Car show brings shiny restored cars
Staff writer
Hillsboro’s 27th annual Route 56 Car Show lined the drive Saturday at Memorial Park with both beauties and beasts.
In all, 59 owners from as far away as Miltonvale registered their cars and trucks for the show.
The show raises money for programs that help children in the county. Last year, organizers donated $3,212 to the Hillsboro Ministerial Alliance and the annual Marion County Toy Run.
“It serves the underprivileged children in the county,” coordinator Rex Abrahams said.
Over its 27 years, the event has generated $45,937 in proceeds, Abrahams said.
Keith and Karen Goossen brought Keith’s high school car, a red Pontiac Firebird they found in New Jersey several years ago after searching for its vehicle identification number. When it came up for sale a week before the show, the Goossens bought it back.
Goossen, head of maintenance for Hillsboro schools, got it back to Hillsboro just in time for the car show.
Larry Smith of Newton brought his 1997 white and red Chevrolet Camaro to the show.
Smith, who last brought a car to the show 10 years ago, has restored several cars over the years.
The second car he restored was a 1941 Plymouth that he bought from a body shop.
It was in pieces when he bought it. He stored the car at the body shop and put it back together.
As he was driving it home, someone stopped him and told him the owner had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
He went to the sheriff’s office and asked whether he had to hand over the car. He was told that as long as he had the title, he could keep it.