ONEONTA _ The rain took a break long enough for hundreds of candy-colored vintage cars to cruise in to the Sixth Ward Athletic Field in Oneonta for the 35th annual classic-car show Sunday.
Shiny pink Cadillacs and red Roadsters lined up with their hoods popped, flaunting the work their owners put into them for spectators and other vintage-car restorers. The event was presented by the Reminiscers Car Club.
Many owners take their classic automobiles to several shows a year, where trophies are given to the top automobiles. The first-, second- and third-place cars received trophies at Sunday's show.
Owners shined and buffed their cars, which filled the field like life-size toys neatly lined by little boys proud of their treasures.
"I don't buy junks, I get good ones," said Robert Wells, of Unadilla, who brought a 1958 turquoise Cadillac and a forest-green Oldsmobile to the show.
Wells said he has a room full of trophies and hoped to receive another Sunday.
Wells said he didn't have to do much to prepare for the show because he keeps his cars in top shape. This year, he said, he prepared by putting new push rods in the Cadillac, which has 23,000 miles on it, and "just wiped them (the cars) off."
Restoring vintage automobiles is a satisfying hobby, owners said, who often have a preference for auto type. Robert Clapp, of Sherburne, is a truck lover and brought his taxi-cab yellow 1956 Ford F-100 to the show.
"It's been restored from the bottom up ... it's a project," Clapp said of the truck he's had for years. "Now I'm enjoying it ... Me and my wife go for ice cream or just cruise around."
For some, the cars they restore are connected to events in their lives. Commentator and show disc jockey Doug Bush, of Mount Vision, played 1950s and '60s hits and talked about the classic cars he has restored, one of which is particularly close to his heart.
"My favorite is my pickup truck. A '77 Chevy half-ton pickup C tank," said Bush, who operates Thursday night "cruise ins" in Southside Oneonta. "I did that when I was going through cancer ... it's a beautiful truck."
Jim Barney, of Mount Upton, said he bought his Model A 1930 Ford 20 years ago from a friend who needed to sell it to support his wife, who was being treated for cancer.
While talking about the Model A, Barney spotted a blue-and-white Chrysler '75 1929 Roadster he worked on 20 years ago and shook hands with the owner, who came up from Pennsylvania for the show.
Many of the owners showing their automobiles Sunday brought cars they'd labored over and were content to share their work with other classic-car enthusiasts.
"I'm getting too old to restore them anymore," Wells said. "I take them and show them ... my cars are pretty damn good."
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