Oregon Drift

Photo by Lou Sennick

Keeping an automobile in good condition takes work, but it used to take a lot more.

Before 1912, cars were trimmed in brass, which had to be polished almost constantly to keep it shiny. Around 1912 the brass was replaced by nickel, which was easier to maintain, and in 1929 nickel gave way to low-maintenance chrome.

July 20-24, cars from the ‘nickel era” — 1912-1929 — will converge on the South Coast for the Oregon Coast Nickel Era Tour.

Some of the cars registered to attend so far will be familiar to old-car buffs, such as a 1923 Stutz Bearcat roadster and a 1925 Pierce Arrow. Others, such as a 1914 Hudson and a Kissel from the same year, might not be.

They’ll be coming from as far away as Georgia, as well as closer spots such as California, Washington, Idaho and Nevada.

Participants will gather at the Coos Bay Red Lion to register on July 20. This will be a good time to come see the cars and talk to their owners. At 3 p.m. they’ll set out on a treasure hunt around the Coos Bay/North Bend area.

After that comes a barbecue at the Black Market Gourmet in downtown Coos Bay, across from City Hall. The cars will be parked along the street, making for another good viewing opportunity.

July 21 will feature a drive from Coos Bay to Bandon, followed by lunch in Old Town. Since many of the cars have low top speeds, the route will stay on back roads as much as possible.

After lunch and some sightseeing, the drivers will head back to the Red Lion for a pizza feed in the parking lot, with entertainment provided by a drum line and bagpipers from Marshfield High School.

Coquille is the destination on July 22, with lunch at Frazier’s followed by a visit to the Carriage Museum, which houses the private collections of Ernest Amling, with early buggies, carriages, sleighs, and memorabilia. The cars will return to the Red Lion by about 3:30 p.m.

Reedsport is the destination on July 23. The itinerary includes a stop at the Sugar Shack for coffee, a run back down to Winchester Bay for lunch at noon, and a return to the Red Lion by 4 p.m.

The tour’s final day, July 24, takes the cars to the botanical gardens at Shore Acres for the Oregon Coast Music Festival Garden Concert at noon, and that night to the Sawdust Theatre in Coquille for the 8 p.m. performance.

Many of the participants plan to dress in vintage clothing to match the era of their cars.

Despite their age, the Nickel Era cars still get around nicely. Many are original right down to the smallest detail, but some have engines that have been modified for more speed and power.

Each day’s round trip totals between 70 and 100 miles, so the cars and the clothes won’t be the only period aspect of the tour. The leisurely pace of early-day motoring will be just as authentic.

By Jerry Smith