T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Danny Nelson, owner of the 1937 Ford and in charge of the parking lot, stands with the Show and Shine Car Show Chair Shirley Gregor. Friday marked the 10th anniversary of the event.

Friday marked the 10th anniversary of the Show and Shine Car Show at Our Savior Lutheran Church.

On parking lot duty was Danny Nelson, who estimated roughly 70 cars arrived. He himself brought a couple of cars to the show – a 1937 Ford and a 1939 Ford Coupe. Nelson got the 1937 in 1973. According to the show chairman, Shirley Gregor, the 1937 is as gorgeous inside as it is outside.

“In 1973, I turned 16,” Nelson said. “My brother acquired the car in 1969 and he gave it to me in ’73. My brother and I were talking and he says, ‘I’ll give you this car, your first car for turning 16, but you can’t sell it.’ Mother heard that and I couldn’t sell it.”

For a while, he drove the car in its original condition. Then in 1985 when he moved to Marshalltown, Nelson street-rodded it.

According to Nelson, also making a “unique” appearance was a replica of the Ford GT40, the car which served as the inspiration for the movie “Ford vs. Ferrari.”

Besides the car show, attendees were treated to free hot dogs. Gregor said the crowd’s favorite aspects of the event might differ – with the men coming for the cars and the women enjoying the food and visiting with old and new friends.

T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM
Making an appearance at the annual car show at Our Savior Lutheran church was a replica of the Ford GT40 from the “Ford vs. Ferrari” movie. The Friday show attracted a big crowd, who also enjoyed free hot dogs.

The church did accept free will donations, which will be given to the Emergency Food Box.

She said this year had a better turnout in the number of people who attended. Gregor, who had the help of roughly 12 other people, was not exactly sure why so many showed up, but speculated the increase in advertising might have had a hand. There were definitely more classic cars than there were last year.

“I don’t think we had more than 20 cars last time,” Gregor said. “It goes up and down, and this year it looks like people showed up. You never know from one year to the next.”

Thankfully, the weather cooperated. She said many of the car owners will take their vehicles to shows if there is rain.

“If it’s cloudy or it looks rainy, they won’t come,” Gregor said. “One friend told me that his car [would] melt if it got wet.”

She has been active in the Show and Shine every year, and credited her husband, Joe, with her involvement.

“It was my husband’s thing,” Gregor said. “He had cars and more cars. It was Joe’s interest that got me interested. But, now he has been gone four years already, and I’m still doing it.”

Her favorite memories of the church’s car show include Joe.

“I almost brought his album of cars,” she said. “He used to have a small dealership. It’s also fun getting together with people, and I’ve had the help of good people.”

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.