It’s a bit like deja vu, a hundred or more cars, all in neat rows according to their class, bright sunshine and people strolling among the rows. It has happened on the first Sunday in June at Armco Park in Middletown for the last 34 years; it’s the ACE Car Club show.

“Originally this was the Armco Car Enthusiasts Club,” explained president Chuck Rouster, “but since it changed to AK Steel, we just use the initials and now we’re the ACE Club.”

There was a steady stream of cars rolling in this Sunday, with more than 100 cars on the show field well before noon. The cars were competing in 18 classes and for the overall Best of Show award.

“Our members judge the cars; they can’t enter,” Rouster said. “We fan out about 1 p.m. and get the judging done, with a first and second place in each class. It takes a bit of work but we have a good group. We’re a little different than some clubs; I like to think we have an eclectic collection of cars. Our members have everything from street rods to faithfully restored original classics. And the variety of classes we offer reflects that.”

The club meets the second Monday of the month at Tony’s Auto Service on Charles St. in Middletown. “Tony gives us his front area for our meeting, and later we adjourn to Fricker’s for a bite to eat. We also hold a garage tour every month: We visit fabrication shops, engine shops, personal garages, all kinds of places,” Rouster explained. “We don’t have a website but we have a monthly newsletter, so if people are interested, just join us on the second Monday at Tony’s at 7 p.m.”

One car that was likely a contender for Best of Show was the gleaming black 1952 Mercedes-Benz 220 Cabriolet B of Scott Montoney. “This car has been in my family since 1958, but I’ve only owned it since 2007,” Montoney said. “My uncle brought the car over from Munich in 1958, and drove it as his daily car for nearly 49 years. I got it in 2007, and I’m still driving it a lot; I have it out once a week, at least.”

With more than a half million kilometers on the clock, the car looks great, inside and out. “It’s been repainted at least twice, and the seats have been redone, but the interior panels are still the original leather. It’s also had a new top installed,” Montoney said.

“The car was sent back to Germany in 1962 and the engine was freshened up, but other than that I do the routine work on it. It burns a little oil, but for all the miles, I think she’s holding up real well,” he said.

The car has a straight 6-cylinder engine with a single carburetor, and a 4-speed manual transmission with a column-mounted shifter. “It’s so smooth, I can cruise along all day on the highway at 65 MPH and it feels solid.” The car has been shown at the Ault Park, Louisville and Keeneland Concours and will be shown this fall in Dayton at the Concours d’Elegance at Carillon Historical Park.

“I drive it wherever we go – no trailer for this car – it was built to be driven.”