Car D'Lane
Written by Keith Fudge

Every Father's Day weekend for the past fourteen years, the folks in Coeur d'Alene , Idaho have been holding a car show that has paid tribute to the region's love of classic cars. The Car d'Alene has turned into a show of national recognition, and set in one of the most beautiful locations in the U.S. There is little doubt that the event will continue to be a great success. Last June, Dennis Gage and the crew from My Classic Car had the chance to attend Car d'Lane, and the experience was everything that they expected and even more!

Held in the scenic and historic downtown district, this location was the perfect environment. Besides looking at some awesome rides, there were plenty of local businesses that offered great shopping options and fine dining. After Dennis and the gang arrived, he met up with Larry Sherman of the North Idaho Classics Car Club who told him a bit about the event. Larry told Dennis that his organization, along with the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association, was the sponsor for the event and that the support from the community toward the show has been overwhelming. Regarding the history of the show, Larry said there were approximately twenty cars at the first gathering. This year there were more than 1,000 cars registered at the Cruise In! He also added that the event had drawn approximately 35,000 participants to the area. Larry noted that there were cars from California , Washington , Oregon , Montana , Colorado , Canada , and of course, Idaho . In addition, there were several vendors for all sorts of automotive parts and accessories. There was also an assortment of entertainment for children that made the event a place the entire family could enjoy!

Concerning the local enthusiasm for the show, Larry said that the folks in Coeur d'Alene were simply “car crazy!” With such a beautiful location with opportunities for recreation on the lakes and beautiful golf courses for the people to enjoy, it isn't a surprise that the show is growing. Soon the talk turned to the subject of the day, cars! We found out that cars from 1978 and older are eligible to be shown and displayed. Then Larry said that many of the cars at this year's event were national show winners. Well, that was all it took for Dennis to get revved up because when he heard that, he and Larry headed to the show area to look at some of these great machines!

First, Dennis found Jack White and his amazin' 1936 Chrysler Airflow Coupe.

Immediately, Dennis asked Jack how many of these cars remained on the road. Jack answered that there are only four left! This custom beauty was all about being “hand built.” Chopped and lowered to definitely “go with the flow,” the interior sported 1999 Corvette seats covered in red leather and a 1962 Plymouth push-button shift tranny was installed in the dash. All of the interior trim was hand designed and fabricated from steel with the work being done by Extreme Customs in Spokane , Washington . Jack told Dennis that he “hand sculpted” everything on the car so that it would flow just as the name suggests. Moving to the rear of the car, this bad boy was a definite show and go machine. As far as the show was concerned, there was a 22” plasma TV mounted in the trunk (as well as a personal video system inside the car), and the car also featured a complete custom audio system! Well, that tells about the show, now for the go! As Jack and Dennis popped the hood, Dennis admired the grille of the car. Jack told him that it was a one-piece stainless unit that was also hand built! After Jack raised the hood, a true beast was revealed in the form of a V-10 Viper engine. Jack said that the engine was kept stock except that every piece possible had been polished or painted! This Chrysler was simply stunning and has to be one of the coolest rides anywhere! Thanks, Jack!

As Dennis was looking at more cars, he ran into Carrie Cook of the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association who told him that this is the event that kicks off the summer for people all around the area. She also reinforced that there was a great history here of “cars and cruising,” and the event has continued to grow each year.

Next, Dennis ran into Charlie Leach and his primo 1959 Buick 225 convertible. Better known as a “deuce and a quarter,” this slick drop-top was intense. Speaking of intense, Charlie told Dennis that the color was Dodge Intense Blue! Charlie stated that he had owned the car for five years and that he intended to take it back to stock; however, it ended up more of a “resto-rod.” The interior has been upgraded with air conditioning and a custom stereo system, while the exterior features the classic flamethrowers on the exhausts. Under the hood lurks the heart of a beast in the form of a 455 bored to 473 cubic inches. Charlie said that his goal was to have both a “show-er and a cruiser.” It appears to us that he has the best of both worlds! Charlie, keep on cruisin'. Soon, Dennis found a two-toned beauty that really caught his eye. Owned by Larry Upchurch, this 1950 Ford was a sight to see! Decked out in orange and black, this “bad to the bone” ride has been chopped, channeled, sectioned, and widened! Larry told Dennis that his car was actually assembled from two different cars. Special features on this custom creation included a louvered hood and a custom Carson top. Powered by a 350, 4 bbl., Chevy engine, Larry told Dennis that he drives the car all the time! Larry, you sure have one cool car, or should we say “cars?” In any case, this is some special ride! Finally, Dennis found Fritz Kindler and his sweet replica of a 1931 Ford Woody. Fritz told Dennis that Ford actually built 864 of these early SUVs, and this replica features some fairly modern conveniences such as a Ford Pinto engine and a C-3 transmission. Lots of attention was paid to detail in this car such as a headliner constructed from wood and even a hand-made wooden grille! The finishing touch for this fine ride was a “woody” teardrop trailer built to match the vehicle! Fritz said that his wife was responsible for much of the trailer's décor. He also added that they have a great time with the vehicle everywhere they go! After looking at this unique custom, it is easy to see why! Thanks, Fritz!

Car d'Lane is one of the fastest growing vintage car events in the country, and with such a scenic locale, great hospitality, and participants with a passion for the collector car hobby, it is easy to see why. The 2005 event is scheduled for June 17 th and 18 th . If you would like more information, you can give them a visit on the web at www.cdadowntown.com , or you can give them a call at 208-667-5986. That's it from beautiful Coeur d'Alene , Idaho . So remember, “Honor the timeless classics. Happy Motoring!”