MyStarCollectorCar

JUNE 2017: A TREE GROWS THROUGH IT – A 1948 MERCURY TRUCK STORY

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June 5, 2017

Mercury is a famous Ford Motor Company brand name that disappeared from the lineup in 2015 after a 73 year production run.

The name was always associated with an upscale Ford product and earned a reputation for luxury and style.

One of the lesser known Mercury models was its pickup truck lineup.

The main reason was the trucks were built for a Canadian market during their 1946-68 production run. The unusual trucks are a head scratcher for puzzled Americans who often wonder how and why a Mercury truck came into the market.

The story behind the truck was a vehicle that could be sold under the Mercury brand in Canada because some smaller rural communities only had a Mercury dealership and wanted to offer a pickup truck to its customers.

The peculiarity of the distinct division between Ford and Mercury models under the overall Ford brand in Canada made the Mercury truck a necessity for Mercury-only dealerships.

Bret Gauthier is the proud owner of a 1953 Mercury M-350 pickup truck that is sure to cause a stir at any car show on either side of the US-Canada border because his Merc truck is a wild resto mod.

Bret has owned the truck for the past 12 years after he spotted it rusting in peace in a field with a tree growing through its engine compartment. Bret is a typical car guy who likes to rescue old rides from an unfortunate end in similar fashion to people who rescue unwanted pets.

Bret said he was “always a big fan of fat-fendered Fords” and saw the Merc as a great opportunity to acquire one before it disappeared from underneath the tree. In Bret’s words; “I knew I had to have it”.

The downside to Bret’s plan was the truck had been sitting since 1968 and required a major amount of work to bring it back to the road.

However, Bret’s rescue mission was delayed for several years and the Merc spent many years sitting in a garage until he was able to execute his game plan. His Merc truck now sits on a 1978 Ford chassis that required Bret to stretch the Merc’s box a little to fit the longer frame.

Bret chose a 1979 Ford 300 cubic inch straight six engine to power the truck down the road. The engine has been rebuilt and is largely stock, save for its tall custom intake stack.

The engine is mated to a rebuilt automatic transmission that has a shift kit, according to Bret. He did all of the Franken-build in his garage and now has one of the coolest ’53 Merc trucks in western Canada.

Car guys can be very creative guys when they put their own stamp on a custom project. In Bret’s case, the radiator overflow container is a cool personal touch because it was built out of a unique vodka bottle. Len also built an exhaust support out of an old connecting rod for the truck.

The overall result for Bret’s creative efforts is a happy ending for his resurrected Mercury Canuck truck resto mod that is a big crowd-pleaser at shows.

Jim Sutherland

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JUNE 2017: MONSTER ’56 DODGE SUBURBAN—IT STARTED LIFE AS A SEDAN

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June 4, 2017

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Station wagons are one of the hottest commodities in the 21^st century car hobby.

They used to be prime candidates for the car crusher or the demo derby because nobody saw the cool factor in the long roofs.

That perception changed overnight because station wagons are currently very cool.

Rick Grey didn’t start his ’56 Dodge project with a station wagon concept. This car was originally a two-door sedan—his dad found it at a swap meet and it looked like a solid find. Unfortunately the old Dodge sedan had the dreaded rust under the paint scenario so it turned into a major job.

Rick has owned the car for over ten years and he said it was “pretty rotted out” when he got it. There was also no front end so he knew he was in for some massive pain on this ’56 Dodge project. Rick’s a mechanic so he’s used to solving automotive problems and he came up with a masterful solution to the car’s rescue.

The frame on the sedan is exactly the same length as the station wagon so Rick steered the project in the “long roof” direction.

He found a donor ’56 Dodge Suburban and started down a new road for his two-door sedan. Rick did most of the bodywork so countless hours later the two door sedan became a factory-appearing wagon. This project is clearly far from a “back to stock” philosophy so there’s definitely not a flathead six under the hood.

