Non-traditional ‘Cars with Character’ auto show celebrates 4th year

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - The 4th annual “Cars with Character” auto show took place at the Fox Den on Sunday, July 25.

The event is put on by Ratty Muscle of Alaska and features vehicles you might not normally find at these kinds of events.

Organizer Cole Lamberts talked about some of the autos at the event, saying, “They’re not sought-after vehicles that everybody drools over and loves to see, so we give them a place to show off their vehicles, be prideful of them and just have some fun.”

Autos on display include a 1935 Ford Pickup and a replica of “Christine” from the famed Stephen King novel, signed under the hood by the cast of the film adaptation.

The event is in its fourth year. “The dents have history, and everything on the vehicle has history and learning that and seeing the person very prideful when they tell you their stories, even though they’re dents, it’s just fun, and you can tell how much they really enjoy the hobby,” Lamberts said.

By noon, more than 50 vehicles had shown up, including Bryan Johnson, who brought his 1967 Ford F-250. He said, “I just always liked the way these trucks look and the way they sit, so I set out to find one, and I managed to find this one, and the gentleman actually gave it to me.”

Johnson has attended the event all four years. “It attracts different people. I can show up in a ratty old truck and people will think it’s more cool than your clean, restored cars, but I also have an appreciation for those, so it’s all kinds of people show up, so it’s just a good time,” he said.

Lamberts asked that if you’re caught behind one of these cars on the road, “We drive very slowly, so don’t get angry at us.”

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