Despite having to postpone the event a day because of weather, attendance for the second annual Lewis County Autism Coalition (LCAC) Car and BMX Show at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis was still pretty good on Sunday, June 22.
The LCAC partnered with Cornerstone Center for Development in Centralia once again to hold the car and bike show at the museum to benefit the coalition. According to Cornerstone Managing Director Nick Robbins and LCAC Executive Director Michelle Whitlow, around 150 cars were registered for this year’s show along with more than 200 BMX bikes.
Proceeds from this year’s show are going to help complete construction of LCAC’s new Spectrum and Development Community Center in Napavine, scheduled to open later this summer.
“It’s always been a dream of mine and of ours to really bring something new and different to Lewis County. In the sense of coordinating community care, it’s really necessary,” Whitlow said.
With Lewis County lacking easy access to many of the medical and therapeutic services those diagnosed with autism need, the Spectrum and Development Community Center will bring them all together under one roof.
Medical care and autism diagnostic testing will also be available at the center. The grand opening for the center is scheduled for 3 p.m. on July 19 following the Napavine Funtime Festival parade.
“We’re going to give away school supplies, do a ribbon-cutting ceremony, open the doors to the public and let people walk through to get an idea of what we’re doing and why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Whitlow added.
Robbins also thanked all of their sponsors who helped with this year’s show, including Wellpoint, Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel, B Side Bikes, Aldersons Awards West and D9 Country Market.
During the show, several cars and even a bike stood out to The Chronicle — including a salvaged 1967 Ford bus converted into a “Crazy Train” party cruiser, an LS-swapped 1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille and a 1978 Roger De Coster BMX bike.
The party bus and converted Caddy
Owned by Tony Camoza of Napavine, a 1967 Ford bus was a salvage job in the truest sense of the word, as when he first saw it, the bus was sitting in the middle of a Toutle field seven years ago.
He and his wife, Monique Camoza, entered it in the show. Monique Camoza also brought her 1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille — complete with a modern LS engine swap.
“I saw it in the field and told (Monique) I wanted it. So I put a note in their mailbox and they called me,” Tony said. “It was a chicken coop, nothing inside but a seat and a steering wheel, and I think there was a bale of hay back here.”
Once he towed the bus back to Napavine, he began the restoration process, which included replacing the chassis with a motorhome chassis.
“It drives like a motorhome now, drives nice,” Tony added.
The interior now features couches, an American flag on the ceiling and a stripper pole in the middle — and the exterior features vinyls proudly christening the bus the “Crazy Train.”
The Camozas now enjoy camping with friends in the bus and driving it around on the weekends.
As for the Coupe DeVille, it now has a modern GMC LS6 engine, which is a small block V8 capable of producing just over 400 horsepower.
A legendary BMX bike
For hardcore BMX bike lovers, there is no bigger name in the industry other than Roger DeCoster — a legendary Belgian professional motocross racer who won multiple world championships and helped popularize both motocross and BMX riding in the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s.
Beginning in 1976, DeCoster began a partnership producing private label brand BMX bike kits.
Known for its iconic oval shaped hole near the front of the frame, Roger DeCoster BMX bikes are now rare and highly sought after in the BMX community. Through a quick internet search, The Chronicle was able to find one for sale on Craigslist — for $1,700.
B Side Bikes BMX team operator Brad Sanders is one of those lucky enough to own a De Coster, with his being produced in 1978. Sanders was more than proud to be a DeCoster owner.
“He’s a European champion who came over here and kicked everyone’s asses,” Sanders said.
DeCoster is still working in the motocross industry too, Sanders added.
“Right now he’s a team manager for KTM Motorcycles, their dirt bike division, and he’s the team manager for the USA motocross team that races once every year against the world,” he said.
