Do you remember sitting in the back seat of your dad’s 57 Chevy thinking you’d own a beauty like this someday, or wishing you had a thirty-year old MGB or a VW Bug sitting in your garage to restore? Do you have an insulated five bay garage with an epoxy floor to keep your prize possession in? These are the memories, wishes and dreams of car enthusiasts, and nothing excites them more than going to the latest car show, swapping stories and sharing memories.
The 2009 DuPont Corvette Car Show.
Some car shows feature vintage and classic cars while others show off the newest models on the market. Many enthusiasts travel from show to show taking in the nostalgia, beauty, and culture of the car world. Brian and Vern Sundin of Portland are brothers with a love for car shows.
“It brings back a lot of memories. I had older cars when I was younger. They weren’t as nice as the ones I see at the car shows, but it bring back fun memories. You get to see cars that you’ve wanted all your life, since you were 16,” said Brian.
Vern enjoys going to the shows with family and friends. “One thing I notice when I go to car shows, also something I do myself, is guys walking together and stopping and looking only at certain cars. Those certain cars stir old memories either of the first car they owned or a car they saw when they were young and had always wanted to own. Sometimes a guy will find a car for sale and buy it and yet another may be inspired to go look for one himself and then restore it to original or modify it and make it into a hot rod.”
Brian often has his eyes out for particular models as well. “It’s just a lot of fun memories looking at cars you’ve always wanted to own since you were a kid. It’s kind of a nostalgia thing. It’s neat to see the value of some of these cars you might have bought in the past for $150 and now they’re worth $20,000 or $30,000.”
Photographer Rebekah Chapman of Tacoma has more of a feminine take on the charm of car shows. Her interest is in the art of cars.
“Cars are such a large part of our culture, especially in America, and have been for many years. They are in our movies, our literature, our art, but more than that, they are in our everyday lives.”
She also enjoys seeing how the body design of cars has evolved over the years. “I get excited when I see vintage models of cars that are still in production and catch a glimpse of how they have evolved over the years. It makes me even more happy to see modern designs reference the past in new models.”
Although she was not alive when many of these cars were first on the road, she enjoys watching the memories of others unfold. “I often find people recalling their memories over certain cars, or talking about how they’ve always idolized them. I’m a dreamer and it makes me smile to hear other people’s romanticized stories about cars.”
Have you been to a car show lately? With many local shows taking place in the upcoming months (see below), get out and see what the fuss is about. How did that jingle go? “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet…”
Upcoming Local Car Shows
Freedom Fest’s Classy Chassis Car Show
- Date: July 4
- Time: 11:00am-10:00pm
- Location: Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s Cowan Stadium
SHEF By the Bay Car Show
- Date: July 18
- Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
- Location: Historical Downtown Steilacoom
DuPont Corvette Car Show
- Date: August 14
- Time: To Be Decided
- Location: Ross Plaza, Downtown DuPont
DuPont Dynos Car Club Cruise-Ins
- Dates: July 29, August 26, September 30
- Time: 5:00-8:00pm
- Location: DuPont Farrelli’s Parking Lot
- www.dupontdynos.org
