Car enthusiasts visit Napa in droves

Clay Parker was among those who lingered by Rick Christensen’s 1929 Stearns Knight, a one-of-a-kind street rod, parked along other classics downtown Napa on Saturday at Napa Valley Cruisers’ Main Street Reunion car show.

“It’s beautiful,” said Parker, of Napa, who joked he drives two antiques of his own — a 2001 Ford pickup truck and a 2005 Toyota van.

The car show, which Napa Valley Cruisers organized with the Napa Valley Downtown Association, featured about 380 vehicles and motorcycles.

Dennis Gage, host of the television show “My Classic Car,” was on hand to tape an episode for the Speed Channel. The segment will be shown in the spring, he said.

One of the five cars the show will feature is a 1953 Chrysler New Yorker, which owner Randy Kunes of Fairfield bought from its first owner — his father, Archie. Few of them are still around, experts said.

“I just love showing my dad’s car,” said Randy Kunes, a retired flight engineer from Fairfield.

John Ruiz drove his yellow 1957 Chevy Bel Air from Dixon to the car show.

“I just like these types of cars,” he said as people walked by. “They just look nice,” he said.

Zachary Stockton, a wine educator from Napa, brought his 1971 Citroen CV, which he drives to and from work daily.

“It gets great gas mileage. It’s incredibly comfortable and reliable and it attracts a lot of attention. That’s important to somebody like me. Also I get to race every other car in the street because I have to drive as fast as I can to keep up with traffic. It’s a great car for patient people.”

Gage, whose Indiana-based show is in its 17th season, praised the diversity of the cars and the high quality of the restorations. He loves this part of the country, he added.

“I don’t think you can have a better place for a show,” he said.