CAR CHROME SHINES AT PNE
Few things please a PNE visitor more than warm weather. Or a no-admission day like Tuesday. Or chrome-bedecked cars, shining in August sun.
Until Friday, fairgoers can check out more than 20 classic cars that Abbotsford’s 360 Fabrication has brought out to show vehicles the company has worked on — or has appreciated — over the years.
There’s a 1950 copper-coated Cadillac, a modified 1963 Corvette, a 1935 Ford Coupe, a 1957 Meteor 500, a pair of 1964 Impalas, a 1951 Ford Pickup.
“The people in this part of the world have a love for all vehicles, but certainly the old vehicles,” said Rick Francoeur, president of 360 Fabrication.
“Every single one is shaped differently and looks different and has been built for a specific reason. You just don’t get that from new cars. And there’s no chrome on new cars.”
Peter and Linda Jacob, who visited the PNE on Tuesday, were pleasantly surprised to find cars on display. They were admiring the Impalas.
“Oh that’s a beauty isn’t it, it’s amazing,” Peter said. “Sensational.”
“It’s from a few years before we were born,” Linda said with a smile.
“That’s when they designed the beautiful cars,” Peter added.
Francoeur and his brother and business partner Daryl, along with their staff, have been at the PNE all week and they’ve had all kinds of visitors.
“We’ve overheard people say ‘Oh, finally some real cars,’ which we sort of laugh about.”
They have placed the ’63 Corvette front and centre, and youngsters have been pointing at it with excitement.
“They know what that car is,” he said. “It’s 40 years older than what they are and they still know what it is.”
Francoeur, 46, started working on cars when he was 13, helping his father in a body shop. The market for custom car work only keeps growing; he’s been at it for 16 years.
“We’re not like the guys on TV. We actually run a real shop,” he said. “The interesting thing is, a lot of those guys don’t own their own shops anymore because they all went broke.”
As for the current collection on display, he admitted to having a clear favourite.
“I’m partial to ’50s cars and I love that ’56 Super Rocket 88,” he said.
“I think it’s just the pinnacle of a ’50s car.”