Car shows

The Lime Rock “Sunday in the Park” Car Show, Sep. 2024

RichardReina Car shows, Events ,

While Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end to the summer season, there are still plenty of classic car shows to attend before things shut down for the winter. And what better way to kick off this segment of the year than by attending Lime Rock Park and its Historic Festival 42 (as in “now in its 42nd year”). As I did last year, I rode up to the event with my friend and fellow Alfa-owner Tony, and we were rewarded with great weather and a great display of cars. To my eyes, compared to last year’s slightly disappointing turnout, this year’s vehicles were more numerous and more varied.

As always, the vehicles arranged on the track can be broken into two large groups: the Featured Classes, and the Gathering of the Marques. The Featured Classes are pre-arranged, and one must apply to have one’s vehicle accepted. The Gathering of the Marques is open to any spectator with paid admission, provided that their car’s marque is one on display.

No one featured class stood out for me; rather, it was a nice assortment of pre-war, post-war, domestic, and import vehicles. For the Gathering of the Marques, I found the Italian brands, especially Fiat and Alfa Romeo, to exhibit stronger than usual showings.

 

AMERICAN
Pre-war Cadillac
1940 LaSalle
1964.5 Mustang, claimed to be wearing all-original paint

1935 Chrysler Airflow

A ONE-OWNER ’67 GTO

The gentleman representing this car claimed that he bought it brand new in 1967 when he was 22 years old. The car has 7x,000 miles on it, and he further claimed that it was 100% original: paint, chrome, upholstery. The car looked stunning. He special ordered it with Tri-Power and without PS, PB, or A/C. On top of all this, he owns 15 other GTOs!

 

BRITISH

 

1930 MG

 

GERMAN

 

FRENCH
If this French Simca looks Italian, it’s because it was designed by Bertone

Renault Alpine

 

VOLVO

 

FIAT

Fiat 1500 OCSA

A BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED ’69 FIAT 124 SPORT COUPE

Ever since buying one as a 20-year-old, I have had a soft spot for the Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. Terminal rust has killed 90%+ of them, and it’s an incredible treat when one pops up at a show. This ’69 (first-gen car with the single headlamps) stopped me in my tracks, as it looked almost perfect. I spoke at length with the owner who told me he bought it 8 years ago, then spent 7 years restoring it, so it’s been finished for only about a year. He had two cars and took the best parts of each to create one car. All mechanical work was performed by him, with only the body and paint work farmed out, although the body shop had the shell for 3 years. I asked about sheet metal availability, and he said that this car needed a complete floorpan. Doing some research, he discovered that the 124 4-door sedan and the 124 coupe had the same wheelbase. The 124 sedan was built in large numbers under license as a Lada in both Poland and Russia, so parts availability in these former Soviet-bloc countries was good. He found an aftermarket floorpan for the sedan offered by a Ukrainian company, and with some trepidation, ordered it. It arrived, and to everyone’s glorious surprise and relief, it dropped right into place!

 

ALFA ROMEO

The “Juniors” (smaller engines, fewer features) were never officially imported into the U.S., so seeing one is a rare treat, although they are around. My ‘67 of course, is a Junior, privately imported in 1967. While I’ve seen a small handful of other Juniors at Alfa shows, I’ve never seen one in the same colors as mine, that is until I saw this 1968 model, one year newer. Other Junior owners have challenged certain features on my car, claiming that all Juniors have two-spoke wheels (mine is a three-spoke), and only one “Designed by Bertone” badge on the front fenders (I have two, one on each side). This Lime Rock Junior had the same steering wheel as my car but only one “Bertone” badge. Most interestingly, it had a grey dash without the vinyl “wood” applique which my car has. I’ve only seen the grey dash on pre-1967 coupes. I think, as others have hinted at, that the factory assembly process was simply not always that precise.

 

GRILLE EVOLUTION

 

ADDENDA

This Fiat 500 was spotted on Main St. in Somerville NJ parked between a Porsche and a Mercedes-Benz. You could fit THREE 500s into that parking spot!

