Unique Muskoka August

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This 1959 Chevrolet Impala is among the many classics that hold a special place in Mel Smith’s custom garage. “If something catches my eye and I can see it finished, then the challenge begins.” he’s ever purchased and will be one of the six vehicles on display at the Muskoka Road Show, a fundraising event being hosted by the South Muskoka Hospital Auxiliary on August 13. The tour will feature four locations in the Bracebridge area where private collectors will be opening their personal treasury of antique and classic cars, trucks, boats, machinery and memorabilia. Tickets for the event are $20 and a guide containing a map of the tour will 40 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2016 be provided to participants. All funds will go directly to the hospital auxiliary and will be allocated to help pay for a digital mammography machine. Smith has never shown his collection in a tour before but the General Motors fan is happy to have his hobby on display for a good cause. Joining the ’59 Impala in the custombuilt garage are 1965 and 1967 Chevrolet Corvairs, a 1986 Pontiac Parisienne, a 1988 Corvette, and a fully restored 1977 twotonne truck. Having owned a trucking business before retiring, Smith couldn’t resist getting the truck for a project to work on with his son, Danny. Unfortunately, Danny passed away suddenly, but Smith completed the restoration as a tribute to his son. The project took two years and Smith rebuilt every component of the stake body truck, painting it Honduras Maroon Metallic, the colour of his company trucks.
There is a bit of an emotional bond with Smith and each of his vehicles. “Each car has a story,” he says with a grin. Much like Smith, collector John Rennie, who is located just outside Bracebridge, selected the cars in his garage based on his teenage years. The first thing you’ll notice when you step into Rennie’s garage is his collection of antique gas pumps from the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s. Each pump has been lovingly restored by Rennie and his son John Rennie Jr., complete with pristine paint jobs, new glass and working lights. “When we first get them, they don’t look anything close to this,” explains John Jr. “They’ve rotted out; they’re all beat up.” Behind the pumps are a 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air, a 1954 Meteor Special Niagara, and a red 1953 Ford pickup. Rennie started his collection with the Meteor and restored it, as he also did with the other two vehicles. He grew up around the time of these classics and the ’54 Chevy was his first car. “There’s something about the old nostalgia of the ‘50s stuff that is of interest to me,” says Rennie. Antique gas company signs hang on the walls and from the ceiling. Rennie’s collection also includes antique gas pumps, old gum machines, framed calendars from garages, and restored Coke and Pepsi coolers. John Jr. says the search for the next treasure is all part of collecting. “The hunt is half the fun,” he says. “When you get something you really like, you’re holding on to it tight.” Lloyd Quinton of Port Sydney also enjoys the search and has been collecting and restoring antique tractors for 25 years. He was born and raised on a farm, and has restored about a dozen tractors, so far. Coming across his next Lloyd Quinton will be showcasing his 1928 Worthington tractor, the oldest tractor he has ever restored. project can happen at any time. “Sometimes they’re on the side of the road, sometimes people call me through word of mouth,” he says. “If something catches my eye and I can see it finished, then the challenge begins.” Quinton says each tractor is unique and can be a challenge to work on in its own way. “It’s always kind of interesting to think about how a farmer, who previously had the tractor, tried to maintain it and get by on it Mel Smith poses with his collection of classic vehicles, which will be on display for the Muskoka Road Show. without spending a lot of money,” he says. Quinton is not partial to any brand, in particular, and he often sells his projects once the restoration is complete. “You can only drive them to the general store for ice cream so many times,” he laughs. On the tour he’ll be displaying his 1961 Oliver tractor as well as his 1928 Worthington tractor, the oldest tractor he’s restored so far. He first spotted it at an auction and it was originally used at a hunt camp before the days of ATVs. “It was total scrap but I could see something in it,” he says. In addition to Quinton’s tractors, about 30 to 40 antique cars and trucks, muscle cars, and antique boats from the community will be on display. Paul Hammond of Bracebridge has been collecting antique vehicles and memorabilia for 30 years. His friendships with other local area collectors, and his role as the chair of the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation, inspired him to suggest the tour as a fundraiser. August 2016 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 41
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Unique Muskoka August

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