A Bevy of Chevys There will be a lot of nostalgia on view April 3-5, 2008, at the Tropicana Express Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nev., as collectors of classic Chevys converge for the 21st Annual Gambler Classic River
News-Antique.com - Apr 03,2008 - There will be a lot of nostalgia on view April 3-5, 2008, at the Tropicana Express Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nev., as collectors of classic Chevys converge for the 21st Annual Gambler Classic River Run and Car Show. For three days, more than 175 original, restored, modified and custom Chevys will be on display at the resort.
While most of the events planned for the weekend are geared for the participants in the run itself, the public is invited to view the cars during the entire three days they are on display. The best viewing will be on Saturday when the Show and Shine event takes place at 10 a.m. There is no charge to view the automobiles.
"We started with only 33 cars the first year we held the run," states event coordinator Don Nisley. "It was a rather impromptu gathering that year, but each year since has seen the 'Gambler Classic' get bigger and bigger."
The reason for the increase in participation level has everything to do with the car itself.
"The '55 Chevy captured the spirit of the postwar U.S.," says Nisley. "The designers got creative and started the radical departure from the plain lines of all previous cars. The '56 took the exciting style one step further, and then the '57 introduced 'fins' to the automotive world."
Among these valued cars, the Bel Air is the cream of the crop. The 1955-57 Chevy 210 had a sticker price of $1,775 to $2,270. Today, they sell (depending on condition) anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 or more. Certain sports models of Chevys, like the Corvette, can fetch as much as $75,000. Many of these high-dollar models will be on view at the event.
"For all of us who love these classic cars, this is a good time to get together", continues Nisley. "We have cars driving in from Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington, California and Arizona. The event went international a few years ago with participants driving down from British Columbia and Calgary, Canada."
More than 70 awards will be presented in various categories based on judging during the Show and Shine portion of the run. Included in these awards are the best in each of the categories of Original, Semi-modified, Modified and Custom. Other awards will be presented to participants in a variety of categories such as Best Flames, Long Distance, Hard Luck and even Best Oil Slick.
There will also be a sock hop with 50s music being provided by DJ Mark Reynolds from Yuma, AZ. Many of the participants have fun with a lip synch contest at the Friday Night Sock Hop.
The event is co-sponsored by the Southern Nevada Classic Chevy Club (of Las Vegas) and the Tropicana Express. For further information on the Gambler Classic River Run and Car Show, call Cindy Gibson at the Tropicana Express at (702) 298-4200.