 

Entire blog post content copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Text and photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

The 2024 New Hope Auto Show

RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Car shows, Events

The New Hope (PA) Auto Show, now in its 67th year, was held during the weekend of August 10 & 11, 2024. After a stormy week concluding with a tornado watch (!) on Friday for most of the eastern PA/central NJ area, the weekend weather was some of the best of the summer: sunny, low humidity, and not too hot! The New Hope show organizers did their usual thing, with American cars on Saturday and “foreign cars” (I thought the hobby dropped that phrase in favor of “import cars”) on Sunday. I was there yet again with my Alfa, as the NJ and Delaware Valley Chapters of the AROC (Alfa Romeo Owners Club) turn out in reasonably big numbers for the show. This year, 13 Alfas were in attendance, and for the first time, thanks to the lobbying efforts of our NJ President Enrico, ALL Alfas were parked and judged together, including modern models such as the Giulia and 4C.

While not as populated as it’s been in prior years, I was informed that over 200 cars had registered for Sunday, and it appeared as though that many cars were indeed on the ground. Vehicles are organized by marque and/or country of origin, making it easy to scout for your faves. The show continues to attract some of the highest quality cars in the area, with the only downside coming from some jerks in the “modern exotics” (I’m looking at you, Lamborghini owner) who think it’s entertaining to rev their open-exhaust engines at 6,000 rpm.

When it was time to begin judging the Alfas, I was volunteered by Enrico, as his call for volunteer judges during the weeks leading up to the day resulted in zero response. Paul, another NJ Chapter member, also joined us, so our team of 3 set out to judge the row of 13. Traditionally, the Alfa group is simply divided into ‘open cars’ and ‘closed cars’. But with one modern Giulia and two 4C’s in the mix, Enrico came up with “pre-1980” and “1980 and newer” as the sub-classes, and that worked out beautifully. It was an almost even split of 6 and 7, and so we proceeded. In the Pre-1980 class, a stunning plum-colored GTV Coupe won 1st place; in the Post-1980 class, the red 4C took home top honors.

New Hope rings the bell for me for many reasons, including the short (under 30 minutes) and easy (no interstates) drive. But this is it for big shows this year. In 2024, I’ve had the Alfa to East Hanover NJ, Saratoga Springs NY, Fort Lee NJ, and Macungie PA, all highway drives, and all during less-than-ideal weather. Nevertheless, I will continue to drive the car, which was my intention when purchasing it 11 years ago. I’ve now put over 14,000 almost trouble-free miles on it, and I look forward to keeping it on the road.

GERMAN

ITALIAN (OTHER THAN ALFA ROMEO)

BRITISH

 

Bristols are very rare in the U.S.; I cannot recall the last time I saw one.

 

This Alvis was a “Senior” car (previous 1st place winner), and it was impeccable.

 

VOLVO

ALFA ROMEO
It was nice to be in this trio of Bertone coupes. Note that my car is a ‘step-nose’ while the other two have the ‘smooth nose’.

 

 

ADDENDA

Someday I’m going to devote an entire blog post to “My Aunt Rita’s Cars”. She had exquisite taste in automobiles and treated herself to some fine machinery. As a preview, here is a photo which I had presumed “lost”: it’s a film photo which was greatly underexposed. But with some modern technology, I was able to bring it back enough to identify it as her 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass, her third new Cutlass in a row. The shot was taken in her driveway on Staten Island, probably in the late 1970’s.

 

Entire blog post content copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Text and photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

 

Das Awkscht Fescht, Macungie, PA, Aug. 3, 2024

RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Car shows, Events , ,

Das Awkscht Fescht, better known as (and more easily pronounced as) “Macungie”, was held this year on August 2, 3, and 4, 2024. This was the show’s 61st year, and since I have blogged about this show in the past (click here for stories about the 2010, 2013, 2017, 2021, and 2022 editions), I will refrain from repetition.

However, this was the first time since trailering the Isetta here in 2010 that I entered a show vehicle. Early Saturday morning, I fired up the Alfa Romeo and made the one-hour drive to Macungie Memorial Park, located in beautiful downtown Macungie, PA. While the town and the park are indeed beautiful, the summer weather continued to be slightly less so. It was a hot ride out, and even though the grass and trees provided a much more verdant setting compared to asphalt, it only got hotter as the morning continued.

