SAUK RAPIDS -- Classic car enthusiasts gathered in Sauk Rapids on Sunday. The 44th annual Pantowners Car Show and Swap Meet took over the Benton County Fairgrounds.

Vice President Dennis Arntson and Chairman Bruce Berscheit say they made some changes this year to help get the next generation of car lovers involved.

We've got a couple of new classes this year. We've got a modern muscle class which is '94 and newer, foreign or domestic, so we get a lot of younger kids involved. That's our goal. We've also got a rear-wheel-drive class that's '78 to '93. Also at the gate we raised the age for children to get in for free to 15.

The event featured 450 swap vendors and over 400 cars, trucks, and motorcycles, but Arntson says no show would be complete without the Pan Car, which was produced in St. Cloud from 1917 until 1923.

Pan was pretty innovative. He was a salesman in the southwest U.S. for many many years. He wanted to develop a car that would fit his needs. So the seat folds down and you can sleep in it. The headlight turns back into the motor so if you've got engine trouble you can turn the headlight and you've got a light on your engine. He's got an icebox in the back of the car that's built-in by the bumper, and a toolbox. There are pretty unique features of that car that people don't realize.

The Pantowners also sponsor different youth awards and scholarships in the area and are always looking for new members.

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