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First Posted: 7/27/2014
FORTY FORT — The big attraction at the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport on Sunday arrived not from the skies, but from across the pond, by way of five nearby states.
Proud drivers piloted sports car convertibles with names like MG, Triumph and Austin Healey as well as luxury Rolls Royces, Jaguars and other classics during the the 2014 NEPA Vintage Motors Revival sponsored by the British Car Club of Northeast Pennsylvania.
“This isn’t just a car show,” said Ed Ostrowsky, president of BCCNEPA, “it’s an event we hope is going to keep getting bigger every year.”
An estimated 3,000 people visited the airport to look at the “wide diversity” of approximately 200 cars dating from the early 1900s to the present. They also took plane rides, visit assorted vendors and participated in children’s activities.
There also was a flea market for new, used, reconditioned and recycled parts, a Chinese Auction to benefit the Blue Chip animal refuge and live music from The Rossi-McGurl Project.
About 50 volunteers from Boy Scount Troop 181 from Dallas helped work the festival and provided a selection of food and baked goods.
Many of the seventy-five BCCNEPA members were there showing off their cars dressed in various European automotive attire from different periods. There were drivers from the early 1900s, mechanics from the 1940’s,and even some hippies from the 1970s, Ostrosky said. He donned an authentic European racers’ outfit complete with goggles and hat.
Lorraine Harmoas honored the event arriving as “Princess Margaret” in her Rolls Royce. Seasoned racer Ted Rounds wore his 1940s mechanics uniform.
Highlights included a display of Trimuph sports cars dating from 1955 to 1988 and the Korean-War vintage Navion airplane that shuttled Marilyn Monroe around to the troops at that time, Ostrowsky said.
The BCCCNEPA is an “eclectic” car owners group, some of whom own several vintage British sports cars, Ostrowsky said. He owns four himself. They all share the love for an “addicting” car style.
“Once you get bitten by the bug, that’s it,” he said.
The registered participants were able to vote for their favorite cars in 25 classes by marque and model at the show including “Best of Show” and “Diamond in the Rough,” he said.
The club seeks to set up a European car mechanics scholarship program at a local college to bring future members into the club and to sow new seeds of enthusiasm.
They thanked the owners of Valley Aviation for providing the venue and the management of Lamar Advertising and Bennett Jaguar for helping get the show off the ground.
It’s not just about the love of British cars, he emphasized, but about a growing community event where people can appreciate them and enjoy a fun community event.