Old cars get a chance to shine in Elgin

To those who stopped by to check out his burgundy 1940 Buick Special on Saturday, Barry Danielson proudly explained that his wife found it on the Internet about a year ago.

“I fell in love with the color,” Danielson said. “My dad had a 1940 Buick, one of the first. He had a Super, but the interior and the dashboard are the same.”

Danielson was among 25 or so car owners who showcased the vehicles Saturday outside Sherman West Court before the annual car show and parade of cars, which commemorates the old Elgin Road Race that took place from 1910 to 1933.

The event was organized by the Fox Valley chapter of Model T Ford Club International and was open to cars 25 years old or more, said chapter President Maurice Dyer. Staff from Sherman West Court also volunteered to help out.

Elgin’s race was among the most prominent in the country, as the inaugural race in 1910 attracted some 50,000 spectators, Dyer said.

“Racing was truly a historic event in their eyes, they didn’t see automobiles every day,” he said.

Elgin resident David Villanueva stopped by the car show with his sons Donald, 9, and Michael, 12. “I really like old cars,” he said, as his sons nodded in agreement.

Donald said his favorite car was a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, but if he had any hopes of ever driving it, owner Ken Barnhart of Elgin would most likely not go for it.

Barnhart said he has never let anyone else drive his car, which he bought in 1969.

“There were only 69 of those cars built,” he said. “It’s always been a race car, I still take it to the racetrack,” he added, saying he was in a drag race at Route 66 Raceway south of Joliet just three weeks ago.

Residents of Sherman West Court, a nursing and rehab facility, said they enjoyed the chance to examine the vehicles up close.

“One of the cars reminded me of an old Dodge 1941, that was our first car,” said Delores Thornton.