R ODS ‘N’ R HODIES | SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | 3C
RODS from page 2C
The organization is also
looking to get vouchers go
give to cab companies, in case
someone’s car breaks down and
they need a lift somewhere.
“We’re hoping this program
to be a year-round program,
not just part of the car show,”
Cargill said.
As for the car show itself,
they’re already working on
making changes.
“We’re trying to keep the
same feeling of the show, try-
ing to keep it going,” Cargill
said.
“But we’re expanding it,” Os-
borne added.
More cars will be allowed
downtown for the event, and
different types of cars as well.
“We’re also including Rat
Rods to this, looking for may-
be 25 to start with so that we
can have something different
to see,” Cargill said. “They are
neat to look at.”
The usual staples of the
show will remain: the Friday
night DJ party at the Pre-Show
Stand-Around, the classic car
showcase in Old Town Sat-
urday and, of course, the car
cruise. Instead of an all-week-
end event, as it usually was, the
festival will end on Saturday
night so downtown merchants
can still get weekend summer
business.
“We want to make it so it’s
not just a guys’ event,” Os-
borne said.
Cargill agreed, saying,
“More events, more things for
families involved. We’re look-
ing for any ideas that people
have.”
The goal is to reinvigorate,
and organize, car culture in
the region all year round.
Plus, “I’m hoping Dee will
get her own car,” Cargill said.
“I just might,” Osborne said.
“One day, a ’68 Charger.”
For more information, visit
rodsnrhodies.org.
This article originally
appeared in the Dec. 22, 2018,
edition of the Siuslaw News.
The Wright family for the right truck
L
onie Wright Sr. bought a 1937
Dodge Pickup Truck from
a friend of his called “Hook”
around 1994. Hook and Lonie Sr.
had worked on the truck togeth-
er after Hook found the truck in
a barn without the bed, hood or
motor. Hook traded a carburetor
rebuild kit and rebuilt a carbure-
tor for another truck in exchange
for the ‘37 Dodge Truck. Hook
needed to sell the pickup, so Lonie
Sr. bought it from Hook.
Lonie Sr. continued to re-
store the truck while he lived in
Oakridge, Ore. While it was still
in primer, he drove it to Florence
and showed it in one of the Rho-
dodendron Festival Car Shows
and was awarded Second Place for
“Best Mopar.” In 1999. he showed
the truck in Oakridge Car Show
and was awarded “First Place for
Best Pre-’48.” Shortly after that
in 1999, Lonie Sr. moved from
Oakridge to Florence and sold the
‘37 Dodge Pickup.
Lonie Wright Jr. would often
ask his dad if he had any news
on where the Dodge truck might
be in hopes of being able to reac-
quire it at some point. Then, one
day in September 2013, Lonie Sr.
called to say the truck was up for
sale again and was he interested
in buying it. The time just wasn’t
right for Lonie Jr. so he had to
decline purchasing the truck. A
couple days later, Lonie Sr. drove
the 1937 Dodge Pickup Truck into
Lonie Jr.’s driveway, got out and
through Lonie Jr. the keys to the
truck.
One 1937 Dodge Pickup Truck linked together
two generations of owners in the Wright family.
He simply said, “Here’s your
truck. Let’s go to shows.”
The truck has had a lot of chang-
es made to it during the time be-
tween when Lonie Sr. owned it
and now.
Lonie Jr. has had the truck for
the past six years and has worked
on it with the help of his wife
Dawnell and their children to
put the truck back to the way it
was when Lonie Sr. had it. They
switched out the V6 for a more
powerful V8 Small Block Chevy,
350 transmission, and new inte-
rior, returned the headlights and
grill to the original style, and put
on a new black paint job with red
flames on the front.
During this period of time,
Lonie Sr. had purchased a 1934
Plymouth Coupe and had been
restoring it. They would often
switch back and forth of the two
different vehicles as time would go
on. They regularly showed their
vehicles together or would go to
different shows together.
