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Sara Panza
Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association
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Red Diamond “King of the Streets” is King of the Classics
at the Cleveland Auto Show
Cleveland, OH (March 14, 2015) – The votes are in, the judges have spoken. The Red Diamond “King of the Streets” took home Best of Show at the 17th Annual Classic Car Competition at the Cleveland Auto Show. Tony Buchanan, owner of the 1964 Impala SS Convertible, took home a check for $1,000 as winner.
“I have had this car since 1994, and have done a little here and a little there over the years,” said Buchanan, who lives in Richmond Heights. “It’s called the King of the Streets because in most car shows it’s in the street customs division. I have never lost in that division.”
The Red Diamond moniker comes from the diamond effect on the SS badge as well as the headlights and taillights, added Buchanan.
Five other vehicles took home Runners Up honors in the Classic Car Competition, with their owners each taking home a check for $200. Runners Up included: Ted Pavlin’s 1937 silver Ford Coupe; Jerry Haeberle’s blue 1969 Yenko Convertible; Frank Renko’s blue 1941 Willys; Mike Simon’s silver and maroon 1932 Hupmobile and the red 1969 Plymouth GTX owned by Ed Perz.
“If you look at the Best of Show vehicle and the five Runners Up, you can see that there was an extremely tight competition this year,” said Karen Ford, manager of the Classic Car Competition. “This year, we had to be especially selective for all of our entrants because we also had to accommodate vehicles from the Rubber City Classic Car Auction in the South hall.
“Every vehicle in the 17th annual Classic Car Competition is exceptional in its own right. Many have won or placed well in other local and national classic car competitions.”
But it was the King of the Streets that really caught the eyes of Classic Car Competition judges this year. Sporting a fire engine red coat and red suede leather trim on the dash against a white interior, the SS boasts more than its fair share of chrome accents, right down to its hood springs. The chrome was done by the Chevy Shop in El Monte, CA. Under the hood, there’s a 2004 LSI engine putting out 400 horsepower. It’s mated to a six-speed 4L60 E Transmission.
The Classic Car Competition has been a favorite of Cleveland Auto Show attendees for 17 years.
The Cleveland Auto Show is open one more day, closing on Sunday, March 15 at 8 p.m. Tomorrow is also the last chance to qualify to win a brand new 2015 Hyundai Sonata, the Official Giveaway Vehicle of the Cleveland Auto Show. Nine finalists, one from each of the previous eight days the show has been open as well as a winner that will be selected at 4 p.m. tomorrow, will be given a key at 5 p.m. The finalist with the key that opens the door of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata takes it homes as the Grand Prize. Another lucky finalist will be selected to win the First Prize, which is one year’s worth of natural gas for the home (a $2,000 value), courtesy of IGS Energy.
About the Cleveland Auto Show
The Cleveland Auto Show, presented by AutoTrader.com marks the start of the spring selling season in Northern Ohio. Featuring concept, pre-production and production vehicles from the world’s auto manufacturers, the show is held annually at the I-X Center with nearly one million square feet of exhibits. The Show also features an array of entertainment including sports celebrity appearances from the Browns, Cavs, and more. The Cleveland Auto Show is a consumer show and a favorite family tradition since 1903. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheClevelandAutoShow.
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