Ben Bekers beautiful 1954 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Sport Coupe on the Crescent Beach Concours lawn last Saturday.Cam Hutchins Last weekend was the perfect way to end the summer season thanks to lots of great showsAs always, Saturdays Crescent Beach Concours was outstanding. I was there for morning roll-in and the selection of cars was absolutely stellar. Too many great cars to pick my favourite, so Im lucky not to be a judge. John Carlson taught me most of what I know about working on engines and it was great to see him there as chief judge. I spent lots of time talking to many owners and one cool story concerned three generations of carnuts presenting a 1968 Fiat 500 bought new by Grandma (or Nonna) in Italy and the a SILA Bimboracer owned by grandson Massimo Calandra. This was an electric childrens car built by S.I.L.A. in Turin, designed by Giovanni Michelotti, and based on the open Ferrari Spider of its time and has Connolly Ferrari leather interior. Young Massimo was a hit with the judges.Another Italian supercar of its day was the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Touring owned by noted car collector and vintage racer Jon Shirley of the Seattle area. This car has a supercharged straight eight-cylinder engine and its snarling exhaust note rivals any of the muscle eras V8s. It rolled in to a prime spot in the centre of the field and won best of show. But choosing best of show must have been tough because there were so many cool cars. There was a 1909 Pierce Arrow 24 Runabout that came in with protective bags over the brass to protect it, along with a 1910 Russell Knight 22 owned by Peter Findlay. The 1929 Franklin Speedster at the show has an aluminum body and a similar vehicle was given to Charles Lindberg in hopes of promoting the benefits of the Franklins air-cooled engine.Another cool engine was the six-cylinder in the 1936 MGNB. After the Thirties most MG were stuck with all sorts of four-cylinders so this was a pretty unique car to see. The flip side to small engines was the big bad Shelby GT 500KR of Postmedia columnist Alyn Edwards with the 428 Cobrajet. Alyn took a day off of reporting and judging to just come to the show as an entrant. Beside the Shelby was the biggest baddest of the 50s wild decade, the audacious 1959 Cadillac Series 62. The rear of these cars are probably the most photographed tails of all time.Other of the crazy 50s tails included: the 1958 Imperial 4 door Southampton, owned by Ernie and Colleen Stepney; Doug Taylors 1957 Mercury Turnpike; and the 1957 Dodge Custom Royal D-500 of Bob and Josie Cunningham. Similar to the Dodge Custom was the Orange Creamsicle-coloured 1958 DeSoto two-door hardtop Firedome Sportsman owned by LDonna Lynds. This weekend I am going to take a cue from Alyn and enter my old Chevy truck in the Langley Good Times Cruise-In, and look forward to meeting up with all my B.C. Hot Rod Association buddies at 6:45 a.m.at the Starlight Drive-In and all drive in together to park as a group. I have not been able to make it for the last few years but am really looking forward to being an entrant this year. I am going to start the weekend off with a visit to 192th Street in Surrey for the classic Cruise-In held every Friday evening and also to the Currus Metalworks open house. Sunday will probably include a trip down to Cloverdale for the Bill Larson Memorial Pub Run Newton Boys Hot Rod Run Show Shine. For decades the McLander brothers put on this awesome show, and although they are sort of retired it is still a super cool show and there is a great food at the pub. Another good place to eat that has a car show on Sunday is the Cat Fiddle Pub in Port Coquitlam.So the suggestion for this weekend is bring a kid and an appetite!SHOWSSEPT. 6What: Currus Metalworks Open House and Car ShowWhere: 208-19138 26 Ave., SurreyWhen: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.Admission: FreeInfo: 778-545-8422 or george@currusmetalworks.comSEPT. 6-7What: Queen City CruiseWhere: Downtown NelsonWhen: Friday Cruise 2 p.m to 6 p.m. Parade from the Railtown district of downtown Nelson.Saturday show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: Saturday 9 a.m. $25 and open to all vehiclesInfo: 250-551-5848 or info@nelsonroadkings.comWebsite: nelsonroadkings.comSEPT. 7What: Langley Good Times Cruise-InWhere: Downtown AldergroveWhen: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: $30Info: 604-371-3770 or registerforlangleycruisein@gmail.comWebsite: langleycruise-in.comWhat: Cars Rods RidesWhere: Archie Browning Curling Rink, 1151 Esquimalt Rd., VictoriaWhen: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Admission: Donations acceptedRegistration: 8 a.m. $5 to support children in the region over the holidays. A cash donation or a new unwrapped toy is appreciated.Info: 250-920-0946 orlorneargyle@gmail.comWebsite: esquimaltlights.ca/car-showWhat: English Car Affair in the ParkWhere: Government House, VictoriaWhen: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission: FreeInfo: 250-477-9832, info@oecc.ca or susanchapp@shaw.caWebsite: oecc.caWhat: Endless
Origin: Crescent Beach Concours a stunning end of summer treat
summer!
