All Car Rally 2018

31ST ANNUAL CENTER OF THE NATION

JUNE 15 & 16 • 2018

BELLE FOURCHE • SOUTH DAKOTA SHOW N’ SHINE

|

DOOR PRIZES

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE

|

VENDORS

June 15th & 16, 2018 Highland Park, Belle Fourche Saturday Show N’ Shine Classes • Pre-1954 • 1955-1957 • 1958-1963 • 1964-1966 • 1967-1969 • 1970-1979

• 1980-1989 • 1990-2004 • 2005-Current • Motorcycle Class

• Trucks, Vans, SUV, Off-Road Pre-1980 • Trucks, Vans, SUV, Off-Road 1981-Current • Street Rods • Low Riders/Tuner/Imports • Rat Rods/Unfinished/Work In Progress

Registration Form

Awards given for 1st, 2nd & 3rd in each Show N’ Shine class. Plus Iris Holst/ Faye Kennedy Memorial Best of Show Award and the Bill Schwender Memorial Long Distance Award.

ALL CLASSES WILL INCLUDE STOCK & CUSTOM VEHICLES!

Events Schedule:

1 registration form per vehicle • Make copies if necessary.

Friday, June 15th • Starts at 6 pm

ALL VEHICLES MUST REGISTER!

Dairy Queen Cruise-In • 5th Avenue, Belle Fourche

Pre-Registration: $2000 Registration after June 1st: $2500

Show N’ Shine • Highland Park, Belle Fourche

Name: Address: City: State: Phone: E-Mail: Year: Model: Judging Class:

Zip:

Make:

Pre-Registration: $2000 / After June 1st: $2500 Rain or Shine ~ No Refunds For more information call Sam Silacci at 605-210-2013 or e-mail allcarrally@hotmail.com

Mail Registration & Check/Money Order to: Center of the Nation All Car Rally, PO Box 41, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 Page 2, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

Saturday, June 16th

Vendor Booths, Vehicle Displays & Children’s Activities Food & beverage vendors on site 8:00-10:00 am Show N’ Shine Registration 10:00 am Black Hills Roundup

National Anthem Contest 10:00-3:00 pm Show N’ Shine Main Event 10:00-Noon Registered Participants Judging

of Show ‘N Shine Event 10:00-3:00 pm Kids Hot Wheels Drag Race FREE

Ages 12 & under 3:00-4:00 pm Awards Ceremony

& Photos of Winners

for next year’s ACR Newsletter

Attention: All Car Rally Participants Please look for your Voting Booklets in your Registration Bags.

All judging is done by registered participants only. One (1) class per vehicle. Car drivers are reminded to behave in a sportsmanlike manner, participants may be responsible for any damage done to the park.

No bicycles allowed in Highland Park. Section 12.32.102. Animals are prohibited in any city park during city authorized events. This section shall not apply to service dogs used by law enforcement, disabled or visually handicapped. Center of the Nation All Car Rally committee is not responsible or liable for participants property damage, accidents or injuries occurred during the event.

welcome…

The Center of the Nation All Car Rally committee would like to welcome you to our 31st annual car show event.

Our volunteers have worked very hard to put together another great show for 2018. This year we will be hosting our event at Highland Park. Along with the new venue we have plenty of activities for the kids as well as a wide variety of vendors. The Center of the Nation All Car Rally is expected to be one of the largest events that we have encountered. Make sure to save the date and bring the whole family out to enjoy the show. The CONACR committee truly appreciates the past support from all of those who have participated or volunteered in our event and we are looking forward for many years to come.

Thanks for your support!

Sam Silacci

All Car Rally Chairman

OFFICIAL ALL CAR RALLY PROGRAM is produced by the Black Hills Pioneer in conjunction with the All Car Rally committee 315 Seaton Circle, Spearfish, SD 57783 • (800) 676-2761 www.bhpioneer.com Letitia Lister, publisher Mark Watson, managing editor Sona O’Connell, project manager/advertising Amanda Knapp, project design The publisher will not be responsible or liable for misprints, misinformation or typographic errors herein contained.

Publisher also reserves the right to refuse any advertising deemed not to be in the best interest of the publication. © Copyright Black Hills Pioneer 2018

Photos courte sy ACR Commit tee

Photo by Lace

y Peterson, Bl

ack Hills Pion

Meet the

eer

All Car Rally

Committee Sam Silacci

Mike Derry

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Doug Kraft

Cherie Coleman

Secretary

Treasurer

And… the volunteers who make the show possible!

