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Lucky for them, it stayed dry long enough Saturday for the Winona Elks Club car show and chicken barbecue, an event that will help pay for the Elks state convention to be held this fall in Winona.
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Delane and Ray Krier look at the Corvette engine under the hood of Dave Wetzel's 1934 Ford Saturday at the Winona Elks Lodge Car Show. Delane and Ray were out driving their own Corvette to celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary and they stopped by to see the interesting cars. (Photo by Fred Schulze/Winona Daily News) |
A dry day brought out 15 or so classic cars — including Corvettes, street rods, drag racers and trucks — from a long winter’s storage for a breath of fresh air at the lodge. It takes a lot of time and traveling for classic car enthusiasts to find their treasures, and when they meet at car shows, they share tips and show off their wheels.
But mostly, the shows are an excuse to get together.
“There are a lot of cars in Winona that never see the sun,” said Dave Wetzel, who brought his prized 1934 Ford. “We just get together, find out ‘Are you still alive and kicking?’”
Wetzel bought the car, which he calls “one-of-a-kind,” about 10 years ago. The Ford features a retractable roof, a Corvette engine and running gear, and top speeds that to him are still unknown.
“No one knows how fast it’ll go,” he said.
Wetzel attends eight to 10 car shows a year and frequents Lakeview Drive Inn’s cruise nights during the summer.
In the car show business, it’s about two things: preserving the past and building on the past. Northrup prefers cars in their original condition. His prize is a 1936 stock original Ford. It’s a three-window coupe; most cars have five windows.
When he bought it 32 years ago, it was “red painted with a brush and in need of restoration.” He restored it back to its 1930s look and parks it in a climate-controlled garage to maintain its condition.
“Most cars haven’t seen rain in a long time,” Jackson, an Elks officer, explained.
Next to Northrup’s Ford was a Cadillac from the same era, built with a V-8 engine, rare for that time, and wooden-spoke wheels.
The 848 member chapter raised money by selling a chicken dinner at their lodge and delivering meals to Winona homes and businesses. They hoped to sell all 420 chicken halves, Jackson said.
The four-day convention this fall will bring Elks chapters from around the state together to share ideas and have “good camaraderie,” said Rick Papenfuss, a member of the board of trustees and one of the event’s
cooks.
