ProstAid Calgary hosts seventh annual car show
A glimpse into the past was present June 28 at ProstAid Calgary’s 7th Annual Show and Shine, or Fun in the 50’s Festival, held in the parking lot of the Grey Eagle Casino, which was packed with classic cars in perfect condition.
The event was a total time-lapse into the 1950s with the sun shining down on clean, polished, and adorned vehicles. It was not only an opportunity to admire the hard work, and dedication of both professional and amateur mechanics, but also an opportunity to enjoy the weather, munchies from local food trucks and help the Calgary chapter of the Prostate Cancer Canada Network raise awareness.
The unique automobiles and the emotion put into each piece of mobile art sunk an invigorating hook deep into the crowd. This rare bond between man and machine tossed to the sideline the mere fact that cars are meant for transportation. Every individual had stories to tell. It felt as if the vehicles were less machines and more human, as the connections between the two were life like.
Gord Lucas’s 1955 willow green and dover white convertible Buick.
Photo by Melanie WalshGord Lucas is the proud owner of a special 1955 convertible Buick. It’s eye-catching colour contrast of Willow green and Dover white is something you certainly don’t see on your daily voyage, or even in garages. It takes a beautiful day for this baby to even roll onto the streets, and this particular example of workmanship hasn’t seen any sort of weather in years. There certainly is something that really grabs your attention when the cherished hood of this gorgeous car catches the sunlight at just the right angle.
Lucas bought the car in 2013, “I won’t tell you how much I spent on it, a hell of a lot of money,” he joked.
What makes the car even more special is the fact that it is all original equipment manufacturer specifications, with special hubcaps. Being a member of a the Al Azhar Vintage Car Club, Lucas’ pride is undeniable as he reflects on all the thumbs up he gets while driving his sedan on the streets of Calgary.
Wayne and Charlotte Mackay’s glowing 1962 Buick Invicta Convertible with full extended continental bumper.
Photo by Melanie WalshWayne and Charlotte Mackay are the proud owners of a 1962 Buick convertible. The bright cherry red classic is very spectacular and an absolute beautiful piece of art with single stage paint. With the lacquer built right into the paint, Wayne Mackay never has to wax his car, just dust it. “It just sits there and glows,” he says.
As a rig welder, Lee Spalding knows his way around scrap metal. In 2013 he was given an engine and a cab, prompting him to come up with a classic example of ingenuity paired with creativity.
Lee Spalding’s special interest 1949 hot rod.
Photo by Melanie Walsh“It just happened, nothing was really on the drawing board,” Spalding says. As a special interest motorist, Spalding created a rustic green hot rod that draws a lot of attention among avid car lovers with its high revving North American motor. Coming equipped with a custom air suspension finely tuned and dialed in, it can go from driving four inches off the ground to slammed on the pavement in a matter of minutes.
Automobiles offer the unique ability to allow the operator endless amounts of wanderlust. To have the capability of overcoming mass distances with limited effort has led to the appreciation and fascination of the complex mechanics that are so often overlooked. Commoners often focus on the daily ability to travel from point A to point B in our often stressful and busy routines and forget about the hard effort that goes behind these well-engineered machines. One result was a large amount of gratitude expressed by people for the technology blessed upon society.
For more information on the resources ProstAid Calgary offers you can visit their website at www.pccncalgary.org
mwalsh@cjournal.ca