Andy Demos, Bret Allart, Bill Walker, Jason & Kari King, Chip Conner, Mike Walker, Dustin & Olivia Akin, and Sona O’Connell

Want to help?

We are always looking for more volunteers.

Call Sam for meeting times. 605-210-2013 Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 3

Custom car coming to All-Car Rally

BY JASON GROSS BLACK HILLS PIONEER

C

ustom cars refer to other show it has entered, passenger vehicles including events in Deadwood tailored to increase and Lead. performance, usually by The body style is the only altering or replacing the engine original component of this and transmission. red-colored car, which carries a Many visitors 935-horsepower to the Center of engine. It also the Nation All features disc Car Rally look brakes, a 535It’s an absolute gold forward to seeing inch dart big standard of old-school custom vehicles. block, link hot rods A Northern Black rear end, and Jim Statham Hills resident will Turbo 400 show an awardtransmission. winning car for the Statham has first time here. had this car for six or eight Jim Statham plans to display years, and he finished the a 1941 Willy’s pro street car restoration about two years that has received Best of Show ago. He paid $80,000 at auction or Best of Class honors at every for a vehicle that had more

“ ”

Page 4, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

than $170,000 invested in it.

The paint and interior were in perfect condition when he bought the car.

Statham had to completely rebuild the front suspension, and the engine required a lot of deferred maintenance. That included rebuilding carburetors, changing gaskets on the headers, and doing some valve work on the heads.

The front end required a custommade suspension system. It took Statham about 1 ½ weeks of research to learn who made it.

“All the suspension, the headers, pipes: everything had to come out of the front end,” he said.

He required four or five months to finish the job, with the frontend work taking the most time.

“It’s an absolute gold standard of old-school hot rods,” Statham said in describing this car’s appeal to him.

Statham decided to show this car in Belle Fourche because he has not done so before.

Restoring cars is a hobby for Statham, who prefers that to the alternative.

“I buy them, finish them, and get

them right,” Statham said. “I find out I could do that cheaper than building one from scratch.”

Statham buys most of his cars at auctions and then straightens them out.

He said many people put a lot of money in a car but are not quite able to finish. These cars often wind up at auctions.

“I bought five of them this year, and we just take them a day at a time,” Statham said.

He does not have to think long when asked what he enjoys the most about the process.

“When you drive something and it isn’t right — and you get it where it is right — that’s your joy right there,” he said.

Statham does not purchase cars that require work in multiple areas.

“I like to buy cars that have certain things completed and finished,” he said.

Statham said the most difficult aspect of redoing cars is finding the right parts. They can be vintage parts, or after-market parts that comply with how the rest of the car was built.

This 1941 Willy’s pro street car will be displayed at the Center of the Nation All Car Rally in Belle Fourche. It has received high honors at every other show it has entered. Courtesy photos

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Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 5

All Car Rally Committee donates to Camp Oasis, 4-H

National Anthem Contest for the Black Hills Roundup Held during the 31st Annual All Car Rally, Belle Fourche

Saturday, June 16th 10 a.m.

The All Car Rally Committee donated proceeds from its annual rally held June 16-17, 2017, to Camp Oasis and the Butte-Lawrence County 4-H. The group gave $250 to each of the organizations.

Sam Silacci, committee president, is pictured giving Monica Jackson, past Camp Oasis coordinator, the donation check.

Courtesy photo

Highland Park

Rail’s Auto Body

Complete Auto Refinishing

605-892-4522

Specializing in Insurance Repair

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Page 6, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

1940 Studebaker: a real labor of love

Bill Ribordy’s 1940 Studebaker was awarded the 2017 Mayor’s Choice Award at the 30th All Car Rally. Courtesy photos

BY LACEY PETERSON BLACK HILLS PIONEER

B

ill Ribordy’s completely modernized 1940 Studebaker took home the Mayor’s Choice Award the 30th All Car Rally last June, the first year he entered the newly refurbished vehicle.

Ribordy, who grew up on a ranch in Union Center, moved to Belle Fourche in high school.

“My sister started high school, and I came up and followed her,” he said.

“And pretty much never went back.”

Ribordy’s lifelong hobby of tinkering with cars carried him through the entire three-year process of the vehicle’s rebuild.

“I just like to do it,” Ribordy said. “I dabble in a little bit of everything.”

