Custom cars roll into Sisters again

It was a glimpse of the past, a look at the present, and perhaps a preview of the future, all rolled into one big show when 134 custom classic cars rolled into Sisters over the weekend for their 16th annual classic car show.

Officially, the event is billed as the Customs Northwest 16th Annual High Desert Rod & Custom Classic Car Show.

Chopped-down models, roadsters, restored classic sedans and flashy convertibles all were on display on the lawns at the Sisters Inn and RV Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Car owners tried to escape the hot weather by sitting in lawn chairs under tent awnings while admirers photographed their cars and rock and roll music of the 1950s and ’60s blared over a loudspeaker system.

“This show has been coming to Sisters for the past 16 years,” said Glenn Cummins, president of Customs Northwest. With the help of his wife, Kathy, who is secretary-treasurer, Glenn has run the show for the past eight years from his home in Elma, Washington, west of Olympia.

“This year we have car owners from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, California and even one from Allentown, Pennsylvania. One fellow and his son drove all the way up from Bakersfield, California to be here.”

Glenn doesn’t have time to display his own car during the show. He and his wife keep busy with registration, making arrangements for meals and entertainment and answering countless questions from those attending.

The show does not limit the type of custom cars to be displayed, but prefers to have American-made automobiles or at least those with an American-made engine.

“We even have a Bentley on display here this year,” he said.

For John Woods of Salem, this was a great opportunity to see custom automobiles. Woods brought his custom 1929 Ford Coupe pickup street rod made into a “woody.”

“It’s 10 inches longer than stock and has all the late model running gear so it goes down the road very well,” he said. “I probably have from $15,000 to $18,000 invested it the vehicle so far. I still have to paint it and do a little more with the interior upholstery.”

On Friday evening some car owners cruised up the McKenzie Highway to Dee Wright Observatory and returned for an ice cream social. Late Saturday afternoon, others cruised through Sisters before returning for a barbecue and dance at Sisters Inn. An awards program mid-morning on Sunday completed the weekend event.

Forty custom car enthusiasts founded Customs Northwest in 1990 in Tacoma, Washington. The organization has no meetings, but publishes a newsletter and sponsors two annual shows. It held its first annual show in Sisters over Labor Day Weekend in 1990. Central Oregon members of the new organization were the first to offer their services to establish a quality event. The club has been coming back to Sisters every year since then.

Customs Northwest also sponsors the CNW 13th Annual Un-Finished Nationals on September 2-4 at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds in Elma, Washington.