A last show gasp of summer
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
Dog Days of B.C. summer a carnut’s delight
Two cars side by side pulling wheelies during last weekend’s Langley Loafer Old Time Drags.Cam Hutchins Last week was certainly one for the record books for me. I have never shot so many cars of so many different types over the course of a few short days.I started on Monday shooting an amazing 1950 6C 2500 Ghia being restored by RX Autoworks for the big Pebble Beach Concours next weekend. I went to the North Vancouver shop expecting to see a close-to-finished car, but they were still working madly to get it ready for The Show. Im leaving Sunday for the Monterey car fest so will have plenty of photos to show in a couple of weeks time.Then it was down to Tsawwassen to photograph Jody Wilsons amazing 1955 Gasser-style Chevy for a magazine. This car is a traditional looking Gasser but with lots of cool tricks. I also shoot Jody racing at the Langley Loafers Old Time drags on Saturday where won the trophy for Best Bitchin Race Car. Not bad for someone who doesnt make his living wrenching, but rather as an artist working in silver and carving totem poles.On Thursday I went to see Garry and Darlene Cassidy and see their car collection that had to be replaced due to a fire a coupe of years ago. They have done a great job rebuilding up a collection of amazing vehicles. The next day it was to Abbotsford for the Agrifair as a guest of Campbell Motorsports. I knew the Campbells from various car shows and their Super L Auto Wrecking yard, but this was the first time I got to see them run their tractor pulls. The crowd, myself included, loved this big horsepower spectacle, and the tractors with three, four and even five big dragster engines were beyond belief! The Aqrifair welcomed the Truck Tractor Pull back after 15 years and heres hoping they will be back next year!On Sunday I went to the best bargain for parking at White Rock for the day: just $10 bucks to park all day at the beachif you have a cool car. The Westcoasters Daze has for years been run by Mike Herrick and now with the help of Darby Motorsports it looks to live on at the great East Beach location.This weekend I only have tonight and tomorrow to get my car ready in preparation of driving south on Sunday for Car Week in Carmel. Tonight Im taking in the street legal drags to see the VWs attack the track, and tomorrow a day and night at Mission Raceway Park for the Historics racing followed by some drag racing. As always, wherever your carnut travels take you this weekend, take a kid along for the ride.SHOWSAUG. 9-11What: Great Canadian VW Show WeekendWhere: Friday night drags at Mission Raceway Park. 5 p.m. till close. Saturday pancake breakfast at Jim Pattison VW in Surrey, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by VW cruise to Open Road VW Summer Party 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday show at Concord Pacific Place, 88 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeSunday registration: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., $25 and open to all VWs, Audis and PorschesInfo: Petersonvws@hotmail.comWebsite: gcvws.comWhat: 24th Annual Sleepy Hollow Rod Run/Show ShineWhere: SecheltWhen: Check Website for Friday Rod Run info. Saturday show on Cowrie Street starts at 9 a.m. $25 and open to all cars and trucks. Sunday drag racing at Sechelt Airport located at the top of Field Road in Wilson Creek.Admission: FreeInfo: 604-885-3644 or shanks@dccnet.comWebsite: coasterscarclub.caAUG. 10What: Hot Nite In The City Show ShineWhere: Victoria St., KamloopsWhen: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. $25 and open to all vehiclesInfo: 250-377-3190 or rpopove@telus.netWebsite: hotniteinthecity.comAUG. 10-11What: Torque Masters Auto Extravaganza Car ShowWhere: Downtown SidneyWhen: Saturday poker run and BBQ 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday car showAdmission: FreeRegistration: At Mary Winspear Centre. Sidney on Sunday. $20 and open to classic and special interest vehiclesInfo: 250-812-4676, torque.masters@yahoo.com or president@torquemasters.caWebsite: torquemasters.caAug. 11What: Dueck on Marine Custom Classic Show ShineWhere: 400 SE Marine Dr., VancouverWhen: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: Free and open to all vehicles. All proceeds donated to Special Olympics of B.C.Info: 604-324-7222Website: dueckgm.comWhat: Lower Mainland Vega Club Show ShineWhere: Waterfront Park North VancouverWhen: Noon to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: Open to H-body vehicles onlyInfo: 604-649-2241 or vega_club@yahoo.comWhat: Thunder Kings Motor Group Field of ChromeWhere: Bradner Sports Field, AbbotsfordWhen: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: $10 and open to all vehicles/motorcycles. Proceeds to Big Brothers Big SistersInfo: tkmgainfo@gmail.comWebsite: thunderkingsmotorgroup.comWhat: Pender Harbour Show ShineWhere: Pender Harbour Legion #112, Madeira ParkWhen: Noon to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: 10 a.m. to noon. $25 and open to all cars/motorcycles. All proceeds to Rotary Community ProjectsInfo: 604-989-7811 or seannealmcallister@gmail.comWebsite:
