Carnival and cars rev up Burien June 16-19

stevievanb — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:55:44 +0000

stevievanb Tue, 06/07/2011 - 1:55pm

Downtown Burien will rev up June 16 through June 19 with a smokin' carnival, killer car show, sizzling chili cook-off and 50/50 raffle presented by the nonprofit Discover Burien Association. Upping the entertainment ante on June 18 and 19 is the city of Burien's Wild Strawberry Festival.

Get thrilled and chilled with the Davis Shows full carnival during Burien Carnival Days from Thursday, June 16 through Sunday, June 19. Festival-goers can buy special armbands good for unlimited rides all day. The carnival closes each day when attendance gets too thin. Hours are June 16 and June 17 from 3 p.m. to close and June 18 and June 19 from 11 a.m. to close.

Browse buffed-up beauties from every era at the free Burien Father's Day Car Show Sunday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event also features '50s and '60s tunes spun by a disk jockey plus a chili cook-off.

Entrants will vie for top billing in nine prize categories: Mayor's Choice, Best Project Car, Best Truck, Most Likely To Go On A Date In, People's Choice, Best Interior, Auto Dealers' Choice, Best Paint Job, and Oldest & Original.

Sample lip-smacking chili created by competitors in the Fourth Annual Chili Cook-Off from noon to 2 p.m. The chili earning first place wins $250 plus a traveling trophy. Second place will receive $100 and third place $50.

The carnival and car show will center on Burien Town Square Park at Southwest 152nd Street and Fifth Place Southwest in downtown Burien. Cars will line Southwest 152nd Street between Fourth Avenue Southwest and Eighth Avenue Southwest, plus a portion of Sixth Avenue Southwest, all of which will be closed off to vehicular traffic.

Adjacent to the two events, enjoy food, live entertainment and more at the Burien Wild Strawberry Festival.

Car show participants may either register in advance or on Father's Day. Registration forms and details can be found at www.discoverburien.com. Preregistration is $15. Registration on Father's Day is $20 and takes place between 8 and 10 a.m. at Southwest 152nd Street and Ambaum Boulevard Southwest.

Chili Cook-Off teams must preregister for $25. Registration forms and details are posted at www.discoverburien.com.

50/50 raffle tickets can be purchased with car show preregistration or on the day of the event at the Discover Burien booth. Tickets are $1 or 7 for $5.

Burien Auto Row is the primary sponsor of the car show. Jim Coleman, DDS, is sponsoring the Chili Cook-Off.

Registration fees and raffle proceeds go toward operation of the two events and Discover Burien, a nonprofit organization that works on the economic development and promotion of the city.

For more information, go to www.discoverburien.com or contact Debra George, the Discover Burien event manager, at 206-941-7199.

A classic mechanic

Guest — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:46:58 +0000

Guest (not verified) Thu, 07/09/2009 - 10:46am

Classic car mechanic Pete Gjerstad, owner of Mid Century Motors in Ballard, works on a customer's 1937 Buick. He understands that most of the public likes the romance of the classic American automobile, but says he gets most excited by what's under the hood.

Steve Shay

Many who attend classic car shows gawk at the early American automobile with its sturdy chrome bumpers, curvy bodies and splashy detail work. But professional classic car mechanic Pete Gjerstad, owner of Mid Century Motors, one block south of Northwest Market Street in Ballard, gets most excited by what's under the hood.

"The general public has the image of the classic car as the American dream and all that. I see them as machines," said Gjerstad, a 20-year Ballard resident who worked for Gilmour Automotive on 15th Avenue for 18 years.

"I appreciate the romance of these cars, but the mechanical side is what does it for me," he said. "In this business you get to experience driving and working on a lot of different cars and see how the different manufacturers solved various problems."

Parked in his garage are a 1965 Chevy Caprice in need of brakes and a fuel pump, a 1959 DeSoto, which needs work done on its engine, transmission, drive shaft, brakes. and electrical system. There's also a 1961 Cadillac convertible coupe, awaiting its rebuilt dashboard.

"It's fun to see an old Pontiac or Buick engine because most cars you see have the Chevy small block engines," said Gjerstad who drives a 1965 Dodge Dart that he said he loves. "I made one payment on it-$500.

"I have read lots of books and remember what I learned in high school auto shop," recalled Gjerstad.

He also learned from his father.

"My father was an architect, but would rather have been running a shop like this one, fixing small engines and small appliances," said Gjerstad. "His parents wanted him to go to college so he did what they wanted him to do."

"Pete's the man," said Sean Bryan, a loyal customer of Gjerstad and owner of Seattle Classic in North Seattle.

Bryan wheels and deals in American classic cars and recreational vehicles on eBay and said he has sold more than 500 automobiles on the online auction. He has a 1958 Edsel station wagon he said is worth $22,000 that he will put on eBay soon. He just purchased a 1967 Plymouth GTX 440 convertible with rare power windows Gierstad will help him go over.

"It took me three years to find a good mechanic," said Bryan with admiration.

"I just bring my stuff to Pete and say, 'Call me when it's done, buddy.'"

Mid Century Motors, 5338 Russell Ave. N.W., Ballard. (206) 963-5986.