Close to 1,000 hot rods, street rods and rat rods will descend on Victoria this week as Northwest Deuce Days returns to town.
The event, held every three years, attracts colourful modified cars from across Canada, almost every state in the U.S., and even from Sweden and Finland. This is the seventh and largest gathering so far.
“We’re seeing the largest contingent of cars from the U.S. this year. For the first time, American participants will exceed Canadian entries,” said Al Clark, the event’s organizer. “We have more than 200 cars coming from California alone.”
The hot-rod culture is as vibrant and individual as their owners, who are up to 88 years old. While some of the cars may look similar, it would be safe to say no two cars are exactly the same. A number of manufacturers and model years will be on display, but the star of the show is the 1932 Ford Coupe — the year from which the term deuce derives. The ’32 Ford Coupe was known as the Deuce.
While some of the cars can be seen driving around Victoria today and Saturday, the highlight of Deuce Days is the public show on Sunday.
People can see a number of examples: barn-find unrestored, restored to original and modified. Most of the vehicles on display will be modified cars. Customization can range from mild to wild, limited only by the owner’s imagination and pocketbook.
Some will be transported to Victoria in covered trailers, while others will brave the elements and come under their own steam. They typically form convoys en route to the show, picking up participants along the way. Cars packed the 12:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Thursday sailings of the Coho ferry from Port Angeles.
Deuces can be based on the original chassis or be brand-new cars from the ground up. Clark, a former race-car driver, builds and modifies cars for clients worldwide from his home garage in Fairfield. Many of the 30 hot rods he has built in his basement will be in the show.
Owners begin setting up for display at 6 a.m. Sunday and must clear city streets by 4 p.m. Vehicles will be parked along Government Street from Broughton to Superior streets, and on Belleville Street between Douglas and Oswego streets. Some cars will take centre stage on the lawns of the Fairmont Empress hotel and the legislature.
Roads where the cars are on display will be closed to traffic for 12 hours starting at 4:30 a.m. Sunday. For more information, go to northwestdeuceday.com.