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Tyler Klassen and Brad Sanderson standing by their vintage collector cars in a parking lot
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Brad Sanderson, right, stands with his restored 1970 Torino, and Tyler Klassen, left, with his 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, as members of the Vintage Cruisers prepare for upcoming car shows. (Mike Blume/PortageOnline)
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Brad Sanderson and Tyler Klassen of Portage la Prairie have spent decades restoring and maintaining vintage cars. Sanderson, president of the Vintage Cruisers car club for the past 10 years, has been working on classic vehicles for 35 to 40 years. Before retiring from corrections in 2019, he worked in several body shops, including Dan and Pete’s Auto Body in Portage and others in Brandon. 

“I brought that, it’s a ’70 Torino. I bought it from the original owner in Carberry,” notes Sanderson. “It had 94,000 miles on it when I bought it, sat for 19 years, took me 11 months to restore it. It’s been totally redone… but I kept the original engine, original transmission, original rear end.” 

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Brad Sanderson and his Torino

Sanderson says the car now belongs to his daughter Melissa, even though he originally intended to keep it for himself. Over the years, he estimates he has personally restored about 10 vehicles while helping with many more. 

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Brad Sanderson at the wheel

Love for the Beetles 

Klassen’s passion lies with Volkswagens, especially Beetles. His current pride is a 1967 model, one of about seven he owns. Growing up in a family-run body shop and later becoming a mechanic, he developed an early love for working on vehicles. 

“I have about seven of them or so,” says Klassen. “Volkswagens have their own… there’s a club in Manitoba, again Winnipeg, that’s for Volkswagens itself too.” 

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Tyler Klassen and his Volkswagen

Klassen says the Beetle in the parking lot hasn’t needed a complete restoration, but he has done maintenance and occasional modifications. He enjoys attending shows when time allows, often alongside fellow Vintage Cruisers members. 

Shows and community connections 

The Vintage Cruisers have about 50 members, with some stepping away after selling their vehicles. Sanderson says the club has relaxed its entry requirements to welcome anyone with a special-interest vehicle, in hopes of attracting new members. 

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Tyler Klassen at the wheel

“Sometimes it’s hard to find stuff for old vehicles, and if you know like-minded people, usually someone has something that can help the other one out,” adds Sanderson. 

Upcoming appearances include the Wheels and Wings show at the Portage Flying Club on September 22, and a trip to Stonewall Quarry Days this weekend. Sanderson says that on the way to shows, the group often travels together in what looks like a rolling parade of vintage cars. 

 

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