LIHU‘E — A 1931 Plymouth destined for Abe’s Recycling became the star of the 6th annual Father’s Day car show and expo Saturday coordinated by the Kaua‘i Volkswagen Club and the Kaua‘i Classic Cars. Roger Ridgley of A Tow in
LIHU‘E — A 1931 Plymouth destined for Abe’s Recycling became the star of the 6th annual Father’s Day car show and expo Saturday coordinated by the Kaua‘i Volkswagen Club and the Kaua‘i Classic Cars.
Roger Ridgley of A Tow in Paradise said he got a call to tow the old Plymouth to Abe’s, but when he saw the car he just didn’t have the heart to do it.
“I asked the owner if he had the paperwork and after everything was done, the car came back to the yard,” Ridgley said. “Don’t you think it looks better suspended than a pickup?”
That centerpiece served to draw people from all corners of the bristling Kukui Grove Center as attendees snapped photos of the vintage vehicles.
“We try to do things different each year,” said Jonell Kaohelaulii, the marketing director for Kukui Grove. “This year, it’s a benefit for the Kaua‘i Food Bank where each entrant brought a food piece for the food bank. That entitled them to an entry blank for prizes through random drawings during the event. It’s a lot better than having a ‘Best in Show,’ and everyone has a chance to win.”
Harvey Maeda of the Kaua‘i Classic Cars said more than 50 cars braved the morning showers to display their prized joys to an eager public.
“We would have had more cars, but it rained,” Maeda said. “We thought we would have more drag racers too, but a lot of the drivers are preparing their cars for the big July 4 event that will honor Rudy Ramos. Their cars are either at a garage, or not intact.”
Kerrilyn Villa, the Garden Island Racing Association secretary, said she was planning on dropping off her El Camino for the show, but will spend the day at the Mana Raceway Park preparing for the July 3-4 drag races.
Darrel Borrero of the Kaua‘i Volkswagen Club was tallying the number of Bugs in the lot for David Tao.
“We have at least 17 right now,” Borrero said. “This is the most we’ve had in a long time.”
Other vehicles on display included the latest models of the Dodge Challenger as well as the Chevrolet Camaro, motorcycles that streamed in and out of the event throughout the day, and other show cars, including a vintage World War II Jeep.
“This is not bad,” Kaohelaulii said. “We have a pretty good collection for the food bank, the mall is busy, and shoppers have something different to look at.”
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
