Fabulous Flashback

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/09/2010 (5726 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thanks to an amazing turnout last Sunday for the16th annual "Flashback" car show, the Fabulous 50’s Ford Club of Manitoba can now lay claim to orchestrating what was surely the largest free car show in Manitoba history.

The gates were open early and by noon more than 1,000 classic and special interest vehicles packed the Garden City Shopping Centre parking lot with an eclectic variety of amazing cars, trucks and motorcycles.

Although the official count stopped at 2 p.m., vehicles were still rolling in from across Manitoba and from as far away as Thunder Bay and Regina to partake in the festivities.

By the day’s end, organizers estimated that more than 1,250 vehicles attended the event, which also attracted thousands of spectators. These numbers represent the largest turnout in the events history.

The big show capped off a great Flashback Weekend that included a jam-packed Sock-Hop social on Friday night and a cruise to the Half Moon Drive Inn on Saturday afternoon.

The big news was the more than $12,000 raised in support of the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation. The money was raised with a silent auction at the sock-hop on Friday night, 50/50 draws that were held both on Sunday and throughout the summer at various A&W Cruisin’ the Dub events, and the benevolent work of longtime Fabulous 50’s Ford Club member and Vickar Chevrolet employee Geno Hnatiuk, who canvassed local auto dealers and single-handedly raised $5,100 for the cause.

Although it was practically impossible to see every vehicle on display, we did our best, and one car that really stood out was the 1901 Merry Oldsmobile owned by Gordon Maximitch from St. Francois Xavier. Maximitch reported that the car is only capable of travelling at 15 mp/h because when it was built way back in 1901 the laws dictated that an automobile couldn’t travel faster than a trotting horse. It was an absolute treat to witness Maximitch cruising through the parking lot in his time machine.

Across town the Blue Bombers may have been laying the smack down on the Roughriders, but a pair of Mustang enthusiasts left their provincial rivalries at the gate. Winnipegger Terry Shwaykosky had his 1965 Ford Mustang K-Code convertible on display alongside his friend and Regina resident Darren Beasley’s 2008 Mustang Shelby GT500. The pair met more than 20 years ago at an international Mustang meet in the United States and have been friends ever since. "Some folks like the old Mustangs and some like the new ones," said Shwaykosky, "so it’s always fun to park our cars next to each other and let people see how much things have changed over the years."

Hats off to all the volunteers and participants who made this year’s event a raging success and although the Garden City Show is in our rear view mirrors for another summer there’s still plenty to do and see in the local cruising community. This Sunday, the Manitoba Mustang and Ford Association presents a "Farewell to Summer" free car show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kildonan Place Shopping Centre and on Sunday evening at the Grant Park Pony Corral two prizes of $500 cash will be given away to a pair of lucky cruisers with draws being held at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Organizers are also gearing up for the Manitoba Street Rod Associations annual Toy Run, being held Sunday, Sept. 26 at the Taxation Centre parking lot across from Kildonan Place. In this unique event, classic and special interest vehicle owners donate new unwrapped toys that will be presented to the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation.

willy@freepress.mb.ca

World of Wheels chairman retires

RON Lechman, the Show Chairman of Winnipeg’s Piston Ring’s World of Wheels car show, has decided that the 2010 show was his last.

Lechman, who was the show’s chairman for 34 years and was also joined by his son Scott for several years as co-chair, feels that it’s time to enjoy the show from a spectator point of view. Lechman, a longtime Air Canada employee and a Transcona resident, is also well-known for his stitching skills and was previously part-owner of Ron’s Custom Upholstery.

"On behalf of all of us that produce Piston Ring’s World of Wheels, we cannot thank Ron and his family enough for their 30-plus years of dedication and effort to the show and helping keep Piston Ring’s World of Wheels show strong in the Winnipeg community" said Bob Lawson, the show manager from Detroit, Mich.

Lechman is turning the World of Wheels reins over to Bob Chubala, a long-time supporter of the show and chairman of the Manitoba Association of Auto Clubs (MAAC).

"Ron Lechman was instrumental in bringing the show from obscurity in the ’70s to the premier event that it is today," said Chubala, who admits that he has some big shoes to fill but is looking forward to the challenge.