Classics convene in Trout Creek

Hillborn fuel injector stacks, triple-deuce carburetors set atop cast aluminum Edelbrock intake manifolds, drop-top goats and flawless barn finds—just a sampling of what could be found at the Cool Summer Nights Car Show in Trout Creek on Sept. 11. Cars from all over, accompanied by their proud owners, gathered in front of the Lakeside Motel to share, gawk and brag, but mostly to get to know one another.

The event was organized by John Harris of Trout Creek, owner of the Lakeside Motel and avid car enthusiast. Harris’s passion for fantastic cars goes back to his early teens, when he was growing up in South Dakota.

“I grew up in muscle cars,” Harris said.

One of his first cars was little more than a racecar from Ford, the Shelby Mustang GT 500. Unfortunately, teenage zeal got the best of him and Harris ended up rolling the car. After that, Harris got his hands on a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle. From there, his passion for cars grew.

It is this passion that Harris cites as his reason to begin this event in the first place.

“I have a great love of old muscle cars and classics,” Harris said.

This year marks the sixth year for the car show, which Harris started in 2004. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he moved to Trout Creek in 2002 to take advantage of the hunting opportunities Sanders County has to offer. However, Harris was involved in a car club in South Dakota, and wanted to start a similar organization in his new home.

Even though the cars have been great, the real fun of the car show is meeting all the people, according to Harris. The event draws people from all over the region, and the cars all just act as conversation starters. According to Harris, the event was attended by folks from as far away as Missoula and Sand Point, and even Bonner’s Ferry and Eureka.

Very few participants become involved in the car show to win trophies.

“It’s great to get together with like-minded people,” said Jim Hamill of Thompson Falls, who showed a mid-60s Ford Fairlane GT at the event. “If you’re in it to win trophies, you’re in the wrong game.”

The show also draws people because of the varied cars on display.

“There are a lot more different cars than at other shows,” said Rod Stamm of Plains, who showed a 1954 Ford truck. Stamm himself got involved in showing cars after his wife passed away in 2002. He bought his truck and began going to shows to keep busy, and keep buys he did.

“I was gone every weekend at a show,” Stamm said.

So far, Stamm has enjoyed his new hobby a great deal. He has had a lot of fun driving his truck, which his odometer can testify to.

“When I first drove it, it had 14 miles on it,” Stamm said. “Now, it has over 11,000 miles.”

Even though he loves his truck, Stamm said that in events like these, the cars are secondary, and the people are the best part.

“Now I’ve got friends all over Idaho and Montana,” Stamm said.

As it happens, these friends are the people who judge all of the participants as the friendly competition gets under way. Drivers all act as peer judges, and cast votes in all of the event’s classes.

Most of the classes are divided by year. The classes are pre-1954, 1955-57, 1958-72, and 1973 to the present. Trucks can also be categorized under their own class, or can join the year class to which they belong. There is also a separate class from motorcycles.

Spectators at the event are asked to vote on cars, which results in a people’s choice award. Trophies are also awarded for best paint and best interior.

The show drew 32 entries this year, which in turn drew around a hundred drivers, family members, friends and interested spectators. After a while, the cars, despite their beauty, ended up being talks over as enthusiasts got to talking. For Harris, it is clear why he organizes this event every year.

“It’s a lot of fun.”