Bridgewater NJ Cars & Coffee, August 27, 2023

August 27, 2023 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Cruise nights, Events Bridgewater NJ, Cars & Coffee

Word went out last week via the NJ Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) about an event which was new to me: a Sunday morning Cars & Coffee in the parking lot of a Dunkin’ Donuts on Route 22 in Bridgewater NJ. This was all of 6 miles from my house, and was scheduled to run from 9am to 11am, so it was an attractive choice, especially if a few other members of the Alfa club were to show up.

I arrived 15 minutes early to find several dozen cars already lined up, most of them late-model Corvettes and Mustangs. I’ve been to, and have heard about, other Cars & Coffee events in NJ like this, and perusing row after row of newer high-horsepower machines driven by millennial hipsters looking for bragging rights isn’t my thing. It was with great relief that I spotted a current generation Alfa Giulia sedan and parked next to it. The owner, Neil, was a younger chap who, with his traveling buddy Caleb, took an immediate interest in my ’67, and we spent a few minutes chatting about the Alfa Romeo brand in general. They both were friendly and delightful, and showed themselves to be interested in all kinds of automotive machinery.

Soon after I arrived, 3 members of AROC’s NJ Chapter showed up, all driving Spiders. Tony had his blue Series 1, Mike arrived in his red Series 3, and Bob parked his immaculate red Series 4, with all of us adjacent to each other. It was a great opportunity to show Neil and Caleb the distinctions among the different generation Spiders.

I broke away from the camaraderie several times to take in the other vehicles. Frankly, a long row of C6, C7, and C8 Corvettes more closely resembles a used-car lot than a car show to me, but I get it. Scattered among the 21^st century iron were a few gems. Standouts included a 1970 AMX, a 1970 240Z, a 928, and an early ‘70s Firebird.

The day was warm and sunny with low humidity, but as the temp started to climb, I decided on a slightly early departure of 10:30, which had me home by 11am. Would I attend again? There was no denying that the shortish drive was a convenience. If I knew I could count on seeing friendly faces, I would certainly pay another visit to this particular Cars & Coffee.

ALFAS:

AMERICAN:

GERMAN:

ASIAN:

The 2023 New Hope Auto Show

August 14, 2023 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Car shows, Events AROC, AROC NJ Chapter, New Hope Auto Show

The New Hope (PA) Auto Show has been a mainstay of eastern Pennsylvania for over 60 years. (I was somewhat shocked a while back, when perusing some old copies of Car & Driver magazine in my library, to stumble across a story about the show they published in the mid-1960s.) It is ironic to me that despite my decades-long attendance at other relatively nearby shows in Macungie, Carlisle, and Hershey, I had not ever heard of the New Hope show until I joined the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC). It was then that I learned that AROC members tended to turn out in support of it, and by 2015, I was invited to join the fray. The Alfa was there that year, and came back for more in 2021. My 2023 appearance makes it a triple play for my Milanese macchina.

According to our AROC NJ Chapter president, who also served as Chief Judge for our marque, there were 14 Alfa Romeos, which he felt was down in count compared to recent years. It was no surprise that Spiders comprised the most popular bodystyle there, which is almost always the case, given the model’s long production run. (Alfa made this final version of the US Spider from 1966 to 1994.) I counted eight Spiders, two Giulia coupes, one Milano sedan, two 164 sedans, a 4C, and a RHD British-spec Spider from the 1990s, a bodystyle never sold in the states. So my count is 15; it’s possible that the 4C was part of the “exotic car” class and was not counted among the Alfas.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the two-day New Hope show is two car shows in one, with domestic vehicles on Saturday and imports on Sunday. (This is how the Greenwich Concours used to be organized, which I preferred over what I experienced there this past June.) Alfa Romeos were far from the only brand on display, as my photos will attest. There was a wonderful assortment of British, Japanese, German, Swedish, and other Italian cars, liberally spread out in the paved parking lot and on the lawn of the school on Bridge St. which hosts the event.

