Classic cars rolling in for Car D’Lane

Four years ago on a day trip to Metaline Falls, Bob Evans of Post Falls saw an ad for a 1951 Chevy in the small town’s newspaper. The classic car buff called and discovered the Chevy in pieces. But he saw its potential, so he forked over $4,000 then drove back and forth three times to haul the two-door hardtop home in his trailer. Now the Chevy is pristine and joins hundreds of other classic cars Saturday for Coeur d’Alene’s 19th annual Car d’Lane show. Classic car fanatics have come from as far as Colorado, California and Canada to show off their pre-1972 beauties on the streets of downtown. “If you want to park with a club or with friends, come early,” said Caren Easterly, as she accepted registrations on Sherman Avenue on Friday morning. Hundreds of cars planned to join the cruise of downtown streets Friday night, with the show following today. Most of Sherman and Lakeside avenues in the heart of downtown will be wall-to-wall classic cars Saturday. The show is not judged, but 16 trophies are awarded in categories including the “mayor’s pick,” “police department pick” and “peoples’ choice.” The awards ceremony is at 4 p.m. Saturday, and door prizes will be given out to show entrants all day long, Easterly said. The show is a joint venture of the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association and the North Idaho Classics car club. Cliff Fender, a member of the car club, said he most appreciates the money Car D’Lane raises for charity. Entering the cruise costs $10, and the show and cruise together cost $35. Last year, about 650 cars entered the cruise and 328 the show. About $9,000 was given away to numerous charitable organizations, he said. This year, the show has had a good response from Washington’s west side and from the Inland Northwest Corvair Club, with 45 members attending, said Gay Glasson, of the Downtown Association. “We have more cars preregistered this year than we did last year,” Glasson said.