By Andra Bryan Stefanoni
news@joplinglobe.com
PITTSBURG, Kan. — There’s just something about classic cars and their appeal to the American public, said Ira Reiken, chairman of the Rollin’ Nostalgia Car Club in Southeast Kansas.
“All you have to have is a few classic cars sitting out and people will stop and look and ask questions. America has a love affair with classic cars,” he said.
Reiken speculates their popularity stems from a fondness for days gone by.
“Most of us bought cars back that we had once owned in high school. It’s about reliving your youth through our cars, I guess,” he said.
As host of the recent Little Balkans Days Car & Motorcycle Show, the club received 47 entries from across the Four States.
“We had an original 1960s T-bird with custom paint and a drop fender, we had an old Cadillac hearse from 1971, we had it all,” Reiken said.
The Rollin’ Nostalgia Car Club also is planning parades and classic car shows to drive up interest among car enthusiasts in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri.
The club also has had great success with cruise nights, held the first Saturday of each month from April through September.
“We have lots of ideas. We’ve seen a classic car parade they have in Ottawa, Kan., where people line the streets and just hundreds and hundreds of cars go by. That’s what we want to do here,” Reiken said. “We also have plans for a swap meet, a Web site maybe next year, and we want to use that to list all the car shows in the area.”
On the road
n Oct. 11: Columbus Days Car Show. Held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the downtown square at Maple and Pennsylvania streets. Details: (620) 429-1492.
n Oct. 18: Carthage Maple Leaf Auto Show, hosted by the Maple Leaf Auto Show Committee. Held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the CMC Complex at Fairview and Grand avenues. Details: (417) 358-9337.
