The 2014 AACA NJ Region Annual Car Show

December 24, 2023 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Car shows, Events AACA NJ Region, Annual Spring Meet

How is it that I keep coming across photographs that I had forgotten I have? I was looking through my photo album from 2014 the other day, searching for something which has now completely escaped me. But while doing so, I noticed car show photos which did not look familiar to me. Researching my blog, I found that I’ve documented the AACA NJ Region Car Shows for 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019… but not 2014. Well, here they are, in all their Kodak glory (ALL photos below were taken with my trusty Nikon EM which I’ve owned since 1982).

We didn’t know it then, but 2014 would be the second-to-last time that the NJ Spring Meet would be held at the Automatic Switch Company’s parking lot in Florham Park NJ. After our 2015 show, the company announced to us that the lot would no longer be available due to planned long-term renovations. It was a shame for several reasons: the location had become well-known to show-goers, the lot itself was immense, and the location was ideal for Region members who resided anywhere in northern and central Jersey.

The 2014 show was also the 2^nd time I had entered my Alfa Romeo. Glancing through the images reminds me of how delighted I was to finally own a show-worthy car which could be driven to and from the venue. Another highlight I note in my images is the greater number of import cars on display, a count which seems to have dwindled within the club in recent times. (I know I’ve called out that my Alfa has been the only non-American vehicle in some recent AACA events.)

To my followers: thank you for reading my blog! February will mark 9 years since my inaugural post. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My friend Sean with his Pontiac Grand Ville convertible

ABOVE: This Alfa GTV was tastefully modified, but (obviously) not AACA-eligible, so it was not judged.

Trophies are awarded by class. At the end of the show, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each class line up to receive their just rewards:

The 1961 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

December 10, 2023 RichardReina Uncategorized Cadillac Coupe Deville

Last Thursday, the monthly AACA meeting ended around 9 p.m., its usual time. I was tired, and anxious to begin the one-hour drive home. After wishing Happy Holidays to those around me, I grabbed my coat and headed out the door of the American Legion Hall. And there it was. Suddenly tired no more, I froze, perhaps because its appearance was so unexpected, or perhaps because its enormity stood out in a parking lot full of smaller, modern vehicles. In this setting, there was nothing similar to distract from its visual impact. This 1961 Cadillac Coupe DeVille was a grand automobile when new, and is still grand today, in every sense of the word.

The car belongs to one of our club members, an infrequent meeting participant, but someone who is known for his exquisite taste in classic automobiles. I had not seen this car of his before. What first struck me were its proportions. For a two-door, its greenhouse is enormous, with the backlight (rear window) possibly larger than the windshield. The rear deck appeared to be as long as the hood, a trend that would soon disappear with the introduction of the Mustang just 3 years away. If you know your Cadillac history, then you know that the decade of the 1950s featured ever-larger fins through 1959, after which the tailfins began to shrink. Compared to what came before, these ’61 versions looked miniature.

According to my copy of The Standard Catalog of American Cars, all 1961 Cadillacs were powered by a 390 cubic-inch engine producing 325 HP. The Coupe DeVille rode on a 129.5” wheelbase, with an overall length of 222”. The two-door car was priced starting at $5,252 (compared to $5,498 for the Sedan DeVille), and weighed in at 4,595 lb. Cadillac churned out 20,156 Coupes DeVille (the 3 Sedan DeVille models totaled 35,018 units). While power steering, brakes, seats and windows were standard, one paid extra for options such as air conditioning, power door locks, a radio, and my personal favorite, “permanent antifreeze” ($9 for protection down to -40 degrees).

If the styling of the Coupe DeVille didn’t more the spirit within you, you could consider the ’61 Imperial Crown Southhampton coupe, still retaining massive fins, for $5,403. But FoMoCo fans were left high and dry in 1961: the dramatically restyled Lincoln, as gorgeous as it was, could be had only as a 4-door sedan or 4-door convertible. Two-door Lincolns were out for the time being.

This ’61 Cadillac epitomizes the luxury leadership that the brand would maintain throughout the decade of the 60s. I hope that this car’s owner considers bringing this car to an upcoming show so that I may gaze upon it in good light, and in more detail!

