Hot Cars for a Hot Auto Show: Petron-MIAS 2014 Custom and Classic Car Competition

This VW Kubelwagen won the Best of Show Award this year

The Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) 2014 broke another record in visitor traffic last weekend, as more than 102,000 car enthusiasts braved the traffic and summer heat to the show and viewed some of the country’s most desirable classic and modified cars. This year, the country’s leading fuel brand Petron was once again the presentor in the MIAS Custom and Classic Car Competition, held at the Philippine Trade Training Center, adjacent to the World Trade Center Manila, on April 3-6.

Recent “Best of Show” winners of the MIAS competition include a classic 1950s Mercedes-Benz 190SL in 2011, while in 2012, the award went to JSK shop owner Johnson Tan whose entry was a fully customized 2008 Honda Civic FD. JSK also won in 2013 with a Veilside Mazda RX-7 “Tokyo Drift” tribute car and as the most coveted Best of Show trophy was up for grabs this year, the judges had a hard time making their selections, noting the increase in the number of entries as well as quality of the show cars. This year’s Best of Show Award went to a VW Type 181 Kubelwagen or also known as “The Thing” with an entry by Rico Dimacali of MacSport.

Aside from the top award, there were over a dozen category awards for both classic and customized cars. The Petron-MIAS Custom and Classic Car Competition is an annual tribute to the craftsmen and artisans who work in the restoration and customization trade. From tinsmiths, paint shop experts, mural artists, engine rebuilders and leather craftsmen, each entry is a result of months of hard work employed by the local restoration and customization shops who deliver world-class results. The owners of these automobiles, particularly the classic cars, help preserve the Philippines’ automotive heritage and provenance by allowing future generations to appreciate them. For many car owners, regardless of the value of the prizes that come with winning, simply being acknowledged by their peers is a reward in itself.

Past winner and now competition judge Alex Isip of Alex Car Restoration, a car show veteran with over two decades of experience, has related previously that it is indeed a tough job to compete and consistently excel in car competitions. This year’s lineup gave car enthusiasts a close look at both classics and highly modified cars that brought out a lot of smiles and the snapshots.  One of the more interesting entries this year is a 1980s DeLorean of the “Back to the Future” movie fame. The stainless steel clad sportscar was very popular among the visitors and there was an endless stream of car enthusiasts who lined up for photographs for their Tweets and Facebook posts.

Other notable classic treasures were – a finely restored Ford Mustang GT350 restored by Ian Sosa, with a brand-new Ford V8 engine and topped with four carburetors. The Mustang won the Best Engine Display Award, Best 2-Door Modified American Car Award and was a runner up in the Best Interior Display Award. Sosa’s classic JCW Mini Cooper also won the “Russ Swift Choice” Award as well as the Best 2-Door Modified European Car Award. The best presentation award went to actor Albert Martinez’s Pontiac Fiero GT sportscar restored by JSK’s Johnson Tan, which also won the Best 2-Door Stock American Car Award.