Classic vehicles lined up here on the student parking lot area at Chase County Schools as others were parked in the teacher’s lot along East 9th Street. (Johnson Publications photo)
An NRCA member directs traffic rather noticeably in the teacher’s parking lot as the cars and pickups rolled into town Sunday morning. (Johnson Publications photo)
One of the more attention-getting vehicles was “Frankenstein,” originally a 1950 Chevy 3100 that’s had parts from four other Chevys incorporated into it by owner Jerry Huebner of Grand Island. (Johnson Publications photo)
Tim and Rolanda Powell took part in the tour in their 1986 El Camino. Tim grew up in Imperial, where his grandfather and father operated a car dealership on Broadway. (Johnson Publications photo)
Classic car tour participants love their cars
There’s one thing very obvious with members of the Nebraska Rod & Custom Association (NRCA)—they love their vehicles.
Four hundred classic cars and pickups 30 years and older were in Imperial Sunday morning, as the NRCA took a break here during their 26th annual summer tour.
Always held the first weekend in June, Imperial was on the tour route on the second day of the two-day event. They stopped here for an hour and a half break at the school parking lots.
Lin Hoskins of Hastings has been the tour coordinator for six years with Doug Snow, also of Hastings.
Hoskins estimated 800 to 1,000 people were in Imperial in 400 cars and pickups for the short break before heading on to McCook for lunch.
“It’s just a lot of fun. We try to take some roads we normally wouldn’t be on,” he said.
He said the tour keeps going strong each year because it’s about the people. Participation hit the maximum 400 vehicles the end of March.
“Some of us don’t see each other until this time each year,” he smiled.
Most of the participants hail from Nebraska and adjoining states, but this year, a 1956 Chevy Nomad from Tucson, Arizona joined the tour.
NRCA has 1,900 members, including several from foreign countries, he noted.
Tim Powell, who grew up in Imperial and is a 1984 Chase County High School graduate, was on the tour with his 1986 Chevy El Camino.
Now living in Kenesaw, he’s been an NRCA member 22 years and serves as an area representative. He was busy Sunday helping line up the cars row by row in the teacher’s parking lot.
He and his wife Rolanda have been on the tour each summer since joining.
“It’s a chance to get these old cars out and show them off,” he smiled.
The El Camino was purchased new by Rolanda’s dad, and Tim said he couldn’t wait for him to sell it.
One of the more eye-catching vehicles on the tour was Jerry Huebner’s 1950 Chevy 3100, which he calls “Frankenstein.”
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