Vehicle enthusiasts showed off everything from vintage and restored cars to motorcycles on Saturday at the Highlands Church car show.
Show co-chair Ted Lasher said the event had about 120 entries, which was down a little bit from previous years, but had about the same number of spectators, with organizers serving some 400 lunches. He expected the event to raise more than $15,000 for three charities the church supports in the Gravette School District.
Craig Martin of Bella Vista was showing his 1968 Dodge Charger. He had a photo album showing how the vehicle was restored from 1999 to 2004.
"The inside of the car looked as bad as the outside," he said. He purchased the vehicle from a man in Maryland. The man had totally stripped down the car and replaced the panels, put in all new upholstery and interior and rebuilt the motor. At one time that motor "blew up," Martin said, and so now the car has a newer motor, a 512-inch Stroker. The vehicle also has new paint. The color is Solar Yellow, a 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup color, he said.
Eric Gibby of Bella Vista brought his 1937 Chevrolet pickup to the show, which he stripped down and rebuilt himself.
He said he purchased it in Missouri 15 years ago. He took everything off the frame and put on an S10 rear-end and a Mustang 2 front end. It has a 700 R4 four-speed automatic, and the engine is a mid 1980s 305 that he rebuilt. The interior is all custom, and the bed of the truck is oak with stainless steel strips. The color is matte black. He wanted airflow through the engine and for people to be able to see the engine, so he decided to design and weld metal spiderwebs where the sides of the butterfly hood had been.
Dave Getter of Bella Vista had a 1939 Ford five-window coupe on display at the show. He said it was a 22-year-old build that he purchased from a man in Waco, Texas.
The Ford has a 400 cubic inch 1969 Pontiac engine and Cragar wheels. It has the back seat of a Thunderbird, whereas the original design did not have a back seat, he said. It has air conditioning, louvers on the hood and is black with a flame design on the front.
"I drive it to car shows around here, and I golf, so I drive it to the golf course sometimes," he said.
Terry Lowinger of Bella Vista was among the few to bring a motorcycle to the show. He has a 2013 Indian Final Edition Vintage Chief. He said there are only 25 in existence. The bike has a red and black paint scheme that the company had not used since 1939, and the serial number is 007.
"I like unusual things ... that's what prompted me to buy it," he said, referring to the three unusual factors.
Jim Kastelic of Bella Vista was showing his yellow 1955 Chevrolet that he purchased on eBay. He said the car was built in Los Angeles and has been from one coast to the other. It is restored and modified, he said, with a new color, interior and engine. He likes to drive it to cruises and car shows and to the Bella Vista Sonic cruise nights, he said. He has won quite a few trophies for best interior and best in show, he said.
The three charities the car show benefits are Bright Futures, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing communities together to focus on the success of children; Snack Packs for Kids, which supplies snack packs for food insecure children throughout the school year; and Samaritan's Feet, which provides a new pair of socks and shoes to each registered child.
Rachel Dickerson/The Weekly Vista Eric Gibby is pictured with his 1937 Chevrolet pickup at the Highlands Church car show on Saturday.
Rachel Dickerson/The Weekly Vista Dave Getter of Bella Vista is pictured with his 1939 Ford five-window coupe at the Highlands Church car show on Saturday.
Rachel Dickerson/The Weekly Vista Terry Lowinger of Bella Vista is pictured with his 2013 Indian Final Edition Vintage Chief at the Highlands Church car show on Saturday.
Rachel Dickerson/The Weekly Vista Jim Kastelic of Bella Vista is pictured with his 1955 Chevrolet at the Highlands Church car show on Saturday.