Once upon a time gasoline was leaded, 30 cents a gallon, or cheaper.

Really.

Those days are gone, but many of the vehicles hooked on that gas survived. Over 200 of them return to Bluffton on Friday, June 16, for the 50th Bluffton Festival of Wheels cruise-in, sponsored by the Bluffton Lions.

A registration form is attached at the bottom of this story.

If luck prevails, you might catch glimpses of some gone-but-not forgotten heavy metal cruisers that once roamed Main Street Bluffton.

These included strange names like: Plymouth, Studebaker, Mercury, Edsel, VW Bug, Woody, Oldsmobile, Desoto and Packard.

Wheels is open to antique cars, classic cars, trucks, tractors, golf carts, fire engines, motorcycles and Cushman’s, according to Dennis Morrison, show chair.

This year’s show opens for parking at 2 p.m. and registration for vehicles is from 2 to 5 p.m., rain or shine.

Judging begins at 5 p.m. with trophies awarded at 7:30 p.m. A cruise down South Main Street begins at 8 p.m.

For more show information go to: www.blufftonlionsfoundation.org Vehicle registration by May 31 is $10 and after May 31 is $12.

Top winners from 2016 show:

• Best of Show – 1930 Studebaker Dictator
Virgil Studebaker, Spencerville
• Mayor’s Choice – 1955 Sunbeam Alpine
John Rindfoss, Bucyrus
• Lion’s Choice - 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Deluxe convertible
Larry and Luella Brown Eller, Deshler
• Sponsor’s Choice - 1962 Volkswagen Type 2 double cab
Jim and Karen Spurgat, Rawson

Proceeds from the festival benefit the charity work of the Lions, which includes:
• Bluffton, Pandora-Gilboa and Cory-Rawson High School graduating senior scholarships
• Sure-Sight Eye screening for 300 area pre-school and Kindergarten children
• Bluffton Boys’ and Girls’ State
• VOSH-Ohio (Pandora, Ohio, eyeglass sorting center)
• Pilot Dogs
• Ohio Sight/Hearing