American Graffiti classics at B.C. car show

Movie’s stars and classic cars on hand

It hardly seems possible that 40 years have slipped past since the release of the George Lucas movie American Graffiti, but they have.
 
This weekend at the B.C. Custom and Classic Car Show at the Tradex Exhibition Centre at the Abbotsford airport, you will have a chance to meet three of the original stars of the movie and to view two tribute cars — a 1932 Ford and 1955 Chevrolet.
 
Bo Hopkins, Candy Clark and Paul LeMat — a.k.a. Joe Pharoahs, Debbie Medway and John Miller — will all be at the show.
 
Joining them will be the returning celebrity George Barris, the King of Kustomizers, who will be cruising around the show floor looking for his favourite car to present the annual Custom Car of the Year Award to.
 
That will be an exciting moment for one lucky car owner.
 
Another regular to the event is metal master Gene Winfield, who will be busy all weekend in the Custom Car Classroom cutting and lowering the roof of Lorne Olsen’s 1947 Chevrolet Buisnessman’s Coupe.
 
So bring your camera for a chance to snap a few photos of these celebrities, some incredible vehicles and perhaps some earplugs when visiting Gene.
 
One vehicle that you have to come and see is Jim and Dana Linton’s 1934 Ford three-window coupe, fittingly called Absolute Madness.
 
This automotive masterpiece was a recipient of the Ridler Great Eight award at the 2012 Detroit Autorama.
 
With more than $750,000 invested in creating the ’32 Ford, you simply have to come to the show and read the display board to appreciate some of the features that have gone into building one of the top ISCA cars on the West Coast.
 
You will also not want to miss the current Tractor Pulling California State champion, Clarence Corriea, who will display his four-engine tractor, capable of producing more than 10,000 horsepower.
 
There will also be 250 of the Pacific Northwest’s finest street-rods, customs, muscle cars, classics and race cars, as well as the vendor displays.
 
Tickets are available at the doors, which open at 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.