Locals Host Lambda Antique Car Club

But car aficionados know that Straight Eights are very special engines with eight cylinders in a row, a true alternative to the regular V-8 engine. Hence, in a play on words the members all understand, the Straight Eights are our local chapter of the Lambda Car Club International.

Hailing from Northern Virginia, D.C., Maryland and Delaware, the Straight Eights are a very active part of the 29-chapter 1800-member international organization. As such, they are required to host one invitational event each year open to all members. For the past several years, the club’s invitational has taken place on the second week in September in Rehoboth Beach.

The club’s local connection is quite strong. Members include Rehoboth’s Don Voth, who is often seen around town in his 1966 Baby Blue Lincoln Continental with the kissing doors (they open from the middle, like French doors) and the Royal Rose Inn’s Greg Oliver and Andy Dorosky. Oliver’s stable includes a 1966 Ford Galaxy 500 and a 1946 Ford Super Deluxe.

This past September, 150 members, arriving in 90 antique cars descended upon Rehoboth for the Straight 8’s Beach Ball. The weekend began with a Thursday cocktail party followed by a Friday scavenger hunt in Berlin, MD.

Don Voth is presented with the President's Choice Award by club president, Chris Martin.

On Saturday morning, the big fluff up began. Armed with hoses, sponges, wax and other paraphernalia, cars and drivers bonded as they made ready for the noon-time parade. All spiffed up, the cars line up in four different locations and criss-cross through town in what the organizers call a Do-Si-Do. Tooling up and down Baltimore Avenue (to cheers from pedestrians) the cars wind up at Grove Park for a car show open to the public.

The weekend concluded with a banquet at the Atlantic Sands, where the club members vote for a host of awards and prizes. With categories such as Best Rear End, Presidents’ Choice and awards for the best cars from each decade, there is plenty of competition and plenty of reward.

Straight Eight President Chris Martin awarded the Presidents’ Choice award for 2003 to Don and his Lincoln convertible.

While some Straight Eight members have just one car as their pride and joy, some members have a stable full of antique wheels. Local member Al Besse has a 1922 Franklin Touring car, which is bright yellow and has an air horn that gets folks’ attention. Rehoboth weekender Gary Bacon has three cars—a black 1948 Mercury convertible, a 1947 Cadillac convertible and a 1953 Cadillac Fleetwood. Maybe you’ve seen Jerry Miller cruising around in his copper-colored 1957 Thunderbird.

Lambda International President Bill Hicks, who also has a place in Rehoboth, owns ’59 and ‘61 Rambler wagons, a ’61 Fleetwood and a ’62 Buick.