GURNEE – Rock and Roll music blasted while cars were lined up in a field for Gurnee’s “Scoop the Loop” car show.
It was the first car show presented during Gurnee Days since 2005.
“All of the proceeds that are made today go to Williams syndrome and the Ronald McDonald organization,” said Dick Grean of Classic Chevrolet.
North Shore Rods Inc. put on the show. About 120 cars were at the show were displayed.
“There would have been more cars, but the ones that got here at around noon were blocked by the parade,” Grean said.
Dan Rixie, Reggie Riley, Lou Moore and Paul Maurer are all part of North Shore Rods Inc.
Moore, president of North Shore Rods Inc., said the company has received about 30 trophies for its top cars.
“We have also received a People’s Choice Award and a Wally Herman Award,” he said. “Wally Herman owned Wildwood Service and donated a lot of things to our company. When he died, we decided to start a trophy in his honor.”
There were no requirements to have a car shown at the event.
“We asked for good old American cars; that is what we endorsed,” Moore said. “We didn’t want to eliminate any cars. We don’t have classism, which is what a lot of car shows have these days.”
Moore said that North Shore Motors Inc. did Scoop the Loop in Waukegan for nine years and then met up with Gurnee Days about six or seven months ago.
“We found out last summer they didn’t have a car show, so we decided to put one on,” he said.
Moore’s favorite car was the Hummer, which was rumored to have gone for about $180,000.
Moore said there were also about 10 to 15 cars for sale at the show, going from $5,000 to $80,000.
He also liked an old yellow Ford truck that had a face painted on it.
“It all depends on how you want your car to be,” Moore said.
Jack Ester, owner of a red 1956 Chevy, has been working on his car for more than two years.
“It’s been on the road for about a month, and it runs beautifully,” he said. “I just put a new Art Morrison frame on it and a 383-cubic-inch Chevy motor. It has 452.7 horsepower, along with a nine-inch rear, hoods, trunk and door handles. The wheels are custom, and the license plate is Shu Box—which is what we used to call these cars.”
The car is worth about $120,000, he said.
Ernie Levas, owner of another 1957 Chevy, said he had been offered up to $200,000 for the car.
“It runs good,” he said. “I just got 2,300 miles off of the new frame, and I have had it for 37 years.”
He also did all the bodywork, painted it and put in new windows, he said.
The only 1957 Chevy convertible – in electric blue – was owned by Dave Gates.
“It hasn’t been restored, and I have had it for 24 years,” Gates said. “It has been repainted, and I have rebuilt the front and the back.”
It was the best of show at Nostalgia Days in Zion, he said.
He bought the car in Colorado for $10,000 with 70,000 original miles on it and has turned down $90,000 for it, he said.
Quite a crowd came out to look at all the cars.
“It’s a beautiful day, and there are a lot of beautiful cars out here,” said spectator Raymond Mojica.
Nancy Bell, another spectator, said she would buy a car, if she had enough money and space in the garage.
“The kids are good about not touching anything,” she said. “And I think it is a great way to use this space.”
