Every year Oak Bay Avenue fills end to end with more tailfins than American Graffiti and enough grumbling V8’s to start a small earthquake.
The Oak Bay Collector Car Festival revs its way back to the Avenue on Sunday, July 30, with around 300 classics, hot rods, exotics, sports cars, all fast, all weird, all cool, as far as the eye can see.
Spearheading the operation is organizer and passionate local car guy Ken Agate, whose efforts to bring the event to life in Oak Bay has paid off for the last 17 years.
His goal? Make this classic car show the one you’ll remember.
“Car shows are mostly the same, but some, they’re kind of different … it’s like, someone can make all kinds of different muffins, but your wife still makes it the best,” Agate laughed, adding this year there are a number of new features.
Keeping pace with the times, Elgin Street will be dedicated to the Victoria Electric Vehicle Club, showcasing the latest and zippiest electric vehicles. If you’ve been pining to see a Tesla up close, this is the spot. On the corner at Carlton House, a private collector will showcase all eight of his personal Aston Martins, which includes epic classics such as the Aston Martin DB5.
On Hampshire Road in front of CIBC, Alfa Romeo owners can bring their Alfas (or push them, depending if the electrics work) for a bit of a celebration of the Italian marque, joined by Alfa Romeo of Victoria dealership that will display the latest and hottest Alfas. The other end of Hampshire will feature some seriously cool hot rods.
Overall, the festival’s strongest points has always been the wonderful variety of makes and classes.
“There’s a variety of vehicles, and the only stipulation is that the person who brings the car knows that it’s got a little uniqueness to it and they really enjoy it and love it,” Agate said. “It doesn’t matter if it was last year’s or just came from the showroom.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s not shiny, or it’s dinged, or got a bit of rust,” he said, emphasizing owners not worry about condition, but to simply show up and add to the automotive mosaic.
Oak Bay resident and classic car owner/enthusiast Michael May knows a few things about a car with a story, such as his grandfather’s 1931 Buick 60 Series Roadster, “Sally” which he bought from a showroom on Yates and Quadra. The car was lost from May’s family for 45 years until he bought it in the 1980s from an opthamologist in Prince Rupert, who had written an article about it. It has only 98,000 miles and remains for the most part, original.
Unlike some classic car collectors though, May drives all his cars, even if they’re a little quirky in their own way.
“It has good power,” he said of the straight-eight cylinder engine, a first for Buick in 1931. “Drives along at 60 mph, but you feel like you’re pushing it. I’ve had it to 65, but anything beyond that would be scary,” May laughed, adding Sally is happiest at 50 miles per hour.
The lovable roadster is a little tricky to drive slow too, despite its seemingly adorable chassis.
“She’s heavy, like a truck. No power steering, but she does have power-assisted mechanical brakes,” May said.
He added turning lights, as signalling with his arms and shifting the 3-speed transmission simultaneously was often difficult. Still, it’s a passion from the heart that keeps Sally on the road for more generations to admire and respect.
“I love it. She drives like no other car on the road,” May said, who will be bringing Sally to the festival.
Adding to variety, British and European vehicles will be placed together along the Penny Farthing Pub block (Monterey to Hampshire) and Virtual Elvis performs from noon to 3 p.m.
Show vehicles start trickling in as early as 7:30 a.m., and stay with the show until 3:30 p.m.
For more info, contact Ken Agate at 250-896-9000, or via email at: kenagate@hotmail.com.