Two Chevrolet Bel Airs – one a 1956, the other a 1957 - sit side by side, just peeking out of an open garage door; their paint glittering as they catch the sunlight.

The two spectacular pieces of American automotive machinery are that of Hazel and Ray Ellis, two Downey residents known just as much for their successful car shows as they are for their impressive rides.

The elementary school sweethearts have been married for 56 years, having “never been apart.” As they’ve cruised down life’s road together, the couple has built quite a name and reputation for themselves amongst the car community.

“More people know me than they do Ray just by our names,” said Hazel. “You have to say ‘Ray and Hazel.’

“Everybody knows us. They know that when we put on a car show, it’s going to be a good raffle table, and the raffle table is what makes the charity money.”

It was Hazel who was the initial car enthusiast, though Ray is often the mechanic.

“It’s just a hobby, that’s all,” said Ray. “It’s my hobby. I enjoy going out there [to work on the cars] three, four hours a day. It gives me something to do instead of sitting in a rocking chair.”

The couple started attending car shows in 1998.

“We would go to car shows before he finished my truck,” said Hazel. “We just caught an interest, and when he finished my truck then that’s when we took my truck to the car shows and stuff.”

At the time, Hazel was driving a 1956 Ford pick-up truck.

“We went to a car show in Lake Havasu, and I won a motor. It was a Chevy motor,” said Hazel. “When we got home, we took the Ford motor out and put the Chevy motor in, and I’d take it to the large car shows like Super Chevy where John Force races. I have five Super Chevy Jackets where I won them.”

In fact, Hazel has won over 100 trophies, and has been featured in magazines.

Hazel hasn’t had the only success. Ray (or rather, his car) has been featured in magazines and won awards as well. Even their daughter won second place at her first show.

Eventually Hazel and Ray began their own show in 2006, building it to be the number one weekly car show in Southern California over the span of about six years.

“People want to show what they have. They have their cars and drive them, and they want people to see them,” said Hazel.

They did so well – in-fact – that they outgrew many of their spaces.

“It’s really hard to find a place to have a car show if you have a lot of cars,” said Hazel. “Even though I try to explain to the people, ‘Hey, we’re bringing money into your restaurant,’ you know, because of all the car people having to eat lunch, or dinner, or both. A lot of people say they just don’t want the liability, and this and that.”

One of the signatures of one of Ray and Hazel’s shows are Ray’s handmade trophies, made out of transmission and car parts that he receives from friend Dan Brewer.

They’ve since scaled back, only doing two shows a year for charity.

“We were doing it every Saturday night, and we didn’t have time to do nothing,” said Ray. “So, we said, ‘We’re just going to do charity.’”

Next month, Ray and Hazel will lend their talents to Downey Los Amigos Kiwanis, who will hold their annual car show alongside a pop-up market by Downey Collective. The event is in support of the Kolar Family YMCA.

Ray says everyone is welcome, but notes that the cars themselves are the draw.

“They’re beautiful cars,” said Ray.

Hazel added that “you don’t have to be into the old cars.”

“You go up to a car that you think, ‘Wow, I wonder how this runs,’ or ‘How’d you do this to the car? How’d you do that?’,” said Hazel. “The car people, they’re more than happy to talk about it.”

The Downey Los Amigos Kiwanis Car Show will be held Saturday, Aug. 3 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Stonewood Center behind Sears.

Ray and Hazel shift gears: Driving car shows to new heights