Classic cars for a classic restaurant; Burger Boy hosts auto show

11 years ago
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Aroostook Republican Photo/Lisa Wilcox
    Joe Chamberlain of Caribou brought his 1929 Ford Model A, one of many vehicles the collector owns, to Burger Boy on Sunday for a classic car show the restaurant was hosting. 

By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer

    CARIBOU — Classic car owners know the definition of the word “dedication.” There is a lot of maintenance involved in keeping a classic running well and looking sharp. Owners take great pride in being able to show off their vehicles both on the road and on display in car shows.
    While there are car clubs in Aroostook County that host car shows, not a lot of opportunity has been available in the Caribou area. A group of local car owners recently got together and decided to do something about that.

    “We’re just a bunch of classic car owners,” show organizer Steve Hartford said. “We don’t have a name for our group. We were looking for a place to display our cars.”
    Hartford and his friends contacted Spenser Ouellette, owner of Burger Boy, to find out if there were plans for a show this year, as there had been in the past, at his retro-themed restaurant. They discovered that Ouellette was not only willing to host the show, but would offer a 15 percent discount to participants.

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Aroostook Republican Photo/Lisa Wilcox
    Kendall Sutherland of Caribou visited Burger Boy on Sunday with his 1969 Ford Country Squire station wagon to grab a bite to eat and check out the other classic vehicles being showcased at the restaurant.    

    The group, headed by Hartford and his wife Linda and George and Joyce Knorr, also visited local businesses, which donated gift certificates to give as door prizes for those who displayed a car in the show.
    On Sunday at just about noon, approximately 32 participants pulled into the Burger Boy parking lot with their classics all polished and ready to be admired. The vehicles were a hit, drawing in a respectable crowd.
    “I really enjoyed the show,” Ouellette said. “It brought in a lot of business for us.”
    All of the Big Three American car companies had proper muscle representation with Mustangs, Trans-Ams and Chargers scattered throughout the lot. A Roadster and Model A were also there, rounding out the vehicle spectrum.
      The most common definition for a car to qualify as a classic is that it must be at least 20 years old. There are also those who consider a vehicle classic if it does not lose its appeal after it is no longer manufactured or holds its value over time.
    Regardless of the definition, for auto enthusiasts like Caribou’s Joe Chamberlain, collecting and maintaining classic vehicles is a real passion.
    “I’ve been doing this for 35 years,” Chamberlain, standing next to his bright red 1929 Ford Model A, said. “It’s a lifetime passion.”
    The Model A is one of about “a half a dozen or so” classic, muscle and antique vehicles that Chamberlain currently has in his collection. 
    Chamberlain was not the only one at the show with multiple vehicles. Caribou’s Kendall and Debbie Sutherland pulled in with their 1969 Ford Country Squire station wagon. Kendall also owns a 1971 Dodge pickup and a 1978 Dodge Super Coup.
    Car club members from Madawaska and Canada also took a ride down to Caribou to visit with fellow enthusiasts at the show.