Lonie Jr.’s first award with the
1937 Dodge Pickup Truck was the
Wings & Wheels Car Show in July
2017 with “Best Mopar Award.”
His second win was in Coquille,
Ore., at the 30th annual Rendez-
vous Car Show, where he won
“People’s Choice Award.”
Lonie Jr. said that his biggest
win was in 2018 when he received
notification that his 1937 Dodge
Pickup Truck had been accepted
as a participant in the 11th annual
Rods ‘N’ Rhodies Car Show, which
was an invitational at the time.
It was important to him to have
the entire family involved in this
special show.
Rods ‘N’ Rhodies displays over
110 high quality show cars on the
streets of Old Town Florence on
the second weekend of September.
The live DJ music creates a festive
environment for the entire family
to get involved in during the day.
Pinewood Derby Races, dance
entertainment, raffle prizes and
a closed course cruise of all the
show participants is an event in
itself to see the beautiful cars roll-
ing along making the sounds that
hot rods and classics will make.
Lonie Jr.’s wife Dawnell, Mom
and Lonie Sr. were all present
when he was awarded “The Hot
Dog Of Hot Rods Award” spon-
sored by Bridgeport Market,
which was one of the many Mer-
chant Awards Sponsors.
This win for the entire Wright
family would be bittersweet, as
Lonie Wright Sr. passed away in
February 2019. Rods ‘N’ Rhodies
Car Show was the last car show
that Lonie Sr. would attend.
The Wright Family paid tribute
to Lonie Sr. by laying the Rods N
Rhodies Invitational Car Show
award to rest with Lonie Wright
Sr. in his final resting place.
Lonie Sr. was known in the car
community with his 1934 Plym-
outh Coupe.
Learn to host a successful garage sale with these tips
Many people turn to
garage and yard sales to
transform their clutter
into some extra money.
What’s more, they can be
an ideal way to connect
with neighbors and meet
new people. Any money
earned is an added bonus.
Yard sales may seem
straightforward, but there
are a few strategies to en-
sure such sales go boom
rather than bust.
Many people host their
yard sales on Friday, Sat-
urday or Sunday morn-
ings, theorizing that this
is when the most people
will be free to browse their
wares.
Begin early in the
morning so that shoppers
will not need to disrupt
their schedules much to
visit neighborhood sales.
To reach the maximum
number of shoppers, ad-
vertise your sale in var-
ious ways. Signs should
be bold, simple and easily
readable for passing mo-
torists.
Arrange goods for sale
into categories and pay
attention to presentation.
You may generate more
sales if items are easy to
see and browsing is made
easy. Put items you expect
to draw the most attention
near the end of the drive-
way to entice passers-by.
A neat and inviting ap-
pearance also may convey
that you’ve taken care of
your home and your be-
longings.
It’s tempting to over-
price items, but a good
rule of thumb is to mark
things for one-half to one-
third of the original value.
Be open to negotia-
tion, but try to haggle
with a “buy one get one”
approach, rather than
marking down the price
considerably. After all,
the goal is to get rid of as
many items as possible.
Yard sales are popular
ways to make money and
clear homes of unwanted
items.
Tires • Brakes
Shocks • Alignments
4325 Highway 101, Florence, OR 97439
541-997-7178
Hours- Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm; Saturday: 8am-5pm
www.LesSchwab.com
Fun
What we love most about Florence is the people. You cannot go anywhere
in town without running into a smile or a “howdy.” Need a hand? There will
be someone available. For a small town there is always something to do
or places to go. Ride the dunes, be entertained by many a performance or
simply go out to eat and watch life pass by ever so slowly. (With a glass
of wine preferably). Perfect? No, of course not. But close!!! And besides,
Florence is our town!
FLORENCE
8 7 7 . 3 7 4 . 8 3 7 7 | T H R E E R I V E R SC A S I N O . CO M
541.997.8202
shorewoodsl.com
1451 Spruce Street, Florence