Detroit steel and muscle shine at Lone Oak’s 10th car show

EAST CANAAN — The roar of internal combustion engines was replaced by the biggest road-trip hits from the Sixties filled the air on Saturday, Sept. 28 at the 10th annual Lone Oak Car Show.

A total of 87 vehicles filled a soccer-field sized lawn off Route 44 with hoods popped and their proud owners parked in lawn chairs, answering questions about their classics.

Judging for the show, which was a benefit for the North Canaan Fire Co., was based on peer choice, and included a children’s choice, which went to a 2010 Chevy Camaro Transformer model that was painted in Bumble Bee yellow and featured scissor doors that open vertically.

Children raced through the crowd and participated in their own organized recreational activities, including a cardboard box car decorating contest.

Steven Hall of Housatonic, Massachusetts, won Best in Show for his 1934 Plymouth PE Deluxe, and was the only entry to take home two trophies. Hall also won Best Paint Job. His grandaughter, Harper, 5, joined in the double-trophy celebration when the winners lined up for their photos.

Cherie Lopes, a director at Lone Oak Campsites, said the trophies were handmade from old car engine parts: pistons from a 68 Buick and a Chrysler; a valve cover from a Chevy; and a timing chain from a big block Chevy.

The cars and trucks — and the mid-century rock and roll — fueled the festival atmosphere as aficianados filled in the blanks for some onlookers who never had seen engines so big that needed a hole punched in the hood to make more room for the “supercharger.”

“She’s real fine, my 409,” blared in the air, recalling the Beach Boy’s 1962 hit “409” that was an ode to a Chevrolet V8 engine. And just to complete the experience, attendees could examine the real thing: a 1962 maroon Chevy two-door Bel-Air nicknamed ‘Boris’ with a 409 cubic inch block that was sold new at Zelf Chevrolet in Torrington.

Boomers seemed to dominate the owner crowd at the show, but there were many Generation Xers, too.

“It kind of rubbed off on me,” one owner said, who had a Mustang in the show. “My dad was kind of into cars.”

Sophia Plasse, 13 months, of Bristol, and Vinny Valenti, 16 months, of Terryville, may have been the youngest ones behind the wheel. The young toddlers were cruising the ground in toy jeeps that were remotely guided by their parents.