For me, the best part of the show, any show really, is the willingness of spectators and other show car owners to engage me in conversation. I no longer try to count the number of people who point to my car and exclaim “I used to have one like it!”. Such comments are frequently laced with twinges of regret over having let go of their prized vehicle. I’m also asked for advice about parts, service, and vendors for the brand, which I’m always happy to discuss. But the most popular topic is the originality of my ’67 GT 1300 Junior, likely because it is so unusual to find a 56-year-old Italian car with 67,000 miles on it which has never rusted and has never been disassembled for restoration. The honor for this achievement goes to owner #2, my friend Pete, who was the car’s steward for 45 years. My 10 years of ownership have mainly focused on keeping the status quo.

The day was very warm but with low humidity and a surprising breeze. Still, sitting and standing in the sun non-stop from 8 a.m. was taking its toll. The Alfa judging team emerged around 2 p.m. to award ribbons. Unlike previous years when “closed cars” and “open cars” comprised separate classes, for 2023 all Alfas in attendance were judged as one class. First place went to a gorgeous violet 1971 GTV, 2^nd place went to a red 1991 Spider, and 3^rd place was given to my ’67, for which I was flattered and honored.

Once that part of the day was over, it was time to hit the road. New Hope is an easy 25-minute drive each way, and after baking in the sun all day, it was time to put both the car and me back into the shade for the remainder of the afternoon. I’ll make every effort to show the car at New Hope again next year.

SWEDISH

ITALIAN (NON-ALFA)

GERMAN

BRITISH

This 1935 MG P-Type was one of my favorite cars at the show. From my observation, pre-war MGs are rarely seen in the U.S.

JAPANESE

ALFA ROMEOS

Spiders

Giulia coupes

164 sedans

Milano sedan

4C coupe

A British-spec RHD Spider from the 1990s, never imported here:

Mecum Harrisburg Auction, July 2023

August 1, 2023 RichardReina Auctions, Events Mecum Harrisburg

My appearance at the 2023 edition of the Mecum Harrisburg collector car auction marks the 6th time I have made the trek. Mecum’s reputation is up there with Barrett-Jackson as an auction company that sells comparatively affordable classics, compared to the “catalog” auction companies like RM Sotheby’s and Gooding. Nothing against those outfits, in fact, I’m a fanboy of RM especially after they sold my BMW Isetta for me. But Mecum at least dangles the possibility of a “good deal” for the hobbyist.

If you want to read my prior posts, which can be entertaining when you see what some cars have sold for, here are the links:

Mecum Harrisburg 2015

Mecum Harrisburg 2016

Mecum Harrisburg 2017

Mecum Harrisburg 2018

Mecum Harrisburg 2022

Harrisburg is only a 2+ hour drive from my home, and it’s smack in between Hershey and Carlisle, the two east coast locations with which every old car fanatic is familiar. In years past I’ve made the Mecum Harrisburg visit a multi-day affair, but I’ve observed that the most fun happens on Day One. Prices quickly escalate on subsequent days. To the credit of Mr. Dana Mecum and his staff, their Harrisburg event has grown substantially. In prior years it was a 3-day auction, Thursday through Saturday. This year, Day One was Wednesday, but still ended on Saturday, for a total of 4 days. They try to run about 250-275 cars a day, so in round numbers, figure that they auctioned around 1,000 cars.

Part of the growth is that this PA location is Mecum’s only event in the Northeast. The next closest locale for them is Indianapolis. Yet the Day One crowd looked smaller than in previous years. A lot has changed since their 2014 inaugural event in Harrisburg, still in the PA Farm Show Complex. One of the biggest changes is the eruption of successful online auctions, most notably Bring A Trailer. But there’s nothing like kicking the tires with real shoes. Several cars which looked great in photos on Mecum’s website showed serious battle scars when examined up close and personal.

Below are highlights of some of the cars which caught my attention, mostly cars which sold on Wednesday, the day we were there. Indicated prices are HAMMER prices. All sold lots incur a 10% buyer’s premium, included in the prices shown on Mecum’s website, which is why my listed prices are lower. (Auction companies love to do that, as it inflates the appearance of how much they raked in.)

Richard’s Car Blog is the only online auction reporting site which arranges sold cars in price order, to give the reader some sense of what a particular amount of money will buy. And may I point out yet again, for all those who continue to moan that “there’s nothing affordable in the hobby anymore!”: the first seven cars listed below hammered at $15,000 or under. That is NOT to say that all were good deals. Some were decidedly not; in some cases, spending $5,000 to $10,000 more would get you the better deal. But there are still some very good starter collector cars available to those willing to be open-minded about make and model.

