Milwaukie resident Doug Naef and his girlfriend will bring 1956 model to Forest Grove show
Over the years, Milwaukie resident Doug Naef has occasionally attended the Forest Grove Concours dElegance car show with his dad. But this year he and his girlfriend, Christine Merris, will be presenting her car a 1956 Ford Thunderbird previously owned by the late western singing star Gene Autry.
The Forest Grove Rotary Club will host the 43rd annual Concours, a classic and vintage car show on the Pacific University campus, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 19. This year, the Classic Car Club of America will be part of the event, showcasing American or foreign-made classics from the years 1925 to 1948.
There will also be several sub-themes, including Celebrating 60 years of the Ford Thunderbird. Almost 300 cars are registered, including more than 10 Thunderbirds.
Registration chairman Geoff Johnston of Forest Grove is looking forward to seeing the classic cars. They are a little more exclusive, he said, adding that its not unusual to have million-dollar cars on campus.
Like Johnston, Naef is excited for the car show as well. He was raised around cars and remembers helping his dad fix up vehicles to use and sell.
Four years ago he became a part of the Touring Club of Oregon, a longstanding car club. But it wasnt until he met his girlfriend, Merris, that he was able to present a car in a show.
I would have never done this on my own, Merris said. Im excited to have someone as excited about this as I am.
And Merris car, in particular, has a history. In 1975 the car was sold to a family member associated with the Wrigley Gum company, a business associate of Autrys. And Autry himself who was known as The Singing Cowboy during his heyday in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s came to possess the vehicle in the early 1980s. A couple years later a friend of Merris father, Michael Pilosi, bought the vehicle but decided he didnt have time to work on it so he asked her dad if he wanted it. The answer was yes. 
The car, which at the time was in extremely poor condition, was stored in her familys barn in Molino, Ore., for 20 years before Merris decided to oversee the restoration in Portland.
I wanted the car to be as original as possible, Merris said. Im not a modifier.
In 2012 the cars restoration was completed with help from Merris family business, Main Street Collectors Mall & Soda Fountain in Milwaukie, where the car is used in local parades to promote the business.
In addition, both Naef and Merris participated in the Monte Shelton Northwest Classic Rally a four-day time/speed distance event in 2013.
It was a lot of fun and it was very challenging, Naef said. I didnt realize that people got involved in all these different activities.
Naef currently owns six cars one being the oldest registered Portia Volkswagen in Oregon as well as several motorcycles.
Im a firm believer in using the cars so I will use them with the Touring Club of Oregon, Naef said.
Aside from his many vehicles, Naef also owns Doug Naef Insurance Agency in Milwaukie. He enjoys traveling, spending time with his two children ages 25 and 27 other family members and gardening.
He loves motorcycling on back roads throughout Oregon and Washington and recently enjoyed a rafting trip on the Deschutes River with a Volkswagen van club anything to get him outdoors or on the water.
But most of all, Naef who will also be a judge during this months Concours says he anticipates seeing all the other cars and enjoying the company of like-minded people at the show. 
Im looking forward to sharing the Gene Autry car with the public because a lot of people of the era that appreciate older cars were big fans of his, Naef said. He was the only one to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He [was] a versatile guy, so to be able to share the car with the public is very rewarding.
All proceeds from Concours dElegance will go toward scholarships and community service projects, mainly in western Washington County.
I think thats why Im involved, Naef said. Im a big believer of giving back to the community and supporting things that help other people.
