Car show Saturday in Bonners Ferry

Gene Andrews will be among about 150 owners of antique and classic cars to invade downtown Bonners Ferry on Saturday, June 7, for Borders-3-Jamboree. Andrews will be showing his original 1941 Jeep, reportedly used by the military during the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944.

Andrews bought the Jeep in 1966 for $3,000 from a dealership owned by a man whose father brought it to the United States from France in 1953.

The Jeep, which belonged to the U.S. military, had 38 bullet holes in it when it came to the states, Andrews said. Everything on the Jeep is stock except for a roll bar.

He also will bring his 1954 Chevy pickup and 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 to the annual event.

Andrews is one of the nine original members, who formed the Rod Benders group nine years ago. It was started by a group of car lovers, who shared an interest in older cars.

“It’s certainly not the drivablity, but when they are over 60 years old and still function as well as anything new…,” he said. “It’s just the fact that you can keep something going that long. It’s interesting.”

Andrews not only likes to look at collector cars, but enjoys the business it brings to the downtown.

“We like to see the cars, but most of us just have a need to organize things and put on something for the community that will bring people in and is good for it,” he said.

The annual show draws over 1,000 people to downtown and about 115 cars came from out of town last year.

Rod Bender member Don James agrees and thinks that is why it is so effective.

“I think that it is the acceptance of the town,” he said. “We all own classic cars and enjoy driving them and showing them to other folks.”

For more information call Don James at 267-5056.