thedrifter
03-03-07, 06:42 PM
Group revs up to restore cars and lives
Published: March 3, 2007
By STARLA POINTER
Of the News-Register
Park a delicately pinstriped primer-black 1950 Chevrolet Skyline Deluxe anywhere, and you'll soon draw a crowd.
Older guys reminiscing about driving such a Chevy on their first dates. Kids who like wheels better than candy. Grown men with automotive hobbies of their own - men eager to swap stories of rebuilding carburetors and treasure-hunting in junk yards.
"It's a nice tool for meeting people," said Truxton Meadows, who owns the Chevy in question. "I always have a new friend when I walk away."
The way cars attract people, provide a springboard for conversation and give guys an excuse to get together sparked Meadows' imagination.
Soon he and fellow motor lovers from his church were starting a hot rod club, the Ignitors.
"We wanted to give car guys a place to hang out and focus on community outreach," he said.
Belonging to a church or being a Christian aren't pre-requisites for taking part in Ignitors. But Meadows and the other Christians in the club don't mind if their overt faith inspires others.
"Hey, Christians can have fun," said Meadows, who has been inspired by books such as "No More Christian Mr. Nice Guy," which looks at Jesus as a real man.
Meadows figures that if Jesus were on Earth today, he'd be hanging out, just like the Ignitors do. Maybe Jesus wouldn't be interested in cars, but he surely would care about getting to know people and fighting for the disadvantaged.
"God cares about relationships," he said. "That's pretty clear."
Meadows believes Christians need to step outside the four walls of the church and share their faith using their own skills and circumstances.
The Yamhill native recalled attending church as a child, but feeling like he didn't fit in because he had long hair and played rock music. As a young adult, just out of the Marines, he gravitated toward a church in San Diego, where like-minded rockers and heavy-metal enthusiasts preached the gospel in their own environment, even in bars.
"The pastor taught us that God wanted to use us ... he wanted us to do whatever we could do to spread the word," he said.
Christian or not, potential members of Ignitors must have a desire to make friends and a desire to help community organizations, especially children's charities. And one more thing: they must own a pre-1976, American-made vehicle, whether it runs like a champ or is at the stage referred to as "a project."
In fact, club members probably have more "I'll get it running someday" projects than they do finished hot rods. "We're all on budgets and we all do our own building," said Meadows, who also has a 1949 Chevy in the project stage.
"A lot of our guys have older cars or pickups and just want to rebuild them for the love of the car. They like cutting and welding and getting greasy and hanging out with other guys," he said.
Members of the Ignitors get together each Tuesday night to tinker and talk.
They meet at 7 p.m. at Mac Auto Clinic in Bunn Village, just north of McMinnville. For more information, call Richard Lampke, at 503-434-1277.
Club members also go to car shows and sponsor their own events, collecting non-perishables for food banks or cash for charity. They plan to raise funds for a non-profit day care program next, for instance.
They also host an annual car show at the Church on the Hill in September, and less formal cruise-ins during the year.
"All the guys in this group like to help people quietly, not because we want to brag about it," Meadows said. "This is not about us; it's about finding ways to use our resources to their maximum potential."
Today, Ignitors is sponsoring a men's conference at McMinnville Cooperative Ministries. The guest speaker is the nationally known author of "No More Christian Mr. Nice Guy," Paul Coughlin of Medford.
The club is expecting men from all over the Northwest to attend in order to hear the author.
Meadows also plans to speak at today's event. His topic will be "More Evil Knievel, Less Ralph Nadar," a topic he has discussed in writings on websites such as One Flew Over the Church, www.oneflewover thechurch.com.
"We live in a world that promotes safety and no risk-taking, but the Bible says God wants us to do things that are bigger than ourselves," he said. "We have to take risks, or we never will accomplish what God wants for us."
Meadows' rockabilly band, Skeleton Crew, will play during the conference. And, naturally, some of the Ignitors will bring cars to show.
