Vibrant reds, oranges, and blues of beautifully restored classic cars were on display in the parking lot at Bruce’s Country Market on Monday, July 6.
The show was the first of three that will be held at the store over the summer months.
Vivian Hendriks from Fort Langley was perusing the vehicles with her nephew Emil Alsgren, visiting from Denmark.
Alsgren loved seeing the old “muscle cars” at the show.
“There’re just neat,” he said, noting a lot of classic car shows where he lives in Denmark, showcase European cars, mostly British and German built cars. So, he was having a great time checking out the original American made vehicles.
Hendriks, a Fort Langley resident, whose husband owns classic cars, loved the cars from the 1950’s like the 1957 blue Chevrolet Bel Air that was on display.
Rob Fraser of Abbotsford had a 1965 Studebaker Daytona on display.
Fraser shows his vehicle three to four times a week during the summer months at car shows across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley from about the end of April until September.
He loves being involved with the classic car community, and engaged with the communities where they show their cars.
“It’s just what we do,” he said.
Long time Maple Ridge resident Joe Roach had a 1953 Ford F-100 on display.
He joked that he doesn’t collect cars, only the parts to put the car together.
Roach bought the vehicle in 1985 only partly restored – and he is still working on it. He said the original owner, a fire chief in Prince Albert, had the first crack at it, and that is why the colour of the vehicle and engine are red.
Roach said it is not the easiest car to drive because it uses old technology.
“But on the open roads, and I drove it down to California, not a problem,” he said.
Thom Koplar, another Maple Ridge resident, owns three vintage cars, and had a 1950 Mercury on display, also known as a “Lead Sled”, because a lot of the past body work on these vehicles were done with lead, it’s also a very heavy car, and because it is so low to the ground, the vehicle has been compared to a sled.
Although, the vehicle does raise from the ground when it is in motion.
He said he bought it fully restored because he had wanted one his entire life.
“The roof is chopped, so it’s very low. And, it’s just a pretty car,” he said.
Oleh Rastiehiev and his wife Natalia, from Ukraine, on holidays visiting their children who live in Maple Ridge, were very impressed with the vehicles.
Oleh said the cars were “awesome”.
In addition to cars there was live entertainment, an ice cream trailer, an in-house dinner special, and a petting zoo.
The next shows will be held from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, and then again on Monday, Sept. 7, at the corner of 240th Street and Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge.