People who braved the smokey skies to attend Kars Under the K saw a relatively rare sight.
Harvey Olender proudly showcased his 1958 Fairlane Ford Convertible at the show that drew hundreds to Memorial Park Sunday.
Olender earned the Mayor’s Choice award for his car.
“It’s all original except the upholstery. The grain isn’t right. But it was done before I bought it in 1980,” he said with a smile.
And the car is all original including the retractable hard top and even the hubcaps.
Olender said he only really takes his beloved car out for local parades and the odd car show. He doesn’t use it for much else.
“That’s why there’s only 100,000 miles on it,” he said.
He bought the car back in 1980 from a man in Kamloops.
“I just liked the idea of a convertible and this one is metal and there’s no flapping,” he said.
He also owns a 1965 Comet that he bought in 1967 and he and his wife use it as a daily driver.
Registration was a bit down this year for Kars Under the K mostly because of the smokey skies.
Bob Kelly, from the Apple Valley Cruisers Car Club said at least five of the members didn’t come because of the smoke.
“It really is keeping people away. But then there are those that nothing would stop them,” he said.
One of those was Bryan Deyaeger, 16-year-old local high school student and volunteer at the event.
Although his own truck is off the road for now because it needs some minor repairs, Deyaeger brought out his mom’s 1997 Ford F150 to show it off.
New to the awards roster this year was high school student vehicle. Deyaeger received that award.
“That’s great,” he said. “It is a nice truck. We really just put a lift in it and repainted the box.”
A car that turned a lot of heads was the 2013 Toyota Scion FR-S. The car, which had after market turbo installed, is owned by Chelsie Lenoski from Penticton.
She earned the JDM Tuner category at Kars Under the K.
Lenoski also entered into the Rotary car show in Penticton earlier in the weekend and earned best in show there.
“People really seem to like it. I got it for a good deal. One thing turned into another and it’s this,” she said.
Thanks to the after market turbo, the red Toyota runs at 320 wheel-horsepower and eight PSI.
Lenoski’s done a lot of the body work to the car and worked with her father and boyfriend on some of the mechanical work.
“It’s been a great experience and I want to learn more,” she said.
The Kars Under the K committee is always looking for volunteers contact Kit Jackson for more information.