The Hot Rod Reunion of BC will be held next August 27th in the pits at the 18-acre Mission Raceway Park, a fully sanctioned drag strip with a three-kilometer-long motocross course an hour east of downtown Vancouver. This will be the most historical and largest specialty vehicle
show ever held in British Columbia.
A committee drawn from some of Canada’s oldest car clubs began meeting in the fall of 2021 to set the stage for the event which will draw hot rods, custom cars, sports and race cars along with other special interest vehicles from all parts of British Columbia.
This will be a celebration like no other. The British Columbia Custom Car Association, which owns and operates Mission Raceway Park and was formed in January 1952, will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2022.
The British Columbia Hot Rod Association, formed in 1957, will celebrates the club’s 65th anniversary next year as does the Langley Loafers Car Club, also formed in 1957.
The Pacific International Street Rod Association, formed in 1971, is the fourth club involved in the organization of the reunion
We look forward to seeing your Hot Rod!
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Special Anniversaries for four B.C. Car Clubs
B.C.C.C.A. was founded in 1952 and is celebrating 70 years of it’s first meeting, the Langley Loafers and the B.C.H.R.A. are both celebrating 65 years and P.I.S.R.A. is celebrating 50 years.
BC Custom Car Association
To the best of our knowledge the B.C.C.C.A is the oldest rod & custom car club in Canada. Originally formed in the late 1951, many names for the club were tossed around such as the B.C. Hot Rod Association and the Vancouver Hot Rod Association. However, as negative connotations then surrounded the words “Hot Rods”, the B.C. Custom Car Association was chosen as a more appropriate name. On January 25, 1952 the club held it’s first “official” meeting and elected Bob Scott as President, Charlie (Chuck) Robinson as Vice President and Bob Phinney as Secretary / Treasurer.
BC Hot Rod Association
The British Columbia Hot Rod Association is an organization formed in 1957 by young men and women interested in unifying the rapidly increasing number of hot rod enthusiasts.
Their aim was to promote the safe construction and use of motor vehicles with strict adherence to the governing law and regulations.
Hundreds of members represented the many newly formed clubs throughout B.C. at regular meetings held for the purpose of sharing ideas to encourage safety, to develop the sport, raise operating funds and enjoy various car related events, while working towards obtaining a site for a drag racing strip. A major hurdle for this new group was to put “respectability” into the title of hotrodder and show the public they weren’t just a ragtag bunch of greasers.
Langley Loafers
The Loafers Hot Rod Club was founded in 1957 and has been active in motorsports throughout its history. Our present membership is comprised of thirty active and enthusiastic street rod and race car hobbyists. The members come from diverse business and career backgrounds and includes several of the original founding members.
In 1988, with the experience of many successful car shows and rallies behind us, we presented the inaugural B.C. Oldtime Drags. This annual event now at Mission Raceway has become a major Motorsport gatherings in the area, attracting thousands of spectators and participants.
The financial success of this annual race event, with the contribution from our many sponsors and race supporters, have enabled our club to undertake a scholarship program in Langley High Schools.
Pacific International Street Car Association
PISRA was founded in 1971 to unite street rod owners, promote activities which will encourage future street rod enthusiasts, and provide a medium for the exchange of information between members. It was also a way to promote safety in the maintenance and operation of street rods in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Code. The membership fee includes the entire family. Many spouses take an active role in the club, attending meetings and outings, as well as holding committee or executive positions in the club. ($25.00 per year ) We average around 30 40 members each year. Here are some of the events we either participate in or support: Coastal Swap Meet held in May every year (Major Sponsor) Garage Tours usually a few times a year (a must see) Christmas parties & BBQs Mini Runs Car shows and Swap Meets Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at the Milner Chapel Hall, 6716 216th Street in Langley 7:30 9:30 PM. Each month we pick a different restaurant to have dinner at before the meeting. This is open to everyone.
Cars, motorcycles and boats
-By Dave Wilson
In 1957, two years after I graduated from North Vancouver High, I was 19 years old. I had a good job as a carpenter apprentice, worked overtime and owned a 1953 chopped, lowered and hopped up Oldsmobile 98 street rod, a 650 cc BSA Road Rocket Motorcycle and a 16 ft outboard waterski boat which I moored at Bay’s Boats in Horseshoe Bay.
A new highway was built joining North Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay (Upper Levels) which had many long straight-aways often used as a drag strip by local street- rodders and bikers much to the annoyance of
the local police.
“Roundy Rounding” from my memories
Bunny Jeboult
When Andy Digney opened his speedway on MacPherson Street in Burnaby in the
late ‘40s, it was my ‘place to be’ most Friday and Saturday nights. If you showed your
‘Student’s Card’ Andy gave us teens a break and I often rode my bike to get there. I loved the “Hot Rod’ races and Dave Clark’s ‘8 Ball’, a ’32 hi-boy was my favorite.
Dave was a hard charger, but often broke, it was Larry McBride who took it to the winner’s circle most of the time. The rods were sparse in number, racing parts were hard
to get, expensive and the ‘purse’ was pretty light.
EARLY DAYS OF HOT RODDING IN BC
Ron Latham
My initial involvement with hot rod clubs began in 1952 when Chuck Chapman, Ron Clark, several others and myself started the Norburn Auto Safety Club. We had 10-12 members at the start, most with cars, some just expectant. The RCMP sponsored the club by providing the meeting space at the beginning ( but no funding and we didn’t get off on tickets! ) The club was quite sophisticated with its own letterhead, an active social program – we raised enough money at one dance to buy a set of welding torches for the club.
The Old Car Love Affair Started Early
By -Alyn Edwards
The year 1957 may go down as the all time great year for cars. My closest car buddy and I turned 13 and I had just returned to my Toronto home after two summer months visiting relatives in Vancouver.
To a kid that grew up in Toronto reading about West Coast cruisers in magazines like Car Craft and Hot Rod, seeing the hundreds of customs that cruised Vancouver’s streets was nothing short of amazing. It is part of the reason I moved to Vancouver in 1971.
