POLISHED PRESENCE
Classics show their stuff
Last weekend’s 20th annual B.C. Classic and Custom Car Show was a great success.
Better still, I met John D’Agostino, Don (The Snake) Prudhomme. and Gene Winfield, who was performing another of his famous “chops.” And longtime George Barris associate, “bodyguard” and friend Tony Wood was on hand to present an award in the design legend’s name.
As a tribute to the ‘King of Kustomizers’, there was a special Toronado built for EXPO ’67. With the front passenger seat facing rearward it forms the perfect living room complete with an TV — the screen of which is about the size of a cellphone screen.
There were also a bunch of cars I hadn’t seen before, including Laurie Peterson’s amazing 1963 Studebaker Avanti that debuted at the Grand National Roadster show in L.A. This car is basically a stock-looking Avanti except for a subtle ducktail spoiler moulded into the Fiberglas body at the rear and a no-nonsense full competition chin spoiler up front. Speaking of no-nonsense, it also boasts a complete rollcage and a gear-driven supercharger. This is not your uncle’s Studebaker.
Mark Voth was there with the 1966 Suburban he and his friend Mark Martins rebuilt. The massive sliding canvas sunroof is fabricated from material from the old B.C. Place roof and painted the sweetest mint green with cream highlights and striped in a perfectly contrasting orange pinstripe. That’s the handiwork of my buddy Rick at Axe Graphics. When Chip Foose got a look at the green paint, he dubbed it “Mint to Be.” This weekend is a busy one. My wife will be picking me up at the Vintage Car Club of Canada’s car show at the Otter Co-op around 11 a.m. on Sunday after I set up my truck at the show so we can go see the British cars in Fort Langley.
I joined the Vintage Car Club of Canada a few years ago and I’ve come to appreciate how family oriented the organization is. It is the perfect way to get into the car hobby and learn about old cars and maybe even get one for yourself.
Whichever show you go to, remember to take a kid along for the ride.