(WXYZ) — Thousands of classic cars, custom builds and the stories behind them lined Woodward Avenue for the Woodward Dream Cruise in metro Detroit.
Among them: a 1956 Big Job C-800 that began its life as a fire truck and is now a hot rod — complete with Woody, Buzz Lightyear and a rocket ship on board.
Dan Newby drove it from Indiana.
"I come from Indiana and I love this place," Newby said.
The truck cruises comfortably at 70 miles per hour and gets 20 miles per gallon on a diesel engine.
"It just floats down the road. Easy ride," Newby said.
Newby said the vehicle's life began as a fire truck before it fell into his hands and he got to work transforming it.
"Now it's a hot rod. It's like having a toy," Newby said. "You can build things out of nothing and turn it into something you never thought about. And to be a part of this makes me feel good."
This is Newby's third time bringing the truck to the Dream Cruise. Back home, he teaches robotics to high schoolers and challenged one of his classes to pitch Woody and Buzz to a rocket ship — a concept that has a knack for getting kids excited about cars.
5-year-old spectator Ethan Ball was among those drawn in by the Toy Story characters.
"I really like it," Ethan said.
"It brings a smile and they just go crazy over Woody and the rocketship," Newby said.
Ethan said what caught his eye most was the cool truck — and the tires.
"I like how they look or the tires," Ethan said.
Newby said the Dream Cruise is full of stories waiting to be told.
"There's a million stories out here," Newby said.
The Dream Cruise, he said, is where history and the modern day meet — and his truck does a little bit of both.
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