AUBURN - There is just something about the shine of chrome and the candy coated colors that adorn a classic car. With their rag tops, big racing wheels and powerful engines, these vehicles elicit smiles and curious questions by everyone that passes by them.

It was with this in mind that the Prison City Ramblers started its annual Father's Day car show 16 years ago. Show Chairman Ed Pinckney said the club initially was started in the '50s by car enthusiasts looking for a way to get together and talk about cars. But over the years, for various reasons, the club slowly dissolved until 1991.

“That was when we revived our second charter,” Pinckney said. “And that is when we started doing this show. It was behind the college then, and then about 10 years ago we moved up here (Emerson Park) and we have been going strong ever since.”

The club, which has around 150 members, decided that the perfect way to really get up and running again would be with a Father's Day show.

“People love the cars,” Pinckney said. “I think that is what really gets them out here. Over the years this has been great, the public really comes out and we welcome everyone. We thought this would be something nice and special to do for Father's Day, we thought it would be perfect with fathers and the cars and everything.”

Pinckney estimated that for the past few years anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 people have attended the event annually, with people coming from all over the northeast

“I saw people from Delaware and Massachusetts coming in this year,” Pinckney said. “I don't know if they were driving all this way just for the show, but they are here. This year I've seen more and more people here than I ever have before.”

More than 500 participants from all over the country drove their classic cars to Owasco Lake to participate in the show.

“There is something about the camaraderie of a show,” Pinckney said. “You go to a show to show your own car, to compete, but also to look at other cars and look at the unique paint jobs and all the different personal touches that people have put into their cars.”

The show boasted cars ranging from classic Buicks of the '30s, to the hot rods and classic cruisers of the '50s, to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s all the way up to today's tricked-out road racers.

But no matter what their taste in cars, the collectors all had something in common - a deep and almost unparalleled love and commitment to their cars.

Ron Chauncey of North Bay is the proud owner of one of the show's more unique cars - a 1931 Essex, a rare car that stopped production in 1932.

Chauncey said that it was the first car he ever purchased when he was just 17, in 1962, and since then he has spent endless hours restoring and maintaining his cherished vehicle.

Chauncey has been to the show for many years, gathering with his own family perfectly blending the show with Father's Day.

“My daughters come from Buffalo and Rochester,” Chauncey said. “And we drive down and meet here and have a picnic. It is a really nice way to spend the day and a wonderful show to be able to be a part of.”

The show also drew many visitors who have looked forward to this event year after year as a way to celebrate Father's Day as a family. Ed Gulka Jr. was joined by son Mike and his father Ed Gulka Sr. For the Gulka family, the show has become an annual tradition.

“This is his (Mike's) first year here,” Ed Jr. said. “But we've been here a few times before. It is a nice day and a great time to come out and see the cars.”

The show also gave some help to local nonprofits. Proceeds raised from the sale of food and 50/50 raffles are going to Matthew House, the SPCA, Habitat For Humanity and the Calvary Church Food Pantry.