I registered for Saturday’s show because that day was AACA day. After parking with the other vehicles in Class 7 (“sports cars”), I grabbed the camera and covered as much of the field as I could. As usual, the variety and quality of cars on display were impressive. It was no surprise that American iron ruled the day, but there were plenty of imports to keep my interest as well. The featured model for the weekend was the Ford Mustang, celebrating its 60th anniversary, and there were dozens on hand, from the 64.5 introductory model right up to the newest ponies.

I met up with several friends who made the trip, and after walking the show with them for a bit, we decided to grab an early lunch to beat the crowds. By this time, I could no longer remain in the sun, as I felt it was wearing me out. Doing my best to stay hydrated, I made the somewhat intelligent decision to hit the road by 1:30 p.m. The skies were darkening as well, and although Google weather indicated that the rain would not arrive in Macungie until 4 p.m., it felt prudent to get a jump start. The car (57 years old) started right up, but my Android phone (1 year old) did not – for the first time ever, I saw this message: “PHONE IS OVERHEATED, ALLOW COOL DOWN”. We (me, the car, and the phone) made it home just fine, enduring a 5-minute heavy shower which felt like it may have dropped the outside temp by 10 degrees. Entering my house, I downed two iced teas, and enjoyed a cold brew with my takeout Chinese. Overall, it was a good day, but I will need to accept that July/August car shows are going to be steamy.

Hanging out in the shade
AMERICAN CARS

IMPORT CARS

MUSTANGS

THE 1955 NASH

DESIGN STUDY: HEADLIGHTS AND GRILLES THROUGH THE AGES

 

ADDENDA

One of the oddest (and most oddly named) of the British imports is the Humber Super Snipe. I believe that I first learned of this model name in a 1960s Car & Driver magazine, and it’s likely that they used it in a sarcastically humorous way. I recently rediscovered this film photo, taken in 1990 while on a weekend jaunt on Long Island. I mean, what are the chances of spotting ONE Humber Super Snipe, much less TWO? According to Wikipedia, the quad headlights identify these as 1960-or-newer models. One looks like it might run, while the other appears to have already begun to shed its parts to keep the better one alive and running. This was 34 years ago; I wonder where these cars are today?

Entire blog post content copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Text and photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

 

Concours on the Palisades, Fort Lee NJ, July 14, 2024

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On Sunday July 14, the town of Fort Lee hosted its 3rd annual “Concours on the Palisades”, a celebration featuring a variety of older and newer classic and exotic cars. I posted about last year’s event, when I worked as a judge. This year, my judging duties were again requested, and I also entered my ’67 Alfa into the show, as there was a special class of Alfa Romeos to honor the 70th anniversary of the Giulietta and the 50th anniversary of the Alfetta.

Last year’s show was good but could have been better organized. We provided feedback that not all cars were parked in their correct classes, which added a layer of complexity to our jobs. This year, the Chief Judge (Bob Austin, a former Volvo colleague and dear friend) decided that the judges would assist in parking the cars for the classes they would be judging. I was on a team of 4 judges, and our assigned classes were “Italian” and “Japanese” cars. So there we were, at 8 a.m., directing traffic. Aside from the early hour (not really an inconvenience) I thought this was a brilliant move, as it gave us early insight into the cars in our classes. As was suggested to us, watching the cars move under their own power and providing an initial “welcome” to the owners meant we had greater familiarity with the cars and owners once formal judging commenced.

An Amphicar at the check-in tent

Our scoresheets showed 10 cars in the Italian class and 11 in the Japanese class. However, only 6 Italian cars showed up, and only 7 Japanese cars. We were tasked with selecting the Top Four so in reality, we didn’t have a heavy workload. The most difficult part of the judging process was dealing with the 90 degree-plus heat. Thankfully, we were done with our field review by 11 a.m. and headed to an air-conditioned conference room to make our final tallies.

The Concours on the Palisades uses “French Rules”: judges need to answer only one question, which is, “what kind of visual impact does this motor vehicle present to me?” Yes, condition, workmanship, personal histories, etc., do play a part. But ultimately, it’s the overall visual statement made by the car which decides the winners.