Origin: Dog Days of B.C. summer a carnut’s delight
Don’t fear taking your EV for a summer road trip: B.C. Hydro
Tesla Model 3Tesla Michael Stanyer has driven a battery-powered vehicle from his Vancouver home to Tofino and to the Kootenays and he has no fear of being stranded without a charging station. “It’s something you have to plan for,” he said. “It’s totally doable.” He said there are 1,000 charging stations in British Columbia and “it’s rare that you would be more than 100 kilometres away from a charging station.” His 2017 Volkswagen E Golf can go about 200 km on a single charge in city driving, though that changes if he drives into higher elevations, for instance. Stanyer, a program coordinator for Plug In B.C., may be bolder than most at venturing beyond their commute in an EV. A B.C. Hydro survey found “range anxiety” is keeping almost 70 per cent of drivers from buying an electric vehicle, according to an online survey done for the energy agency by Angus Reid and released June 14. But B.C. Hydro said they needn’t worry, as the majority of road trips taken by people in B.C. are within the range that most newer vehicles can travel on a single charge. “Most trips are 300 km one way, so it’s well within the range of a single charge,” said B.C. Hydro spokeswoman Tanya Fish. The survey found respondents were concerned about the availability of charging stations and also worried that having to stop to recharge the battery would significantly add to the length of a trip. Fish said there are about 170 fast-charging stations, 58 belonging to B.C. Hydro, that can top up a battery to within 80 per cent capacity within 30 minutes. There is access to the fast-charging stations along the most-travelled highways in the province, including between Vancouver and Kelowna, Abbotsford and Whistler, Victoria and Tofino, and Revelstoke and Cranbrook, she said. And 96 per cent of BC Hydro’s fast-charging stations are within 300 metres of a major road or highway and 80 per cent are within 50 metres of other services, such as food, washrooms or other shopping, she said. And there are an additional 1,000 “level 2” public charging stations in the province, which take about four to six hours to restore a battery, said Fish. EV sales doubled in B.C. the first three months of this year, compared to the first quarter in 2018, and they make up 15 per cent of new car sales. That’s double the national average. There are about 20,000 EVs in BC. The average EV has a range of about 250 km and that is expected to increase to 440 km by 2022. The majority of out-of-town trips B.C. drivers take are under 300 km, B.C. Hydro
Origin: Don’t fear taking your EV for a summer road trip: B.C. Hydro
Jaguar head designer Ian Callum stepping down this summer
Ian Callum, Jaguar head designer.Handout Ian Callum, the well-known head of Jaguar design who helped shape the marque’s modern look, will be leaving the company effective July 1, he revealed early June, to be succeeded creative design director Julian Thomson. Callum, 64, has spent the past 20 years working with Jaguar, and said while he’s stepping away from the brand to explore other design projects, he will still work as a styling consultant for the automaker. The designs spearheaded by Callum since 1999 include the Jaguar XF sedan; the F-Type two-seat sports car; and, most recently, the I-Pace electric crossover. He started his career working with Ford, and eventually headed up Aston Martin design, leading the teams responsible for the DB7, DB9 and Vanquish. Yesterday I told my team I was leaving as Design Director for Jaguar after 20 years. I’ve done what I set out to do. Time for a new adventure. I pass the baton onto my good friend and great designer Julian Thomson.… https://t.co/Q8eC5Ir9Uw Ian Callum (@IanCallum) June 4, 2019 I came into this role with a mission to take Jaguar design back to where it deserved to be, Callum said in a statement. It has taken 20 years, but I believe I have achieved what I set out to do. Given the strength of both our products and the design team I feel that now is the right time to move on, both personally and professionally. Julian Thomson, who has been with Jaguar since 2000, also started with Ford before becoming head of design at
Origin: Jaguar head designer Ian Callum stepping down this summer
Toronto traffic report: You’re going nowhere this summer!
