Published: June 15, 2008 10:56 pm      

‘Sunday in the Park’ features 300 vehicles

Tom Lewe’s family has different interests.

“He likes building cars. I like riding in them,” his daughter, Michelle Kanable, said.

As a whole, they enjoy attending the annual Central Indiana Classic Chevy Club’s Father’s Day car show, “Sunday in the Park,” in Highland Park every year.

The Lewes were a small group out of nearly 4,000 people present at the car show. More than 300 cars were displayed, said Tom Kruzil, Central Indiana Classic Chevy Club president.

“When the weather is nice to us, we have an exceptionally good turnout,” Kruzil said.

Rain or shine, Lewe and his family come every year.

“We’ve come to this car show for 20 years, every Father’s Day,” Lewe said.

That’s where the family can eat lunch, admire the 1955 red Ford Thunderbird he and his son, Doug, rebuilt and tease each other while planning upcoming vacations.

Like many of the families present at Sunday’s event, the Lewes spend much of their time together in a garage.

Lewe turns on an oldies station. His son, Doug, turns his attention to detailing the hot rod and his 15-year-old grandson, Jacob, reaches for his iPod to tune them both out.

If asked, his son-in-law, Nick Kanable, who is less mechanically inclined, will help.

“I hand him tools and he describes them to me so I get the right ones,” he said.

“Everyone has their own interests but it all gels together,” said Lewe’s wife, Mona.

Most of the time, they all get along, Lewe said. In a father-son effort, he and Doug rebuilt his Thunderbird. Even as they admired their handiwork, they’re planning their next venture, rebuilding Doug’s 1923 Model T.

While the Lewes enjoy recreating classics, Wade Graham and his father, Les, like to make rat rods. Using several different parts from trucks and motorcycles and even a grenade, the Grahams rebuilt a 1936 International truck.

“We know how to work on cars,” Wade said.

“When I was 7 or 8, I was riding in the back of his ’39 Ford,” he said.

Graham has since taken his father’s hobby and translated it into a career. He owns Graham’s Garage in Windfall, rebuilding, restoring, collision repair and hot rod projects, while working on a few side projects with his dad.

The two of them take their projects to various car shows, this being the first Father’s Day show they’ve attended in Highland Park.

James Moreland spent his first Father’s Day at the car show. While his daughter, Makayla, is only 10 months old, he and his wife Alyssa believe she’ll like cars almost as much as he does.

“She already likes to go in the garage with him,” Alyssa said.

James just enjoyed combining his hobby with family time.

“I like cars. We get out and do something together,” he said.