Rick was 100% hands-on with the Dodge wagon. He moved the heater controls to the left of the steering wheel by using a ’55 Dodge dash and he did “all the wiring” in the car.

Rick found a donor 440 big block in a C-body Chrysler and he worked some magic on the venerable old motor. This Mopar big block is monster now—512 cubic inches with 565 horsepower and 439 horses at the rear wheel and he runs a 4-speed manual transmission.

Rick is a big fan of the resto-mod concept so this ’56 Dodge is unlike any ’56 Dodge ever built at the factory. He’s added fuel injection, upgraded to large disc brakes all around plus there’s a Mustang II front end and a Ford 9” rear end so this 61-year-old Dodge could run down a new Toyota in any driving scenario.

This is a 13:48 second/112 miles per hour ¼ mile car but Rick doesn’t race it much because there’s a good chance “something will break”. He wants to drive it, not race it.

Rick said his Dodge is “awesome to drive” on the road thanks to all the retrofits and he has another major advantage—fuel mileage. This monster has a civilized heart because it only runs 1800 rpm at highway speed so Rick is pulling down “awesome gas mileage” (well into the 20s) if he doesn’t pound on it.

He drove it to Washington on a lengthy road trip and the old Dodge didn’t miss a beat. Rick said it “ran awesome there and back” plus the old wagon surprised a lot of people in the passing lane when it was called upon to perform. Rick said the only thing limitation is the fuel injection system because it’s right on the “edge of what it can handle because of the horsepower”.

Rick’s car is “definitely a keeper” after all the work and investment in it but he’s really happy with the results because he not only saved a cool old car—he built it around a new concept.

A new-old 21^st century concept.

Jerry Sutherland

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THE ACCIDENTAL CAR SHOW: ROBSON VALLEY SHOW & SHINE

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June 3, 2017

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We were on our way home from Prince George, BC on Saturday when we spotted an interesting gathering of horses and horsepower on the side of the highway as we entered the town of McBride, British Columbia.

McBride is a community of 616 people that is 130 miles (210 km) southeast of Prince George, BC and about 100 miles (166 km) west of Jasper, Alberta.

The community is located in the Robson Valley and offers the best of small town hospitality and spectacular mountain scenery.

The car show was an unexpected surprise because we did not even have it listed in our June calendar so we made a quick decision to hang a U-turn and pay a visit to this accidental car show.

Actually the car show was no accident for the hardworking people who organized it, but we stumbled upon it by accident and we did not want to pass up our opportunity to enjoy small town BC hospitality.

The horses were an added bonus at the Robson Valley Show & Shine, although we are all about four wheels-not four hooves-so we turned our attention to the interesting collection of rides at the show.

The first vehicle that caught our attention was a beautiful blue 1956 Ford F-100 pickup truck that was built by its proud owner 30 years ago and has a long history on the road with him.

You will learn how and why a 10-dollar case of beer made the F-100 and its owner a team for life when we tell their story in a future MyStarCollectorCar article.

An unfinished 1957 Buick Special was sitting on a trailer and our first reaction was typical when we see this situation at a show: the car is for sale as a project for somebody else. We were wrong because the car has an entire history with one family and the 60-year-old Buick was at the show for a very personal reason.

MSCC readers will learn about the Buick Special in a future article and find out why it is indeed a very special car for this family.

A 1948 Federal big rig towing a vintage Esso tanker trailer behind it was also at the show. Our first question was pretty basic: What is a Federal and how did it get to this picturesque little mountain town in British Columbia?

All of our questions about this unique truck and its old school tanker trailer were answered by the current caretakers of this remarkable rig. MSCC will feature both truck and trailer in a future story.

We were still many miles from home when we discovered this car show but we knew we could not leave without getting the story behind a 1941 Ford Marmon Herrington 6×6 fire truck. The truck was similar to the Federal because we had never even heard the name Marmon Herrington before the McBride car show.

