Participation records were exceeded at the Sylvan Lake Customs and Classics show and shine Saturday as warm breezy weather favoured the sixth annual event.
Elaine Bredo, one of the organizers, said they had 201 vehicles registered, far exceeding the previous record of 169 vehicles. The total was also almost double last year’s attendance when weather forecasts kept a majority of entries away.
The vehicles were parked on the grass at the south end of the driving range at Meadowlands Golf Club.
“It was a great day, a great venue and a really good crowd,” she said. “The key is we got good weather.”
That’s particularly important for many of the participants who have invested heavily in gleaming paint jobs and repairs to restored vehicles.
Unique handcrafted piston trophies were presented to the top ten vehicles as selected by spectators.
Among the winners, in no particular order, were Ivan Kachanoski of Fairmont Hot Springs, B.C. (1958 Chevy Impala), Clarke Lamont of Calgary (1932 Ford Roadster), Wayne Russell of Red Deer (1950 Ford Woodie), Judy McCaw of Rocky Mountain House (1955 Meteor Convertible), Patsy Kachanoski of Fairmont Hot Springs (1928 Ford truck and trailer), Bill and Deb Larratt of Penhold (1928 Ford A Phaeton), Al & Lynise Knight of Edson (1953 Olds Holiday Coupe), R. Lee Cofield of Caroline (1951 Mercury Monarch), Barry Davis of Cochrane (1951 Diamond T Model 921 truck) and Trevor Burge of Red Deer County (1969 Chev Camaro SS).
The prize for cleanest car went to Dan Johnson of Bentley with a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner.
The show is meant to bring awareness to the Sylvan Lake car club but members also do it because they have a love for the hobby of classic and custom car collecting.
The club meets the first Wednesday of every month at Sylvan Lake Legion starting at 7 p.m. and everyone’s invited to attend. For more information call Gord or Elaine Bredo at 403-887-7047.