Although some club members have their rigs apart right now, preparing for the pending car show season, others have their cars ready. Visitors who drop by the conference site, at First and Ford streets, might see a 1966 Chevelle, a 1963 Corvair pickup, a 1940 Ford pickup or a 1930s Model A
Ellie
Published: March 3, 2007
By STARLA POINTER
Of the News-Register
Park a delicately pinstriped primer-black 1950 Chevrolet Skyline Deluxe anywhere, and you'll soon draw a crowd.
Older guys reminiscing about driving such a Chevy on their first dates. Kids who like wheels better than candy. Grown men with automotive hobbies of their own - men eager to swap stories of rebuilding carburetors and treasure-hunting in junk yards.
"It's a nice tool for meeting people," said Truxton Meadows, who owns the Chevy in question. "I always have a new friend when I walk away."
The way cars attract people, provide a springboard for conversation and give guys an excuse to get together sparked Meadows' imagination.
Soon he and fellow motor lovers from his church were starting a hot rod club, the Ignitors.
"We wanted to give car guys a place to hang out and focus on community outreach," he said.
Belonging to a church or being a Christian aren't pre-requisites for taking part in Ignitors. But Meadows and the other Christians in the club don't mind if their overt faith inspires others.
"Hey, Christians can have fun," said Meadows, who has been inspired by books such as "No More Christian Mr. Nice Guy," which looks at Jesus as a real man.
Meadows figures that if Jesus were on Earth today, he'd be hanging out, just like the Ignitors do. Maybe Jesus wouldn't be interested in cars, but he surely would care about getting to know people and fighting for the disadvantaged.
"God cares about relationships," he said. "That's pretty clear."
Meadows believes Christians need to step outside the four walls of the church and share their faith using their own skills and circumstances.
The Yamhill native recalled attending church as a child, but feeling like he didn't fit in because he had long hair and played rock music. As a young adult, just out of the Marines, he gravitated toward a church in San Diego, where like-minded rockers and heavy-metal enthusiasts preached the gospel in their own environment, even in bars.
"The pastor taught us that God wanted to use us ... he wanted us to do whatever we could do to spread the word," he said.
Christian or not, potential members of Ignitors must have a desire to make friends and a desire to help community organizations, especially children's charities. And one more thing: they must own a pre-1976, American-made vehicle, whether it runs like a champ or is at the stage referred to as "a project."
In fact, club members probably have more "I'll get it running someday" projects than they do finished hot rods. "We're all on budgets and we all do our own building," said Meadows, who also has a 1949 Chevy in the project stage.
"A lot of our guys have older cars or pickups and just want to rebuild them for the love of the car. They like cutting and welding and getting greasy and hanging out with other guys," he said.
Members of the Ignitors get together each Tuesday night to tinker and talk.
They meet at 7 p.m. at Mac Auto Clinic in Bunn Village, just north of McMinnville. For more information, call Richard Lampke, at 503-434-1277.
Club members also go to car shows and sponsor their own events, collecting non-perishables for food banks or cash for charity. They plan to raise funds for a non-profit day care program next, for instance.
They also host an annual car show at the Church on the Hill in September, and less formal cruise-ins during the year.
"All the guys in this group like to help people quietly, not because we want to brag about it," Meadows said. "This is not about us; it's about finding ways to use our resources to their maximum potential."
Today, Ignitors is sponsoring a men's conference at McMinnville Cooperative Ministries. The guest speaker is the nationally known author of "No More Christian Mr. Nice Guy," Paul Coughlin of Medford.
The club is expecting men from all over the Northwest to attend in order to hear the author.
Meadows also plans to speak at today's event. His topic will be "More Evil Knievel, Less Ralph Nadar," a topic he has discussed in writings on websites such as One Flew Over the Church, www.oneflewover thechurch.com.
"We live in a world that promotes safety and no risk-taking, but the Bible says God wants us to do things that are bigger than ourselves," he said. "We have to take risks, or we never will accomplish what God wants for us."
Meadows' rockabilly band, Skeleton Crew, will play during the conference. And, naturally, some of the Ignitors will bring cars to show.
Although some club members have their rigs apart right now, preparing for the pending car show season, others have their cars ready. Visitors who drop by the conference site, at First and Ford streets, might see a 1966 Chevelle, a 1963 Corvair pickup, a 1940 Ford pickup or a 1930s Model A
Ellie