“Believe it or not, I’ve fit myself and at least one heavyset passenger in here,” Hecht said, even as he struggled to position his long legs in the compact cab of the open-top rat-rod. “Of course, there were certain gears I couldn’t shift to when we were both sitting here,” he laughed.

The 11th annual Drag Strip Reunion and Car show at the Arlington Airport Sept. 13 drew close to 500 such cars, among them Jim Workman’s 1971 Chevy Nova, Don Teel’s 1960 Rambler American and Fidel Lopez’s Frankenstein hybrid of a 1935 Ford with a Nissan 4×4 chassis, assorted other car parts and even dolls from his granddaughter.

More importantly to the Port Gardner Vintage Auto Club, which co-organizes the event with the Arlington Boys & Girls Club, this year’s event looks likely to have made more than $12,000 for an assortment of community charities.

Ann Horton, who serves as treasurer of both the car show and auto club, explained that the proceeds are still being added up, but expressed confidence that it had raised more funds than last year, which drew less than 400 cars on an overcast weekend.

“It was still a good show and a pleasant day, but this year, we had a great show with great weather,” said Horton, who estimated that more than 2,200 attendees filed through the gates, not including show entrants and their passengers.

The groups set to receive donations this year include: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Arlington and North Everett; the Arlington and Marysville community food banks; the Burned Children Recovery Foundation; Cocoon House; the Animal Rescue Foundation; the Everett Firefighters Association; and selected graduates of the Marysville-Pilchuck High School Automotive Program, the latter of whom receive tool scholarships each year.

Jake Jacobsen, who helped coordinate the show for the auto club in previous years, noted that the M-P automotive students have been among the regular beneficiaries.

“We select seniors who will stay in the automotive field after they graduate, and sponsor them to get tools, so they can get hired immediately out of school,” he added.

Among the more recently inducted recipients of the car show’s funds were the Open Door Theatre and Project Hope.

“Around December and January, we’ll be forming our committee to consider other recipients,” Ann Horton said.