Although Ribordy bought the Studebaker 30 years ago, until 2014, the one-time farm car turned modern beauty sat in a field where it had been colleting dust and rusting away to nothing more than a shell of its former beauty.

During the time it spent on the farmlands, Ribordy said the Belle Fourche River flooded twice and brought the water level up to the top of the wheels.

“It sat out there in the water and sun,” he said. “It was pretty bad.”

Although Ribordy said he would classify the vehicle to have been in rough shape when he purchased it for $750, the more than 40-year-old car held its value quite well.

“You could have bought it for $895 brand new (in 1940),” Ribordy said.

Ribordy procured a 2004 Pontiac GTO and souped-up the Studebaker, taking the engine, transmission, and rear suspension from the GTO and merging the two vehicles.

Ribordy rebuilt the entire frame so

that it could accommodate for the larger motor.

In addition to the more than $20,000, Ribordy spent hours online searching for just the right parts for his red beauty.

Although Ribordy said he knew when he procured the classic car that it would take some time to modernize, he joked that he didn’t know it would take 30 years.

With the addition of suicide doors, power windows, seats, steering, breaks, and air conditioning, the modernized vehicle rides like a dream Ribordy said.

“The only think that’s pretty much original is the body,” he said. “But it’ll go just as fast as you want it to go.”

Ribordy, who said he likes a challenge, said he was retired and needed something to do. And off he went.

“Once I got started on it, it was endless for three years,” he said.

“I was busy. There was a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out how in the hell I was going to do it.”

After going back and fourth about the color for some time, inspiration struck Ribordy.

The red and cream color scheme was inspired by an Indian Motorcycle that Ribordy saw in Arizona and carried the pattern through the vehicle’s design including the interior.

After returning home, Ribordy commissioned Belle Fourche painter Roy Hillyer, who worked on it after work and weekends for months.

“It took most of the winter for him to do it,” Ribordy said.

As for his big win after entering the car in its first All Car Rally, Ribordy said he was pleased.

“It was good,” he said.

Ribordy said he took the car out the car a lot last summer, mostly around the Black Hills.

“Yeah, we probably put 4,000 miles on it last summer,” he said.

Entered in half a dozen other car

shows around the area.

The car that Ribordy said gets a lot of attention.

“I don’t have any regrets,” Ribordy said.

For now, Ribordy said he’s looking forward to warmer weather to enjoy the time with his new beauty.

“Just the new toy,” he laughed.

Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 7

Wayne Johnson displays a 1963 Chevy Impala Super Sport that he and his wife Debbie own. He purchased the car in 1972 and is its third owner. It includes a V8 300 horsepower 327 motor. Pioneer photos by Tim Potts

Chevy Impala Super Sport making Black Hills rounds

BY TIM POTTS BLACK HILLS PIONEER

W

ayne and Debbie Johnson’s 1963 Chevy Impala Super Sport is a familiar sight at car shows around the Black Hills.

Johnson purchased the car in 1972 and is the third owner.

The car had just over 47,000 miles when he bought it and now has just over 340,000 miles.

The second owner of the car was from Kingsbury County. He called Johnson while he was living in Brookings and offered the car for sale for $1,500, and Johnson wasn’t interested. At

that time, Wayne was driving a 1970 GTO and had a 1956 pickup and did not want or need another vehicle.

Johnson received another call days later and was asked what he would give for the car.

He finally offered $1,100 and purchased the car. He drove the four speed Impala during the gas shortage in the 1970s, as it got 21 miles to the gallon.

“I drag raced with the Impala three years at Thunder Valley in Marion, South Dakota, and then when I moved to the Rapid City area, I continued

Page 8, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

drag racing at Belle Fourche for three more years,” Johnson said.

The Chevy Impala SS package increased in sales as the muscle car craze began to develop.

Production was up at 832,600 per year.

“This was the only car we had until 1989, and it was driven until 2001. Then I heard a little noise in the motor.

“I overhauled it in 1977 and then again in 2001, when it hit 332,000 miles,” Wayne Johnson said. “It now has 7,895 miles on it since the overhaul.” The

motor is a V8 300 horse 327 and is basically the original motor.

The 1963 Chevrolet Impala offered all new styling. Grilles, bumpers, hoods, sculptured side panels, and rear deck contours were new, but the Impala stayed basically the same. The front and rear fenders had a “V” shape.

The Impala was the top of the line full sized model offered from Chevrolet. It had the most standard features and could be optioned with almost anything.

