BLENHEIM – The downtown was packed with vintage automobiles on Saturday for the annual Blenheim Classics Autoshow.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Brent Erickson, a well-known collector of classic vehicles, brought a 1932 Cadillac and a 1958 Pontiac Parisienne Convertible to show.
The Kent Bridge resident said both vehicles are from Canada, but ended up in the United States, and he’s brought them back to Canada.
Erickson said the Cadillac was bought in Auburn, Indiana about seven or eight years ago and “it needed some loving’.”
He said the motor has been redone and there is a new interior and rumble seat along with new wheels and tires.
Noting a little work has been done every year, Erickson said, “It’s pretty much finished.”
He noted the Cadillac debuted at the 1931 Montreal Auto Show, adding the “build sheet is stamped tag Montreal.”
Erickson said the vehicle went south after that because it doesn’t have any rust.
Advertisement 3
Article content
He said his 1958 Pontiac Parisienne was built in Oshawa, but he also bought it in the United States about seven or eight years ago.
Erickson said the Parisienne was restored in Vancouver then went to the US and he brought it back north.
He said downtown Blenheim is a great spot for a car show.
Erickson also enjoyed the trip to get to the event.
“It was just beautiful driving over here going by the farmland to get here,” he said.
Bernard and Linda Whealey were proudly displaying their 1962 Studebaker, which the Blenheim couple bought locally last September.
“I hadn’t even seen it, but somebody told me it was for sale,” Bernard said.
“I thought, ‘If it’s what I think it is, I’ll buy it,’ he said.
It was he and bought it.
“It drives like a dream,” said Linda. “It reminds me of my teenage years.”
Advertisement 4
Article content
Bernard said he just “loves the lines” of the vehicle.
The couple also enjoyed being part of the Blenheim Classics Autoshow.
“It’s great, I love it,” Bernard said. “They’ve done a great job.”
Jeff Perrin, one of the team of 10 volunteers who organized the event, said the event took a little break during the COVID-19 pandemic, “but we’ve got back and it’s being going strong.”
He said they usually have a full house of about 150 vehicles that come from across Ontario and into Michigan.
Perrin said the rain kept some people away last year, but this year “the heat didn’t bother anyone.”
He added the show will be back next year.
Article content