The show was held at the freshly paved parking lot of the Lodge 44 headquarters on Powell Road.
“We got lucky with the weather, and they just finished with the paving on Wednesday, so it all worked out,” Knox added. The first event drew nearly 100 cars and they were judged for awards for the Best Ford, Chevy, Mopar, Import, Truck, Bike, Interior and Paint. In addition, local business pitched in with over 60 door prizes that included a complete custom car stereo system and expensive sets of tools.
“Our Angel Tree program helps families at Christmas time and things are tough right now, people need help,” Knox said. “ We adopt families each year, and we hope to adopt more this year, and this turnout is really going to help, it looks like we will bring in another $500 or so.”
Among the cars at the show was a black 1956 Ford Victoria, sporting the spun aluminum disc hubcaps and chrome side pipes.
“I wanted a true ’50s style cruiser, but I also wanted all of the modern amenities, so I had to build one,” owner Calvin Kline said.
“I searched all over for the car, and found this one in Oklahoma. It was all original and had no rust, which is what I was looking for, and then I bought a 1988 Lincoln LSC,” Kline said. “I took the engine, transmission, suspension, disc brakes, rack and pinion and the entire interior from the Lincoln and I put it in the ’56.”
Kline, from St. Paris is a retired airline mechanic and did all of the work himself, except for the interior.
“This car has every feature that the ’88 Lincoln had. It has six way power seats, power windows, air conditioning, computer controlled fuel management, I can even check my mileage while I’m driving,” he said. “Being a retired airline mechanic, wiring this car wasn’t real difficult. I’ve worked on way more complicated systems over the years,” he added.
The car has the classic ’50’s look, being lowered and sporting the side pipes and lots of chrome. The continental kit has airbrushed portraits of Kline’s five grandchildren.
“It drive this car all the time, I take it to shows and cruises. I could drive it to California, it’s like a brand new Lincoln in an old cruiser body; just what I wanted.”