FIVE ODD VEHICLES THAT WILL MAKE YOU A CAR SHOW STAR

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I get to far more car shows than the average guy because it’s part of the job.

This means I see thousands of vehicles in person, so I know what cars or trucks draw more people in than the usual lineup of Camaros, Mustangs and Chargers.

It’s the weird or offbeat ones—here are five good examples.

Jerry Sutherland

A Diamond T truck is always a rock star at a car show because these brutes were built to survive the carnage on a jobsite.

There was nothing comfortable about a Diamond T. Comparing a Diamond T to a brand-new Ford F-350 is like comparing camping in a tent to staying at a five-star hotel.

I haven’t seen many Diamond T trucks at car shows and very few of them are stock, but if you bring one to an event, be prepared to get mobbed by a horde of car guys. They’re just that cool.

The 1963 Jeep Wagoneer was the basis for what would become the modern SUV.

These Jeeps had all the legendary Jeep tech under the skin, but they were built to absorb the road a lot better than a CJ. The’63 Wagoneer had a clean, functional look that was cutting-edge at a time when automotive style was evolving overnight. Thus, the SUV was born.  

A soccer mom could wheel the kids to school in 1963—even in the middle of a blizzard. That might not make the kid’s day, but Mom could sure open up her morning after dropping the brats off.

You’ll probably only see a 1961 Facel Vega HK500 Coupe at classic European car shows and that’s a loss for regular car shows.

These cars were a blend of Europe and Detroit because the Facel Vega used a 383 cubic inch Chrysler big block with a pushbutton Torqueflite transmission.

This was a French car builder, but it looked like George Barris was on the design team—that’s what really made them cool.

The 1936 Lincoln-Zephyr 3-window coupe is another car that would be a high-level attraction at a car show.

They had the look of a ’36 Ford on steroids because they were bigger, wider and more powerful–the Zephyr flathead had four more cylinders.

The roofline was one-of-a-kind on the ’36 Lincoln-Zephyr—that’s why so many of these classics were turned into street rods. In my opinion, these cars didn’t need extra custom touches because they were already there.

The last entry on the list is the 1997 Toyota Previa. Yes—the 1997 Toyota Previa.

This minivan is on the list because it’s the only minivan in 1997 with a mid-engine. I liked two things about this minivan. It had giant windows and a Jetsons-like profile with a mid-engine, supercharged, DOHC 4-banger that pumped out 161 horses.

You might not be completely onboard with a ’97 minivan at a car show but don’t forget—this Previa is going to be 30 years old in 2027. Gen-X and Millennials are going to eat up the nostalgia factor over the next ten years because a Previa is a 1964 Ford Country Squire in their world.

These are merely opinions folks, but in my world you’ll be a Hollywood  star if you show up at car show in any of these five classics—even the Toyota.

Jerry Sutherland

By: Jerry Sutherland

Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post,  Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.

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