In the Italian class, we gave 3rd place to a green Lancia Fulvia, 2nd place to an orange DeTomaso Pantera, and 1st place to a white Lancia Fulvia Zagato. The Zagato emerged on top due to its uniqueness, color combination, and overall condition. Among the Japanese cars, 3rd went to a black 1989 Nissan 240SX track car, 2nd to a Suzuki Cappuccino “kei car”, and 1st to a near-bone-stock orange 1974 Toyota Corolla. For our entire judging team, the Toyota was an emotional choice. The car was a survivor, in what appeared to be unrestored condition, in a period color combo one doesn’t see today. We agreed that had it had a manual gearbox it would have been perfect.

The Alfa Romeos (separate from the other Italian cars) were parked on Main St. in a position of honor, along with the other Special Class this year, the Mercedes-Benz SLs (all years). Nine Alfas were registered, in itself a low number, yet only 6 showed up, a very disappointing turnout. Was it the heat? Competition with other shows? We’ll never know. Still, it was nice to see our Alfas so recognized. Third place went to a black Alfa 164 sedan, second to a red Alfa Milano sedan, and first to a white Giulietta Spider. (I believe that my car, as one entered by a judge, was “display only”.)

The awards ceremony got underway a few minutes after 1 p.m. and was over before 2 p.m. The timing was good because rain clouds quickly moved in, and sprinkles started a few minutes after the final “see you next year!” was proclaimed. My Alfa completed the 120-mile round trip without a problem, even as the temp gauge registered slightly higher in the hot and humid air. I walked into my house a little after 3 p.m. and that air conditioning felt great!

 

ITALIAN CLASS

 

JAPANESE CLASS

 

 

AMERICAN CLASS
SWEDISH CLASS
BRITISH CLASS

 

GERMAN CLASS
MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS
ALFA ROMEO CLASS

 

 

Entire blog post content copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Text and photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

The Alfa Earns Its AACA “HPOF Original” Certification

RichardReina Car shows, Events , ,

When I bought my ’67 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr. from my friend Pete in 2013, it was already wearing its HPOF badge from the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). Pete had prepared the car for judging and was solely responsible for taking the car through the certification process. (We must also remember that he owned the car for 45 years, preserving it in its outstanding condition all that time.) Although I’ve been very involved in AACA activities over the last 2 decades, including showing both the BMW Isetta and the Mazda Miata at Hershey, up until now I had never entered the Alfa in an AACA National Show. It’s been in NJ Regional shows, but National judging is stricter.

The Saratoga Springs National which was held last week seemed to be the ideal place to enter the car for continued HPOF certification. I spent many hours during the spring detailing the car as well as attending to its maintenance needs to ensure a confident and reliable 400+-mile round trip. As you may have read in my most recent post, the car performed flawlessly in getting me there and back. Now, here’s the rest of the story.

HPOF, which stands for Historical Preservation of Original Features, is a judging class which rewards originality. Cars in this class are not restored. In fact, a car which has been restored would be deemed ineligible. Once a vehicle is certified HPOF, it is eligible for the next level of certification which is “HPOF Original”. The difference is in the number of allowable points which can be deducted. Put simply, an “HPOF” car may have X number of non-original components and still be certified, while an “HPOF Original” car will need to have a fewer number of non-original components.

Owners are required to complete a sheet, indicating exactly what on the car is not original. That sheet is then handed to the judging team. For me, I noted that the front fog lights, replacement alternator (generator was factory original), battery relocation from engine compartment to trunk, and added ammeter gauge were the non-original items. The judges only spent a few minutes examining the cars (the steady showers kept them moving quickly from car to car), and at the Saturday banquet, I was honored to be presented with an HPOF Original badge for the Alfa! I admit I got a bit emotional because my mind went back to my friend Pete, who passed away last October. He would have been thrilled to know this, and as I told my fellow hobbyists at the dinner table, Pete gets most of the credit for this achievement.

ABOVE: The HPOF badge on the left was awarded to Pete, probably around 2003. The “AACA Original” badge on the right was given to me last week, and mounts behind the existing HPOF badge.

HPOF cars are always eligible to the shown at subsequent National meets, where they will either continue to be certified at their current level of achievement, or have the certification reduced or removed. For example, if I were to repaint my Alfa and replace its 1300 cc original engine with a larger and more powerful Alfa engine, I would completely lose its HPOF rating. (And of course I have no intention of doing anything of the sort.) The plan, both short-term and long-term, is to keep driving the car, keep up its maintenance, and keep it as original as it is today!

