Laec Christensen and his 1980 Mazda 626 sedan.
Laec Christensen’s pride and joy (and his daily driver for the last 10 years!) has been a 1980 Mazda 626 sedan. While stock-appearing on the exterior, the car is powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four and a transmission from a first-generation Miata.
Some cars, like Laec’s, from the 1970s through 1990s, go underappreciated in the traditional car-show realm. Sure, RADwood is out there to recognize part of this group, but Laec says there’s still an opportunity to celebrate the oft-forgotten “grandma cars” and the everyday underappreciated drivers of the era.
He says, “We’re clearing up an injustice, I think: those of us that grew up in the ’90s were promised a future where everything 25-years-old and up would be considered a classic … and yet my own 45-year-old chariot is mostly ignored at a regular show – and I’m far from the only one.”
My first car was a 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity that fits squarely (with its box-shaped silhouette, quite literally) into the demographic, so I can relate to Laec’s mindset.
Event Background
Enter the Malaise Car Club of Oregon, which has become a home base for vehicles of the “Malaise Era” between 1972 through 1995. Members connect via a Facebook group of over 600 members. This year will mark the fourth annual meet-up of an event put on by the club called the Malaise Invitational. It will be held at the Pumpkin Patch on Suavie Island on September 13. I connected with Laec for more intel on the background of this unique show. The first event was held in Eugene in 2022, and it has grown in size and in scope ever since.
Together with his colleagues Daniel Bones and Duncan Nodarse, Laec has helped build a community in the Pacific Northwest around the cars – and the people – from an era that many car shows overlook. As a special attraction, this year, a first-generation Pontiac Phoenix (in brown, of course) will be given away at the event. The car – dubbed “Russet” because of its Idaho-based origins – will be sent home with one lucky attendee.
Most importantly, the Malaise Invitational has a community-oriented mission: Proceeds will be donated to Birch Community Services, an organization that helps low-income families receive food, education, and “nurturing accountability” to qualifying community members in need.
Registration and Spectator Details
If you are interested in taking part in this year’s Malaise Invitational, participant registration is available at this link. Any car, truck, motorcycle, and anything with wheels made between 1972 and 1995 is encouraged to register. “Rust buckets, show cars, and daily drivers will all be equally welcomed at the show,” the website says. The show is open to the public and free to attend. Pets and food are welcome, and the event will be held rain or shine.
Event Details:
Fourth Annual Malaise Invitational
Saturday, September 13, 2025
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sauvie Island
16511 NW Gillihan Road, Portland, OR 97231
Photos courtesy of Malaise Car Club of Oregon and CurbsideClassic.com