not just for cars; streets are for people,” said Maggie Campbell, former president and CEO of Downtown Arlington Management Corporation. “My favorite part is walking around or just sitting back and watching the people enjoy it.”
On Sept. 26, the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show attracted crowds to see rows of vintage cars collected and restored by residents across Tarrant County. The event was originally created to draw Arlington residents out after COVID-19 in 2021 but has since evolved into an annual downtown tradition.
Participants could enter their cars into contest categories such as Fan Favorite, Mayor’s Choice and Top 10. One of those Top 10 winners was Mandy Bailey’s 1965 Ford Thunderbird in sunset coral. Her father gifted her the car when she was 6 years old in the 1980s. Over time, she helped him restore the car to its current award-winning condition.
Mandy Bailey wins Top 10 license plate at Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show for her 1965 sunset coral Ford Thunderbird Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
Growing up, Bailey made sure her dad missed no opportunity to add pink — from the steering wheel to even the engine.
“(The engine) is factory red. My dad had it all painted ready to put in the car, and I was like, ‘Red and pink don’t match!’ And he just put his head down,” she laughed, recounting the moment.
Mandy Bailey’s 1965 Ford Thunderbird in sunset coral is displayed at the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
Mandy Bailey’s 1965 Ford Thunderbird in sunset coral is displayed at the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
Nancy and Chris Klaus also share a similar attention to detail. The couple was clad in “Jaws” themed Hawaiian shirts to match their 1976 GMC Vandura. With the two originally living near the beaches where “Jaws” was filmed, it was a no-brainer to buy the vehicle, the couple said.
“Jaws” themed 1976 GMC Vandura is parked at the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
Chris and Nancy Klaus stand next to their “Jaws” themed 1976 GMC Vandura parked at the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
But the restoration was no easy feat. The couple repaired the rusted van’s interior and exterior. Chris tracked down the original artist, Mike Pierce, to repaint the van. After six and a half years of work, the van has been revived to its former glory and beyond.
Chris Klaus shows the interior of his “Jaws” themed van to a passerby at the Downtown Arlington Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
“Pictures don’t do it justice,” said Nancy, remembering her reaction when the paint job was complete. “Our jaw just dropped like, ‘Holy cow.’”
The finished job has the iconic shark head jumping out of the water on the driver’s side, with the rest of the scene painted in the likeness of the Massachusetts beaches where the movie was filmed. The coat of paint shimmered, mimicking the sunrise against the water on the shore.
The backseat of a “Jaws” themed 1976 GMC Vandura is complete with a shark pillow, sink and ice box at the Downtown Arlington Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
A famous line from the beginning of the original 1975 theatrical trailer for “Jaws” is painted under the hood of a 1976 GMC Vandura on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
“What I love about van culture is the creativity and the innovation,” Chris said. “Putting all that creative stuff in it, just little things across it that people wouldn’t normally think about or do.”
Mark Wynne stands next to his 1938 Ford 1.5-ton pickup truck that he restored and customized, naming it “Henry’s Slug.” Wynne displays his truck at the Downtown Arlington Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
Another car owner who poured extensive time and effort into personalizing a vehicle is Mark Wynne. His 1938 Ford 1.5-ton pickup truck was riddled with rust and decayed parts before transforming it into what he named “Henry’s Slug.”
“It’s Henry because Henry Ford built a damn slow truck!” Wynne said.
Mark Wynne’s 1938 Ford 1.5-ton pickup truck is parked at the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
Mark Wynne’s stuffed animal slug sits on top of his vintage car called “Henry’s Slug” displayed at the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
Wynne decided on green in honor of his favorite beverage, Dr Pepper. In the early days, the company paired this soft green with their current iconic red for their packaging and advertisements, Wynne said. While he loves every part of his truck, Wynne said his favorite part was building it with his kids and feline friend, Squeaky.
Another bright, eye-catching car just around the corner from Arlington Music Hall was a red 1941 Ford Coupe. Owned by Tom Allred, the car’s bright cherry red color was an instant must-have for him and his wife, Raejean Allred.
“We couldn’t just leave it — my name’s Allred!” Raejean said.
The couple enjoyed sitting in the shade and chatting with passersby as they admired their car.
The driver’s side of Arlington resident Tom Allred’s 1941 Ford Coupe at the Downtown Arlington Classic Car Show on Sept. 26, 2026. (Mica Magday | Arlington Report)
“Car people are good people, they’re fun people (who are) always willing to talk,” Tom said.
From the warm morning until the hot afternoon, car owners like Tom welcomed any curious visitors to marvel at their work.
“It’s like, it’s just a community gathering,” Campbell said. “I just love sitting back and seeing Arlington celebrating itself.”
Mica Magday is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact her at mica.magday@fortworthreport.org.
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