They rumbled into town from places such as Lodi, Salinas,
Greenfield and other far-off area codes. Some had gaudy, glitzy
paint jobs, while others offered in-depth histories with mere
glances. Some were lifted so high small children could walk freely
underneath them. Others crept so low to the ground they were nearly
sliding along the asphalt.
They rumbled into town from places such as Lodi, Salinas, Greenfield and other far-off area codes.
Some had gaudy, glitzy paint jobs, while others offered in-depth histories with mere glances. Some were lifted so high small children could walk freely underneath them. Others crept so low to the ground they were nearly sliding along the asphalt.
They were all in Downtown Gilroy for the 10th Garlic City Fun Run, a Saturday event that blended
eye-popping classic and custom vehicles, toe-tapping musical acts and a boost for some of the city’s homegrown businesses.
“It’s really what makes Gilroy wonderful,” Fun Run Chairman John Tomasello said of the event, which for many meant the official start to Garlic Festival season in Gilroy.
Tiffani Petersen, the 2011 Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen, lit the famous garlic bulb. It will stay lighted through the July 29-31 festival.
Henry Quistian’s modified 1939 sunset orange Chevrolet Coupe took home best in show, edging out more than 200 other vehicles.
“Any award you get is appreciated,” Quistian said. “There are a lot of nice cars here.”
Spanning Monterey Road between Fourth and Seventh streets were approximately 210 cars, including Chevrolet Impalas, Ford Thunderbirds, Corvette Sting Rays and even a few classic Dodges, Plymouths, Buicks, Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles.
A 1940 black and green Chevrolet two-door sedan owned by Rick Kubler from Lodi resembled something out of a Dick Tracy comic book, while a raised 1973 Suburban owned by John Trullo towered monstrously above those who came near it.
Sleek paint jobs were also a sight as banana yellows, royal blues, lipstick reds and plenty of flames wowed giddy Fun Run patrons.
Past shows have featured more cars, but Eric Howard, Downtown Business Association president, said this year’s event was more about quality than cramming as many cars into downtown as possible.
“This is real high-dollar stuff,” he said.
Howard later summed up Saturday’s Fun Run in one word: “Unbelievable.”
“It’s gone over and above what I could’ve imagined,” said Howard, who estimated more than 7,000 people flooded downtown. “I’m just amazed.”
The car show was a boom for local businesses, as Sue’s Coffee Roasting Company, Lizarran Tapas Restaurant, the newly opened The Milias Restaurant and others saw a steady flow of customers throughout the day.
“It’s great. It’s events like these that help downtowns,” said Jorge Briones, owner of downtown club 9Lives who spent a good chunk of his afternoon coaxing eventgoers with $3 beers and slices of pizza. “Look at how many people are here today.”
Participating local businesses were also allowed to pick their own favorite cars.
Fortino Winery’s Jill Fortino surprised Morgan Hill resident John McAemma and his red 1966 Dodge Charger with a merchant’s choice award.
“You have good taste,” Fortino said as she handed McAemma the award. “That sealed the deal for me. That’s a cabernet red right there.”
Just about every vehicle had a story to go with it.
A 1965 Chevrolet wagon owned by Gilroy resident Andrew DiDomenico was a popular entry with local Oakland Raiders fans, with its menacing black paint job and team decals.
“I love my boys,” said DiDomenico, who spends every Raiders home game sitting in the infamous spectator section known as “The Black Hole.”
A 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle owned by Stan Sutton of Salinas featured the car’s original paperwork, including the car’s posted sticker price of $5,038.65.
“This car show is a lot of fun,” said Crystal Mickler, owner of a 1957 Ford Mustang with a purple-heavy, three-shade paint job.
Mickler said she bough the car from a “young man in Reno,” and liked his choice of paint so much, she decided to keep it.
“It takes a lot of work keeping it up,” Mickler said, adding she covers the car in the winter and refuses to drive it when it rains.
A chalfonte blue 1963 Ford Thunderbird owned by aptly named Russ Carr of San Martin came with a brief posted history lesson, reminding those who walked by that, when his car came off the assembly line, a gallon of gas cost 30 cents, a doctor’s visit was just $5 and a then-state-of-the-art RCA television netted $495.
Maurlene Andrade said she restored “everything” on her cherry red 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, but not simply because of her adoration for the vehicle.
“A lot of men say women can’t do things,” she smiled. “That’s why I did this.”