This very rare 76-year-old beast had a colorful history that started with its service in the Canadian armed forces during World War Two. How it got to a peaceful little town in British Columbia will be the subject matter for a future MyStar article.

Sometimes the best things in life happen by accident-including our opportunity to attend a car show in a small BC town right in the middle of the Rocky and Cariboo mountain ranges.

Jim Sutherland

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MSCC JUNE 4 STAR OF THE WEEK: A SPECTACULAR START TO A WEEKEND SHOW

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June 3, 2017

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MSCC JUNE 4 STAR OF THE WEEK: A SPECTACULAR START TO A WEEKEND SHOW

Weather is the key to the success or failure of every car show.

Sun brings out the crowds and rain drives them away—it’s that simple.

This MSCC Star of the Week shot was taken on Friday just as people were rolling into the Three Hills, AB car show.

It was a spectacular start to the show.

MSCC JUNE 3 STAR OF THE DAY—STREET ROD ON STEROIDS

The street rod was an attention getting device from Day 1.

They were built to be loud, fast and in the face of authority.

This MSCC Star of the Day street rod met all three of those conditions.

It was a street rod on steroids.

MSCC JUNE 2 STAR OF THE DAY: LOTS OF LITTLE TOUCHES ON THIS JEEP

Sometimes you have to look beyond the superficial on old iron.

There are modifications that are cool and functional at the same time.

This MSCC Star of the Day Jeep has little touches like side marker lights and a brake light high on the rear of the cab.

There are lots of little touches on this Jeep.

MSCC JUNE 1 STAR OF THE DAY: ’40 DODGE—START THE WEDDING MONTH OFF WITH A WEDDING CAR

June is a very traditional month for weddings.

The timing is good because it’s a month that sits on the cusp of summer so the odds are in favor of good weather.

Good weather means old iron like this MSCC Star of the Day ’40 Dodge can do service as a wedding car.

Start the wedding month off with a very cool wedding car.

MSCC MAY 31 STAR OF THE DAY: QUICK QUESTION—DID YOU EVEN NOTICE THE CAR BEHIND IT?

Today’s cars are like a spinning wheel with all the primary colors because if you spin it fast enough they all blend into a very bland white color

New cars do blend together into a dull blob when they’re in traffic.

That’s why this MSCC Star of the Day was so outstanding on the street yesterday.

Did you even notice the car behind it?

MSCC MAY 30 STAR OF THE DAY: THE GRADUATE ALFA ROMEO TAKE TWO

There were a lot of things to remember about the classic movie ‘The Graduate’.

Mrs. Robinson, Katherine Ross, the Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack and an Alfa Romeo were all big pieces of the puzzle.

This MSCC Star of the Day Alfa Romeo is newer than Dustin Hoffman’s Graduate ride but it does conjure up memories of a classic movie car.

It’s Alfa Romeo—take two.

MSCC MAY 29 STAR OF THE DAY: ’69 JAVELIN—WOODSTOCK ERA AMC MUSCLE

The year 1969 was synonymous with a lot of major events.

The lunar landing was the biggest single event of the year, Woodstock made history in ’69 and the muscle car wars were in full engagement.

They pumped out cars like this MSCC Star of the Day ’69 Javelin.

It was Woodstock era AMC muscle.

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JUNE 2017: “I DON’T REALLY NEED THAT CAR-MY WIFE’S GONNA SHOOT ME” – A ’68 BUICK’S STORY

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June 2, 2017

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JUNE 2017: “I DON’T REALLY NEED THAT CAR-MY WIFE’S GONNA SHOOT ME” – A ’68 BUICK’S STORY

Fans of the TV show ‘Fargo’ have been treated to one of the best reasons to spend an hour in front of a television set over the past few years.

The timeline of the show takes place over several decades and needed to stay period correct with its choice of vehicles.

Sharp-eyed car guy viewers will spot the chronological mistakes and think less of the filmmakers’ lack of concern for accuracy. A stellar example is ‘Goodfellas’ in a scene set in 1963 that clearly shows a 1965 Impala.

