Goldstream Avenue turns into memory lane for car lovers on Sunday (Aug.16) for the fifth annual Langford Show & Shine.
The event features more than 200 classics, muscle cars, hot rods and sports cars, circa 1975 and earlier.
The event marks the first car show for a 1968 Chevy Camaro Sport that Langford resident Ray Parkes has spent the last two years restoring. He found the “undiscovered” vehicle in Parksville and basically rebuilt it from the ground up.
“I had to redo the entire body, cut out the rust and weld in new pieces, rebuild the engine, transmission and drive train,” said Parkes, 55.
He describes the finished product, with its turquoise paint and a black top, as a labour of love. “Otherwise you wouldn’t do it. It’s all about the work and the final product, something I’ve wanted to do for years.”
The car mostly gets looks from people his age who fondly recognize it instantly, or younger people who have to sidle up to read the writing on the side.
Parkes has attended all of the car shows in Langford as a spectator and said they appeal to a wide range of ages and tastes.
“Everyone has their favourites,” he said, adding with a chuckle, “The Chevy guys hate the Ford guys and vice-versa.”
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Goldstream Avenue between Veterans Memorial Parkway and Bryn Maur Road. Attendees can vote for their favourite vehicle, with three People’s Choice awards to be presented at the show. The winner will be featured on the 2016 poster and T-shirts.
Goldstream Avenue between Bryn Maur Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway will be closed to traffic between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. The new city parking lot on Claude Road off the 700-block of Goldstream is accessible from that end, or from Larkhall Road off Veteran’s.
Crown Victoria show a Saturday warmup
Classic car enthusiasts who plan to attend the Langford show can get a double helping, by first checking out the 17th annual Crown Victoria Association’s Northwest Regional Meet on Bryn Maur Road on Saturday.
The Ford and Mercury focused show, spotlighting cars and trucks from 1954 to ’56, will see the cobblestone street closed off from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The group’s Northwest Regional chapter is in Greater Victoria today (Aug. 14) through Saturday, with its annual awards banquet set for that night at the Six Mile Pub.
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