Lewiston Automobile Dealerships Burn Old Cars — Klunks — That Have Been Deemed Unsafe to Drive

As their contribution to spectacular features of national used car exchange week, March 5 to 11, Lewiston automobile dealers will hold a “parade of the klunks” Saturday afternoon at 1 and a huge “bonfire of the klunks” Friday night, March 11, on the brow of the hill west of Fenton park.

Arrangements for the destruction by fire of 30 or more “klunks” — out-moded and unsafe used cars which are a menace to safe driving — were made yesterday at a meeting of Lewiston car dealers.

M. L. Pierstorff, Lewiston fire chief, who will have charge of the burning, will see that precautions are taken. Members of the police department will assist the firemen.

The worn-out, outmoded and unsafe cars to be consigned to the fire, among the worst offenders against traffic safety in the community, will be assembled from stocks of 12 Lewiston dealers and from trade-ins accepted during national used car ex-change week. At yesterday’s meeting more than 20 aged cars were pledged for the bonfire, and dealers agreed to junk all outmoded cars taken in during the week’s national sale.

Pile Wrecks on Bonfire

It is expected that 30 or more cars will be hauled to the Fenton park bonfire site where high school rally bonfires are held. Following the Saturday “parade of the klunks,” the cars to be junked will be hauled to the bonfire site and lifted by cranes to the pile.

The obsolete and unsafe cars to be destroyed had an original value of more than $30,000 but, according to dealers, their only value now is what the steel to be salvaged after the fire will bring.

Cooperation of state traffic officials and safety organizations will be asked in the effort of the car dealers to rid the highways of “klunks” — the outlaws of the road.

“The fiery sacrifice of the old cars will emphasize the safety aspect of the campaign,” said State Traffic Officer Harry L. Clark. “A worn-out car is a potential accident at every street intersection and every time it passes another car.”

In Advertising Campaign

Lewiston car dealers yesterday decided on an advertising and publicity campaign to acquaint residents of Lewiston and vicinity of participation in national used car exchange week. They made plans for group and individual newspaper advertising to augment the national lineage to be carried on the campaign, and agreed on cooperative promotion.

“We hope with other dealers in the nation,” said Charles C. Adams, chairman of the Lewiston dealers’ committee, “to rid the region of thousands of ‘klunks’ which are unfit for use. We feel this program is worthy of the support of every citizen who values human life and property. Many unsafe cars are endangering drivers every day. If we can assist by getting rid of 30 or more old cars and urge others to exchange their present outmoded cars for better used cars, we know we will be doing everybody a favor.”

This story was published in the March 4, 1938, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.