A 1968 Buick Wildcat four-door hardtop was a good fit in one ‘Fargo’ series set in the 1970s and MSCC discovered this TV star at a weekly car show. A ’68 Wildcat is already a star in its own right because it is a large and in charge road machine.

This ‘Cat was bold and beautiful in every way. The fact it was a commuter car for TV thugs in ‘Fargo’ only enhanced its image as a star of the car show.

The 1968 Buick Wildcat was built for an upscale buyer who wanted more creature comforts in their rides and this big cat was the right choice for them. The big Buicks had enough size and luxury to offer armchair comfort to their passengers on the road.

The car and its TV history were offered for sale to Len Aucoin by its former owner. The car had been in storage for 21 years from 1984 to 2015 before it was resurrected for its starring role in ‘Fargo’.

The Wildcat was purchased new by the previous owner’s father and stayed in the family until this year when Len was offered an opportunity to purchase the big feline. Len’s first reaction was “I don’t really need this car-my wife will kill me” and he used it as a bargaining chip for the Buick.

He managed to negotiate a price that ensured he would survive the moment he broke the news to his wife and bought the car.

The Wildcat required very few upgrades to bring it back to its former glory. The list included a new windshield, new front shocks, and a new heater core that required a little homework and a power drill for Len to remove the old one from the car.

Len also added dual exhaust to his Buick because he wanted to make it breathe better on the road. It has been repainted once and Len has plans to add a dark blue body/white roof combination in the future.

The car has 106,000 well-maintained miles on it and runs like a top for Len. It has its factory 430 cubic inch four-barrel engine that still produces enough torque for Len to break the rear tires loose when the spirit moves him.

The Wildcat has power everything, including brakes, steering and windows in the finest tradition of Buick as a GM luxury brand. It also has cruise control and a unique glass antifreeze bottle under the hood that provides extra cooling fluid for the radiator when the situation warrants it.

Len noted that “everything still works” on his Wildcat and he enjoys every moment on the road with his big Buick. The former TV star is now a big star in Len’s world.

Jim Sutherland

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JUNE 2017: ’65 BARRACUDA—THIS CAR JUST COULDN’T LEAVE THE FAMILY

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June 1, 2017

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The family connection is one of the most common themes in the car hobby.

Car guys often own a car because their granddad/dad/mom/brother/sister/uncle/cousin owned one or they own the actual car their granddad/dad/mom/brother/sister/uncle/aunt owned.

That “relative owned one” theme accounts for well over 50% of the car hobby.

Dave Rolfe is definitely part of that over 50% demographic with his ’65 Barracuda. His brother-in-law bought this factory 273 4-speed car right off the dealer’s floor when it was brand new.

Dave’s brother-in-law drove it for twenty years before he put it in an extended hibernation. He reached the point where he had to decide what to do with the car and none of his kids wanted the Barracuda so Dave stepped in to save the car and keep it in the family.

Dave is brand new to the car hobby so he had to factor in a lot of unknowns with the car. He said the Barracuda was “relatively rust-free so there was very little rust repair, a little bit on both fenders”. Dave pointed out an area on the driver’s side fender where there was a dent but overall the little A-body was a relatively dry car.

The power train was also in pretty good shape because Dave only had to deal with the top end of the engine. He also had the brakes done (including the upgrade to a dual master cylinder) and there was work done on the driveshaft. Dave admitted, “a rear main seal blew” and he was a little disappointed after all the work but Dave is also realistic about his entry into the old car hobby.

The paint is an approximation of the original color—Dave described it as “close to original but a little greener”. The interior is an interesting combination of original and aftermarket because the front seats were done in the original style with aftermarket covers but the back seat retained the original covering.

The rear seats have new internal padding but outwardly they are the original factory covers. The headliner was also redone and all the door and window rubber seals are new and you “have to slam them—you’ve had to slam them since new”.