More Old Cars and Old Cameras

December 3, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events 120 film camera, British Car Shows, Kodak VC160 film, Succasunna NJ

I was delighted by all the positive responses to last week’s post, which frankly I didn’t expect. One friend in particular encouraged me to “get out there and use film cameras to photograph more old cars”, which I intend to do once the 2024 show car season flips its switch to “on”. In the meantime, I leafed through a couple of photo albums and found snaps which up until now have not made it onto the blog.

According to my documentation, these shots were taken in 2006, which is when my antique-camera obsession was born, triggered by a dear aunt of mine who gifted me with a bag full of old cameras she discovered when cleaning out her attic. The show was the All-British Car Show in Succasunna NJ, the camera was a Kodak Brownie Bullet, and the film was Kodak VC160. While I no longer own the camera, I’m certain that it was an inexpensive fixed-focus model, and these photos appear to be mostly in focus, with good depth of field.

If it weren’t for the minivan in the background of the Bugeye Sprite (and perhaps the QQ “antique” license plates), you could be convinced that these were taken 50 years ago. In the final photo of the yellow MG-TC, you can see some camera flare at the bottom, adding to the old-time aura. Looking at these photos again reminds me how spoiled we are by digital picture-taking, with its instant gratification. With this roll of film, first, I had to finish it, then send it off to developing, then patiently wait a week before being able to critique my image-making. Here, I felt lucky that the compositions captured what I had hoped they would. But that is part of the charm, isn’t it?

Old Cars, Old Cameras

November 26, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events 120 film camera, 35mm film camera

Among other hobbies of mine which drain money from my wallet, I have a modest collection of old cameras. Not to turn this into RichardsPhotoBlog, but most of the cameras take 120 (medium format) film, utilizing a negative that is roughly 4 times the size of a 35mm negative. Everything being equal, the larger the negative, the more detail which can be captured. However, these old cameras (3 of my favorites date from the decades of the 1940s and ‘50s) have inferior lenses compared to “modern” film cameras. These cameras are also completely manual in operation: there are no batteries installed, no light meters, no (gasp!) auto-focus. Yet the larger negatives can produce results which a technically better 35mm camera cannot. Part of the fun is to see if I can A) load film into them; B) operate the controls; and C) produce acceptable images.

I’m not the first with this idea (check out Murilee Martin, who’s carved out a corner of the Internet by combining his passions for cars and film photography) , but when I remember to bring an old camera, I’ve enjoyed using it to photograph show cars. This all came to mind recently when I uncovered a few envelopes of prints. My photos go into albums in somewhat chronological order, and I had not attended to that task in several years. Hence, the subject of this week’s blog post. The pictures I found had been taken during the summer of 2021, when I attended 3 different events, each time with a film camera in tow. Posted below are samples of the results. There is definitely a softness, a color shift, an old-world quality to film that digital does not possess. I did use an older (1981) 35mm film camera for some of the snaps, and I’ve indicated that below. See what you think compared to the cold perfection of digital.

NESHANIC STATION NJ CAR SHOW, 120 FILM CAMERA

NEW HOPE PA AUTO SHOW, 120 FILM CAMERA

AACA NATIONAL, SARATOGA SPRINGS NY, 35MM CAMERA

Terry’s 1964 Malibu SS restoration project

November 19, 2023 RichardReina Events, Repair sessions 1964 Chevrolet Malibu SS

My friend Terry invited me to his home last weekend to check out the progress on his project car. Quick background stories on both: I met Terry close to 25 years ago when we both worked for VCNA (Volvo Cars North America). Our professional relationship was peripheral until I joined him in the Technical Engineering Department in 2006. We labored together until my retirement in 2009 and have remained close. Terry became owner of this 1964 Chevy Malibu SS in 1971 when he was still a teenager! It remained garaged at his parents’ home in Madison, Wisconsin until 1999, when he trailered the car back to his residence in NY. Only since his own retirement has he been able to devote time to it, and his progress has been noteworthy.

The Chevrolet/Volvo/Madison coincidence runs deeper than this, though. Terry told me that he (in reality his father) bought this ’64 from Smart Motors in Madison, which at that time was an authorized Volvo dealer (also selling other import makes, as most did). The car, not running because the manual gearbox was stuck in gear, cost $225. Terry said he seems to remember using a hammer on it, which successfully freed the mechanism, allowing him to drive it home. (He wanted a ’65 because an uncle had one, but settled on this ’64 instead.)

