Public takes a shine to car show
Dan Braybrooks polishes his 1929 Model A at the Canada Day car show.
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: July 08, 2009 12:52 PM
By SEAN MCINTYRE
Driftwood Staff
The Canada Day Show and Shine has gone from 38 to 120 in less than a decade and shows no sign of letting up.
Not even the mechanically disabled Fulford ferry prevented nearly 5,000 participants from catching a glimpse of the 120 classic cars on display at the SIMS/hydro field on July 1.
“The show’s popularity has grown so much, we’re probably the number two event on the island right behind the fall fair,” event organizer Marv Coulthard said following this year’s ninth annual event.
The 2009 trophies, created by Salt Spring artist Jerry Ringrose, were awarded to Stan Wiseman and his 1936 Ford pick-up truck (best local in show), Ollie Hodges for a bright orange and purple 1926 Essex (best guest in show) and Bob Bentham for his exquisitely detailed black 1967 Buick GF (best overall).
“It turns out the owner is a professional car detailer,” Coulthard said. “No wonder it had such a nice shine.”
Salt Spring skydiver Bobby McGee kicked things off from several thousand feet above the field, landing on the bulls-eye in spite of gusting winds and onlookers’ collective bated breath.
The jump proved a great start to a show featuring “lots of Salt Spring entertainment done the Salt Spring way” and included local music, a salute to Canada Day and an all-day concession stand.
“We’re very happy with that entertainment,” Coulthard said, adding that this year’s show drew 10 more cars than the 2008 event.
That roughly two-thirds of the entries were entered by local car collectors shows just how popular the car club itself has become since Coulthard helped get it rolling nine years ago.
The club has grown to include between 60 and 70 active car enthusiasts with 12 core members.
Since Coulthard “bit the bullet” and bought his 1960 Morgan back in 1998, he’s discovered dozens of Salt Spring Island classic car enthusiasts with two, three, four or even more cars stashed away in their yards and garages.
The club, he said, is always looking for and ready to welcome new members.
“The car club is run the Salt Spring way,” Coulthard said. “We’ve got no meetings, no executive, no dues and no rules except that the car must be antique or classic and be on Salt Spring.”
For more information on how to get involved with the club, visit www.saltspringcarclub.com/canadaday.html or call Coulthard at 250-537-5252.
v2
