DEBERT, N.S. — Cameron Rhindress floored his Chevrolet Chevelle 396 and rocketed down the highway as the engine roared away, not a care in the world.
Cue the explosion of dust behind him from the ditch – a Dodge 440 police interceptor of the RCMP – no match for a classic muscle car screaming down a straight road to Oxford.
“He was just a speck in my mirror,” said Rhindress, from Bedford. “That thing would fly man, I’ve never driven a faster car, including my Corvette.”
Nearly 50 years later, Rhindress grinned cheekily as he recounted his adventure, standing in front of a similar Chevrolet Chevelle at the Colchester County Show N’ Shine at Debert Airport on June 1.
Being an honest citizen however, Rhindress did eventually pull over for the hapless Mountie on his tail, who chased him for about 10 miles.
“The first thing he said was not license, registration or anything like that,” recalled Rhindress. “He said pop your hood.”
But the hood was held down by four pins, which Rhindress had to manually undo.
The officer was shocked at the 220-horsepower engine, which can give a top speed of about 260 km/hr, or roughly the takeoff speed of a passenger jet.
The officer, who “couldn’t even get a sniff,” asked Rhindress why he eventually pulled over, when he seemingly got clean away from the long arm of the law.
“I can’t outrun a radio,” he replied, fearing a police roadblock ending his wild ride.
There was more to the Chevelle he was driving than speed, however. Rhindress bought the grey-painted vehicle from Ritchie Henman, who was drummer of Nova Scotian rockers April Wine.
They sold him the car as the band was relocating to Montreal in 1970. Rhindress, now 69, was only 20 when he took the Chevelle’s wheel.
The car Rhindress admired at the Show N’ Shine was a red-coloured Super Sport 396, slightly flashier than the car of his youth.
SLOW AND STEADY
While folks like Rhindress get their kicks from speed, a gentler breed of car was also on display at Debert this weekend.
Truro resident Roy Raymond showed off his bright green 1929 Ford Model A hotrod, successor to the iconic Model T.
Raymond upgraded his car using fiberglass fenders bolted on to its metal body, ordering the parts from the United States. Every 10 years, Raymond must repaint his vehicle as it can be scratched or chipped easily.
His favourite moments in his Model A is taking young couples to High School proms and transporting newlyweds to and from wedding venues.
“I enjoy that,” said Raymond. “But I’ll take that seat out so they can get in the back, because it don’t fold the head far enough and there’s not enough room … I’d hate to see her rip her gown getting in or out.”
The Colchester County Show N’ Shine ran in Debert from June 1 to 2.
Cameron Rhindress floored his Chevrolet Chevelle 396 and rocketed down the highway as the engine roared away, not a care in the world.
Cue the explosion of dust behind him from the ditch – a Dodge 440 police interceptor of the RCMP – no match for a classic muscle car screaming down a straight road to Oxford.
“He was just a speck in my mirror,” said Rhindress, from Bedford. “That thing would fly man, I’ve never driven a faster car, including my Corvette.”
Nearly 50 years later, Rhindress grinned cheekily as he recounted his adventure, standing in front of a similar Chevrolet Chevelle at the Colchester County Show N’ Shine at Debert Airport on June 1.
Being an honest citizen however, Rhindress did eventually pull over for the hapless Mountie on his tail, who chased him for about 10 miles.
“The first thing he said was not license, registration or anything like that,” recalled Rhindress. “He said pop your hood.”
But the hood was held down by four pins, which Rhindress had to manually undo.
The officer was shocked at the 220-horsepower engine, which can give a top speed of about 260 km/hr, or roughly the takeoff speed of a passenger jet.
The officer, who “couldn’t even get a sniff,” asked Rhindress why he eventually pulled over, when he seemingly got clean away from the long arm of the law.
“I can’t outrun a radio,” he replied, fearing a police roadblock ending his wild ride.
There was more to the Chevelle he was driving than speed, however. Rhindress bought the grey-painted vehicle from Ritchie Henman, who was drummer of Nova Scotian rockers April Wine.
They sold him the car as the band was relocating to Montreal in 1970. Rhindress, now 69, was only 20 when he took the Chevelle’s wheel.
The car Rhindress admired at the Show N’ Shine was a red-coloured Super Sport 396, slightly flashier than the car of his youth.
SLOW AND STEADY
While folks like Rhindress get their kicks from speed, a gentler breed of car was also on display at Debert this weekend.
Truro resident Roy Raymond showed off his bright green 1929 Ford Model A hotrod, successor to the iconic Model T.
Raymond upgraded his car using fiberglass fenders bolted on to its metal body, ordering the parts from the United States. Every 10 years, Raymond must repaint his vehicle as it can be scratched or chipped easily.
His favourite moments in his Model A is taking young couples to High School proms and transporting newlyweds to and from wedding venues.
“I enjoy that,” said Raymond. “But I’ll take that seat out so they can get in the back, because it don’t fold the head far enough and there’s not enough room … I’d hate to see her rip her gown getting in or out.”
The Colchester County Show N’ Shine ran in Debert from June 1 to 2.