This past Friday, as soon as Larry and I arrived at Terry’s house, he invited us into his garage to view a complete engine/transmission assembly on a home-built stand. With 12V battery and gas can on the ground, Terry stepped up to a “dashboard”, flicked a few controls, and the engine instantly fired to life. In order to ensure that his engine rebuild was done to his satisfaction, and to fine-tune all the settings, Terry constructed an elaborate set-up allowing him to start and run the engine in his garage.

Larry (L) and Terry (R) inspect the details

Here you can see the complete drivetrain, with “dashboard” on right

Some specifics on the drivetrain: the car’s original engine block became lost over time, so Terry located a 283 SS engine which he had bored 0.030” over, yielding a displacement of 355 c.i. The block wears aluminum heads with larger valves. Atop the aluminum intake manifold is a Holley 4-barrel “street” carb, rated at 600 CFM. Terry noted that it’s a common mistake to “over carburate” a rebuilt engine, and this arrangement was chosen for its street-worthiness. (“I’m not going racing with it!” he exclaimed.) Backing up this engine is a Tremec 5-speed TKO model tranny. Fifth gear is a 0.64-to-1 overdrive, which will allow for relaxed highway cruising. The transmission also features an electronic pickup for the speedometer, as well as neutral safety and reverse light switches.

With the drivetrain so near completion, Terry has begun to make plans for the body shell’s restoration. To my amateur eye, the body looked good. (As I told Terry, I grew up in NYC where copious amounts of salt were strewn on the roads every winter. In the ‘60s and ‘70s of my youth, we saw many cars rust away after only 5 or 6 years of driving.) Over the last several years, he has been collecting NOS and replacement sheetmetal, and Terry has lined up a restoration shop which will take the shell sometime in 2024 to restore and paint it. At that point, all that will be left is final assembly!

The 1964 Malibu body shell wears a very old coat of black paint

Missing trunk floor allows view of rear axle

Terry and I have spoken at length about auto restoration in general, and my own 5-year journey with the Isetta, well-documented throughout this blog. Somehow I found time to do that work when I was in my 30s and 40s. Thirty years older than I was then, after relocating from WI to Sweden to NY, and raising a family, this is now Terry’s time. I’m personally thrilled for him, and his own excitement is palpable. I plan to make future visits to document his progress on these digital pages.

Alfas and Espresso in Red Bank NJ, Nov. 12, 2023

November 12, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events AROC NJ Chapter, Auto Exotica, Red Bank NJ

On Sunday November 12, 2023, the NJ Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) sponsored an “Alfas and Espresso” event at Auto Exotica in Red Bank NJ. The gathering was scheduled to run from 9am to 12 noon, and as I observed as I pulled into the lot at 9:05 in my ’67 GT 1300 Junior, much of the available parking was already spoken for. The folks at Auto Exotica had also invited members of the Italian Car Club of Staten Island, and they showed up in good numbers, driving mostly late-model Alfas and Ferraris. Auto Exotica is an independent used-car dealer, stocking newer high-end machinery from brands like BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz.

It was great to see friends from our NJ Chapter again; there has been a rejuvenation of the club since the middle of the year, and hopes are high that this will continue into 2024. The day was partly sunny but brisk, with morning temps in the low 40s, so soon after parking, we headed inside where coffee, bagels, and (no surprise here) Italian cookies and cannolis awaited us.

I didn’t wait long to head back outside because I wanted to photograph as many of these beautiful Italian automobiles as I could. Standouts included a Giulietta Sprint Speciale, a large handful of 4Cs, including some in seldom-seen colors, modern Giulia sedans modified with exterior goodies, and arriving several hours late, a pair of Giulia GTAs which I was told were authentic, complete with twin-spark engines and plexiglass windows. (When they change hands, which is infrequent, real GTA transaction prices are in the 200 large range. Buyer beware, as many ‘tributes’ are built.)

Wanting to beat the crowd, I departed Auto Exotica around 11:30 am. The ride home, like the ride to the place, was uneventful, with mostly highway driving on Route 287 and the Garden State Parkway. This was my final event of this year, so once I got home, I topped up the fuel tank, added the requisite dose of Sta-Bil, and put the Alfa in the garage for the winter. It was a very good year for that car: By my records, I drove it 813 miles in 2023, close to my personal goal of 1,000 miles. The car ran flawlessly. It consumed no oil, never failed to start, and never failed to get me home. Of course I have a to-do list for the car, consisting mostly of maintenance items. Weather permitting, I’ll be working on it over the winter and updating the blog as progress ensues.

