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If you want to come out to a real small time car show, something like you remember from the 70’s, then I have just the show for you. Strangely enough this show doesn’t feature wrestlers, soap stars or scantily clad women, instead it features real classic cars, hot rods, street rods, antiques and some late model kool cars, most of which are driven daily in summer. The 8th Annual Rodarama Car Show held in Wpg at the East End Arena is always the last week of April. Utilizing 2 hockey rinks with about 55 vehicles per rink, this show is tooted as one of the best in Manitoba. Hosted by The Manitoba Street Rod Association, the registration for the show is still frozen at $20. which includes entry for 2 adults, a draw ticket on a Chevy engine, a trany ticket; as well as a free Friday night social. The well-organized & meticulous Frank Fazio was again Car Show Chairman and he did a splendid job of setting up the show committee as well as handling the budget. Gord Forman handled the vendors while Dakota Collegiate’s Adam Castle donated a SB Chevy, which Competition Engine freshened up for us. The 350 trany was donated by Trans Tech and tidied up by member Ronnie Marshall. Admittedly one of the big prizes was the bar fridge donated by Brian Jackson of Accurate Washer & Appliance with the custom hot licks applied courtesy of Richard Roy of Maniacal Expressions in St.Pierre, MB. Draw tickets for this sold like hot cakes.
After a few TV interviews and a stint on the Breakfast Show, Rodarama welcomed an eager crowd Friday at supper time. The place filled up as this is the best day of the weekend with so much going on. Brian Jackson handled vehicle registration and his wife Diane set up the goodie bags using the Hotrod Hotline Yellow flamed bags – so handy! Wagon Master Doug Bedford positioned the cars between the two rinks with room to spare. Robin Carruthers & Jerry Saunders had promotions and advertising under control, while George Knight handled numerous volunteers for the weekend’s 24 hr security. Dana and Kathy Milne took in registration funds and sold event T-Shirts as well as handing out the goodie bags. Each bag had one event T-Shirt, tickets on the engine and trany and other miscellaneous stuff you can’t live without. Once loaded you were then directed over to the Prize Patrol window to see yours truly & Bob Garrett for your “Instant Prize”. Members Mike Ward and Andrew Pearase had run all over the city picking up donations and cheques for the show and with the continued support of hundreds of businesses, our goal was to supply each entry with a prize pkg worth at least twenty bucks.
Companies like Adam’s Premium Car Care Products; American Autowire; A & W Canada; Bob Forzley, Bunzy’s Auto Body; CSRA; Custom Crankshaft; Daryl Reid MLA; Bidhu Jha; Brunswick Steel; DMK Customs, F.B. Automotive; Fountain Tire; Frontier Toyota; Gauthier Automotive Group; Griffin Canada; Heart Exhaust; Heidt’s Hot Rod Shop; Heritage Impressions; Horton’s Hot Rod Parts; HotRodHotLine; House of Silver; IDC Communications; ISCA Lechman Family; Kern Hill Co-Op; Main St. IGA; Kustom Kris Framing; Lucas Racing; Millennium Eden Bed & Breakfast; Minute Muffler Main St. & Portage Ave; Mothers Wax; NSRA; Panago Pizza; Paul Salinowski’s 1320 Art; Parr Automotive; Piston Ring Auto Service; Pony Corral; Rogers Auto Artworks; Rondex Limited; Softy’s Speed Shop; The Battery Man; Va Va Voom Garage; Willys Garage at the Free Press had all donated goods and services.
Friday night we held the vendor/volunteer/participant only social (get together) upstairs at East End Arena. Silent Auction proceeds went direct to the Rehabilitation Centre for Children Foundation and raised a few hundred bucks. MSRA & East End Arena supplied hot roasted chicken while Panago Pizza graciously donated piping hot pizzas by the truckload. Some music, and many door prizes later we called it a wrap.
Saturday morning Bob Garrett and myself handed out prize packages even delivering some right to the cars. The T & D music show (Tom Milne & Dick Brasher) ran all day and well into the night. The crowd came and went and many participants enjoyed the hospitality room in the basement ran by Sandra Knight. Piping hot soup, donuts, coffee and munchies were always available. Sunday the day flew by with the awards getting underway around four. A framed pencil drawing by 1320 Art Paul Salinowski went to Long Distance winners Dee & Jack Stattine of Grand Forks; with 2nd contender Don Coulter taking home some goodies also. The Best GM Award, sponsored by the Gauthier Auto Group went to Gord Gaudes with his 65 Pontiac GTO. Gord also received a Hand painted GM toilet seat by Maniacal Expressions and a Shop Vac courtesy of Minute Muffler. The Rising Star Award (person under 25 & must be vehicle owner) went to Brant Palmer. A $100 cash award donated by the Lechman Family; a $50 cash prize from Bob Forzley of Forzley Chassis as well as a whopping 415-piece toolset courtesy of Southside Auto Body accompanied this award. The People’s Choice Award sponsored by Wayne Hamel of Main Street IGA went to Ron Baxter with his 1938 Ford Coupe; Ron also received a ladies necklace from A&A Jewelers and an 80 Piece toolset courtesy of MSRA member Tom Hancock. Lastly Best of Show Award was sponsored by B & B Trophies and went to Al & Sandi Bodnarchuk with their 1932 Ford 3 window coupe. Al & Sandi also received a painting of their car by Roger Lusty of Roger’s Auto Art Works, a complete detailing kit from the DriWash Guy and a ladies necklace donated by A &A Jewellers.
Undeniably a whopping success thanks to the many participants; sponsors, vendors and lastly all the volunteers who donate their time to host this show. For next years show registration call Brian Jackson at 204-338-8429 or checkout the MSRA web site at www.msra.mb.ca and mark April 25-27thon your calendar. Come and get a taste of our Friendly Manitoba hospitality – tell em’ Liz sent ya.
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