This weekend?s snowmobile show known as one of state?s largest
Dan Derry?s enthusiasm for snowmobiles began back in the 1970s when his father, Ed Derry, brought home a 246 Arctic Cat Panther. It was the first machine that Dan rode, but it wouldn?t be the last. Dan soon discovered the beauty of antique and vintage snowmobiles, and he has been obsessed with them ever since. This weekend in Rogers City, Dan is proud to announce his obsession has helped create the Antique & Vintage Snowmobile Show, which has become known as one of the largest in Michigan.
?ABOUT 10 years ago, I started getting into the antique and vintage machines,? said Dan. ?We had a get-together out at Norway Pines where we would drag race old sleds ? they had to be pre-1974. That is really what got me started.? Dan purchased his first sled, a 440 Raider, and then sold that to buy an Aloutte. ?From there, I would see machines advertised, sitting on the side of the road, or people would call and ask if I was interested in taking their old snowmobile,? said Dan. ?I have 21 sleds now.? The small garage next to Tina and Dan Derry?s home was where Dan would restore his ?new? vintage and antique machines; however, Dan?s hobby quickly outgrew the garage, and he had to build a larger garage, which he has recently added a furnace to. If Dan is not sailing for Great Lakes Fleet, or in the house, he is most likely spending time in his garage with the 15 machines he stores there.
The first snowmobile Dan restored was a 1966 Tin Cab Arctic Cat, Model 100. He said the machine was owned by the Trafelet family, and had been stored in a Millersburg barn for years. ?It took me about a year to restore the machine,? said Dan. ?It didn?t have a motor, and I had to sandblast it, repaint it, and put the rivets back in it. My uncle (Paul Derry of Alpena) re-upholstered the machine for me. I used as many original parts as I could ? the only new things are the skis and the windshield.? Other sleds that Dan has did not need a thorough restoration, and he said many old machines just need a good cleaning after being stored for years. His newest addition to his collection is a 1968 Polaris Mustang that doesn?t need much work at all, and is in amazingly good shape.
?THIS MACHINE came from the wooded area of Sunken Lake, and was kept out in a pole barn,? said Dan. ?Someone called me about seven years ago to take this machine, and I went out to take a look. I didn?t have room for it at the time, and so I had to pass it up.? Dan recently had an itch to check on the status of the machine, and found that it was still sitting in the pole barn near Sunken Lake. ?I went out and picked it up that night,? said Dan. ?It?s an antique now, and they are getting harder to find. I figured I better grab it up before someone else did.? Dan?s enthusiasm for antique and vintage machines, paired with the dwindling momentum of Rogers City?s snow derby, gave Dan the idea to organize a snowmobile show that would highlight antique and vintage machines. ?I thought one of these shows would go over well in this area, and five years later, we had our first show,? said Dan. ?It ended up being the third largest show in the state with 175 sleds.? This Friday and Saturday, the Antique & Vintage Snowmobile Show committee, comprised by about 12 members, is happy to announce its third annual show, which has gotten bigger and better every year. The event is supported by the city, and Dan said the local merchants have gone above and beyond with donations.
THE SHOW kicks off Friday at noon with the Vintage Ride at the 208 Club located off of M-68. Last year, the Vintage Ride attracted about 25-30 people. Friday?s celebration will continue on into the evening at The Water?s Edge Restaurant located on Third Street. Participants can have dinner and drinks at the restaurant while viewing vintage film clips of snowmobile races, such as the I-500 in Sault Ste. Marie from the 1970s. This event is open to the public. The Antique & Vintage Snowmobile Show will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Water?s Edge. Registration will be from 9 a.m. to noon, and is free of charge. A swap is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. People are encouraged to bring parts or machines to sell. There is a $10 fee to participate.
The Water?s Edge Restaurant will offer a full bar menu throughout the day, and at approximately 5 p.m., a giant pig roast buffet meal will be available at $10 per plate. This dinner is open to the public. Coinciding with the snowmobile show, Rogers City has organized a snow
For more information on the snowmobile show, call Tina or Dan Derry at (989) 734-7039, or email budman2@speednetllc.com.