Beach Barons
Up to 1,000 cars are expected to be on display at the annual Rod Run to the End of the World
in Ocean Park.
Submitted photo
Tom Sarpola had a 1964 Chrysler New Yorker for the fi rst few years of the Rod Run to
the End of the World in Ocean Park.
Car fan explains why he’s revved up
Fourth-generation
Astorian celebrates
vintage vehicles
BY PATRICK WEBB
Cars are sweet music to Tom
Sarpola.
His grandfather, John Alfred Sar-
pola, operated Pacifi c Auto Repair in
Astoria’s Uniontown for 50 years.
“He was a self-taught mechanic,”
58-year-old Tom Sarpola said. “He
was a big infl uence. I just gained
experience since I was a youngster.
I would watch my grandfather and
father work on stuff .”
Sarpola, who lives in Knappa,
teaches music and driver’s educa-
tion. Years back, while attending Ore-
gon State University, his regular ride
was a 1964 Chrysler New Yorker. The
enthusiastic trombonist even incorpo-
rated it into a marching band routine
during an Oregon State football game.
The fourth-generation Astori-
an’s lifelong love of cars led him
to become a charter member of the
Lower Columbia Classics Car Club in
1985. He judged autos for 18 years at
the Concours d’Elegance, a regional
car show held at Forest Grove.
“It’s a great feeling of showing
people what these cars were like back
in the day and enjoying their stories,”
he said. “And it’s nice to drive down
the road — you are really part of
driving history.”
Closer to home, one early love was
the Rod Run to the End of the World,
the annual car show for classic and
vintage automobiles in Ocean Park,
Washington. He fi rst showed a vehi-
cle there while a college student in
1984.
While he enjoyed his Chrysler, a
1962 Rambler Classic was his pride.
“It was when I fi rst wanted to get into
the old car hobby,” he recalled.
He obtained it from a New York
owner who had bought it new, and
always garaged it.
“American Motors products were a
fun way to get into it. Ramblers were
fairly inexpensive and the parts aren’t
that hard to fi nd,” he said.
Skills needed to tinker with old
cars may depend in large part on the
condition of the vehicle, he said.
“There are some people out there
who like to buy vehicles that are not
even running and build them up so
they are completely restored,” he
said. “The real major thing is engine
rebuilding. But for some people the
maintenance and detailing, cleaning,
is something they enjoy.”
Continued from Page 6
The Lions Club Field on Z Street (off Bay
Avenue) will off er parking. Natoli said it is
important for regular attendees to realize that
the prior location at the southwest corner of
Bay and Sandridge is not available this year.
“We will have traffi c control and reduce
the speed limits around the show area,” he
said. “We ask people to please obey and
watch out for people crossing.”
As well as being displayed at the fi eld,
many of the vehicles parade from Ocean Park
to downtown Long Beach, beginning 4 p.m.
Saturday. Spectators put out their beach
chairs early on Pacifi c Way, gathering for
impromptu street parties, which begin Friday
afternoon when many of the vehicles arrive.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 // 7