Locals show off their rides at Mount Pleasant Summer Festival
The smell of elephant ears and carnival food still lingered over Island Park Sunday evening as the Mount Pleasant Summer Festival came to a close Sunday night, as did a group of car aficionados.
As most everything else was winding to a close at the festival, a group of men and women from around mid-Michigan lingered, showing off and hoping to sell their vintage, carefully maintained rides for a car show.
Model-T’s from the 1930s and '40s were on display, fixed up and looking better than many of the newer cars parked nearby. Old Chevrolet trucks from the 1960s were in such great shape, that they were being sold for nearly three times what the original asking price 40 years ago.
Each car had a personality and each driver had their memories engrained within their vehicles.
“It’s definitely a chick-magnet,” Roy Cummings said of his 1964 Nova SS. “I built this thing from the ground up, it’s my pride and joy.”
His other “show-off” car was a 1965 Chevy pick-up, all original parts, which he only takes out when he can afford the gas mileage on it.
Mount Pleasant native Tom Dreyer brought his 1961 Chevrolet Impala to the show, which he had been working on for more than 20 years.
“Pretty much right when I bought the old rust bucket, I started fixing her up,” Dreyer said. “It’s an interesting, but very expensive, hobby.”
His first car was a 1960 Chevy Impala, which is the reason he decided to fix up one to begin with.
“I wanted to relive my glory days I guess,” he said with a smile.
Many of the people who attended the car show were car fanatics. The owners were being drilled by folks who wanted to know everything there was to know about the beautifully kept vehicles.
“It’s a difficult task maintaining a car to look brand new,” Novi senior Tim Barrett, who came to the show with a few of his friends. “I have always been into fixing cars, but I never have gotten involved with car shows. I love coming to them because you never see cars like these on the streets anymore, and rarely are you able to talk to the owners.”
All in all, no cars were sold that day at the car show, despite each being up for sale. But everyone had a great time.
“I was here last year, I was here this year and you better believe I’ll be back next year," Dreyer said. "Hopefully with something else to show"
