SIX CLASSICS
Paul Kiel brings both quality and quantity to car show
When it came to displaying classic cars at Sunday's Century of Cars show, one car just wouldn't cut it for Brainerd area resident Paul Kiel.
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Instead, Kiel brought six vehicles: A 1948 Chevy sedan, a 1934 Chevy sedan, a 1955 Chevy pickup, a 1959 Cadillac convertible, a 1960 Buick ambulance and a 1964 Plymouth Belvedere police car.
"I've been a collector most of my life," Kiel said. "I got into more heavily lately because they turned out to be good investments. "I've bought and sold quite a few and I don't remember losing money in a long time on a car."
Kiel's six vehicles were among 70 entered into the Century of Cars show, the most ever in the 10-year history of the event and 12 more than in 2007. The event, held annually in conjunction with Arts in the Park, is sponsored by the Brainerd Dispatch.
Paul Kiel of rural Brainerd polished his 1934 Chevy sedan at Sunday's Century of Cars show in Gregory Park. Kiel's Chevy, one of six vehicles he entered, earned Kiel the People's Choice award.
» Purchase reprints of this photo.Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
The vehicles entered into the show this year ranged in age from a 1929 Ford to a 1999 Jaguar. Along with Kiel's police car and ambulance, there was a 1955 beer truck, and El Camino, several sedans from the 30s and 40s and muscle cars from the 60s and 70s.
Kiel's 1934 Chevy sedan is the newest member of his collection and the one that garnered the most attention from spectators at the auto show. What made the sedan unique among Century of Cars entrants was the trailer it pulled decked out with a barbecue grill, table, seats and a vintage Coca Cola cooler - all painted to match the car.
SPOTTED: » Century of Cars Car Show
Kiel has owned the Chevy for about two weeks, and on Sunday wore a pink shirt to match the color of his sedan and trailer. On Sunday, his 1934 Chevy sedan was named winner of the People's Choice award at the show. Winner of the Owner's Choice award went to Jerry and Carole Pikula's 1968 Camero SS.
Kiel has no personal favorite in his collection. He likes driving the 1934 Chevy sedan because it's his newest vehicle. But he put two years of work into restoring the Cadillac and he likes the ambulance because of a few features you won't find in today's vehicle - ashtrays for everyone, including the patient and doctors, and no seat belts.
"They're all different in a way," Kiel said. "I've got no kids so I've got cars instead."
Classic cars on Sunday lined the north side of Gregory Park in Brainerd for the Century of Cars show in conjunction with Arts in the Park.
» Purchase reprints of this photo.Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
Bill and Diane Kotrba, of Deerwood, admired a 1977 Lincoln Town Car that was fronted by a chalk board that read, "Brought here today simply because it started."
"I totally understand that concept," Bill Kotrba said. "If you ever had an old car, you know. When you started it you were real happy."
"But where would you park this?" asked Diane Kotrba of the Town Car that, according to the owner, was "20 feet of gas guzzling luxury," and featured an in-dash factory 8-track, factory CB radio, a heated mirror and a spiral speedometer.
While Bill Kotrba didn't have a personal favorite at this year's show, he liked anything from the 1950s.
"They made real cars in the 50s," he said. "Anything made after the 50s isn't a real car."
Clete Benson of Nisswa on Sunday admired the 1934 Plymouth owned by Leo and Rose Whitman at the Century of Cars Show in Gregory Park.
» Purchase reprints of this photo.Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
The Kotrbas said they enjoyed this year's show because there were more cars to look at than in years past.
"The more the merrier," Diane Kotrba said.
"It's just fun getting out and watching people's reactions. The way it affects people, sometimes it's comical," said Brainerd area resident Leo Whitman, who along with his wife Rosie entered a 1934 Plymouth in the Century of Cars show. "We go to a lot of car shows and get the cars out where people can see them."
Leo and Rosie Whitman are veterans of car shows. Leo said he spent more than eight years restoring the 1934 Plymouth and more than five years restoring a 1941 Plymouth. For the last three years has been restoring a 1962 Ford Thunderbird.
"It's strictly a hobby, but a really great hobby," he said. "It's spendy but oh well, you can't take it with you."
One of the rarest vehicles at the show - a 1934 DeSoto Airflow - was entered by Oak Lawn Township resident John Hansen. A member of the National Collector Club, Hansen figured there's probably about 40 such DeSotos in the country.
Hansen's owned his DeSoto about 25 years and restored five years ago, using parts from a DeSoto Airflow he owned in high school.
"You could say I go back a way with these DeSotos. There aren't an awful lot like them anymore," Hansen said. "And I remember having trouble with them back then, too."
This was Hansen's second year at Century of Cars, and he said he hopes to be back next year.
"It's a good deal," Hansen said. "It's nice. You meet lot of people and it doesn't cost you a fortune to get in. Yeah, I do like it."
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.