Dave redid the mufflers with an aftermarket set of duals so this Barracuda has a bit of a rumble. The rumble matches the performance because Dave said this solid lifter 273 V-8 has “tons of power”. He’d like to get the seat back a few inches so he doesn’t have to squeeze behind the wheel and his 6’3” brother-in-law swears there was “more room behind the wheel” when it was new.

He’s also curious about the VIN because he says it decodes as “a Valiant Barracuda built in Ontario with a police code” so he’s looking for more information on the car.

Dave is happy about his entry into the world of old iron and he knows it will involve a learning curve but it’s an investment he was happy to make because it saved a classic Mopar and kept it in the family. He’s particularly happy with the succession plan for the Barracuda:

“They won’t get an inheritance but they’ll sure get a cool car”.

Jerry Sutherland

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JUNE 2017: A 1963 STUDEBAKER TRUCK STILL PERFORMS LIKE A CHAMP

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May 31, 2017

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Studebaker was a player in the automotive picture after the company moved from building horse-drawn wagons and began to build motorized horseless carriages.

The car company carved out a legacy in the automotive industry for 65 years-first with electric cars and eventually gas engine vehicles.

Studebaker closed up shop in 1966 when the shut down their last factory in Hamilton, Ontario. The little car company from South Bend, Indiana became a footnote in the auto industry.

The Studie may have been gone for 50 years, but its loyal legions of fans have kept the name and there are still plenty of Studebakers still on the road.

We discovered a 1963 Studebaker Champ pickup truck at a summer show and were able to get its full story from its enthusiastic owner, Barry Brace.

A Studebaker Champ truck is a great example of the innovative side of the Studebaker engineers. The Studebaker people had a very small budget and were forced to be creative when it came to their vehicles.

They took a Studebaker Lark compact car and removed all the sheet metal from behind the front seat. Then they welded in a flat sheet of metal behind the front seat to build a truck cab, followed by a truck bed built from an outdated Chrysler tooling machine used for their Dodge pickups in the mid-50s.

The Champ was an inexpensive way for Studebaker to remain in the pickup truck market and was built from 1960-64.

Barry was well aware of the history behind his truck, so we asked him about his personal history with his ’63 Champ.

He bought the truck at an auction about 20 years ago when Barry was between projects and decided to tackle the little Studie truck.

Barry is a big believer in originality and wanted to restore the truck back to its original specs-including its 90 horsepower factory six-cylinder engine that he rebuilt. It also still has its three-on-the-tree manual transmission that is a mystery to many younger car guys.

The Champ spent some time as a shop truck but it has spent much more time on the open road with Barry. He does not believe in the trailer queen philosophy and prefers to drive the truck to his chosen destinations.

Barry has logged tens of thousands of miles behind the wheel of his Champ and it has performed like a champ the entire time. He has never had a breakdown along the way to faraway places like Denver, Colorado, Saskatoon Saskatchewan, or Kamloops British Columbia over the past two decades.

The truck has a low gear ratio and the pace is not fast for Barry, but that does not really matter because the Champ is his kind of driving experience: relaxed and fun. Barry added that his truck is also very comfortable on the long trips.

Barry built a wooden box liner for his Champ and added plenty of storage compartments to it.

He also added a rear bumper because he also drives it on the streets of a very large city near his home and wanted to protect it from a fender bender.

Jim Sutherland

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WE ARE THE CLASSICS (ALBERTA)—THE NEXT GENERATION OF CAR GUYS REALLY DIG THE 70S IRON

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May 29, 2017

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Kyle Hanger is the founder of a group called ‘We Are The Classics (Alberta)’.

No, it’s not a retro rock act—they are on the cutting edge of the hobby.

They are the next generation of car guys.

MSCC contacted Kyle to learn what makes up ‘We Are The Classics (Alberta)’. He gave some great insight into the “why” and “how” part of this unique car club via a series of questions and answers .

How did the club begin?

“I started the group in late 2015 and had our first official meet in September of the same year. Our first meet had about 11 cars come together from Torinos to Malibus and even some ratty old Impalas.”

