2026 Event Pictures
President's “Spontaneous" Kamloops Tour - May 9, 2026
Jake Warkentin Memorial Small Engine Show - April 18, 2026
Shop Talk #4 - Valve Cover Race Car Special Event! - April 11, 2026
Elsie Robertson Memorial - April 4, 2026
Downtown Kelowna Walking Tour - March 29, 2026
Shop Talk #2 - February 28, 2026
Shop Talk #1 - January 16, 2026
Check out the photos ARCHIVE
President's “Spontaneous" Kamloops Tour - May 9, 2026
We had a great turnout for this day tour, with 26 people and 14 cars joining in for the drive.
The group gathered just north of the four-way stop in Oyama, and by 9:15 a.m. we were on our way, with Bob Cunningham leading the tour.
Our first stop was the Muscle Car Saloon, owned by Lars and Anita Jensen. Everyone enjoyed the impressive display of memorabilia and muscle cars, while Lars gave a detailed description of the collection and answered plenty of follow-up questions from the group.
After leaving the Muscle Car Saloon, we proceeded north along Barnhartvale Road to our lunch stop at Tumbleweeds Neighbourhood Pub. Following a great lunch, we continued on to the home of Del and Claudine Basaraba.
The Basarabas treated the group to a fantastic tour of their amazing man cave collection of memorabilia, along with their three 1932 Ford pickups, a 1956 Ford Thunderbird, and a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air.
To top it all off, Del and Claudine served everyone ice cream floats in a variety of flavours at their 1950s-style soda counter inside the man cave.
A huge thank you to Del and Claudine for allowing our group to tour their shop and incredible collection — and especially for the floats!
— Glen
Jake Warkentin Memorial Small Engine Show - April 18, 2026
Perfect weather set the stage for an outstanding event hosted by Doug and Linda Callahan at their beautiful Kelowna property. Their hospitality made for a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the day.
The show featured hundreds of antique machines, including operating steam engines, shovels, trucks, road-building equipment, logging trucks, and a wide variety of small engines. This private, invitation-only gathering attracted more than 150 enthusiasts from across the region.
The Kelowna Classics chapter of the VCCC was proud to be part of the event, bringing along our cook trailer to keep everyone well fed. Breakfast featured pancakes and sausages, followed by hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch.
We also showcased a couple of classic vehicles, including a 1919 Ford Model T Runabout owned by Andrew Kiesewetter and a 1930 Ford Model A owned by Butch Chouinard.
This marked our first cook trailer event of the season, and it was a great success thanks to the 16 club members who came out to lend a hand.
With a full lineup of exciting events ahead, it’s shaping up to be another fantastic season.
- Terry Johnston
(And thanks to Garet and Terry for the photos!)
Shop Talk #4 - Valve Cover Race Car Special Event! April 11, 2026
This fourth installment of our Shop Talk series turned into something truly special, as George and Shirley Staley opened up their beautiful South Kelowna home to host the event. With an impressive turnout of around 40 members, it became our best-attended Shop Talk yet.
The morning kicked off with coffee and snacks, generously provided by the Staleys, before George led the group out to his workshop for a firsthand look at his long-term project: a 1936 Buick that has been nearly 20 years in the making.
What started as little more than a rusted shell has been brought back to life piece by piece. The engine, brakes, and steering have all been fully restored, transforming the car into a working machine once again. Under the hood sits a 1964 Buick Wildcat engine, carefully chosen because it was the only option that would fit within the surprisingly tight engine bay.
There is still work ahead. The glass and rubber need to be reinstalled, the bumpers and grille are waiting to go back on, and of course, the final paint job remains. Shirley has already made her preference clear: GOLD. It is going to be a showstopper.
After the Buick tour, George shifted gears and gave a fascinating demonstration on how he builds his famous Valve Cover Cars. Wheels can be sourced from Princess Auto, though they require some cleanup to roll properly. Interestingly, some of the best-performing wheels come from old inline skates, where years of use have created incredibly smooth bearings.
Then it was time for the main event.
The group gathered around George’s handcrafted valve cover race car track, a 25-foot-long masterpiece built in 1999 that folds neatly into a trailer for transport. Once a staple at club events, it made a triumphant return for the day. Members brought their own creations, while George supplied a fleet of racers, and before long, the track was alive with friendly competition, laughter, and plenty of cheering.
A fantastic event, great company, and a reminder of what makes this club so enjoyable.
- Kevin Cooper, photos by Ed, Bill & Garet
Elsie Robertson Memorial - April 4, 2026
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the loss of Elsie May Robertson, who went to be with her Lord and Saviour on December 27, 2025, just shy of her 81st birthday. There was a beautiful memorail ceremony on April 4th, For those of you were not able to attend, here is a link to a recording of the ceremony:
https://www.springfieldfuneralhome.com/obituaries/robertson-elsie/
Downtown Kelowna Walking Tour - March 29, 2026
Downtown Kelowna walking tour. A bit chilly, but an interesting tour.
Starting at the Ogopogo and ending at the Train Station Pub.
We met at Earls Downtown for brunch, then began our "Trek", with refreshments at CN Rail Station Pub after.
Thanks to everyone who came out. - Al Dalsvaag
Shop Talk #3 - March 20, 2026
Shop Talk #3 brought together a great group of Chapter members for another enjoyable and informative gathering. Larry led an engaging discussion on the Lincoln V12, sharing not only technical insights but also stories from his extensive flying experience, which added a unique and fascinating dimension to the conversation.
With no “Mystery Objects” on the table this time, members had plenty of opportunity to relax, swap stories, and catch up on each other’s latest projects and adventures.
A big thank you goes out to Bob Cunningham for once again opening up his wonderful shop and keeping everyone well supplied with Tim Hortons treats and coffee.
- Bill & Ed (who also provided the photos)
Shop Talk #2 - February 28, 2026
The driving season is upon us! We had 25 members in attendance for our 2nd Shop Talk Session.
Ted Anderson arrived in his pristine 1946 Ford Club Coupe, while Glen brought out his 1936 Chevrolet low cab for the day.
A big thank you to our host, Bob Cunningham, for once again opening his doors to the group.
Special thanks to Ken Buhler, who gave an excellent explanation of how a Model T Ford transmission operates. Ken also walked us through the process of rebuilding and balancing the internal components, all of which were on display. An impressive example of complex design and engineering from over 100 years ago.
Thank you to Dallas Doyle, who brought display boxes of Northwest Territories and Nunavut license plates from his collection. Dallas explained the different designs and the evolution of the iconic polar bear–style plates used in the Territories.
We also thank Jim Kehoe, who brought along a couple of vintage tools for members to identify. One was a tool for threading metal spokes, while the other turned out to be a tool used for smoothing and re-grooving starter and generator armature commutators.
Bill Fleming was busy taking action photos throughout the event. It was great to see such a strong turnout.
Stay safe and healthy, and keep on motoring.
Glen - Kelowna Classics President
Shop Talk #1 - January 16, 2026
Bob Cunningham kindly hosted the first of four Shop Talks planned for this year, with 23 club members in attendance. Many thanks to Ed for providing the photos.
Ivan presented an informative talk on the ins and outs of bead rolling panels, while Ken discussed the aftermarket two-speed rear end available for the 1926/27 Model T. Andrew demonstrated a tire patch clamp, and Ian noted that many garages in the past used Model T differentials cut into jack stands—one of which I happen to have in my own garage!
- Ed
