The gold Ford Model T coupe parked in front of the diner at the Sukanen Ship Museum Spring Fling show was a star.
It drew a lot of close inspection and photo shots.
The 1926 coupe is his daughter Dana’s baby, said her father Pat O’Connor.
“It was built by my daughter, her husband and myself and a bunch of her friends.
“The paint job is gold metal flake. She’s had the job replaced once because of damage and it was $8,000 to replace it. She has about $30,000 in the car and she drives it everywhere, rain or shine.”
The car with a GM Crate 350 engine and turbo automatic has logged about 23,000 miles in four or five years.
“It cruises along really nicely.”
The all steel body can handle the vibration from the engine, he said.
Another colourful car was the bright orange 1930 Ford Model A brought by Harlan Coakwell of Warman.
“It was a project car,” said Coakwell.
“We found it in Vernon, B.C. It was a shell, bought it, brought it home, started working on it, found an engine, brakes and brake shoes.
“I finally got it running, took it to my body man and he tore it all down and did the restoration on the body.’’
The car is equipped with a 283 Chevy engine with three carburetors on top, turbo transmission and a vintage air conditioner.
“It’s head turner, a lot of fun.”
Ernie Welta of Regina’s Northside Street Rod car club brought his 90-year-old 1932 Ford Coupe painted in traditional black respecting when Henry Ford offered any colour as long as it was black.
The three-window car was a replacement for the models that had sold 11 million units, and was one of the first with a V-8 engine and sold for $485.
The car was a luxury model and became a choice of hot rodders right up into the 1960s, dubbed with name, Deuce Coupe
Among the cars on display were eight Volkswagen models from Regina with two camper vans.
Gord and Elaine Green of Regina showed their 1956 Ford Thunderbird, originally bought in California. A luxury model, this was the first generation of Thunderbirds.
The convertible featured a soft top, telescopic steering wheel, air conditioning, and 312cc engine
Paul Johnson has volunteered at the museum for 40 years but his 1932 Chev truck had never been shown at the Spring Fling Car Show as he has always worked the show.
He has driven the truck around Moose Jaw as his personal vehicle for years.
A new team headed by Rob Downton ran the show, allowing Johnson and others to enjoy it.
“It went pretty good,’’ Downton said of the show. “We had 135 register and we had about a dozen that came late and never registered.”
Sheldon Okerstrom won the 50-50 prize of $349.50 with Greg Nicholson of Assiniboia winning the 1938 ice box raffle.
Downton thanked the sponsors; Deja Vu, Tourism Moose Jaw, Service Master, Mark Rainey, Brent Welta, Mitch Welder and Pat and Diane O’Connor.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