Signs warning motorists of a construction zone stand near RioCans ePlace project, a commercial/residential development in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 19, 2017.Chris Helgen / Reuters Toronto, we have some good news and some bad news. First the good: three days ago, Mayor John Tory tweeted the launch of “Toronto’s busiest construction season ever, with more than $1 billion in work planned for roads, bridges, expressways, sewers, and watermains. This is the largest investment into a City of Toronto construction season yet.” After a decade of significant dissolution in the city’s infrastructure, a major cash injection will not only boost the economy in the short term, providing well-paying jobs, it’ll help in the long term too, improving flow of movement. Now the bad news: three days ago, Mayor John Tory tweeted the launch of “Toronto’s busiest construction season ever with more than $1 billion in work planned for roads, bridges, expressways, sewers, and watermains. This is the largest investment into a City of Toronto construction season yet.” Translation? Get yourself some comfortable sneakers or ask your boss for permission to telecommute, because it’s going to be an unprecedentedly slow summer in the Smoke. If you thought traffic was bad here before— Some $590 million of that billion-plus is going towards pasting and duct-taping the Gardiner Expressway (“Expressway”? Sue them for false advertising) once again, plus towards more cycling infrastructure and Tory’s wobbly Vision Zero, the traffic plan that aims to prevent any more pedestrian or cyclist deaths by drivers. Not that walkers and riders have much to fear about speeding automobiles this summer. According to the Torontoist, “A whopping 600 roads (or more) are going to be under construction this summer, equalling up to 140 kilometres in road paving”. The natural reaction is to flip out, especially if you’re unfortunate enough to live or work beside one of these hundreds of projects and simply can’t avoid its inevitable time-consuming and frustrating consequences. But that’s the unfortunate reality of all city life. Construction is a by-product of success. A city is better compared to an organic, aging body that needs maintenance and care than a suite of lifeless engineering projects you complete and leave for posterity. Remember any of the scenes of the Eternal City in that mid-2000s HBO show, Rome? The creators very wisely depicted streets with chaotic construction abounding. Rather than the pristine paintings of a fully formed and idealized Rome that you’d see in, say, Cecil B Demille movies, wide sweeping vistas were constantly interrupted by wooden cranes and scaffolding. Noisy, living chaos. That’s how cities work until they don’t. Ponder that while you review the following. Again, from the Torontoist, here’s just a soupçon of the improvements coming to our roads, bridges and highways this summer: Kipling Avenue, Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West, Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration; Four bridges over the Don Valley Parkway, rehabilitation of Don Mills Road, Spanbridge Road, Wynford Drive and Lawrence Avenue bridges; Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation from Jarvis Street to Cherry Street, first phase; Bloor Street West from Bathurst Street to Spadina Avenue, watermain replacement, streetscaping, bike lane construction and road resurfacing; Richmond Street from York Street to Bathurst Street, watermain replacement; Jarvis Street from Dundas Street to Queen Street, road resurfacing (resuming from 2018); Don and Central Waterfront, first phase, Coxwell Bypass Tunnel boring; Queen Street East and Eastern Avenue, TTC track replacement; Birchmount Road from Eglinton Avenue East to Lawrence Avenue East, road resurfacing; Midland Avenue from Danforth Avenue to Lawrence Avenue East, road reconstruction; Old Weston Road from St. Clair Avenue West to Rowntree Avenue, road resurfacing; Royal York from Dixon Road to Summitcrest Drive, road resurfacing; York Mills Road from Leslie Street to Don Mills Road, road resurfacing; Willowdale Avenue from Empress Avenue to Finch Avenue, road resurfacing and bike lane installation; and Bayview Avenue over the west Don River, bridge repairs Having trouble cheering up and thinking of the long-term good that’s coming of all that work? Well, it seems that every day lately the city learns about more subtle budget cuts from the province to countless other aspects of city life; maybe tomorrow the mayor will announce he’s canceling all this work instead, to save
Origin: Toronto traffic report: You’re going nowhere this summer!
All about car 