Nostalgia on wheels displayed Saturday at Trinity United Methodist Church

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

With the possible exception of some nearby trees, there was nothing at Saturday’s car show that was older than Roland Endelman’s 1925 Star Roadster.

Endelman said it was certainly older than he was.

“Oh yeah. I might be old, but not that old,” he said.

Close to 70 cars of all makes and models were on display Saturday at the Fourth Annual Car Show at Trinity United Methodist Church. The church parking lot and nearby Milwaukee Street were filled with color, chrome and nostalgia on wheels, as the sound of old-time rock ‘n’ roll filled the air. Everything from antique motor-buggies, to restored classics, to muscle cars from the 1960s and 70s were available for view.

Craig Hamm, custodian at the church, organizes the event every year.

“I love putting on car shows,” he said. “I’ve been working for the church for five years, and I feel blessed to work here, so I try to do this to pay them back.”

Besides the arrangement of classic cars to view, there was pie for sale by the slice as well as a food booth for a little lunch. All proceeds go to the church.

“They’re good to me, so I do this to raise some money for them,” Hamm said.

Endelman’s yellow 1925 Star Roadster Coupe Model F was built in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and has a four-cylinder, 18 horsepower engine. A three-speed, it has two-wheel brakes and an after-market stop light. Its top speed is 40 miles per hour, “on a good, hard road.”

Endelman said the car was redone 20 years ago. It still had the gas-ration sticker that vehicles displayed during World War II.

Endelman, who lives just north of Charles City, said he still operates the vehicle regularly.

“I bring it to town every time I need to go to the store,” he laughed. “I get lots of looks.”

The car sold for $525 when it was new and was made by Durant Motorcar Company.

“They didn’t make too many of the Roadsters.They made a lot of four-door touring cars,” said Endelman, who has owned the car for three years. “I bought it from a guy in Dallas, Texas, who knew the people who owned it, but he didn’t give me a lot of history on it.”

Endelman said that he’s been told there was a Star dealership in Nashua in the 1920s, but he hasn’t been able to confirm that himself. He also has a 1926 Star at home that he’s working on, and a 1928 Windsor, made in St. Louis by the Moon Car Co.

Endelman said it’s having some brake problems right now, or he would have brought that car, too.

Specialty trophy winners at the car show were:

• Chuck Town’s Best: Andy Aird, 1966 Ford Mustang from Charles City.

• Nikki’s Favorite: Wayne Jordahl, 1969 Ford Mustang from Charles City.

• Hammy’s Choice: Leonard Truax, 1965 Ford Galaxy from Waterloo.

• Best 2000-present: Barry Edel, 2012 Shelby Mustang from Iowa Falls.

• Best Truck: Ron Tegtmeier, 1985 Chevy truck from Sumner.

• Best Original: Dick Buttjer, 1957 Chevy from Charles City.

• Best Interior: Dwight Wedemier, 1969 Javelin from Sumner.

• Best Engine: Tim and Judy Knutson, 1971 Chevelle from  Cedar Falls.

• Best Paint: Dennis McWilliams, 1960 Starliner from Greene.

• Best of Show: Dennis and Donna Kohl, 1931 Model A from Evansdale.