The SS convertible sticker price started at $3,186 with an available 250-horsepower 327 V-8. There were 15 exterior colors offered, and convertible top choices were

white, black, and beige.

“In 1980, we redid the interior and took out the crushed velvet, and basically nothing else was done to the car until 2001.” Johnson said.

Johnson has taken it to several car shows, starting in Lead in 2010. He won first place at that show and has placed at other car rallies.

Johnson said, “The 1962, 1963 and 1964 Chevy Impala’s are all similar, except the 1962s are rounded, the 1964s are boxier and, in my opinion, the 1963 has more character in their looks.”

During car shows and even while filling with gas, Johnson said, he has had many offers to purchase the car but plans to keep it for now.

The winners of the 2017 Pinewood Derby pictured, left to right: 3rd Place: Elijah Kari, Dukes of Hazzard 2nd Place: Zech Kari, Black Pickup 1st Place: Bianca Thomas, Volkswagen Bus

The Right Tires at the

t Nigh y y a Frid ar Rall All C cials Spuene 15th J

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Heavy Duty & Commerical Computerized Alignment & Wheel Balancing

Family Owned & Independent Tire Dealer Offering:

Goodyear • Kelly • Toyo • Maxxis Michelin • BF Goodrich • Hankook and more

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Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 9

Pre-1954 1st Place: Larry & Kathy Johnson, 1949 International 2nd Place: Lennie Skillingstad, 1947 Chevy Convertible 3rd Place: Aaron Fowler, 1932 Ford Vicki

1955-1957 1st Place: Larry & Betty Schmidt, 1957 Bel Air Convertible 2nd Place: Newell Cass, 1956 Ford 3rd Place: Gerald Keil, 1957 Dodge Custom Royale

1958-63 1st Place: Mike Allbee, 1958 Chevy Impala 2nd Place: Mark Burgard, 1963 Chevy Corvette 3rd Place: Mike Ladner, 1960 Buick LeSabre

1964-1966 1st Place: Ron Meis, 1965 Pontiac GTO 2nd Place: Ryder Ladner, 1964 Plymouth Barricuda 3rd Place: Ed Overton, 1965 Oldsmobile 442

1967-1969 1st Place: Bruce Moser, 1969 Chevy Chevelle 2nd Place: Kurt Ranta, 1969 Chevy Impala 3rd Place: Derek Shoun, 1969 Ford Mustang

1970-1979 1st Place: Jim Nelson, 1970 Plymouth Duster 2nd Place: Robert & Kelsey Ball, 1970 Ford Maverick 3rd Place: Jacob Johnson, 1972 Ford Mustang

1980-1989 1st Place: Alexis Allart, 1980 Chevy Camaro 2nd Place: Ellis Tripp Jr., 1984 Mustang 3rd Place: John Dvorak, 1987 Pontiac Fiero

1990-2004 1st Place: Ivan Kloefkorn, 1995 Buick Riviera 2nd Place: Todd Leitner, 1991 Ford Mustang GT 3rd Place: Lyn Smeenk, 2003 BMW Mini Cooper

2005-Current 1st Place: Yvonne Tripp, 2006 Mustang GT 2nd Place: Sarah Ohlrogge, 2007 Ford Mustang 3rd Place: Jamie “Taz” Marshall, 2009 Dodge Challenger

Page 10, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

Pre-1980 Truck, Van, SUV & Off-Road 1st Place: Keith Terry, 1954 Chevy 5 Window 2nd Place: William Huston, 1972 Chevy C10 3rd Place: Donny Weston, 1955 Ford F-100

1981-Current Truck, Van, SUV & Off-Road 1st Place: Taylor Hupple, 2008 Ford Super Duty F-250 2nd Place: Jim Ebert, 2004 GMC Sierra

Street Rod 1st Place: Dave Hill, 1950 Mercury 2nd Place: Dennis Christianson, 1932 Ford 5 Window 3rd Place: Ken Reder, 1939 Chevy

Tuner/Imports/Low Riders 1st Place: Chad Maxom, 2005 BMW 2nd Place: Vern Brenner, 1972 911T Porsche 3rd Place: Susan Allart, 2011 BMW 328x1

Rat Rod/Work In Progress 1st Place: Cole Gackle, 1967 Mercury Cougar 2nd Place: Jacob Johnson, 1962 F-250 3rd Place: William Huston, 1979 Ford F-150

