By Khalida Sarwari
Phil Green’s 1933 silver Ford Roadster is a car unlike any other, not because of its antiquity but because it’s really the only car of its type out there.
That’s because Green built it from the ground up with his high school best friend, Al Megenity. When Megenity moved out of the area, Green offered to buy his share.
“Since we built it ourselves, the car has great sentimental value to me,” Green said.
The Saratoga resident said he and Megenity built the car based on a replica of a similar pedal car he had when he was 4 years old.
“Its appeal has always stuck with me,” he said.
It took Green and his friend three years to build the car. They worked on it between two auto shops here in the South Bay, A&E Performance in Campbell and De Anza College Auto Tech in Cupertino. Green taught in the automotive technology department at De Anza from 1971 until his retirement in 2012.
Since it’s completion, the car has traveled all over the western U.S. and Canada, accumulating a little more than 20,000 miles, Green said. He and Megenity have entered the Roadster in many major West Coast car shows, including the Grand National Roadster Show in San Francisco, the Goodguys West Coast Nationals in Pleasanton, Hot August Nights in Reno, Cool September Days in Tahoe, Cherry’s Jubilee Car Show in Monterey and Americruise in Aspen.
“During that time it has needed only a few repairs and basic maintenance, and I do the work,” Green said.
These days, Green still shows the car here and there and takes it out for a spin locally when the weather is nice. He will be taking it out again come July 17 to display in the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce’s Classic
Car Show. It will be Green’s third appearance at the show.
“For me, it’s a type of art form for car enthusiasts to enjoy,” he said of the event. “And I like sharing the story of how it all came about.”
Green’s Roadster will be among more than 200 vintage and shiny American and foreign cars of all makes and models at this year’s car show. Now in its seventh year, the event tends to draw car enthusiasts as well as those who just want to spend an afternoon strolling through the Village and gawking at an antique Cadillac on one side of the road and a brand-new Bugatti on the other.
“A big feature of the show,” said its founder, Cool Car Club president Tiger Teerlink, “is the mix of American and foreign cars of all years, makes and models, ranging from the 1920s to the classics of the ’50s and ’60s, as well as modern exotics.”
In addition to the classic cars, this year’s event will feature craft vendors, live radio broadcasts, live music, food and beer and wine tasting.
Additional activities are planned for July 16, the day before the event. For the third year in a row, organizers are offering a car cruise between Saratoga, Campbell and Los Gatos. The cruise takes place one day prior to get the cities “geared up” for the car show, said Teerlink.
The event is once again being produced by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Cool Car Club of Saratoga, Los Gatos and Campbell. The purpose of the event, according to organizers, is to boost business for Saratoga merchants and to provide a fun event for car enthusiasts.
Admission is free. Anyone who’s interested in displaying their car is encouraged to register for the car cruise on July 16 and/or the car show the following day by visitingcoolcarclub.com or saratogachamber.org.
The Classic Car Show takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Big Basin Way will be closed to traffic for the event. Attendees are encouraged to park for free at West Valley College and take a complimentary shuttle to the car show. For more information or to learn how to volunteer at the event, contact Teerlink at 408.828.9614 or the Chamber of Commerce at 408.867.0753 or info@saratogachamber.org.
Link:
Saratoga: Classics will roll into downtown Saratoga for July 17 car show
