Car show draws car buffs to Oconto Falls

Patrick VanDenEng loves to take his Chevrolet Camaro for a joy ride.

He didn’t have to drive it very far May 24, as the Oconto Falls resident brought it to the city’s annual car show in Memorial Park, held in conjunction with the community’s Memorial Day celebration.

The show featured more than 100 exhibited vehicles, including VanDenEng’s black 2000 Camaro Z28 convertible, which he said he’s owned for about 15 years.

“It’s pretty much my baby,” he said. “I redid the motor and got heads and cams and intakes. I kind of went a little nuts on that stuff.”

VanDenEng has raced the car at a Camaro rally at Road America in Elkhart Lake.

“I had it at a Camaro rally in Sturgis (South Dakota),” he said. “Six or seven of us with Camaros will drive to Sturgis.”

The car is the only Camaro that VanDenEng owns, but his parents had a 1968 Camaro convertible that’s now stored at his uncle’s place in Klondike.

“I always wanted a convertible,” he said. “There was a Chevy dealer in Sheboygan, and I found it online for $11 grand with 80,000 miles. I figure I’ll keep it.”

He’d like to add his parents’ Camaro at some point down the road and eventually pass both cars along to his kids.

“I’m hoping to get the ‘68 from my mom when she doesn’t want it anymore,” he said. “I have pictures of me in diapers sitting on it. I wanted to bring it here. My dad’s been gone 20 years, so I’ve been taking care of it and maintaining it. The car’s been in the family 41, 42, 43 years.”

VanDenEng said he’s not surprised that people are fascinated with cars.

“It’s probably just pride,” he said. “It’s something you’re proud to drive, especially when you work on it and do your own stuff. I pulled the motor out of here three times already. I’m getting better at it. It has a little over 100,000 miles on it. For a 2000, that’s pretty good.”