Team Chevrolet of Valparaiso hosted the Winamac Old Auto Car Club’s (WOAC) 73rd annual car show October 7. The chilly weather didn’t stop people from coming to see these hot rods of history. There were around 70 cars that filled Chevrolet’s lot, ranging from 100-year-old cars to newer ones less than 20 years old. The WOAC is the oldest car club in Northwest Indiana and this is the biggest event for them throughout the year and they have around 70 events a year. The WOAC visits nursing and retirement homes, veteran's houses, and many more. This group loves sharing years of hard work in restoration, sharing that passion but most importantly putting a smile on people’s faces when they see cars from the past, which many bring back memories for attendees.
Team Chevrolet of Valparaiso's General Manager, David Brubaker, says this event isn’t about business, it’s about connecting with the community and he is glad to keep the tradition going after all these years.
‘It’s just nice to do something and they really appreciate it,” Brubaker said. “It brings a lot of people to the dealership, but it’s not really about selling cars today. It’s about opening our dealership, our place of business to our community.”
They have a tradition where the WOAC brings coffee and donuts for the morning and Team Chevrolet grills out for lunch and they enjoy cake. It’s not just a partnership, it's a family that’s been together since the mid-90s and continues to grow.
Winamac Old Auto Car Club President, Glen Ewen said the car show at Team Chevrolet is one of his favorite events of the year and it means a lot to the WOAC members.
“Team Chevrolet has always been wonderful to us. We've been coming here forever since they started and we're honored to be here with Team Chevrolet,” Ewen said. “We have 200 members and everybody is more or less retired. We try to have the most fun this weekend because this is all we have left; I don't know how it could get any better than this."
WOAC member Steve Augustinovich “Augie” shares the same love and enthusiasm for the Team Chevrolet Car Show and being a member of the car club because of the relationships and camaraderie it offers and that is why he has been a member for over 30 years. Augie has a 100-year-old Model T that he has been restoring since 2001, with a custom body. Being a member of the WOAC, they visit nursing homes, and other than showing his car off, he loves giving residents rides.
“Camaraderie with the guys, talking about old car stuff, being friendly, and then we have get-togethers where the wives bring food and that is another highlight,” Augie said. “We also now do nursing homes year-round, and they really like the cars. I've given guys rides for their 80th, 85th birthdays and they just love it. It’s free and fun for everyone.”
A new member of the WOAC, Don Obermeyer, loves going to events because he gets to keep his family legacy alive. Obermeyer has been a member for almost a decade and he proudly shows off a 1908 Buick that has been passed down from his grandfather to his father, and he intends to keep that tradition going.
“The love of cars has been in my family forever,” Obermeyer said. “I love showing it off and then I let people get inside for a photo. I get to share the same fondness for this car with people and it keeps that tradition going.”
Much like Obermeyer, WOAC member Jim Brown also has a car that has been passed down for generations and has only been with his family since 1938. Although there is a rumor among the WOAC that AL Capone once drove the car, which Brown could neither deny nor confirm. Brown’s car holds a lot of memories for him like, such as when his parents drove it to prom, or how it’s been driven to countless weddings. Brown loves being able to share these stories through this club and he is already looking forward to next year’s show.
“I love old cars like my grandpa loved old cars, and just seeing people that appreciate it as much as he used to, it's really awesome. People relive those memories of their families in cars. Everybody has a story,” Brown said. “ I can't wait to go to the next car show just to see all the people and their cars.”
This event was one that connected generations through a timeless love of cars. The WOAC and Team Chevrolet get to share their passions with the surrounding community and hope the event gets bigger as the years go on. Their annual car show is one that both parties look forward to each year and one you should definitely add to your calendar as well.
To learn more about the Winamac Old Auto Car Club visit: winamacoldautoclub.weebly.com
To learn more about Team Chevrolet of Valparaiso visit: www.chevyon30.com