Cruise Nationals: Real people, real classics

JIL MCINTOSH FOR THE TORONTO STAR

This 1936 Ford pickup owned by Oakville's Roger Thibault took gold at the Cruise Nationals and was among 10 classic cars in the competition.

Jil McIntosh

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Two years ago, Robert Howard never thought he'd own a 1956 Chevrolet pickup truck. And while he was painstakingly rebuilding it, he certainly never guessed it would eventually occupy prime real estate in the middle of the Canadian International AutoShow.

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But that's the point of the Cruise Nationals, part of the "Classics Concourse" on the 700 Level of the South Metro Convention Centre. Rather than pampered show stars, the 10 vehicles on display for the duration of the auto show are used regularly by their owners during the summer, and many were built at home by their owners.

"We're celebrating the enthusiasm in keeping the classic car movement alive," says Jon Rosenthall, event supervisor of the Cruise Nationals.

"It's an added feature. Most of the people who come to the show have owned one, or seen one, or someone in their family has owned one, or they want one of the classic cars that are on display."

The event celebrates "cruise nights," weekly auto gatherings held in parking lots during the summer. Rosenthall asked participants at several such meetings in the GTA to select 60 vehicles.

Those classics were brought together at a show at the CNE in August. From there, the Cruise Nationals' organizers chose 10, selecting a mix of antiques, hot rods, trucks and muscle cars. At the auto show, online voting and a panel of judges named the top three.

The Grand Champion Gold went to a 1936 Ford pickup owned by Roger Thibault. Steven Bloom's 1933 Ford Cabriolet took silver and bronze went to a 1972 Dodge Challenger owned by Ralph Porco.

The other vehicles on display include: Archie Duiker's 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner from Orangeville; Doug Kamphuys' 1967 Chevrolet Camaro from Newmarket; Bill Kirsh's 1956 Ford Thunderbird from Thornhill; Doug Pegg's 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible from Kettleby; Larry Shackleton's 1936 Ford coupe from Barrie; Walt Scott's 1932 Chevrolet coupe from Branchton; and Howard's Hamilton-based 1956 Chevrolet.

The truck isn't Howard's first project. The 49-year-old mechanic originally restored a 1990 Chevrolet pickup that had caught someone else's eye.

"I was up at the Legion to pay my respects to a fellow comrade, and I came out and it was gone," he says. "My son Justin is mentally challenged, and he was devastated."

A woman who often cared for Justin mentioned her husband's father had an old pickup truck for sale, and Howard and his wife Mary went to look at it.

"We hummed and hawed, but Justin was pretty adamant, and we ended up buying it," he says. "I threw it up on the hoist and said to my wife, `It's not safe enough, we've got to redo it.'

"I built it for Justin, and he was in there with his hands and got dirty. He helped me fabricate the front and rear suspension, and helped put the motor and transmission in."

It took 14 months to finish the car, which uses a 383-cubic-inch (6.2 L) Chevrolet engine, Mustang suspension, and disc brakes in place of the truck's original drums.

Howard says his goal wasn't to win an award. His greatest pleasures include organizing car shows over the last two summers to raise money for Ronald McDonald House, and sharing his passion for the hobby.

"At one show, a man asked if his son could sit in my truck so they could take a picture, and I said sure, open the door," he says.

"That young fellow had a smile on his face like you wouldn't believe. I get more satisfaction out of that. It makes me appreciate life a lot more for what we have."

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