Steve Leary drove his 1929 Willys Whippet up from Snohomish to attend the Cruise the Shore Car show in his old hometown of North Vancouver.Cam Hutchins The long weekend to mark the end of another glorious summer was one I loved and hated as a kid as I was excited my birthday weekend was here, but it meant summer was over and school was starting. I am no longer in school and I dont look forward to birthdays anymore so this weekend with the Crescent Beach Concours cant come soon enough!Simply put, this is an awesome show in an awesome location! The little park at the end of Crescent Beach hosts a selection of the most amazing cars from B.C., across Canada and the United States. Every year the mix of cars change, but they are always exceptional. One year a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTS 4 NART Spyder from Seattle came up and just before that one sold at auction for well over $30 million. I wonder what wild cars will be there tomorrow?As mentioned in a previous column I photographed the cover photo for the show program that included a Riley and an Intermeccanica Italia. Both cars I knew virtually nothing about and had to go home to read about them. I saw another couple of Italias at the Concorso Italiano in California a couple of weeks ago. But they were not all Intermeccanicas; the other Italia came from Triumphs Italian importer Salvatore Ruffino. The TR3 chassis was rebodied with a design by a young Giovanni Michelotti that featured a hood bulge and a kick up at the back edge of the door. Clearly Triumph was pleased with the design as Michelotti ended up designing the 1961 Triumph TR4. This one owner 1968 Mustang GT fastback was seen at the Mustang show in Langley last weekend. Cam Hutchins This weekend also has the Back to Bradner Show Shine hosted by the Pacific International Street Rod Association, a long-running club with lots of great members and great cars. Another not-to-miss show is the Canadian Falcon Fairlane Comet Club Labour Day event at George Preston Arena, where I ended last weekend at the Mustang show at George Preston Arena and it is a great place for a car show with lots of shade.I also went to the show in North Vancouver benefitting Lions Gate Hospital. On one of the side streets I saw George Pappas and his 1967 Beaumont Cheetah, a rare car from Conroy motors who stuffed the Corvette 427 into the Beaumonts and called them Cheetahs. Sitting alongside his car was a 4 speed 396 1968 El Camino, a 1969 Chevelle and a 1969 COPO 427 Camaro. All big blocks and all sold new on the North Shore. Another North Shore native, Steve Leary who now lives in Snohomish, Washington drove his 1929 Willys Whippet with a 1952 DeSoto Hemi up to the show Looks old school but is tricked it out with power steering and brakes. Four big blocks in a row originally from the North Shore at the Cruise the Shore event in North Vancouver Cam Hutchins So have a great long weekend and whatever show or race you get to, take a kid.and try not to rub it in that school starts in a couple of days!SHOWSAUG. 31What: 9th Annual Crescent Beach Concours dEleganceWhere: Blackie Spit, 3136 McBride Ave., SurreyWhen: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Info: 604-263-3400 or crescentbeachconcours@gmail.comWebsite: crescentbeachconcours.comSEPT. 1What: Back to Bradner Show ShineWhere: Bradner Sports Field, 5305 Bradner Rd., AbbotsfordWhen: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission: By donationRegistration: 8 a.m. to noon $20 and open to all vehiclesInfo: 604-220-0542 or tudor32@pisra.comWebsite: pisra.comWhat: Mercedes-Benz Show ShineWhere: Waterfront Park, North VancouverWhen: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: $20 and open to all Mercedes Benz, AMG and Smart vehiclesInfo: tony.millikin@sjrb.caWebsite: bcstars.mbca.orgSEPT. 2What: Canadian Falcon Fairlane Comet Club Picnic in the Park.Where: Langley Civic Centre, 20699 42nd Ave., LangleyWhen: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: 9 a.m. to noon $15 and open to all classic and specialty vehiclesInfo: 604-589-2451 or 66gta@telus.netWebsite: ffcclub.comWhat: Preston GM All Corvette ShowWhere: Preston GM at the Langley By-PassWhen: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: 9a.m. $10 and open to Corvettes onlyInfo: 604-533-2529 or dbifford@antrimcedar.comWebsite: bccorvetteclub.ca COMPETITIONAUG. 30What: Friday Night Mopac Auto Supply Street Legal Drag RacingWhere: Mission Raceway Park, 32670 Dyke Rd., MissionWhen: Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Racing at 5 p.m. to 11p.m. (weather permitting).Info: 604-826-6315 or info@missionraceway.comWebsite: missionraceway.comAUG. 31What: Oval racingWhere: Saratoga Speedway, Black Creek, B.C.Info: 250-337-5024 or race@saratogaspeedway.bc.caWebsite: saratogaracing.caAUG. 31-SEPT. 1What: Canada 200 WeekendWhere: Western Speedway, 2207 Millstream Rd, VictoriaInfo: 250-474-2151 or denise@westernspeedway.netWebsite: westernspeedway.netWhat: Drift Union Matsuri WeekendWhere: Penticton Speedway, 2070 Carmi Ave, Penticton,Info: 250-809-9117, 250-460-0121 or
Origin: A last show gasp of summer