SPIDERS

CLASSICS

NON-U.S. SPEC CARS

GTAs

4Cs

MODERN GIULIAS & A TONALE

Refreshing the Alfa’s Exterior Lighting

November 10, 2023 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Events, Repair sessions Automotive bulbs, Sealed beam headlight bulbs

During a routine check of my Alfa’s exterior lighting, I discovered an inoperative right rear turn signal. Easy enough to change the bulb, I told myself, and removed that side’s tail lamp lens (4 Philips head screws, easily accessed). I have had the rear lenses apart before, several years ago, at which time I gave them a thorough cleaning. Then it occurred to me: I have never removed the front turn signal lenses. Even though all the front parking and signal lights worked, I decided that after 10+ years of ownership, it would be prudent to peek at those as well.

Here’s the thing about owning an older car (my Alfa will be 57 years old next year!): the list of preventative maintenance items never ends. I consider myself a good steward of the car, staying on top of fluid changes, brakes, tires, and various rubber bits. But the front lamps? Why did something so simple and so obvious escape my grasp? I have no excuse other than to rationalize that there was always something else that was a priority. So now was the time.

The front signal lenses were even easier to remove than the rears: just one Philips head screw. I pulled all the bulbs and was not surprised to observe that although functional, several of them had dark spots. They have all been in the car since at least 2013, the year it became mine, and how many years before that is anyone’s guess. Now I was ready to shop for bulbs.

They were all standard sizes: 1156, 1157, and 5007, front and rear. Ever so briefly did I consider going the LED route, but changed my mind, deciding that I didn’t want to tax the older wiring, or run into any overheating or physical interference issues. I checked online to explore my choices, and saw that Walmart had the best combination of brand, availability, and pricing. The front lenses are clear, and the 1156 bulbs for the turn signals were clear (white light), so the one upgrade I made was to swap in amber bulbs. The 4 packages of bulbs ran me around $12, and 48 hours after placing the order online, I drove to my local Walmart, pulled into one of their “online pickup” parking spots, called the phone number on the sign, and 5 minutes later, the bulbs were brought out to my car door.

Lens gasket (in white) perished a while back

Oh, the front signal lens gaskets: Without a doubt they were the ones that ‘Mario’ installed in March of ’67 as the car came down the Milano assembly line, as they crumbled in my hands. A plastic scraper removed the final traces of the old gaskets, and I placed an order with my #1 Alfa parts supplier, Classic Alfa in the UK, around 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. On Tuesday at 7 p.m. a DHL truck dropped the box on my front porch. This 48-hour turnaround is typical for them, and this, combined with the quality of their wares, is why they are my #1.

All the new Sylvania bulbs fit as expected and everything functioned on first try. I did not necessarily detect a substantial increase in brightness, but that was not the goal. I wanted new bulbs that would match left to right and would last for a few years. While working on the front end, I noticed (again, after 10 years of ownership) that the 2 headlight bulbs were from different manufacturers. I’ve never had the headlights out of the car, so back to the task of finding and ordering new bulbs. Amazon had Wagner sealed beam halogen bulbs and that’s what I bought. While the headlight bezels were off, I gave their undersides a quick coat of Rust-O-Leum paint to seal some minor rust, and polished the chrome which really spruced up the front of the car. Take a look at these before and after shots of the low beams and high beams:

Lesson learned! Modern cars spoil us with their state-of-the-art lighting (which in many cases require a complete assembly to be replaced if a lighting element fails). If you have a older car running incandescent bulbs, consider checking and replacing them with new, even if they are functional.

Harold “Pete” Wyman, 1933 – 2023

October 29, 2023 RichardReina Collector's Corner, Family cars

My dear friend Pete Wyman passed away on September 25, 2023. He was 90 years old. I first met Pete over 20 years ago when his daughter Pam, a good friend and former work colleague of my wife’s, was visiting our home. Walking past the garage where I was tinkering, probably with the Isetta, Pam uttered in the most nonchalant way, “Oh, you should meet my father, he likes old cars too”. A short time later, I did meet Pete, and we became good friends almost immediately, bonding over our shared automotive passions.

