Susie Coclanes, 48, of La Grange Highlands, grew up loving cars, so attending Countryside’s car show was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
More than 150 cars — from a 1919 Model T to a brand-new Corvette — were on display in the parking lot of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 on Joliet Road west of La Grange Road.
Joliet Road once had another name: Route 66, the famous “Mother Road” stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles.
It was fitting the car show was held just steps away from that historic highway, as the city celebrates the 100th anniversary of Route 66.
“I’m a Mustang person,” Coclanes said as she admired a bright red 1965 Ford Mustang.
She has owned two Mustangs — a 1988 and a 1990.
“Red and black. The ’88 was the money pit,” said Coclanes, who learned to drive in a 1973 Chevy Impala.
Kevin Wembley, 67, of Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, paused to admire a stunning red 2026 Corvette.
“Beautiful,” he said.
Wembley was also drumming up business. “I do automotive portraits. I have several clients out here now,” he said.
He carried an album of his artwork, which is so precise it resembles photographs.
It takes about 45 hours to draw one car portrait, he said. Motorcycles take 50 hours. Racing scenes? “Over 100 hours,” he said.
The judges evaluating cars for awards were equally attentive.
What do they look for?
“A lot of things,” said Keith Wonsowski, 55, of Joliet. “Look at the engine, the interior, the exterior, the undercarriage, the trunk. We look for any imperfections — blemishes, scratches, dents, discoloration.”
Judge Joyce Winterfeld, 52, of Green Garden, was checking chrome, trim, and glass. “If they’re all perfect, you get 10 points.”
“It’s not an easy job,” she said, “especially when it’s hot and muggy. But it’s better than winter. I’ve been doing this for about five years. I love cars.”
Terry Ozima, 62, of Berwyn, brought his black 1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7, which he bought new “fresh off the lot” from Gerald Motors in Skokie for $17,000 with a loan from his parents. He paid them back long ago.
He impressed staff at the new Gerald Hyundai of Countryside with his car’s story.
“I showed it to Matt Gerald (president of the Gerald Auto Group) and he went nuts,” Ozima said. “He said, ‘That was my great-uncle’s dealership.'” Ozima wore a black golf shirt bearing the Gerald logo.
“It’s got 90,000 miles on it. I do drive it,” he said. He sometimes jokes with other car owners: “Don’t you like your car? Don’t you want to drive it?”
“Once you’re on the road,” Ozima said, “you’re enjoying the drive.”
Does he worry about his 38-year-old car getting hit? “All the time,” he said. But he won’t stop driving it, especially to car shows.
“You go out. You hang. It’s your car culture thing,” he said. He plans to bring his Mercury to the Father’s Day car show on June 21 in Lyons.
“It’s going to be a great one,” he said.
The Gamboney family — Joe, 50; Kim, 51; and Joseph, 13, from Plainfield — were enjoying seeing all the shiny four-wheeled treasures. Joseph favored red cars because that’s his favorite color.
The oldest car in the show was red, a 1919 Model T owned by Plainfield resident Kenny Gaile, 63. He found it on Craigslist several years ago.
“It didn’t run. Now it does,” he said.
Why buy a car that is seven years older than Route 66? His 1924 Model T needed company.
“It’s totally different,” he said. “Your throttle is on the steering column. … You had to do more than put it in ‘D’ and push on the gas pedal back in the day.”
Gaile brought his antique Ford in a trailer. He didn’t want to risk “wooden spoke wheels that are more than 100 years old” on the Chicago area’s notorious potholes.
Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott had the difficult task of picking Best of Show.
“It’s a tough decision. There are some remarkable, beautiful vehicles. It’s very challenging to pick one out,” McDermott said. He was leaning toward a silver Chevy Corvette Stingray.
Several food trucks — including Rainbow Cone and Buona Beef — were on hand, along with Buckle Down Brewery from Lyons and vendor selling flavored vodka seltzer. Three live bands played in the parking lot from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.