All photographs copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

AACA Eastern Spring Nationals, Saratoga Springs, NY, June 2024

RichardReina Car shows, Events ,

The 2024 AACA Eastern Spring Nationals were held in Saratoga Springs, NY on Saturday, June 22. After enduring heat advisories in the metro NY/NJ during the week leading up to this event, the forecast for Saratoga Springs looked like it might bring some relief: Friday and Saturday were supposed to bring temperatures about 10 degrees cooler, with a 40-50% chance of showers. Indeed, when my wife and I arrived at the host hotel, the Gideon Putman, around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, it was noticeably more comfortable outside. We headed into town for lunch and tried to forget about the weather for now. (I should also explain that we handled this trip differently: for the first time, we took two cars, with me in the ’67 Alfa Romeo and my wife piloting her ’24 Volvo XC40. She ran interference for me on the highways, rode in climate-controlled coolness with Sirius-XM piped into the cabin, and used the Volvo to shop on Saturday during the show. We both agreed that this arrangement worked well.)

Back at the hotel on Friday evening, our host Region, the Saratoga Region of the AACA, arranged a chicken wings & pizza party, which provided an opportunity to meet some participants. (Saratoga Springs is only a 3.5 hour drive from my house in central Jersey, and I’ll express disappointment that I was the only member of the NJ Region to show a car on Saturday. Yet I met participants who traveled from CT, MD, and VA with their cars, either driven or trailered.)

Before the skies opened up

Saturday morning, the weather forecast had changed and not for the better. Depending on which of 3 websites I consulted, the chance of rain was either 60, 70, or 80%, but all agreed that we would endure this chance all day. We had an early breakfast at the hotel, and when I stepped outside to move the Alfa to the show field, the skies were dry. Once the car was parked, I grabbed my camera because I sensed an opportunity to get some photography done in case it turned damp. Vehicles were still arriving but I was able to grab some shots. Back at my car, the showers started, and once they did, they didn’t stop for the remainder of the event. Actually, the showers got heavier and I had to resort to an umbrella I (luckily) remembered to tuck into the Alfa’s trunk.

It’s dirty work, but someone’s got to do it

My car was in the HPOF class, Historical Preservation of Original Features. There were perhaps 25-30 cars in HPOF, and the judges came around early. It was impossible for them to keep their judging sheets dry, and I felt a bit sorry for them, soaked through as they were. They spent about 90 seconds on each car; it was more a contest for them to keep moving! Many of the car owners had taken to huddling under a brick portico, out from the rain. At least the temps remained high enough to ward off any chill.

Thanks to Vinnie for the shot!

I noticed that as soon as the cars were judged, they were making their way toward the exit. Ironically, this was just about when the heavy showers began to subside. I took another loop around the show field and met up with my friend Dave B., who was showing his ’55 T-Bird. I had met Dave at this same location 3 years ago, and featured him and his car in my blog post from that event. A long-time high school friend, Vinnie G., drove up from Pawling and I enjoyed walking the field with him to take in the few remaining cars. It was probably close to 3 p.m. when I moved the Alfa back to the hotel parking lot (1/2 mile away) and covered it; of course, the skies were dry!

Looking at the Program, there were 236 vehicles registered, a decent number for a Regional show. I overheard an AACA member say that 175 cars were on the show field. If that’s accurate, about 60 cars stayed home, which is regretful. While I do my best to remain positive (I had made plans for this show about 3 months ago and we were attending regardless), the weather made it a disappointing day. Yet, I made new friends and reconnected with old ones. My car made the 425-mile round-trip without a hiccup, and even my wife seemed pleased with the weekend! (A/C and satellite radio obviously work to an advantage here.) Up next for the Alfa: Fort Lee in July, but before that, some deferred maintenance is on the agenda.