Pete was a man of few words, and even when he did speak, he was soft-spoken, so during that first meeting, he spoke a bit about his collection, but I had a difficult time grasping what he said. He invited us to his home in Fairfield PA, outside of Gettysburg, and we eventually made the trek. As we pulled into the driveway, I saw this gorgeous green Alfa Romeo parked on the front lawn. As soon as I exited my car, I pointed to the Alfa and exclaimed “sell me this car!” Pete immediately replied “No, it’s not for sale, but you can drive it if you’d like”. Of course, I had the first of what would be many stints behind the wheel, something I got to do at every visit.

ABOVE: The first visit. Me with the Alfa which would someday be mine; my wife Margaretanne and I with the DeSoto; Pete with the DeSoto.

Also in his possession at that time were 2 pre-war cars, a 1931 DeSoto and 1936 Oldsmobile. The other surprise was to discover that he was the original owner of a 1979 Volvo 265 station wagon, an AACA award winner. I would eventually visit Pete at his home once or twice a year. At each visit I would work on one of his cars for him, and get to drive one or more of them. Through the years, the collection grew and shrank. Pete’s taste was eclectic: he added an AMC Pacer and Hudson Jet, neither of which he kept for long. In a moment of candor, he admitted that both were ‘whim’ purchases, made without much deliberation. He went on to sell the DeSoto, the Olds, and the Volvo, and added some newer iron in the form of a 2006 Jaguar XJ, a retro Ford Thunderbird, and a Volvo XC70. The Volvo was purchased new, while the Jag and T-Bird were low-mileage used cars.

ABOVE: The AMC Pacer next to my 2003 Volvo V70; the Alfa, Pacer and V70

Pete was an electrical engineer; you could literally say that he was a rocket scientist, as he performed contract work on the Space Shuttle for NASA. One of his proudest possessions was a photograph, autographed by the astronauts who had flown one of the Space Shuttle missions. Like other engineers I’ve met, he was fastidious with the care and upkeep of his cars. Also like some engineers, he enjoyed making what he saw as “improvements” to them. For example, the ’79 Volvo had a 3-speed automatic transmission, and to Pete, the engine revved too high at highway speeds. He was determined to put in a Volvo-sourced 4-speed, but ran into all kinds of issues regarding bellhousing shape, driveshaft length, and crossmember location. He persisted, though, and found a mechanic willing to work with him on it. Despite my own words of discouragement (“Pete, really, you hardly drive the car, is it worth it?”), he successfully completed the project.

I drove every one of his cars except the Hudson (my recollection is that he owned that car for such a short period of time that he bought it and sold it in between my visits!). The DeSoto was my first time behind the wheel of a pre-war car – I was shocked at how easy it was to drive. The Pacer was competent and didn’t feel like an old car. I said this to Pete about the Jaguar: you could jump onto Route 80, set the cruise control, and arrive in San Francisco still refreshed. Driving the ’36 Olds convertible was a huge thrill. The torque from that straight-8 engine was endless; the ride and handling were sublime. Steering effort was manageable, but with that long, long hood, one had to plan for turns half a block in advance.

ABOVE: The Jaguar XJ, with Pete’s new XC70 in the garage

Finally, the Alfa: I’ve told this story so many times, and still get a kick out of telling it. After that initial “No!” from Pete, I persisted in asking him to sell me the car every time I saw him. Well, persistence pays off! It took 8 years, but Pete finally said yes, and that gorgeous ’67 Alfa Romeo became mine in March of 2013. The sale was contingent on a gentlemen’s agreement that I would keep the Alfa in as original condition as he had done during his 45 years of stewardship. I’ve kept to my promise, and even though Pete is gone, I intend to continue to honor it.

I attended Pete’s service and burial on Monday, October 2. His wife, four daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren were all there (one daughter predeceased him). Pete was in the hospital two weeks prior, and spent the final week of his life at his home in hospice care. My wife and I visited him in the hospital, and while he was physically very weak, his mind was as sharp as ever, proven by his recollections with me of many of our automotive adventures.