Why did you form the club?

“I formed ‘We Are The Classics’ because down in Calgary here we have groups and pages all about cruising and showing off each other’s vehicles, but it was mostly based around the import and modern domestic side of the car culture, and classics weren’t as well received and sometimes frowned upon by others when seen in cruises or posted.

“So I created the group in hopes of having a friendly and loving community to share and enjoy our vintage and antique cars, trucks, bikes and even music culture too, we are all about the vintage and retro culture whether it be diners, cars, music or clothing. I’ve also noticed a decline in the classic culture over the past few years of attending shows and meets, and it’s been saddening to see.”

“Lots of people I know love classics but are afraid of even attempting to restore one or find one because they think that you have to give an arm and a leg to find one worth driving or fixing, so I also am trying to help people fix and find cars to restore or drive as well!”

What kind of old iron do you have in your club?

“We have everything, from Beetles, Torinos, Parisiennes, Lincolns, everything under the sun and anything classic is more than welcome to join! We don’t care if it’s 4-cylinder or 8, all original or resto-modded, fast or slow, rusty or pristine, everything’s welcome and everyone is welcome as well!”

You seem to have a number of 70s era cars in the club—is there any reason for this love of Me Decade iron?

“There isn’t really any reason for it, we are lovers of all eras of classic cars but some of us, especially I have kind of flocked to save the 70s classics as well!

“With the current younger generation they are wanting the 70s cars especially for some reason, like Gran Torinos, Furys and Mavericks especially are being desired by our group a lot since they have been coming out to meets! Personally I feel like the 70s cars are finally picking up traction for restoration and collecting and it’s starting with the younger classics!”

Do you help each other out in the club?

“We help each other out as much as we can! Offering help and parts when we can to help keep the classics alive and going! We help each other do brakes and carb tuning, to even metal and body work just for fun! We also have some professional mechanics and auto body techs offering cheaper work than their normal rates in some cases to help others out!”

Do you have regular meetings?

“We try and meet up on a weekly basis but due to work and such we haven’t as much as usual, but we try and attend car shows as much as possible together to make sure we see each other around!”

What about road trips?

Every week or so we do a small road trip to Red Deer from Calgary to see the Red Deer Cruise Nights crowd as well! We love going out there ever since we lost our Wild Wednesday show at Grey Eagle a few years back. But we also do road trips to see car collections, fields, diners and occasionally to Banff, Drumheller and other places of the sorts!”

“This year a bunch of us are planning out a road trip to Vancouver with our cars, where I’ll be taking my 1974 Plymouth Fury, Eric in his 1983 Chevrolet Silverado, Liam in his 1973 Pontiac Parisienne and Steven in his 1966 Volkswagen Beetle “Herbie” just to name a few who are planning to come out with us!”

Do you get a good reaction from the public when you’re on the road?

“People love it! They love seeing cars of all cultures out and about like it’s the 70s and earlier! It’s constant thumbs up, people rushing to take photos and great conversations and people we meet along the way!”

What draws young guys like you to cars that were built decades before you were born?

“Just like the older generation, the younger generation loves, and I mean LOVES old school iron! They love the era they never got to live but their parents always talked about, with love and peace and cool cars everywhere, but even if it doesn’t seem like it the younger generation is in love with classics, even the JDM and Tuner guys and gals love them too and would die for one! The issue for the younger generation is that they see Chargers, Camaros and Mustangs going for so much like at Barrett Jackson or Mecum, and even locally they think that ALL old iron will cost that much to own, and that’s a myth I’m trying to prove wrong to my generation! Everyone’s slowly coming to see that they can get a really nice classic for cheap if they just look and be patient!”

We Are The Classics’ main goal is to keep the stories and love of old cars going for more generations ahead to enjoy and love like our generation and previous generations before have as well!

Jerry Sutherland

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EIGHT OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MODELS

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May 28, 2017

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We all went through that model phase in life.

