A classic car show in Chatsworth was like walking through the history of American-made cars

By Marianne Love

An annual classic car show held May 3 to benefit the nonprofit Rancho San Antonio Boys Home in Chatsworth was like walking through the history of American-made cars.

About 165 classic hot rods, muscle cars and trucks were parked on the grassy back lot of the nonprofit and drew about 500 car enthusiasts and looky-loos.

Makes and models from the 1900s to 2026 were on display to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event sponsored by Van Nuys-based Classic Chevys of Southern California.

Thirty trophies were awarded, and the best-in-show went to an all-black 1931 Dodge sedan with four beige-colored fabric seats and a shiny engine on full display under the hood.

Its owner, Steve Purcell of Burbank and a member of Burbank Road Kings, bought the Dodge from a friend and had it restored eight years ago.

“It’s all stock on the outside, but the running gears are modern,” said Purcell, a car enthusiast who bought his first car in 1949 at the age of 13 and unable to drive.

The four-seater gets about 14 miles per gallon.

When Purcell takes his car out for a spin, some of his pleasure lies in spectator reactions along the way. “Seeing the joy in others when they see the car, they wave, take pictures, that’s always fun,” he said.

Shannon Debelak, the owner of a 1970 Chevelle Pathom, waited 10 years to find the car of his dreams. Non-negotiable features for Debelak were a 454 cubic-inch engine under the hood and a four-on-the-floor transmission.

The Santa Clarita resident drives a blue Chevelle that gets seven miles to the gallon. When the car arrived on a trailer from an unknown seller across the country, his buyer’s remorse set in. “I dropped a ton of coin on it,” he said.

Leila Franco of Thousand Oaks, in her 20s, was among the few younger people at the car show and her first time at Chatsworth’s.

“(The cars) are full of history, (it’s) the styles and details and design that went into older cars,” said Franco, an admitted Ford Mustang fan.

Darish Rohani of Woodland Hills accompanied Franco to the car show.

“I love Chevys especially Bel Airs, their long exterior and shiny glass and paint job,” said Rohani. “I love their long bench seats.”

All proceeds, in part from local restaurants, a car dealership, private donations and food and car-related information booths, benefit San Antonio Boys Home.

About $265,000-plus has been raised since 2003, according to event organizers.

Rancho San Antonio Boys Home offers short-term residence and a range of services designed to promote hope and healing through traditional and non-traditional trauma-informed outreach.

It’s a place where at-risk teens and their families experiencing disenfranchisement or extreme trauma can take refuge. A place where they learn about hope and trust as they take the risk to change and grow, according to the boys home website.