Father’s Day always means a cruise-in of classic cars and raising money for cancer at Pied Piper Pizza in Orchards.
For the 27th year on Sunday, the business invited car owners and those who love them to the business at 12300 N.E. Fourth Plain Road.
“We had 129 registered,” Ray Eggert said of the cars, trucks, hot rods and roadsters displayed in the parking lot. He and wife Cheryl own the business. They hoped to raise at least $5,000 — the amount raised last year — to benefit the Relay for Life cancer effort.
It was difficult to pick a favorite from the beauties, but Shawn Meadors and his son, Robbie, 13, spotted one.
“Both of us are rebuilding a ’69 Firebird,” Shawn said. He is an airplane mechanic at Aero Maintenance Flight Center at Pearson Field. Robbie said he hates “sanding parts … but everything else is OK.”
Asked to describe his dad, Robbie said, “He’s hard-working and likes to do activities.”
That Firebird they admired is owned by Trevor Rhine, 20, a senior in mechanical engineering at Washington State University Vancouver. He works on it with his dad, Roy Rhine, a longtime Washington State Patrol trooper who is a lieutenant with the Ridgefield Police Department.
“He bought it when he was 15,” Roy said of Trevor.
“It was in a field in Venersborg,” Trevor said of the 1968 model that he bought for $725. “We had to tow it.”
“We both learned on it,” Roy said. Actually, the car is not quite finished, needing a back seat and side windows.
“It’ll never be done,” Trevor said, laughing.
It’s got a 355-cubic-inch Chevy engine with 405 horsepower that was built by Brush Prairie’s Archie Somers.
“It’s geared to 140 mph,” Trevor said, adding he doesn’t push it. The paint is called Ultra Orange Pearl and is the work of Clark County car painter Sean Cour.
“Start it up,” Roy said to his son.
The heavy, throaty rumble gets your attention.
Asked about his dad, Trevor said, “He’s dedicated to his work and his family, and he’s always there for us.”
Mustang musings
As for Rick McElfresh and his son, Zach, 14, a 1965 silver Mustang coupe was their best of show. The father and son are from Hockinson.
“I really like the paint job on it, the striping,” Zach said. Would he like to drive it to Hockinson High this fall when he’s a freshman?
“Oh, yeah,” Zach said. He added Rick is “a great, loving dad.”
That Mustang is owned by Beth Neddo. She and husband Gordon bought it nine years ago. It’s been a “ground-up” project and they’ve put $45,000 into it. They live in Orchards and met at the Father’s Day cruise-in six years ago.
Beth said she has had two surgeries for ovarian and breast cancer.
“This car show is important to us because it supports the Relay for Life,” she said.
About the car, she laughed and said, “I’m getting buried in that thing. This is my casket.”
“It’s fast and it’s loud,” Beth said. “It doesn’t have power steering, so it’s a bear.”
The Mustang won “Ladies Choice” at the show, and Beth was told it will grace the 2014 Father’s Day Cruise-in T-shirt.
Ray and Cheryl Eggert looked happy as 1960s rock blared at the event. Money was raised from the hundreds of guests through raffles and auctions.
“We’ve been in business for 45 years in August,” Ray said. “It (the cruise-in) means a lot” because of where the money goes. Cheryl said at least 30 volunteers helped make the event festive.
Michael Moore, 30, of Orchards was admiring classics with his 3-year-old son, Ashton.
“Trucks,” Ashton said when he was asked what he liked at the show.
He pointed to Bill Routt’s 1968 Dodge 300 tow truck.
“Mater,” Ashton announced, referring to the rumbling, smiling buck-toothed tow truck in the Disney movie “Cars.”
