WANING DAYS
END OF CAR SHOW SEASON IN SIGHT
As another car show season goes late into the third period and the puck is yet to drop on a new and hopeful hockey season, carnuts can find solace in a monster weekend of events. As for Canuck fans …
The big news is that the Langley Goodtimes Cruise-In has switched locations from the city of Langley to Aldergrove. I was shocked when the City of Langley decided to disassociate itself from the Cruise-in, but evidently they were concerned about policing. Fortunately, Langley Township is huge and found another great location for this very popular and well-attended event.
I usually go for the morning roll in, but on Saturday our Austin Healey will be on the VanDusen Botanical Garden lawn for the Luxury & Supercar Weekend, where I’ll also have a booth displaying my photos. This does not rule out a quick trip to Ron Ford’s Ocean Park Ford Show in White Rock, a great event that I have only missed once over the past 15 years. Lots of cars normally not seen all year show up for this great event.
Last weekend I attended the Fairlane Comet Show, the Corvette Show and the Pacific International Street Rod Association Bradner Show, a super event with well over 300 really outstanding cars.
Another weekend highlight was the Saturday morning I spent at the Crescent Beach Concours d’Elegance. I was blown away by many of the cars. The Triumph Italia was one of my favourites; basically a TR-3 chassis rebodied by Vignale for the Italian Importer who felt the Italians would not buy a car without roll-up windows and modern amenities. The cars styling obviously heavily influenced the boxy Triumph TR4 styling. I also was kind of fond of the big, brash and powerful 1958 Chrysler 300D Coupe, a car that sold for $6,000 new and was affectingly referred to as the ‘Bankers Hot Rod.’ Another cool car was the one-owner 1970 Camaro SS 396 with four-speed manual transmission that is un-restored and just magnificent.
Of course the over-the-top crazy award went to two cars: the 1930 Bugatti Type 44 two-seater Cabriolet, and the 1967 Ferrari 275 GTS/4 Nart Spyder. Spyder, Cabriolet, two fancy ways of saying convertible, but so elegant and so amazing to get to see both these cars up close and personal.
The NART Ferrari is one of only two aluminum-bodied versions of a 10-car run. But better than seeing either of these cars was seeing them on the road. Both are driven, as all great cars need to be.
So go find an old classic ... or semi classic and take a kid cruising.
Sept. 9
What: Queen City Cruise Where: Downtown Nelson When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 9 a.m. $25 and open to all vehicles. Info: 250-352-9650 or email info@ nelsonroadkings.com Website: nelsonroadkings.com What: Langley Good Times Cruise-In Where: Downtown Aldergrove, Fraser Highway and 272nd When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. $30 Info: 604-371-3770 or registerforlangleycruisein@gmail.com Website: langleycruise-in.com What: Endless Summer Show & Shine Where: Memorial Park, Summerland When: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. $20 and open to all vehicles Info: 250-494-0887 or jacklefebvre@icloud.com Website: applevalleycruisers.com What: Ranchero Roundup Where: Riverside Park, Kamloops When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: Free Registration: Open to all Rancheros
Info: 250-352-9783 or mr.frontenac@shaw.ca What: Ocean Park Ford Hot Rod Show Where: Ocean Park Ford, 3050 King George Hwy., Surrey When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Poker Run at noon Admission: Free Registration: Free Info: 1-888-811-3995 Sept. 9-10
What: Luxury & Supercar Weekend, Supercar Auction by ADESA and the Canadian Concours d’Élégance
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St., Vancouver
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission (one-day ticket): $75; Child 12 and under $50; Children under 2 free; VIP Ticket: $125 (includes gourmet food tents and adult beverages (19+)
Website: luxurysupercar.com Sept. 10 What: Langley Good Times Cruise-In Sunday Swapmeet Where: 3100 272nd St., Aldergrove When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: $2 Registration: $20 per stall ; $20 per vehicle Info: 604-371-3770 Website: langleycruise-in.com What:
Bill Larson Memorial Pub Run & Newton Boys Annual Hot Rod Run Show & Shine Where: Rusty’s Neighbourhood Pub, 17770 #10 Hwy., Cloverdale When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 9 a.m. to noon. $12 and open to pre-1970 vehicles Info: 604-574-5512 or rustyspub@ gmail.com Website: rustyspub.ca What: Cat & Fiddle Pub Hogs & Rods Show & Shine Where: 1979 Brown St., Port Coquitlam When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration: 8 a.m. $20 and open to all vehicles Info: 604-318-0924 or shirleymcm60@yahoo.ca What: All-British Meet At The Lake Where: Cultus Lake Park When: 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 8 a.m. $10 for British bicycles, cars and motorcycles Info: 604-850-1645 or antak@ uniserve.com Website: britishcarclub.ca What: 23rd Annual English Car Affair in the Park Where: Government House, Victoria When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: $15 Info: 250-656-3128, info@oecc.ca or susanchapp@shaw.ca
Website: oecc.ca Competition Sept. 8
What: Drag racing Where: When: Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Info: 604-826-6315 or missionraceway@telus.net Website: missionraceway.com Sept. 9 What: Event: Fred Ran nard Sr. Midget Classic Where: Agassiz Speedway, 5045 Cemetery Rd., Agassiz Info: 604-792-3278 or agassizspeedway@telus.net Website: agassizspeedway.com What: Circuit racing Where: Saratoga Speedway, 2380 Macaulay Rd., Black Creek Info: 1-250-923-2982 or race@ saratogaspeedway.bc.ca Website: saratogaracing.ca Sept. 9-10 What: Drag racing Where: Mission Raceway Park, 32670 Dyke Rd., Mission When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Info: 604-826-6315 or info@ missionraceway.com Website: missionraceway.com To have your event listed, contact Cam at camhutchins@shaw.ca