THE PARKING LOT BEFORE THE SHOW

THE SHOWFIELD
1956 Austin A35 Seven
1949 Playboy retractable hardtop
1935 Auburn 851
1975 Triumph 2500S station wagon
1958 Dodge D100 Sweepside pickup
1953 Jaguar C-Type
1954 MG-TF
1959 MGA
This Jaguar XK-140 was stunning:

1951 Allard
1971 Lancia Fulvia
1974 SAAB Sonett
1930 Chevrolet
1994 Ford Mustang
1956 Ford Thunderbird
1956 Ford Thunderbird
The Baby Birds
Dave loads up for the trip home

All photographs copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

Local Church Holds Inaugural Cars & Coffee Event

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My wife and I belong to our local Catholic Church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, just 2 miles up the road, and I’ve recently befriended the husband of one of my wife’s friends from church. Andy is a ‘car guy’ in the sense that he likes cars and rather recently treated himself to a pre-owned BMW Z4 as a weekend driver. At my urging, he also joined the NJ Region of the AACA and has attended some meetings.

Andy is involved in various church activities and got the idea for something different. He approached the pastor about having a Cars & Coffee type event on a Sunday afternoon. He quickly got approval, and the word went out among the parishioners. The show was scheduled for Sunday June 2, 2024, and while he was initially hoping for around 15 cars, he got 11 owners to sign up; but then, 3 dropped out the day prior. He still had 8 vehicles, and a varied assortment at that.

To help him fill out the field, I promised Andy that I’d bring both my ’67 Alfa Romeo and my ’93 Mazda Miata. My wife was willing to drive the Miata there, and she got to hang out with some of her girlfriends, while the guys clustered together to talk about their machines.

Besides my two cars and Andy’s Z4, we had a BMW Z3, a C4 Corvette, a mid-90’s Camaro, and 2 late ’70s MGBs. I had not met any of the owners before, and this was a great opportunity to get to know some local car enthusiasts. Everyone was courteous and complimentary of each other’s cars, and at the end of the gathering, we promised each other that we would do this at least one more time this year, and perhaps even work in a little road tour. I would especially appreciate the tour, as the 4-mile round trip barely got my engines warm!

 

 

All photographs copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

NJ AACA Spring Meet, May 5, 2024

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To quote Mark Twain, “In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.” And he didn’t live in New Jersey! A few days ago, we hit a daytime high of 89 degrees F; on Sunday May 5, the day of our one and only judged car show (The Spring Meet), it was 50 degrees F and windy, with intermittent showers. The inclement weather resulted in a less-than-ideal turnout of show cars, yet the good members of the NJ Region were there in significant numbers. For the first time ever, it appeared that we had more judges than we had cars to judge!

We were expecting most of these spots to be filled.

I had pre-registered my ’67 Alfa Romeo, and spent most of the week detailing it, so I was determined to make the 40-mile drive to East Hanover no matter what the forecast. As was done last year, the dealer on Route 10, Nielsen Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram, hosted the show for us, and shuffled their considerable inventory to make room. Upon my arrival, I was directed to park in the class I had registered for, HPOF (Historical Preservation of Original Features), which by the rules of the NJ Region is a “Do Not Judge” class. But it quickly became apparent that of the 17 or so classes, many would remain vacant, while the other classes had only one or two cars in attendance. Within a few minutes, the Chief Judge asked me if I would be willing to move my car to Class 7, where my Alfa would be the only judged car. I agreed with the request; there was another car in that Class (coincidentally belonging to the Chief Judge) but it was labeled as a “Do Not Judge” car.

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and … Cadillac?

Given the small number of vehicles and the large number of judges, many judging a show for the first time, it was decided that ALL of the judges would move from car to car together and judge via consensus, with final point values resting with the Chief Judge. This turned out to be a fun exercise, very similar to the two Judging Schools that the Region conducted earlier this year.

Class judging, meaning, the whole class judges together!

An eye-opener for me occurred when several vehicles which were alone in their class were awarded a “Second Place” trophy. The rationale given was that the point deduction totals were large enough that at a National level, the car would not have attained a First Place award. (Without diving too deeply into it, at AACA National events, cars are not judged against each other; rather, cars must meet a certain point threshold to earn a First or Second place showing. This also allows more than one car per class to earn a First or Second.)

Judging started about an hour earlier than scheduled and moved along at a rapid clip. Tallies were completed by 12 noon, announcements were made, trophies were awarded, and the official closing curtain dropped on the 2024 NJ Region Spring Meet by 1 p.m. The Alfa won two (uncontested) awards: first in its Class, and an NJ Region Membership trophy for “Best Unrestored Car” in its class. Despite the lack of competition, I was honored and humbled to be so recognized. Only at the end of the show did the pace of precipitation pick up, and the ride home on Interstate 287 was less than fun (but not lacking in thrills). Yet I made the 40-mile trek in just under an hour and was able to safely tuck the Alfa away until next time.

