The Shed opens in Warroad, operative color: Pink

     Uff-Da, a pink Thunderbird and many attractive ladies wearing pink jackets and poodle shirts were among the highlights of the June 20th opening of The Shed, Bob and Loralee Marvin’s private Car Museum in Warroad. While the featured car is a Camaro, or rather several rare Camaros in the front room, plenty of other brands and models were seen in the twenty plus cars on display, about half of the collection. The other half will eventually be on display, but room was needed for the crowds so the rest will make it to the display floor at a later date.

     “My sister Sue and I learned to drive in our mother’s 1967 Camaro,” said Bob a couple of days after the opening, “It had a 327 and a three speed transmission. I guess that’s why I like Camaros. We have two of the four Smokey Yunick hemi engines in existence here in The Shed.”

The next question was, “Did you have your first date with Loralee in the Camaro?”

Bob replied, “I had a Monte Carlo then. I have one of them to bring in here when the floor in the back room cures and we get it finished.”

The collection is mostly Chevrolets of various models and years, but other notable makes and models are also represented. A 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk was on the other end of the row from the pink Thunderbird. A rare Ford Talladega heads the other row of cars.

“I bought the Studebaker last fall,” Bob explained. “The owner exhibited it next to me at the show at the Nitehawk. I like the lines and it was built the year I was born, 1957. I bought the Talladega in St.. Paul a few months ago. I went down to buy it at an auction and also bought a Mercury Marauder . It’s sitting in my driveway at home.”

No event in Roseau County is complete without a Chevy pickup in attendance and this one was no exception. A beautiful black and red 1941 1/2 ton graced the east row, license plate loudly proclaiming “1941 CHEVROLET”. About the pickup, Bob says, “I

didn’t have anything from the forties in the collection. I was at an auction in Indianapolis and it came up. It looked good and no one seemed to be bidding on it, no reserve, so I bought it. It’ll be nice for Uff-Da and I to drive around town on a nice day.” He also noted that they had yet to make up new information signs for the cars so many of them had the names of the former owners listed.

For the Ford fanciers, three Shelby GT-500’s and a Boss 429 Mustang are scattered throughout  the bevy of Buicks, Pontiacs and Chevys in the larger display room The suggested donation for entry to The Shed on Saturday was $10.00. Bridget Lindnor and daughter Grace greeted the visitors and took the donations. Bob says, “There were 1200-1500  people here on Saturday. We raised over $11,000 for the Pink Ladies ‘Relay for Life’ effort.”

“We had a line all afternoon for the food,” said Bob, referring to the roast pig meal that the visitors were fed. Buddha Marvin was involved in the barbeque, saying that seven- 200 pound pigs were roasted in the huge double roaster that had been custom built by Heatmor for the Marvins.

A local band played golden oldies in the corner of the display room as the people inspected the cars, visited and ate.

A yellow and black race car greeted visitors out front and Uff-Da enjoyed the petting of numerous dog lovers throughout the afternoon. Loralee could be seen everywhere, kidding with guests and posing for photos.

A first class event, by any standard.