What Was Lost in the Kensington Car Fire

In the news reports, with the cars still smoldering, it didn't look like the Latin Cruisers Car Club had been keeping much of anything interesting in their warehouse-garage that burned down last week at Jasper and Westmoreland streets. Metal was heaped upon metal (see next page), but the luscious colors and shiny chrome was gone. It was hard to imagine the heap of junk had ever been worth anything close to the $1 million reported on the news. In fact, Ed Flores' car club, which he started in 1991, has grown since its inception and now has chapters in New York and Florida. Shows take place all over the country, and—despite the name—people of all ethnicities are involved. Prizes are won. Many. Above are some photos of classic cars from the Latin Cruisers Car Club's website, starting with a photo of Ed himself standing by a, um, 1949 Ford, er, something-or-other?

We don't suggest the cars in the photos below are the same as those in the photos above, but they were something more than they seem to be now, that's for sure.

· Classic cars likely destroyed in garage fire [Inquirer]