By CLAYTON PARK

In 1992, Jim Clark, a dental photography instructor at the University of Washington, purchased a 1938 Chevrolet Town Sedan in so-so condition for $8,000 from a retired school teacher in Yakima.

Over the next three-and-a-half years, Clark, who lives in West Seattle, took the car completely apart and painstakingly restored it, piece by piece.

On Saturday, June 30, Clark's hard work paid off when his two-tone red Chevy won "Best of Show" honors at the ninth annual Greenwood Classic Car Show.

Organized by the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce, the car show has grown both in size and in popularity over the years. This year's event, which stretched along Greenwood Avenue from N. 87th to N. 73rd, drew so many entries that many classic cars had to be turned away on the morning of the show once its allotted 520 spaces got filled up.

Several owners whose cars were turned away displayed their prized vehicles anyway by parking them along Greenwood Avenue, south of N. 73rd.

The event also drew an estimated turnout of more than 20,000 spectators from throughout the Puget Sound region.

Greenwood-Phinney Chamber president Michele Della Pella, manager of Bank of America's Greenwood branch, served as the master-of-ceremonies for the car show. DJ Don & the Vinyltones kept the crowd entertained by spinning classic rock records all day long. The Legends Car Club served as the judges for this year's car show, which handed out first-, second- and third-place prizes in 20 different categories.

In addition to Clark's Best of Show award, this year's other Greenwood Classic Car Show first-place winners and their cars are as follows:

Best Classic, 1926-1948: Sherry Westergaard of Monroe (1942 Studebaker)

Best Stock, 1950 and newer, Kenny and Debbie Johns of Tukwila (1958 Chevrolet Impala)

Best Stock, pre-1950: Jack DeCaro (1949 Cadillac 2-door fastback)

Best 4-door, 1950 and newer: Carl Turay of Meadowbrook (1957 Cadillac 4-door sedan)

Best 4-door, pre-1950: Guy Capobianco of Tukwila (1949 Packard)

Best Convertible, 1950 & newer: Jim Freeburg of Shoreline (1962 Chevrolet)

Best Convertible, pre-1950: Rob Hughes of Woodinville (1948 Chrysler Town & Country)

Best Custom: Dave Stevens of Greenwood (1956 210 Chevrolet 2-door sedan)

Best Street Rod: Bob Lathrop of Enumclaw (1940 Chevrolet sedan)

Best Stock Truck: Allen Jones of Ballard (1950 Chevrolet pickup)

Best Mini-Truck: Bill Johnson of Greenwood (1993 Ford Ranger)

Best Custom Truck: Ron & Tessa Smith of Lynnwood (note: Ron grew up in Greenwood)(1949 Chevrolet pickup)

Best Low-Rider: Boray Hibbitt of Federal Way (1965 Chevrolet Impala)

Best Sportscar: Bill & Robin Hall of Shelton (1969 Porsche 911); Best Motorcycle: John Walker (1974 Trike)

Best "We didn't know you were coming!": Dan Davis of the Mt. Baker neighborhood (1963 Corvair Rampside with Scamper)

Best Orphan: David Hellene of Wedgwood (1935 Packard); Participants' Choice: James Reising (1967 Chevelle)

Bill Pierre Dodge Sponsor's Award: David Strazding (1969 Chevelle Super Sport)

Carter Volkswagen/Saab Sponsor's Award: Bill & Judy Iverson (1951 Oldsmobile 98 2-door hardtop).