Celina Car Show
Written by Keith Fudge

For the past 39 years, the folks in Celina, Ohio, have gathered to celebrate the Celina Lake Festival. In addition to that, for the last 30 of those years, Celina has hosted one of the most rockin’ car shows in the Midwest. At the end of July, the streets of Celina shut down, and the courthouse square in this heartland community becomes a playground for the “Certified Car Nut.” This year, Dennis Gage and Hemming’s My Classic Car were on hand to participate in the fun.

Dennis spoke with Tom Hendricks, Car Show Coordinator, who gave us the scoop on this year’s event. First of all, Tom told us that the show has been consistently growing in the number of entries each year. When Dennis mentioned to Tom that there was an unusually large number of Amphicars present at this year’s show, Tom informed Dennis that the Celina Show had become Amphicar’s National Convention, and with approximately fifty cars present, this was the single largest gathering of Amphicars that had been recorded! Dennis also asked Tom about the categories and classes for judging at the show and Tom explained that there was a wide range of categories covering vehicles from factory production (stock) to full blown Hot-Rods. With such a wide assortment of vintage automobiles, we could see that Dennis was raring and ready to go to find some special classic cars and their owners.

First Dennis found Mark Stolzenberg and his primo 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible. Dennis, and the rest of us were truly taken with this car. Restored in a delicious exterior of Wild Cherry and an interior of luxurious white leather, Mark’s ride captured an aesthetic appeal in its refinement and elegance; however, don’t be fooled by all the finesse because this beautiful ’57 has a beast under the hood. Sporting a 502 c.i. Crate motor that cranks out approximately 450 horses, Mark’s Chevy is a powerful as it is gorgeous and in fact, it is one serious drop top Bel Air! Yet, there is one thing that is even more remarkablethis car is a daily driver! Great job Mark, and keep on cruisin’. Next, Dennis ran into Larry Smelser and his remarkable two-tone 1933 Buick 66S, Rumble Seat Coupe! Talk about a rare car, Larry told Dennis that according to the Buick Club of America, his coupe was only one of four known to exist. The Coupe is powered by a Buick “Straight 8,” and has the cool option in that the rear window rolls down to enable passengers in the back of the vehicle to talk to those who are riding in the rumble seat! Stay Cool, Larry and keep on cruisin’.

Finally, Dennis found a classic example of an original first-generation Camaro. This vehicle was purchased right off the showroom floor by Dan Owen and he and his wife have had it ever since! Factory equipped with the RS/SS options, the Camaro is powered by a Chevy 350 and is immaculate in every aspect. In fact, all that Dan and his wife have done to the car is detail the engine bay and drivetrain! Dan told Dennis that he and his wife nearly sold the car in 1972, but decided to keep it insteadnow, we bet they’re glad that they did! Great going Dan! We had a blast in Celina at the 39th Annual lake Festival and Car Show. With all these cool classics, including the record number of Amphicars, we had a wet and wild time! If you would like information on next year’s event, give the Celina Chamber of Commerce a call at 419-586-2219, or you can find information on the web at www.celinamercer.com. Until our next road trip, remember, “Honor the timeless classics. Happy Motoring!”