Kit car joins classics at show in Coburg

By Clare Hancock Oregon NewsLab Published: Aug 16, 2011 at 7:30 AM PDT Last Updated: Aug 16, 2011 at 1:13 PM PDT
Kit car joins classics at show in Coburg »Play Video

COBURG, Ore. - Ron Nealon owns a classic car.

But instead of restoring a previous version, he decided to assemble a Cobra Roadster kit car that was mailed to him in a box.

He spent four months assembling the pieces at a local garage called SoFast Racing in Corvallis. He also had to find and assembled a few parts that didn’t come with the car, such as an engine and transmission.

Nealon has since shown his Cobra at many classic car shows. The results of his work were on display recently in Coburg City Park, drenched in Balmy sunlight amongst freshly washed and waxed classic cars waiting admired as part of the Coburg Classic Car Show.

Some classic cars were little more than a rusty shell and an engine while others were completely equipped for a day on a 1920s beach, surfboard and all.

The salty sweet smell of freshly popped kettle corn drifted through the air.

Corners of raffle tickets poked out from various pockets and children and adults alike clutched ice cream cones as they wandered through the array of colors; retro pink, aquamarine, royal purple, tuxedo white, lemon yellow and piano key black.

Every now and then, visitors would reach their hand out and stroke the paint job of a particular car with the back of their finger.

Classic rock from decades past blared over speakers in the center of the park. Foldable lawn chairs had been stationed around the outer edges of the park where car owners spoke energetically about topics like finding the perfect part that completed their restoration or their favorite memories from building their car.


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