Unique vehicles shine on Polson streets
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POLSON — Among the new “faces” at the Summerfest car show was a 1937 Coach bus turned into a motorhome and painted Griz colors.
Belonging to Char and Jerry Appel of Lakeside, the motorhome required 4,000 rivets in the new “skin” put on the vehicle, and Char installed them all.
Jerry said it took three winters to finish the motorhome, but now the couple and their dog Kirby, use it all the time. With new upholstery, sleeping areas, a small kitchen and a table with a polished cedar post to hold it up, it’s a great camping rig. They just returned from a 1,000-mile camping trip to Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene, Georgetown Lake, and Seeley and Swan Lakes.
The Koopmans ‘58 Fiat isn’t really a camping vehicle, although it’d be fun to drive on a picnic outing. The small car’s paint is mostly original, according to Sherry Koopmans.
Ken put in a new interior from Italy via California. He also said all of the parts for the car are still available.
The Polson couple bought the Fiat in Coeur d’Alene where it had been in storage for more than 20 years.
Sherry said the blue and cream Fiat is cute, so adults like it; it’s child sized so kids like it; and it reminds people who’ve traveled abroad of Europe.
With it’s “almost 23 horsepower” engine, the Fiat doesn’t go too fast, but it gets great gas mileage.
Sherry has been driving it to work.
