It was destination Ypsilanti, Michigan, for vintage car lovers this September. The picturesque location of Riverside Park recently hosted the 17th Annual Jack Miller Orphan Car Show. The show showcased cars that were “orphaned” by their parent manufacturers. Several roadsters, un-restored trucks, motor scooters and utility vehicles that have survived over the decades (since the early twentieth century) were also geared up for the show.
The Orphan Car Show has been a celebration in Michigan since 1997. The Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, founded by Jack Miller and Randy Mason, has promoted the show for several years now. Discontinued vehicles by manufacturers, currently on as well as off the market, would be paraded down the streets. Classic cars by foreign manufacturers have also found a place in the limelight at Riverside. However, what all these assets have in common is that their trade has been brought to a standstill for at least the last 7 years.
This year the show showcased more than 200 cars that have been out of production. Hudson, Corvair, and Edsel were the prominent names at the show. This year, Mercury, Oldsmobile, Pontiac also joined the hall of fame. The cars were divided into 19 categories ranging from a variety of trucks to vehicle brands such as Plymouth or Stutz. Unlike any other car show, the Orphan Car Show has a signature event tagged as “Pass in Review”. The event features each car owner reciting the history of his asset in a humorous and light hearted manner before a panel of judges. The judging panel consisted of time-honored auto writers and historians from popular auto tabloids such as Automotive News, Popular Mechanics, and many more.
Bill Nickels, a Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum board member, concluded that this year the highlight of the show was be the “un-restored originals” and “barn finds”. These include classic vehicles that have been left in garages or barns unattended. These unrepaired cars were parked on the streets to give car lovers the liberty to “adopt” one or more of them. Dedicated to co founder Jack Miller, this year the show hosted a large array of about 1000 vintage car lovers.
Were you at the Ypsilanti show? Make sure to tweet us your pics to @ClassicAutoIns and we may feature them in future blog articles!
About the Author
Drew Yagodnik is Vice President of Classic Automobile Insurance Agency, Inc. Classic Automobile Insurance Agency has been protecting collector, classic and exotics since 1992.
