HUMBOLDT 鈥� Christopher Struck got back into car culture and car shows when he bought his Pontiac G8.
The president of the Boldt Cruzers said he was interested in cars as a kid, but it was when he looked at the G8, which was an imported Holden Commodore from Australia that was badged as a Pontiac, that his interest reawakened.
鈥�2009 is only year you can get the model here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 bought it used, test drove it once, put the pedal to the floor once and it was sold.鈥�
Struck was the main organizer of the Boldt Cruzers Car Show, held at the local Lube Stop during the Summer Sizzler on June 16.
鈥淚鈥檝e been hosting this car show just to bring back the car culture in Humboldt and really promote it,鈥� he said.
There were 40 entries this year, which is a similar number to last year. Vehicles on display included a 1969 Challenger, 1970 Ford Thunderbird, Hemicudas, Nissan 370 Zs and 1980s Cadillacs.
It wasn鈥檛 just vehicles that were on display. Bill Warren of Bill鈥檚 Diecast and Hobby Room brought his Hot Wheels and other model cars from Regina. He both collects and sells them.
Warren said he got into collecting when he was a little kid.
鈥淚鈥檝e been collecting for about, I鈥檇 say, 37 years.鈥�
One of the aspects of collecting Hot Wheels that Warren likes are the variations. For instance, some models of the same vehicle may have different colours, some may have a convertible version, and some may have an聽 engine coming out of the hood.
鈥淚 try to keep up with those variations as much as possible.鈥�
Some of the models have meaning to Warren. He once owned a 1971 Datsun 510 station wagon, while his father owned a聽 鈥�57 Chevy.
鈥淚 have a 鈥�57 Chevy collection I鈥檓 working on. I have 375 pieces. Some I鈥檝e bought from the States and some here within Canada.鈥�
When the people showing off cars see Warren鈥檚 models, they asked if he has a model of their car.
鈥淏etween yesterday and today, probably about 20 people have asked if there was something to represent their real car.鈥�
Often, Warren said, it鈥檚 not possible, for a number of reasons. There could have no licensing agreement to produce a model of a car or there were small numbers of the model produced. Sometimes there will be a model available that has a different detail. One of the displayers had a Studebaker pickup truck without a canopy, while the model had one.
The man brought the model anyway.
鈥淚 can sell somebody a vehicle that represents the smaller version of the big one, then that鈥檚 perfect,鈥� Warren said.
Warren travels with his models all across Saskatchewan, visiting car shows on the weekends.
Struck said he鈥檚 planning to grow the Boldt Cruzers. One of the items the club is working on is becoming a nationally registered club, which will allow them to get car insurance for shows and help the club become more visible on a national scale. Those interested can contact Struck at [email protected] or 1-306-231-4149.