Motorcycles 1st Place: Aaron Fowler, 2008 Harley Electraglide 2nd Place: Mike Derry, 2016 Ducati xDuvial 3rd Place: Sharayah Schewender, 2007 Razor Rocket

Long Distance Trophy 2017 Bill Schwender Memorial Jim Ebert, Gilbert, Arizona 2004 GMC Sierra

Best of Show 2017 Iris Holst Memorial Best of Show Ron Meis, Lead, SD 1965 Pontiac GTO

Classic cars fill Herrmann Park

Photos by Lacey Peterson and Sona O’Connell

Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 11

Chevy short box pickup takes long journey

BY TIM POTTS BLACK HILLS PIONEER

R

obert and Dianna Meeker have restored, purchased, and sold more than 130 cars and pickups. One of the vehicles they decided to keep is a 1964 Chevy short box pickup.

During a visit to his mother’s house in Aberdeen, S.D., Robert was reading the want ads and found the pickup listed for sale.

“I found the pickup in a chicken coop in Aberdeen. It was covered with a couple inches of chicken crap, but I bought it anyway,” Robert Meeker said.

The truck was purchased in 2002 and, at that time, it had been painted red with a paint and roller brush covering up the previous yellow color. The 1964 Chevy short box is now painted in tropical

turquoise, and the cab in India ivory.

“We never got rid of the poop smell until after we painted the entire pickup inside and out,” Meeker said.

Restoration started in 2002. It took nearly five years before Robert and Dianna considered it complete.

The truck box was a step side version and it was changed to a fleet side. A friend airbrushed the Chevrolet logo that appears on the tailgate.

Wood in the bed came from a friend in Wisconsin. It is Wisconsin curled birch, and it was planed down by Anderson Mill for a custom fit.

“We were one piece short of the birch. A friend came up with a piece

Black Hawk residents Robert and Dianna Meeker display their 1964 Chevy short box pickup. The motor is a 350 V8 with a 700 R4 automatic. Wisconsin curled birch wood was installed in the box as part of the restoration.

Pioneer photos by Tim Potts

Page 12, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

that was cracked, but that gives it some character,” Meeker said.

The Chevy motor is a 350 V8, with a 700 R4 automatic. For a unique look, the truck is lowered five inches in the front and four inches in the back.

The truck has a Camaro rear end transmission.

“I just like the looks of the 1964 Chevy pickup, and that is why we bought it,” Meeker said.

Robert wanted to lower the pickup before any of his family or friends saw it. He was under the pickup with the torch while Dianna was inside the box jumping up and down.

Dianna said, “It took forever, and come to find out the box wasn’t even bolted down, so the box was moving up and down with me.”

The original sticker price was $2,033, with average retail today between $27,800 and $69,000.

Chevy used the name C/K for its full-size pickup truck line in the United States starting in 1960 and ending in 1999. The “C” indicated a conventional cab, while the “K” indicated a four-wheel-drive model. Chevy then renamed the pickup truck the Silverado.

In 1964, Chevy trucks featured a redesigned cab and a flatter windshield than the previous “wraparound” windshield. Many collectors consider the 1964 Chevy truck as classic vintage.

Chevy trucks produced in 1964 are part of the modern V-8 engine era of trucks. The standard engines were 283 cubic inches, and the V-8 engine was optional. As far as other options, only AM radio was available in Chevy trucks from 1955 to 1969.

The truck has been in car shows all over South Dakota, including Aberdeen, Mitchell, Newell, Lead, Belle Fourche, and Rapid City. The Meekers said they have attended and enjoy the Center of the Nation All Car Rally car show every year.

The Meekers have five other cars they are presently in the process of restoring or are about ready to sell.

Did you know?

T

hough it can be difficult to accurately gauge the best-selling automobiles of all time, many in the automotive industry acknowledge that the Toyota Corolla, with more than 40 million units sold since its introduction in 1966, is the best-selling automobile of all time. While the Corolla may have sold the most units, Ford’s Model T was the first vehicle to reach several notable benchmarks with regard to units sold. Sold from 1908 to 1927, the Model T was the first car to sell one million, five million, 10 million, and 15 million units. By the time Ford ceased producing the Model T, the manufacturer had moved roughly 16.5 million units, which many historians credit to the vehicle’s affordability compared to its predecessors. That affordability is largely credited with making automobiles accessible to a mass market. The first car to reach 20 million units sold was the Volkswagen Beetle, the design of which was completed in 1938, though mass production did not begin until after World War II.

