The annual Seaside Cruizers Father’s Day show and shine was again a busy one with hundreds of classic vehicles lining the streets of downtown Qualicum Beach.
The streets were packed with spectators for the 26th annual show on Sunday, June 16, and they were enjoying the unique vehicles, live music and entertainment.
One of the oldest vehicles at the show was a 1913 Ford Model T hailing from the “brass car era.”
“It’s the oldest car here,” said owner Miles Fidler, who came from Sidney.
Everything on the vehicle is period correct from the four-cylinder, 20-horsepower engine to the buffalo wire wheels.
RELATED: Friday Cruise Night kicks off annual Seaside Cruizers Car Club weekend
Fidler said the vehicle is originally from Florida and the first family to own it was also from Florida.
“The person that I bought it off of, he bought it off of the original family. I’m the third owner in 106 years. That’s not too bad,” Fidler said.
Prior to purchasing the Ford Model T, about seven years ago, Fidler owned a 1927 Ford Model T and then after selling that one, switched to a 1917 Ford Model T and then to his current 1913.
The Model T is an automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1908 to May 1927. Generally, it’s said to be the first affordable automobile and opened travel to middle-class America.
Although automobiles had been produced from the 1880s, they were still mostly scarce, expensive, and often unreliable when the Model T was introduced in 1908.
Fidler bought his Model T from someone who was selling off his collection of cars and wanted it to go to the right owner.
RELATED: VIDEO: Seaside Cruizers Show and Shine in Parksville Qualicum Beach
“I bought it from a gentleman who supplied cars to movies,” Fidler said. “I know this car has been in a couple of movies but I don’t know which ones.”
Fidler said he’s not a car collector but loves old cars.
“We were into Mustangs before and then friends of ours, they have four of [Model Ts] and kind of got us hooked onto them about 20 years ago,” Fidler said. “They’re such a fun car to drive.”
Fidler and his wife drive their 1913 Model T as much as they can, taking it around Victoria, down to Sooke and the Port Renfrew loop.
“It’s like a parade with these cars because everybody honks or waves at you,” Fidler said with a laugh.
With a vehicle more then a century old, Fidler said you know it will require plenty of maintenance.
“When you own one you’ve got to read about it and learn about the car because you’ve got to fix them all the time,” Fidler said, who does most of the work on his car himself. “There’s a bunch of T people and if there’s something I don’t know and need help with, I’ll call them up.”
This was the first time Fidler brought his Model T to the Qualicum Beach show and shine and plans to take it to the Model T Tour happening in the Fraser Valley in September.
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