Not the annual Sports Illustrated model phase –that would come later in life.

This is all about an era when a new AMT model was like Christmas in July so here’s a list of my all-time favorite pieces of molded plastic and glue.

I built the Little Red Wagon for several reasons. It was a legendary Mopar; it was a Hemi; it was a wheel stander; it was a track legend. This truck was the embodiment of 60s cool and when it was built I only had one regret—I left it in the original red. It came in a maroon-ish red and I was too cheap to pop for a $1.98 red spray bomb. I’d make worse decisions later in life but when I was 11—that was a big one.

My brother Jim (MSCC co-founder) built a pretty sharp ’64 Buick Wildcat model. That one was a catalyst for a lifetime attraction to these big luxury barges. Every time I see a ’64 Wildcat at a show I think back to that little AMT beauty sitting on the desk.

I built a ’67 Barracuda model to keep company with the Little Red Wagon and it definitely made me a fan of the 2^nd Gen ‘cuda. I painted it light blue for some reason (could have been the effects of the glue).

My sense of style improved when I built a ’49 Ford. This little shoebox was a three-in-one model so I turned it into a gasser. It was yellow, it was ultra-cool and it was probably my finest hour as a model maker.

Jim built a very cool ’56 Ford and he went the gasser route too. Gassers were the ultimate ride in pre-teen 60s kid world and to this day they still evoke memories of the yellow shoebox and green ’56 Ford.

There was a neighborhood kid who was also into models but he leaned heavily into the pop culture custom world so he built the Munster’s Dragula.

He really bought into the Munster’s automotive theme so built the Munster Koach—I think he owned stock in George Barris’s company.

He followed up with the Red Baron. That one was a little tricky because the big chrome helmet roof would never hold up to a glue job—hopefully the real one was engineered better.

There was a lot of effort put into these models and the more I built them, the better the end result. Practice does make perfect but none of them survived the 1960s because they all met grisly fates.

The ’49 Ford and the ’56 Ford were stolen out of a display case after winning awards at a junior high model contest. I knew the perps in the caper but they got by on lack of evidence—the justice system was just as leaky back in 1968.

The others went out in a blaze of glory. Tim Allen talked about it often but one of the pre-adolescent male rites of passages in the 60s was to stuff a plastic model full of lighter fluid and firecrackers and touch a match to the fuse.

It wasn’t smart but it sure was spectacular—I still miss those models.

Jerry Sutherland

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TEARING UP THE HIGHWAY LIKE A BIG OLD DINOSAUR TO THE DRUMHELLER CAR SHOW

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May 27, 2017

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Drumheller, Alberta Canada is located in the middle of a world famous dinosaur fossil area known locally as the Badlands.

This region has produced more dinosaurs than an entire season of the Flintstones and may well be one of the coolest regions in North America.

The drive to Drumheller takes you through an area that time forgot until erosion and paleontologists started to uncover a vast fossilized boneyard for pre-historic beasts.

The terrain in the Badlands also has an old western movie vibe to it where one could envision a young Duke Wayne charging over a hill in pursuit of Old West justice.

In fact, an older Clint Eastwood actually filmed parts of his famous 90s western ‘The Unforgiven’ in the Badlands.

Our visit to the Boogie in the Badlands car show in Drumheller was an eye-opener because cars and concrete dinosaurs shared the spotlight at this event. The two co-exist in peaceful harmony.

Mike Todor took on the job as the new organizer six weeks ago and he is very ambitious about the show. The proceeds of the show go to the DinoArts Association for the upkeep on the downtown statues–that’s how cars and dinosaurs work together.

A 1960 Chevy Biscayne Sedan Delivery was an attention-grabber at the show. Its colorful owner had a long history of ownership and he had quite a story to tell about how his unusual ride had given him enough balance in his life to combat some personal issues.

He also drives his car year round and has a set of winter tires that help him get to town during the harsh winters in his area.