THE CARS
1950 Ford
1973 Cadillac
1966 Oldsmobile
1956 Ford
1993 Cadillac
’80s Cadillac

 

Buick Electra wagon

 

’30s Packard

 

The 2-seater class: Japanese, British, and Italian

 

Mazda Miata

 

1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 Spider

 

1974 Triumph TR-6

 

 

1967 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior

 

 

This ’67 Mustang was the one vehicle for sale at the show: asking price $50k

 

 

 

THE PEOPLE
Registration Chair Vince; Spring Meet Chair Pete; Chief Judge Craig

 

Bob (his ’50 Ford) with NJ Region Prez Paul

 

 

Enjoying the pre-shower weather

 

Safety Check-in Desk

 

 

Registration Desk

 

John P gets down and dirty to judge that undercarriage

 

The coffee & tea lady had a big smile for everyone

 

Bob informs Craig of the multiple deductions on Dick’s Model A

 

All photographs copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

 

The 2024 New York International Auto Show

RichardReina Car shows, Events

As has long been custom, the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) is scheduled this year around Easter week. The show officially opened to the public last Friday March 29, and will be open through next Sunday April 7. Press days were Wednesday and Thursday March 27 & 28, and I was there on the 27th, again able to attend on a press pass representing Richard’s Car Blog.

For show-goers excited to see some well-known domestic brands such as Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln, Chrysler, Dodge, and Ram, as well as big import manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Mini, Mazda, and Alfa Romeo, I have disappointing news: NONE of these manufacturers entered their wares in the 2024 edition of the NYIAS. This trend is not surprising, and has been ongoing for several years. In our internet-driven 21st century world, many automobile manufacturers are seeing diminishing returns for their not-inexpensive investment in global auto shows. One side effect of such decisions is that those who do show up to play (including Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infiniti, Honda/Acura, Hyundai/Genesis/Kia, and Subaru) take advantage of the physically larger footprint available to them.

Lots of room to play

Perhaps the oddest decision to me was the way that GM and FoMoCo “split the bill”. There were large displays from Chevrolet and GMC, but sister brands Buick and Cadillac stayed home. Similarly, there were plenty of Ford-branded cars and trucks while Lincoln sat it out. What does that say about how top-level executives view their portfolios? Note that I excluded Jeep from the “absent from class” list above. While no new Jeeps graced the carpeted main floor, Jeep did again have its simulated off-road track experience set up outside. Even on press day, there was a line of people wanting a ride.

Tallest mountain in the borough

The bottom level of the Javits Center was again mostly occupied by a large EV test track. Ironically, there were Cadillac EVs there, as well as EVs from Ford, Hyundai, and Kia. Also downstairs: a two-car Lucid display. (Hey! Get one while they’re still building them!) It is noteworthy that EVs are still being pushed while U.S. sales show a strong shift toward hybrids.

Not too much action at the Lucid booth

Below is my commentary by manufacturer, in no particular order.

 

THE HYUNDAI GROUP (HYUNDAI, KIA, GENESIS)

Quite possibly the stars of the show, these 3 brands offer style and features compatible with competitive vehicles, while usually undercutting them on price. Remember when car shows always included a good selection of concept vehicles? Hyundai remembers. Painting all 3 in bright orange and lining them up was traffic-stopping. I don’t think there were any other true concepts at Javits this year. Their production models are outstanding as well. The new Santa Fe looks like a Range Rover, which is not a bad thing, and the Genesis SUVs are, in my opinion, some of the best-looking of the genre available today.

 

 

SUBARU

We’ve seen this act before: a manufacturer takes a vehicle attribute which is readily available among other car makers, and markets it to make it its own. Granted, Subaru was an early pioneer of AWD, but even as the rest of the world added it, Subaru never stopped hawking it. Folded into the mix is the whole outdoorsy, paved/off-road, car-for-all-seasons seasoning, and voila! We get Subaru = Love.

