When Darald Kelley's 1930 Plymouth Coupe rolled off the assembly line nearly a century ago, the United States was nosediving into the Great Depression, construction on the Empire State Building had just begun and Uruguay had defeated Argentina in the inaugural World Cup soccer tournament.  

The Coupe survived as the decades of the 20th century blurred by and charmed its owners enough that they kept the automobile around even as automotive technology advanced and rendered the once coveted vehicle obsolete.  

Parked in the rain that plagued Evergreen's annual Show 'N Shine car show in 2025 and meticulously restored by Kelley, the Coupe looked a little different than it had when it was cruising around the streets back in the 1930s. But Kelley, who is from Libby, brought the car back to life, and the 1930 Plymouth Coupe was declared the winner of the 2025 Show 'N Shine.  

"I was really surprised to win," Kelley said. "They have so much talent out there and so many good-looking cars. It meant so much after all the work I've done, that someone else appreciated what I've done to bring these old cars back to the hot rod stage." 

As Kalispell's largest car show, the Show N Shine is one of the places where car fanatics like Kelley congregate to indulge their single-minded obsession with chrome and steel. Even with the deluge of rain — Kelley reckons four inches of water splashed down from the heavens that day — the Flathead Valley's car community still made the pilgrimage to Conlin's parking lot and sat proudly with the vehicles they had carefully restored.  

For these car enthusiasts, who pour so much time and money into cars that would have otherwise been scrapped decades ago, events like the Show 'N Shine are a place where they don't have to explain their passion because they know everyone else has dedicated just as much time and money to their automobiles.  

"You get to know the people," Kelley said of the hours spent sitting at the car show and talking to the owners of neighboring vehicles. "There's no politics, just cars. I like to see all the chrome and new paint and get ideas for new projects." 

At the Evergreen Show 'N Shine, Kelley is surrounded by people who know exactly what he means when he says that he's replaced the Coupe's engine with that of a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda or swapped in a newer Ford axle in the back to handle the new engine's extra power. He throws out terms like "coil over suspension" and "rack and pinion steering" to describe the upgrades he's made since purchasing the car in 2018 so that the automobile from the 1930s can keep up with the modern cars zipping around on the highway.  

Kelley said the Coupe has made it as far as St. Regis and is a joy to drive in the summer. As a concession, he added power steering, power brakes and even electric windows.  

"I call it a mom's car because it's got power everything," Kelley laughed. 

Rescuing classic cars has been a lifelong pursuit for Kelley, who at 74 has called Libby home for the majority of his life. At 12, he bought his first car: a 1955 Chevrolet 2 Door Post and fixed it up. When he turned 18, he joined the Army and became a truck driver, eventually shipping out to Vietnam, where he spent eight months with the "Screaming Eagles" of the 101st Airborne Division. 

It was in the jungles of Southeast Asia, flipping through the pages of Hot Rod Magazine, that Kelley's fascination with classic cars really began. The brightly colored images of cars that had been restored with speed and style in mind captured his imagination, and he knew he wanted to build one himself.  

After 21 years in the Army, Kelley retired from service at Fort Lewis in Washington, and in the free time he's gained since retirement, "he mostly just puts cars back together." He loves to work on metal and see what ideas he can come up with as he endeavors to bring the old cars back to life like it's the 1950s or 1960s.  

In 2018, when he purchased the Coupe, he had just finished work on a 1958 Chevrolet Impala and was on the hunt for a new project, always looking to keep his hands busy. He also serves as the vice president of Libby's Igniters Car Club, Montana's oldest active car club. 

Kelley plans to return for the 2026 Evergreen Show N Shine, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 1 in the Conlin's parking lot in Evergreen.  

Until then, new projects and old cars always seem to find him. Last weekend, he helped a friend unearth a 1956 Ford Thunderbird Convertible from a shed. The friend planned to use the car for parts, but Kelley is convinced he can get it running again.  

Reporter Elsa Ericksen can be reached at 406-758-4459 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. 

    Darald Kelley of Libby stands with his restored 1930 Plymouth Coupe, the winner of Evergreen's 2025 Show N Shine car show. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

    Darald Kelley of Libby stands with his restored 1930 Plymouth Coupe, the winner of Evergreen's 2025 Show N Shine car show. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)