This man and his unusual car will be the centerpiece for an excellent future article here at MyStarCollectorCar.

A 1966 Olds Dynamic 88 got our attention after a conversation with its owner who explained why he chose to purchase a large-and-in-charge Oldsmobile from the Sensational Sixties.

The Olds looks even better than its first day out of the factory but still retains its originality with a few smart refinements to give it even more style and class. Learn much more about this beauty in a future MSCC story.

We have a rigid rule here at MyStar: when we spot one of Virgil Exner’s finned beauties at a car show, we get the story. A 1958 Dodge Royal Lancer was a stunning example of the Forward Look (finned Mopars from the back nine of the 50s) and we were lucky enough to get the story behind this very rare Mopar.

This car was actually a factory-correct Royal Spring Edition model and it has a big story behind that label-one we will share with our readers in a future MyStar article.

In complete contrast, a 1958 Chevy Impala was definitely not the same car that left the GM factory almost 60 years ago. The car has undergone a major attitude adjustment that turned this car into a killer street machine that gets into fighting form via a modern high performance Chevy small block.

Our last guest star from Boogie in the Badlands was one of the finest custom 1950 Fords we at MSCC have ever encountered at a show. This shoe box was given a major facelift that turned the Ford into an absolutely stunning show-stopper.

Our readers will learn how a classic Ford legend was molded into a one-off custom legend in a future MyStarCollectorCar article.

One of the lesser known Mercury models was its pickup truck lineup.

The overall result for Bret’s creative efforts is a happy ending for his resurrected Mercury Canuck truck resto mod that is a big crowd-pleaser at shows.

They used to be prime candidates for the car crusher or the demo derby because nobody saw the cool factor in the long roofs.

A new-old 21st century concept.

McBride is a community of 616 people that is 130 miles (210 km) southeast of Prince George, BC and about 100 miles (166 km) west of Jasper, Alberta.

Sometimes the best things in life happen by accident-including our opportunity to attend a car show in a small BC town right in the middle of the Rocky and Cariboo mountain ranges.

This MSCC Star of the Day street rod met all three of those conditions.

This MSCC Star of the Day Jeep has little touches like side marker lights and a brake light high on the rear of the cab.

Good weather means old iron like this MSCC Star of the Day ’40 Dodge can do service as a wedding car.

That’s why this MSCC Star of the Day was so outstanding on the street yesterday.

This MSCC Star of the Day Alfa Romeo is newer than Dustin Hoffman’s Graduate ride but it does conjure up memories of a classic movie car.

They pumped out cars like this MSCC Star of the Day ’69 Javelin.

The timeline of the show takes place over several decades and needed to stay period correct with its choice of vehicles.

Len noted that “everything still works” on his Wildcat and he enjoys every moment on the road with his big Buick. The former TV star is now a big star in Len’s world.

Car guys often own a car because their granddad/dad/mom/brother/sister/uncle/cousin owned one or they own the actual car their granddad/dad/mom/brother/sister/uncle/aunt owned.

“They won’t get an inheritance but they’ll sure get a cool car”.

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Studebaker closed up shop in 1966 when the shut down their last factory in Hamilton, Ontario. The little car company from South Bend, Indiana became a footnote in the auto industry.

He also added a rear bumper because he also drives it on the streets of a very large city near his home and wanted to protect it from a fender bender.

They are the next generation of car guys.

We Are The Classics’ main goal is to keep the stories and love of old cars going for more generations ahead to enjoy and love like our generation and previous generations before have as well!

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This is all about an era when a new AMT model was like Christmas in July so here’s a list of my all-time favorite pieces of molded plastic and glue.

It wasn’t smart but it sure was spectacular—I still miss those models.

The drive to Drumheller takes you through an area that time forgot until erosion and paleontologists started to uncover a vast fossilized boneyard for pre-historic beasts.

Our readers will learn how a classic Ford legend was molded into a one-off custom legend in a future MyStarCollectorCar article.

A new-old 21^st century concept.