When the community comes together, a lot can happen. $11,000 was raised at the Classic Car Show for the Peter George Dyck Villages, on the second floor of the Buhler Active Living Centre. Held on June 14th at the green space on 400 Memorial Drive in Winkler, and organized by Chomper Giesbrecht, a car enthusiast himself, the event drew in over 75 participants from all over the Pembina Valley and beyond to show off their classic vehicles.
Dave Neubuhr brought his 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme convertible, a vehicle he and his wife enjoy and use frequently in the warmer months. “Nice sunny days such as this, we take it out, we enjoy it” shared Neubuhr. “It’s nice to have the top down and just experience that wind through your hair... it’s an experience you just don’t forget.”
Neubuhr was excited to attend the car show, and commended it as “...a good opportunity to raise some money for a good charity”
Powered by imagination
For John Blatz, his love for classic vehicles is one inherited. “My father was a car guy” shared Blatz. “He loved buying and selling cars, and he did that quite often.” This passion ignited in Blatz from a young age— “I would have been less than...thirteen years old, and I drew a picture of a late 20s early 30s Ford truck.” reflected Blatz. “That was what I wanted to draw, so I did... I find it very enjoyable to use my imagination.”
Blatz’s imagination has grown past the page and into his vehicles, particularly in the 1937 Fargo truck he brought to the car show. Rebuilding the vehicle to not only suit his imagination, but also to make it easier to drive — “The 1937 truck only came with one taillight, no signal lights. Now I have taillights in the back, two of them. Signal lights in all four corners”— transformed the truck.
A blast from the past
A 1972 Ford Mustang Convertible, brought to the show by Terry and Sharon Smyth, featured a flashback— a carhop tray hanging off the window, with various A&W paraphernalia on display. For the Smyths, the car and the drive-in experience were a part of their teen years. While they have added to their collection from antique shows and flea markets, the car does not sit unused: “We love it... it’s not a showpiece, we just have it to drive it and have fun with.”
