Mega Cruise rolls on at the airport
PENN TWP — An overcast gray sky and the threat of rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of car enthusiasts at 21st annual Mega Cruise at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport on Saturday.
The gates opened for spectators at 2 p.m., but cars, motorcycles and trucks began rolling onto airport runways early in the morning, according to Kevin Shoemaker, vice president and fundraising chairman of the Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department, which stages the annual event.
A suggested admission donation of $2 benefits the Penn Township VFD and help with event costs, but cruise cars get in free, Shoemaker said.
“It’s more of a community event, and we do make some money, which goes to training, equipment repair and new equipment,” Shoemaker said.
“We get a lot of people from the community that come to see the cars, and we have a lot of community groups that come and have displays, like the VFW and Legion Riders and the Shriners,” he said.
“They do a lot of things for the community and we try to accommodate them,” Shoemaker said.
“This year, I’m expecting over 1,200 vehicles, and we expect to have 2,500 to 3,000 spectators,” he said.
There was also food, beverages, music, a 50/50 raffle and a basket auction in a hangar. The first 600 vehicles received dash plaques and a Mega Cruise program.
Kim Getz, who was working the fire department’s Mega Cruise 2022 T-shirt table, said she was selling out even before the Mega Cruise had officially begun.
“I had a whole tableful. Now it’s just what you see,” she said. “It’s because people collect these that the table is clearing out.”
Mary Core, who was selling tickets at the basket raffle table for the department along with Sherry Glace, said ticket sales were steady.
“I think the weather might be keeping a few away. But it’s just overcast. But it’s nice, nobody’s sweating. The temperature’s beautiful,” Core said.
Out on the runway, Tony and Diane Calderone of Renfrew were showing off Tony’s 1958 Buick Special convertible, which he bought when he was 19.
Calderone pointed out that the fender guards were mounted with a V, signifying the Buick’s V-8 engine.
“It’s got all its original parts. I’m looking at getting a new top soon,” he said.
“I worked since I was young, since I was 9,” and saved up to buy the Buick, he said.
“I didn’t use it much. I still don’t drive it much,” saying the car had only 31,000 miles on the odometer and still had the original spare tire in the trunk.
The classic had one drawback, though. “You don’t get too much gas mileage. You couldn’t pass too many gas stations. That’s just the way they made them,” Calderone said.
Members of the Butler Old Stone Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America were showing off even older cars: a 1939 Bantam Roadster built in Butler, now owned by the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau; and a 1909 Huselton, one of only 13 Huseltons made, and the only one that is still around.
Club member Bob Cochran said the club maintains and takes the pair and other vintage automobiles to events such as the Mega Cruise.
“We try to educate (the public) that these cars were built here,” Cochran said.
Club president Dan Sum said the Huselton is owned by the City of Butler. The Huselton was the personal vehicle of Edgar Huselton Sr., the first car dealer in Butler County.
When Huselton’s grandson found it in an Ohio barn, he began a restoration, Sum said.
“He came to an arrangement with the City of Butler, which got the title in exchange for the club would finish the restoration,” he said.
Sum added, “I don’t own an old car myself, but I’m fascinated by the simplicity of them. Computers were never meant to be on wheels.”
Tom and Leslie Webb of Wexford brought their 1967 Firebird to the event.
“We got it six years ago. We did a complete restoration down to the frame,” Tom Webb said.
“She only comes out in nice weather. She wasn’t going to come out if it was raining today,” he added.
“We like to look at other cars and let people see ours. It’s a work of art and we let other people appreciate it,” he said.
Jim Zimmerman of Penn Township was showing off his 1983 Chevy S10 truck that he had overhauled after his brother found the truck in Florida and had shipped to Pennsylvania.
He said he spent four years putting a Chrysler V-8 engine, transmission and rear end in the truck.
“I rebuilt the frame to fit the big tires,” Zimmerman said which meant he had to move the truck’s gas tank to the truck bed and the battery into a tool box also resting in the bed. Next up, he said, was giving the truck a new paint job.
Adam Kennihan of Valencia was showing off his 2010 yellow Camaro that had the “Transformers” factory option because it was the model that transformed into the autobot Bumblebee in the “Transformers” movie.
“I fell in love with it when I saw the movie. It was my dream car,” he said. “We found it in a barn in Baltimore. It was in pristine condition, just as it is.”
The Mega Cruise continued until a fireworks show at 9:50 p.m.
Shoemaker said about organizing the Mega Cruise, “I don’t know how long I’ve done it. The nice thing is that people know what the rules are and the jobs are, and everybody pitches in.”