Can’t say they haven’t been successful with it, though. The real shock to me is how Subaru now claims safety as another badge of honor. Have you seen any of their recent TV commercials? As someone who worked for the Volvo brand for 30 years, I stopped dead in my tracks when I spotted the wrecked Subaru. Who has the nerve to display such a thing? In the past, only Volvo would have. Of course, Volvo didn’t show up, so Subaru has the badge to itself. Perhaps just as shocking was seeing the 20-year-old Forester, another way for Subaru to brag about its heritage.

 

 

 

VOLKSWAGEN

Speaking of heritage, who doesn’t remember the Beetle? And if you do, then you certainly remember the bus. VW brought a 1949 Beetle to the show (quite rare) and then parked it alongside the ID.Buzz, the modern EV version of the beloved hippiemobile. They were both painted a similar shade of blue as well. Was the Beetle there to remind us of how inexpensive VW’s used to be? My very first new car was a 1977 VW Rabbit, which stickered at $3,599. Today’s GTi, sized and shaped not all that differently from my bunny, displayed a Monroney claiming that the GTi starts at $31,765, not bad with current average transaction prices hovering near 50 large. But note that the vehicle on display really costs $42,000.

 

 

TOYOTA

Four vehicles, four quick comments. The 2025 Camry has entered itself in the Ugliest Car Grille competition, giving some of its Lexus cousins a serious challenge. Who designed the Toyota Crown? Are its “distinctive” looks designed to make it easier to find in a parking lot?? If you think the GTi is expensive at $42k, check out this Corolla GR for $47k.  And finally, the new Land Cruiser is easily the best-looking of these 4, with its retro design that avoids current cliches.

 

FORD

April 1964: The Ford Motor Company unveils a new youth-oriented car, the Mustang, making its debut at that year’s New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow Park, Queens, NY.

April 2024: At this year’s NYIAS in the Javits Center, exactly 10.3 miles from Flushing Meadow Park (according to Google Maps), the Ford Motor Company celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Mustang. On display: plenty of new Mustangs. MIA: any previous generation Mustangs, any mention or memorabilia from the World’s Fair, and any historical records from the model’s long and successful history. I think Ford missed a significant opportunity.

 

 

CLASSIC CARS

Each year, the NYIAS seems to find a way to squeeze in one or two classic car displays. This year did not disappoint, and better yet, they were in easily accessed areas, compared to previous years when they were tucked into a basement corner.

 

FINAL COMMENTS

It’s been decades since I commuted via mass transit. On the Port Imperial ferry, I noticed how eerily quiet the cabin was. As this photo shows, it’s because almost no one actually speaks to any human beings anymore. Everyone has their nose in their phone.

Hyundai was so dominant, even their banners took over the front lobby.

This vehicle did not make it to the show this year.

 

All photographs copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

The 2011 Lime Rock Vintage Car Show

RichardReina Car shows, Events ,

Continuing with my winter photo cleanup, I came across these film photos which I’ve never published, taken at the 2011 Lime Rock vintage car show. I have no specific recollection of attending, and I mention that only because the pictures show a light turnout of show vehicles, which I cannot explain. My photo quantity is also light, likely because I started the day with a partially consumed roll in my camera and did not have more film with me. Still, the vehicles on the field were attractive and varied, bearing out my long-held opinion of Lime Rock as one of the few places in the Northeast to spot rare and unusual machinery.

Ownership of my first Alfa was still 2 years away, yet my long fascination with the marque is borne out by this photo.

 

This gorgeous Fiat 850 Spider is an early car, as evidenced by its glass-covered headlights, a treatment that would soon be replaced by exposed sealed beams.

 

I was attracted to the color combination of this big-bumper Fiat 124 Spider.

 

A couple of old and rare Fiat station wagons. Note the suicide driver’s door on the blue car.

 

Ferrari Daytona

 

I never pass up an opportunity to photograph the eternally beautiful Jaguar XKE.

 

The bump in the hood (and the license plate) inform us that this is an MGC, with an inline 6 under that hood.

 

Spotted in the paddock: a Ford/Lotus Cortina in the middle of an engine swap.

 

An NSU Wankel Spider, with a rear-mounted rotary engine.

 

A very clean and nicely restored Volvo 1800S.

All photographs copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.