T

he Ford Motor Company’s Model T was offered in several styles, not unlike how vehicles of today are offered in various models. Among the Model T styles available was a two-seat runabout, which can be considered a precursor to the coupe style popular today, and a seven-seat town car, which might be considered an ancestor of today’s SUV, at least with regard to passenger capacity.

While prospective Model T drivers had some options when choosing which Model T they wanted to purchase, between 1913 and 1925 the car was produced only in black. The Model T engine was a 4-cylinder engine that generated 20 horsepower. To put that latter figure into perspective, many of today’s riding lawn mowers are 20 horsepower, and some commercial lawn riding mowers provide as much as 40 horsepower. While car dealers might not sell too many cars featuring 4-cylinder, 20 horsepower engines today, historical estimates suggest that more than 15 million Model T’s were built and sold between 1908 and 1927, the last year the car was produced.

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Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 13

Rare car to appear at rally

BY JASON GROSS BLACK HILLS PIONEER

M

any car show visitors hope to see vehicles they have never seen

before.

Those attending the Center of the Nation All Car Rally at Belle Fourche’s Highland Park will have a chance to see a 1957 Pontiac Safari Wagon. Whitewood’s Mike Ladner owns this vehicle — one of only 1,300 produced that year.

“There are probably very few people in this area that have ever seen one,” Ladner said. “I’ve only seen one other, and that was in a junkyard.”

Ladner acquired this vehicle at a nationwide auction in Kissimmee, Fla., earlier this year.

The world’s largest auction had 3,400 cars for sale over 10 days.

This vehicle, valued at roughly $100,000, bears a red and ivorycolored pattern. He hired a trucking firm to bring the vehicle here.

His Safari Wagon includes two items that are not original to the vehicle. They are a 455 Pontiac engine and the Resto Mod interior.

It includes Holley EZ fuel injection and factory style exhaust manifolds. The transmission is Turbo 400, and the wheels are 14-inch Pontiac steel.

Other features include fourwheel power disc brakes, power steering, and a power seat.

“I bought the car, mostly done, and I just did a few little things on it,” Ladner said. Documents show the restoration took nine years and was completed in 2013.

Maintenance includes regular cleaning as well as routine oil changes. He keeps the car covered inside the shop but plans to take it out this summer.

“With these old cars, you just can’t leave them sit around,” Ladner said. “The seals dry out and stuff, and then they start leaking oil.”

Ladner has a simple reason for planning to enter the Safari Wagon in this year’s All Car Rally.

“It’s one of my newer cars I just acquired,” Ladner said. “It hasn’t been shown in this area.”

Ladner said he likes things other people do not have, and the rarity of the Safari Wagon probably appeals to him the most.

“It’s basically Pontiac’s version of a Chevy Nomad,” Ladner said.

“It basically shares the same body shape, but Pontiac was more of a high-end car, so it had a lot more chrome.”

Car restoration is a hobby for

Ladner, who owns about 15 cars and has performed eight complete restorations.

Ladner is no stranger to car rallies and car shows.

He said judges look for such things as straightness of the body, and how everything fits together.

Cleanliness and paint job quality are also checked.

“Some look at how original the car is,” Ladner said. “Other judges look at how custom the car is.”

Two things stand out for Ladner when he discusses the appeal restoration holds for him.

“Just the challenge of it, and then the satisfaction of, when it’s all done and complete, the people looking at it and liking it,” he said.

He will have plenty of opportunity to experience that.

Mike Ladner of Whitewood plans to display his 1957 Pontiac Safari Wagon at this year’s Center of the Nation All Car Rally. Fewer than 1,300 were produced that year.

Pioneer photos by Jason Gross

Page 14, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

Exploring the classic/historical car hobby C ar enthusiasts appeared as soon as the automobile was introduced to the general public in the 18th and 19th centuries. Through the years, certain vehicles have proven more desireable to customers than others based on their looks and other attributes.

Auto hobbyists devote substantial time and effort to purchasing, restoring and displaying classic cars.

While the hobby of restoring classic cars is not necessarily for everyone, its popularity suggests it’s an activity that’s here to stay.

According to an article in The Economist, in the wake of the recent recession, investors were increasingly pulling their money out of stocks and converting assets into tangible items, such as classic cars. As late as 2013, collector cars were outperforming other tangible investments like art, wine, stamps, and coins by large margins.

