The Car Show
The car show ... As a bright sun danced off the 114 vehicles being shown at the 13th annual Ghent Car Show on Saturday, Jim and Donna VanMoer of Marshall received “Best of Show” for their 1956 Chevy 210 Handyman.
As part of the Belgian-American Days celebration, the Ghent Cruisers hosted the Car Show which features variety of cars, trucks and tractors. Gary Sorkness of Marietta was voted as “People’s Choice” winner for his 1932 Fiord Coupe. Jeff Flood of Porter won the “Mayor’s Choice” Award for his 1971 Chevy Nova SS. The popular show brings people from all over the state, as well as some from South Dakota and Iowa. Awards were given out for a number of categories.
There were also door prizes, trivia questions, a concession stand and more. Mylan Ray of KSID Radio in Pipestone was again the DJ and announcer.
“This is the first time I’ve been here,” said Arlen Kvanli of Montevideo, whose 1957 German Isetta drew a large number of onlookers. “I’m having a really good time.”
The Isetta is a three-wheeled vehicle manufactured in Germany as evidenced by the “Kraut Kart” name stenciled in white on the side panel’s red paint.
There were 160,000 of these vehicles built between 1955-1962 with a list price of $1,093. There were 8,500 shipped to the United States. “I’ve had it up to 47 miles an hour, but I generally like to travel around 30-35 miles an hour to be safe,” Kvanli said. “It takes 30 seconds to get it up to 30 miles per hour.”
The Isetta runs on a one-cylinder, 13 horsepower BMW motorcycle engine. “It gets around 65 miles to the gallon,” Kvanli reported. “The gas tank only holds 3 1/2 gallons.”
The Isetta weighs just 770 pounds. Kvanli has it insured for $15,000. “The car sat in a neighbor’s barn for over 20 years,” Kvanli told. “The owner died and his son didn’t want to sell it at first, but I eventually made him a fair offer and he agreed to sell it to me.”
Today, there are only 600 remaining in the United States; six of those being in Minnesota, including the one belonging to Kvanli. All the parts fit Another vehicle bearing a homemade license plate that reads “1/2 A” was parked in the shade of McQuestion Street and was drawing a lot of spectators for its unique appearance.
“I made it from scratch,” said Mike DeSutter of Ghent. “It has a Kohler 18-horse engine in it and has hydrostatic (single-speed) transmission.” DeSutter previously owned and sold a Model A automobile a number of years ago. He soon had a yearning to own another one.
“My wife said no,” he laughed.
“So I decided to make one myself out of different parts.” And because the vehicle DeSutter crafted is a scaled-down version, he called it a “1/2 A”. What makes this vehicle unique is where some of the parts came from. DeSutter points out a ventilation panel on each side of the vehicle and asks to guess what they came from. “Give up?” he asks.
“They are the inside of an oven where the racks sit. I just took them out of an old oven, spray painted them black and there you go.” The grill is from a 1928 Chevy, the front bumper is off a round baler, a dome light from a Buick Riviera now takes on the appearance of a manufacturer’s brand plate, a silver eagle that now sits atop the front hood was removed from an old flagpole, and a gas tank mounted on the back was made to look like an outside trunk.
“There are no gears. It’s all hydraulic,” DeSutter said.
“It only goes eight miles an hour so I only use it for car shows and a few parades.” The vehicle also has no brakes, so to slow down or stop DeSutter has to slowly put the car in reverse. DeSutter, who farms just outside of Ghent, drove the vehicle into town for the car show this year. “I drove in the ditch so I wouldn’t be out in traffic,” he said, flashing a smile. “I only live a half-mile from here.”
DeSutter assembled the vehicle when he had spare time or found the right spare parts. It took him nearly 10 years to complete.
And what did his wife say about this vehicle? “She said it’s okay as long as it makes me happy,” he remarked.
13th annual Ghent Car Show winners:
Award Name/Vehicle/City
Sweet 16 Daryl Tobias, 1968 Ford Mustang GT, Madison
Sweet 16 Gary Sorkness, 1932 Ford Coupe, Marietta
Sweet 16 Curt Birner, 1936 Ford Coupe, Canby
Sweet 16 Roger Tweeter, 1967 Dodge Coronet RT, Montevideo
Sweet 16 Mike Ahlschlager, 1936 Oldsmobile Coupe, Iona
Sweet 16 Terry Smith, 1938 Chevy Coupe, Slayton
Sweet 16 Jim Voges, 1934 Ford Couple, Slayton
Sweet 16 Wayne Mack, 1966 Shelby Cobra, Cottonwood
Sweet 16 Ryan Arndt, 1965 Chevy Impala, Canby
Sweet 16 Gary Peterson,1955 Chevy 210, Benson
Sweet 16 Craig Ahlers, 1964 Chevy Impala SS, Fulda
Sweet 16 Jeff Flood, 1971 Chevy Nova SS, Porter
Sweet 16 Steve, Pam VanOverbeke, 1964 Chevelle Malibu SS, Russell
Sweet 16 Bernie Boerboom, 1969 Dodger Charger, Walnut Grove
Sweet 16 Jack Streich, 1967 Chevy Nova, White, SD
Sweet 16 Pete Weis, 1963 Chevy Impala SS, Redwood Falls
Trivia Wally Lipinski, IH 450 Pulling Tractor, Canby
Rat Rod Steve & Brenda Mejia, 1956 Willys, Redwood Falls
Rat Rod Jim Hanson, 1934 Plymouth Sedan, Adrian
Rat Rod Carl Vink, 1925 Graham Bros. Truck, Doon, IA
Truck Tom & Alice VanOverbeke,1970 Chevy C10, Marshall
Truck Fig Nuytten, 1935 International C30, Minneota
Truck Wally Lipinski, 1951 Willys Station Wagon, Canby
Truck Sonya Bush, 1955 IH R800, Lynd
Host Car Ken & Jane DeVries, 1931 Model A Sedan, Ghent
Best Tri-Five Joel Hultquist, 1957 Chevy Ambulance, Delhi
Best Tri-Five Milt Voss, 1957 Chevy Business Coupe, Ruthton
Mayor’s Choice Jeff Flood, 1971 Chevy Nova SS, Porter
People’s Choice Gary Sorkness, 1932 Ford Coupe, Marietta
Best of Show Jim & Donna VanMoer, 1956 Chevy 210 Handyman, Marshall