Rebuilt classic car raffle aids Habitat for Humanity Kamloops

Former Navy Lieutenant Rex Landis behind the wheel of a 1968 Pontiac Beaumont convertible, completely rebuilt by the Rust Valley Restoration crew.

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

This summer, former Navy Lieutenant Rex Landis will ride into Victoria behind the wheel of a 1968 Pontiac Beaumont convertible, completely rebuilt by the Rust Valley Restoration crew.

According to www.justcarchecks.co.uk,  this rare classic car, valued at over $102,000, will be given away by Dec. 16 to the lucky winning ticket holder in the Habitat for Humanity Kamloops 2020 Classic Car Raffle.

Landis is bringing the Beaumont to Victoria, and to CFB Esquimalt, to entice car enthusiasts to buy a $25 raffle ticket.

“Only 50,000 are being sold, so the odds are great,” says Landis, Procurement and Donations Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity Kamloops, B.C., an affiliate of the Habitat Canada. “I know there will be a huge level of interest in winning the Beaumont among sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy, and Army and Air Force members alike.” 

This car, says Landis, is certainly a “beaut” and one of only 47 made that year.

It features a dark cherry red exterior with a deep black leather interior, a 385-horsepower engine, automatic transmission, smoothie rims and baby moon caps, along with a new dashboard, carpet, and convertible top. 

“Everything on the car is brand new, the motor has zero miles on it; the original car only had 8,000 miles on its odometer,” said Landis.

The car was restored by Shuswap classic car specialists The Rust Bros, who are featured in the History Channel series Rust Valley Restorers. The TV series, which is filmed in Tappen, B.C., follows Mike Hall, Avery Shoaf, and Connor Charman-Hall as they fix up cars. They have agreed to restore a 1960’s classic convertible car every year for the next five years, and possibly beyond, for Habitat for Humanity fundraising raffles.

For the 2019 Classic Car Raffle, the Rust Brothers restored a 1968 Chevy Camaro RS/SS convertible, with Kamloops resident Louise Dagg claiming the prize at the draw in December.

Proceeds from the raffle go towards a Habitat for Humanity Kamloops Society mission of developing affordable housing for veterans. Habitat is working with Royal Canadian Legions in Enderby, Revelstoke, and Vernon, as well as others, towards providing universally accessible housing for veteran and seniors designed for residents to age-in-place.  They are also working with the Legions in developing a new sustainable model for business operations. They cover a vast area within the central and northern interior of B.C.  – from Lumby to Revelstoke to Lillooet to Prince George.

“Ties to Habitat for Humanity Kamloops and the military are strong ones,” says Landis. He started working for the organization two years ago and says three of their management team members are military veterans, as well as a Habitat for Humanity Kamloops Board of Director member.

“Making a difference in the lives of those who have served our country is an extremely rewarding part of this job as housing for veterans and seniors in our region is in very high demand. Veterans are an important extension of the military family, and a brother/sisterhood we all share that starts on day one of our basic training.”

For more information about the contest or to purchase tickets visit their webpage: www.kamloopscarraffle.ca