Those ready to dip their toes in the classic car waters should understand a few key factors that can affect how much they enjoy this potentially rewarding hobby.

• Environmental regulations. Some collectors face challenges when attempting to restore classic vehicles because the cars do not meet today’s stringent clean air initiatives that govern automobiles. With the increasing number of new, clean cars on the road, vehicles that fail to meet modern emissions standards may pose a costly problem to classic car collectors.

• Introduction of alternative fuels. As governments increasingly emphasize the importance of clean fuel options, classic car owners may find it challenging to find more traditional fuels or face the added expense of adapting their vehicles to run on alternative fuels.

• Lack of mechanical expertise.

Workers in the automotive trade are trained to manufacture and repair new vehicles. As a result, classic car owners without much mechanical ability of their own may find it difficult to find mechanics with the skills necessary to repair and restore classic cars.

• Historic requirements should be heeded. Each state has its own requirements governing classic cars. To qualify for historic vehicle registration, vehicles may need to

be 25 years or older, owned solely as a collector’s item and used exclusively for exhibition and educational purposes. When driven for personal use, such vehicles may not be allowed to exceed 1,000 miles per year.

Classic cars continue to attract hobbyists from all over the globe.

Restoring classic cars can be a rewarding pastime, but one that involves dedication and an investment of both time and money.

Photo by Sona O’Connell, Black Hills Pioneer

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Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 15

Welcome All Car Rally Fans!

Page 16, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

Did you know?

T hrough the years, cars have evolved so much that certain parts once integral to their operation have now become obsolete. Only time will tell which components and features of today’s cars will disappear in the future. However, present drivers can reminisce about how cars have evolved even in the last 20 to 30 years.

The following are some oncestandard parts and features that have all but disappeared from modern vehicles.

• Ashtrays and cigarette lighters: Smoking-related accessories began to vanish as the dangers of smoking became more apparent. Ashtrays in the dashboard and in the rear armrests are no longer standard.

• Full-sized spare tire: The “doughnuts” of today can be driven on for only limited distances and look awkward on larger vehicles. The fullsized spare enabled drivers to

repair the flat tire on their own schedules.

Welcome All Car Rally Participants

• Control knobs: Push buttons and digital dashes have replaced the manual knobs of the past.

Levers often enabled drivers to adjust the heat without taking their eyes off the road.

• Bench seats: Front bench seats have given way to two seats separated by a center console. No longer is it possible to fit three or four people in the front of a vehicle.

• Whip antenna: Remember those thin, flexible antennas?

Many modern vehicles feature more solid antennas that can be unscrewed for trips through the carwash or an antenna that is modeled into the car in an inconspicuous way. If drivers exhibit a preference for satellite radio in the years ahead, traditional antennas may soon become obsolete as well.

d a Tow – e e N u o Y n e Wh

!

E R E H T 24-Hour WE’LL BE Emergency e Road Servic

eek 7 Days aHW olidays

Home Delivery 6 days/week

starts at $10.50/mo.

115.50/yr.

$

Call 605-642-2761

G N I W O T R E L T U B crap Iron Service, LLC &S

John R. Butlerche, SD 57717

. • Belle Four 402 Lawrence St 91 • (c) 605-210-3357 605-723-63

starts at $9.00/mo.

* Carrier delivery starts at $10.50 per month. Postal Delivery starts at $14.25 per month.

ROY’S CUSTOM WORKS

Your Restoration Needs, from Simple to Show

Antiques Autos Tractors Toys Wood Furniture Not Too Old or Too New Custom Paint & Body

Including

r affordable, Count on us fo g service in damage free tow ht. ig day or n es: Reasonable Ratper mile • $3 $65 hookup fee

E-edition

Roy Clendening

Has that project been sitting too long?

Talk to me about finishing it, so you can enjoy it! See photos on Facebook!

605-641-6419

roycworks@yahoo.com Belle Fourche, SD

Minor Dents to Major Body Repair, we are Your

FULL SERVICE COLLISION REPAIR CENTER!

• Complete Collision Repair • Complete Body Work Your full service collision repair center.

West Hwy 34, Belle Fourche

605-892-4320

• SuperLiner Bed Liners Authorized Repair Center for ALL Insurance Companies

Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 17

VENDORS Want to be involved in one of the oldest car shows in the area?

