FLASHY AUTOS DISPLAYED SUNDAY IN RAMONA
John Engle will be showing off his 1970 Dodge Challenger, which is graphite gray with silver stripes and has an estimated value of $60,000, at the AutoFest car show in Ramona on Sunday.
The San Carlos resident said he bought the car for a “next to nothing” $800 in the mid-’70s.
“I gave it to my wife, Mary, for Valentine’s Day and she drove it until 1990,” Engle said. “It got tired and old so she put it on the side of the house. I liked the body style so I decided to keep it even though it was worn out.”
Engle said he gave the car to his youngest son, Brian, who ended up restoring it as part of a family tradition. When his son returned the car after he graduated from high school, saying he couldn’t afford the gas, Engle spent six years turning it into a hot rod.
Now he takes it on cruises and to car shows with the East County Cruisers car club, and enjoys hearing people reminisce about having the same car or one like it.
“It’s fun to see people’s looks and to see them appreciate it because you don’t see a lot of them on the road,” Engle said. “It’s a pretty flashy car. It has a bit of a rumble to it so people turn their heads.”
Engle’s Dodge Challenger is just one of the standout vehicles expected at AutoFest, to be held Sunday on Main Street between Sixth and Eighth streets.
Autofest organizer Steve Lordigyan said that part of Main Street will close about 7:30 a.m. that day to stage the motorcycles, trucks, classic cars and other vehicles of all types on display. The free event will be open to spectators from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A DJ will play music and spectators are welcome to browse through the area’s cafes, shops and antique stores, he said.
“We have support from a
lot of the local businesses,” said Lordigyan, who promotes about 40 car shows throughout San Diego County each year. “It’s good to hear everybody is on board. We’re hoping for a good turnout.”
Engle said he appreciates AutoFest because it attracts car enthusiasts from different locales who bring a variety of cars not seen elsewhere.
He said Dodge manufactured the Challenger for the first time in 1970, intending it to be entered in sports car races. It was built with a Hemi engine that generated a lot of horsepower, he said, although his has a mid-block engine that is a step down
from the Hemi but still a powerful motor. The next year Dodge changed the Challenger, so his is unique, he noted.
Engle said he looks forward to seeing friends at AutoFest, adding that his wife likes to visit the businesses off Main Street.
“They make it festive,” he said. “They play music and most everyone are happy people with like interests who strike up a conversation. People want to talk about their cars.”
A bright, shiny 1970 C-10 Chevy pickup restored by Tim Claret of Santee will be another standout vehicle on display.
“You won’t miss this truck when you see it if you’re at AutoFest,” Claret said. “There’s nothing on that truck that’s not brand new. The only thing that is 1970 is the body.”
Claret said the truck looked like it needed a lot of help when he bought it nine years ago. He was looking for a 1957 Chevy at the time, but couldn’t find one, so he bought the 1970 version because he liked its boxy style. He overhauled the engine, added the leather interior, put in an air-ride suspension and painted it with the help of his nephew, Jeremy Cotton.
With a little elbow grease, he transformed a $9,000 vehicle into one that’s now insured for more than $70,000, he said.
“It’s in excellent shape,” Claret said. “There’s no rust on it and it has a beautiful paint job and leather interior.”
Car enthusiasts interested in displaying a vehicle can sign up online at carshowcalifornia.com.
Preregistration for $25 is available until 48 hours before the event, but participants can also sign up for $30 the day of the event at Eighth Street.