I will greatly miss my friend Pete. Even though one is aware that someone’s time is coming to an end, it’s still a shock to learn that a friend has passed. I am honored to say that Pete Wyman was my friend. Please read his obituary to learn more about this wonderful man:

https://www.myersdurborawfh.com/obituary/Harold-Wyman

ABOVE: Views from inside the garage, with the ’79 265 and the ’36 Olds undergoing service.

Pete, his wife Charlen, and Volvo 265 at Hershey

Pete under the hood of the 265. Silver canister to right of coolant overflow bottle is electric pre-oiler installed by him, which delivers engine oil to cylinder heads before cranking.

Pete inside the ’36 Olds.

Pete, his wife Charlen, and my wife Margaretanne (with Volvo 265) at Hershey

Pete under the hood of HIS Alfa

The T-Bird

1936 Olds with T-Bird and ’79 Volvo in their garages

ABOVE: Beauty shots of the 1936 Olds, taken after I returned from driving it.

AACA NJ Region at Bright View Senior Living, Oct. 22, 2023

October 22, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events Bright View Senior Living Facilty, NJ Region AACA

The NJ Region of the AACA participated in a display of special interest cars at the Bright View Senior Living Facility in Warren NJ on Sunday Oct. 22, 2023. The Region has hosted or co-hosted a number of these type of events throughout the Garden State. Facility residents are invited to come outside and enjoy viewing the older cars, while the facility supplies lunch and snacks for car owners and residents alike.

The car count was strong at this one: 22 vehicles in all, most of them AACA-original spec cars. Several custom, modifieds, and “hot rods” were also displayed. As usual for an AACA showing, there was a wide spread of makes and model years. The oldest vehicle among the stock cars was a 1933 Pontiac, closely followed by a 1938 LaSalle. A beautiful 1953 Cadillac was also on display, as were a large number of models from the ‘60s through ‘90s.

The day was sunny if a bit breezy; in other words, a great autumn day. The event ran from 12 noon to 3 p.m., and the instant feedback from organizers was that the cars were greatly appreciated by the residents.

Mustang Car Show, Columbia NJ, Oct. 15, 2023

October 15, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events Ford Mustang, GSRMC

The Garden State Region Mustang Club (GSRMC) held its “Mustangs & Merlot” car show at the Brook Hollow Winery in Columbia NJ on Sunday Oct. 15, 2023. The GSRMC President is also a member of the NJ Region of the AACA, and he requested a team of AACA volunteers with some judging experience to judge the Mustangs. Doing it this way would maintain impartiality, as none of the 6 judges were displaying cars. I agreed to be one of the 6, and we were split into 3 teams of 2.

Cars were divided into classes: first, either “stock” or “modified”, then by generation. (The “modified” distinction was made by GSRMC officers, and not the judges. Any cars with 3 or more mods were placed in the modified class.) My co-judge and I judged 5 stock classes: 1964-1966 cars, 1967-1970 cars, Fox-body cars, 1994-2004 cars, and 2015-2023 cars. While that sounds like a large number, there were 6 cars in the ’64-’66 class, only 2 in the ’67-’70 class, only ONE Fox-body car, and only 2 cars in the 1994-2004 class. The big numbers were in the 2015-and-up class which had 11 cars. (Again, these numbers reflect cars in the STOCK class only.) I estimated that there were about 50 cars on the show field.

As a former Mustang owner and GSRMC member, I was genuinely surprised at the very low turnout for all pre-2005 cars. Mike D., GSRMC President whom I’ve known for many years, told me a while back that club membership has taken a decided turn toward late-model vehicles. At least this speaks well of the continued enthusiasm for the Mustang among newer and presumably younger owners.

Cars were judged on workmanship and appearance (condition and cleanliness) only, so none of us were expected to be Mustang experts. Still, especially among the newer cars, judging became very tight when points were being subtracted for demerits as small as dirty floor mats, paint nicks, and less-than-stellar engine compartments. Our task was made easier because we only had to select one winner per class. We were not looking for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winners.

I took my photos before judging started, knowing that cars would leave as soon as winners were announced. In many cases, as you can see, hoods and trunks were open as required, so I had to accept that in my pictures. After the previous day’s rain, everyone was thrilled that it was dry, but a brisk breeze and a peek-a-boo sun meant jackets stayed on. I greatly enjoyed being immersed ever so briefly among Mustangs again, and I saw one or two that would look really nice in my garage!