This is the perfect vending space for car clubs, non-profit groups, car related businesses or youth groups. The All Car Rally committee is looking for vendors for this year’s show. Reach car enthusiasts at the 31st Annual All Car Rally, June 16th, Highland Park, Belle Fourche. Anyone interested in participating can contact Sam Silacci 605-210-2013.

The 2017 Center of the Nation All Car Rally was a huge success but without the interest & support from local sponsors & the community it just wouldn’t be possible. So we would like the Thank You all…

Sturdevants Auto Parts Plains Towing & Recovery Cory’s Tire Factory Allart Insurance Tim Speidel Business & Tax Services Belle Auto Sales Carls Trailer Sales Rail’s Auto Body Hersrud’s of Belle Fourche First Interstate Bank

West Tire & Alignment Pioneer Bank & Trust Scott Peterson Motors Bunny’s Body & Collision E.T. Sports BH Roundup BH Auto Care Hidden Cave Bickle’s Truck & Diesel Service

Again we thank you for your generous donations to the Center of the Nation All Car Rally and we look forward to working with you in the years to come!

Sincerely,

The Center of the Nation All Car Rally Committee

Page 18, Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018

LODGING B E L L E F O U R C H E

Ace Motel ...................................... 605.892.2612 AmericInn Lodge & Suites ............ 605.892.0900 Besler’s Cadillac Ranch .................. 605.391.6791 Crow Creek Guest Ranch .............. 605.892.6961 Econo Lodge .................................. 605.892.6663 Kings Inn ........................................ 605.892.2691 Reid Motel ..................................... 605.892.2521 Riverside Cmpgd. .......................... 605.892.6446 Rocky Point Rec. Area ................... 605.641.0023 Scoot Inn ........................................ 605.892.2660 Sunset Motel & RV Park................ 605.892.2508 Super 8 Motel ................................ 605.892.3361 Wyatt’s Hideaway Cmpgd. ........... 605.892.0600

Plan to spend a fun-filled weekend in friendly Belle Fourche!

Map of Belle Fourche 4

9

6 10

20

1

3

8

7

Show N’ Shine Highland Park

19 7 16

12 18

13

4

6

17

Friday Night Cruise-In Dairy Queen

1 5 8 14

2

10

15 12 9

2

11

11 3

5

restaurants:

13

10

Jumpin’ Jack’s Family Rest.

1

American West Restaurant

11

Mulligans

2

Belle Inn

12

Papa John’s

3

Bob’s Cafe

13

Patty’s Place Café & Coffee Shop

Grap’s Burgers & Brews Branding Iron Steakhouse & Social Club

14

Pizza Hut

15

Ski’s Pizzeria

16

Stadium Sports Grill

4 5 6

CBH Deli & Subway

17

7

China Garden

Subway

18

8

Dairy Queen

Taco John’s

19

Hardee’s

The Green Bean Coffeehouse

9

20

Luigi’s Pizza

Motels/CaMpgrounds: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Ace Motel AmericInn Lodge & Suites Besler’s Cadillac Ranch Crow Creek Guest Ranch Econo Lodge Kings Inn Reid Motel

8 9 10 11 12 13

Riverside Campground Rocky Point Recreation Area Scoot Inn Sunset Motel & RV Park Super 8 Motel Wyatt’s Hideaway Campground

Center of the Nation All Car Rally 2018, Page 19

Major auto repairs can be avoided when you visit our shop for diagnostics testing and routine maintenance.

OIL CHANGES

We feature Kendall Motor Oil and all other major brands of oil are available.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

All of our routine maintenance services are completed with BG chemical products.

EXHAUST

Custom and performance exhaust repairs and replacement TIRES

At Black Hills Auto Care we offer a complete line of services for your automobile.

From oil changes to engine repairs this one stop shop can help keep your vehicle performing at its best!

We offer a full line of auto and light truck tires from all the major tire manufacturers.

AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR

Our certified automotive technicians can repair your vehicle in a timely manner. Our facility has the capability of performaing electrical diagnosis and repair as well as extensive mechanical diagnosis and repair.

AND MUCH MORE!

Stop in and check out our facilty. Our friendly staff will help you out with all of your vehicle needs.

605.892.9074 • BHAUTOCARE.COM

2203 5TH AVENUE, BELLE FOURCHE, SD

Highest quality paint finishes made easy in our new state-of-the-art Global Down Draft Bake Booth

• We Repair All Makes & Models • Courtesy Car Available • Recommended

by Major Insurance Companies • State of the Art Frame Repair Our Friendly Technicians are I-Car Certified

Paint