Car fever

Parked against the low curb of the Lake Side Motel in Trout Creek last Saturday sat a brown 1929 Model A Ford Coupe, part of Trout Creek’s 4th Annual Cool Summer Nights Car Show.

Like many of the 24 entrants in the show, Dennis Miller, owner of the all-original brown Coupe, was out to enjoy the weather, the camaraderie and of course, the cars. Yet memories were also an important part of the equation for Miller, who said that he bought his Model A to remember the era of his infamous uncle, the 1920s gangster Vernon C. Miller.

“I bought this car because this is what he drove,” Miller said. His uncle was a sheriff that turned into an outlaw in the late 1920s. Vernon was a hired gunman for Al Capone during the late 1920s era of bootleggers and racketeers. He was also responsible for the Kansas City Massacre. Mafia members tried to rescue independent Chicago gangster Frank Nash. Several FBI agents, a few police officers and Nash himself were killed in the attempt.

“The family never talked about him ever since,” Miller said. But Miller, who considers the colorful history centered around the era worth remembering, said he even dresses up as Bonnie and Clyde and drives the car in different community parades like he did during Trout Creek’s Huckleberry Festival.

Despite being built in 1929, Miller’s Ford has several surprisingly modern features: Including its original cruise control system. The Coupe’s lighting system was also integrated into the car’s dashboard. Next year, Miller said that he would be giving his car another paint job to keep it in pristine condition.

“When you get my age, you get a lot of toys, and you have a lot more time to do things,” he said. Classic cars like his require a lot of hours and zealous care.

While the show’s classic cars set the tone for a collage of old memories, it was also a venue for creating new ones. Especially for Ben and Phyllis Broyles, from Hayden, Idaho. The Couple displayed their red and white 1956 12-foot flame shooting Chevy Bel Air that they call their “prescription for fun.”

Ben Broyles said that after his wife’s mother passed away, his wife had a hard time grieving for her. Broyles said that when they bought the car eight years ago and began the process of refurbishing and showing it, the experience helped her overcome the loss. Through the course of this summer the Couple has attended 24 car shows and plans to attend another two more before the end of the season.

Broyles said that the Trout Creek Cool Summer Nights Car Show is always one they’ve put on their list because of how beautiful the area is and because of the friendly people they’re able to meet.

“I love this show, I come up here every year,” Broyles said. “They always have wonderfully affordable hotel rooms and the people are just great.”

The show started off Friday night with a live band that played ‘50s and ‘60s music coupled with karaoke. On Saturday visitors and exhibitors voted for which cars they felt deserved the highest marks and the coveted trophies that accompanied the winners.

The best of show and people’s choice award were given to John Emacko, for his bright red 1956 Chevy. Scott and Barb Young won the pre-1954 class with their Model T Roadster, Emacko won the 1955 to 1957 class with his 56’ Chevy, Nancy Strope won the 1958-1972 class with her ‘69 Camaro and Dick Kostka won the 1996 to current category with his 1996 Corvette.

There were also awards for best paint job, best interior and best truck. The Broyles won best interior, Larry and Judy Swing won best paint job and best truck was awarded to George Morgan for his 1929 Model A.

Event organizer John Harris said he was pleased with the event.

“The show went good,” he said. “The weather was great. And the car crazy people had a lot to talk about it. We had a good variety of cars.”

Harris said that he wanted to thank all of the sponsors and invite everyone to the next show, which will be held on the second Saturday of September next year.