Best of Show is 1933 Plymouth Coupe; People like Camaro
A brief rain shower didn't deter the many people attending the Ghent Belgian-American Days Car Show on Saturday.
“It just gives us a chance to clean off our cars again,” joked Joel Hultquist of Delhi while using a chamois to dry off his 1957 Chevrolet ambulance. Harry and Marilyn Brands of Hadley, MN won the Best of Show Award for their 1933 Plymouth Coupe.
The People’s Choice award went to Imogen Moriarty of Marshall for his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. And Doug Olsem of Marshall earned the Mayor’s Choice award for his 1942 Chevy pickup. During the Car Show, West McQuestion Street and Baldwin Street in Ghent were filled with interested onlookers taking a peek into yesteryear at the rows of vintage cars, trucks, tractors and motorcycles from all over the state, as well as neighboring states. There were 103 vehicles shown, including those shown by the Ghent Cruisers, the hosts of the Car Show.
“This is one of the better car shows I've been to,” said Steve Kluever of Worthington, who brought along an 'unusual' date to the car show in his mint green 1969 Pontiac. “Her name is Marlys,” laughed Kluever, when asked who the companion was seated next to him.
"She is the perfect wife. She doesn't talk back. She just sits there quietly.” At first glance, it's not easy to tell Marlys, wearing sunglasses and a bright red dress, is actually a mannequin.
“A lot of people comment that when they pass by the car, they think she is a real woman sitting here,” laughed Kluever, whose real wife, Sheila, did not attend the car show with her husband.
“Like I said, she just sits there quietly like the perfect wife.” On the other side of West McQuestion Street, Nancy Buysse of Minneota, one of the few females showcasing a vehicle at the competition, was wiping down her cherry red 2003 Chevy SSR pickup truck with only 23,000 miles on it.
“I saw this vehicle several years ago online and really wanted it,” Nancy said. “Then we saw one for sale from a man in Spicer five or six years ago and decided to buy it. I love it.”
The Super Sports Roadster (SSR), which was manufactured from 2003-06, features a retractable hardtop convertible roof, two leather seats and an enclosed truck bed. Its retro design was inspired by Chevrolet’s Advance Designed trucks from 1947-55. On Baldwin Street near the registration and concession booths sat the motorcycles and tractors on display at the show. Nancy Buysse’s husband, Dale Buysse (1958 Cushman Eagle) and Gary Johnson (1879 Triumph TR6C) of Mayer earned the Top Motorcycle awards.
Clyde Smith of Wilmont won the Tractor Award with his “C” Allis Conversion. One of the motorcycles dwarfed between the others in the show was a mini 2013 Powerwheels Trike registered to IBM Konold of Morton.
IBM is actually a dog owned by Penny Konold and name is an acronym for a certain type of mutt. IBM became the unexpected entertainment at the Car Show, sitting comfortably atop the seat of his very own motorcycle as a 9-volt battery powered the cycle up and down the street, much to the delight of onlookers.
“She never tries to jump off,” Penny said. “She loves to ride.” Although IBM didn’t win any awards, she provided a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.