F190.1 1984 Ford Mustang SVO, 2.3L inline turbo 4, 5-speed manual, dark red, grey cloth interior. First year of the Mustang SVO, which was made only 3 years (’84-’86). Very worn paint, other exterior trim show excess wear. Interior relatively clean by comparison.

SOLD FOR $7,000. Condition is everything sometimes. Compare to W218 below, another SVO, which sold for almost 3 times this sale price and would be the smarter purchase.

W25, 1983 Buick Riviera convertible, white, burgundy top and interior, 5.0L V8, odo shows 59k, decent shape overall, few Riviera convertibles built (sign claims only 1,750 of them in 1983). Aftermarket wood steering wheel detracts.

SOLD FOR $8,500. I know a club member who has one and he loves his. This was one of the first cars across the block on Wednesday, which may have affected the price. I’ve also seen Riv coupes of this generation sell for near this number, so I’d mark this as well bought.

W133 1964 Ford Thunderbird hardtop, color possibly “rose beige”, matching interior, black vinyl roof with landau bars, 390 V8, automatic, Orange plug wires and aftermarket carb don’t “fit” the car.

SOLD FOR $10,000. This was one that looked decent on my home PC – until my in-person inspection quickly turned up a thick bead of silicone squeezed into the junction of the windshield and vinyl roof. Fixing that in a proper way will be pricey.

W136 1965 Ford Thunderbird, white, black interior, 390 V8, automatic, LF wheel cover is off the wheel and sitting behind the driver’s seat. Clean, straight looking car, but nothing extraordinary.

SOLD FOR $11,500. For an additional $1,500, this was the better deal compared to W133 above. This could be a good starter collector car.

W237 1983 Datsun 280ZX, 2.8L straight 6, 5-speed manual. Tacky two-tone silver and blue straight from the early ‘80s. Blue interior with shiny silver leather seats, ditto. Covered headlights and T-tops complete the look. Sign claims 78k miles.

SOLD FOR $11,500. If you can ignore the colors (or perhaps if you like them), this is actually a lot of car for the money. These 2^nd gen Z-cars, while lacking the purity of the 1^st gen, still are fun drivers and decent GT cars if not out-and-out sports cars. Given how earlier and later Z-car prices are climbing, I’m predicting that these will see a slow but steady appreciation.

W93 1955 Chrysler New Yorker, blue & white outside, blue & white inside. Sign on car claims 64k miles. Hemi V8 engine, 331 cubic inches, automatic, power steering, brakes, and windows.

SOLD FOR $12,000. This was an odd presentation. The outside looked mostly original, with what might have been a much older repaint. The inside was recently redone, but with non-original materials and patterns. Price seemed high based on body style and condition. Any attempt to fully restore it would have you upside-down.

W120.1 1966 Ford Mustang hardtop, inline 6, automatic, light blue with two-tone blue interior, dealer or aftermarket A/C, few options other than that.

SOLD FOR $14,000. The only reason this car drew me in was its very high quality cosmetic condition. It’s unusual to see this much love and money poured into a six-banger. It’s equally unusual to see the small engine kept, as often it gets pulled in favor of a non-original V8. If you were in the market for a good-looking first gen Mustang and were not concerned with the ponies, this was your car. I doubt you could find another well-restored Mustang of this generation for a price near this.

W147 1961 Pontiac Bonneville bubble-top coupe, red, tri-tone red interior, 389 V8, automatic, 8-lug wheels. Looks like it’s all there, but most paint is faded away, and rust is bursting out like teenage acne from all the lower sheetmetal.

SOLD FOR $15,000. When Bill Mitchell took the styling reins from Harley Earl at GM in 1959, the changes were dramatic and almost immediate. Gone were the excesses of the ‘50s, replaced by smooth, clean, downsized shapes. The ’61 Pontiacs have always stood out for me as Exhibit A of that change, especially the 2-door bubble tops like this one. This was expensive for a project, but will be amazing if restored correctly. However, will take bucks to make it right.

W82 1982 Toyota Supra, blue metallic, blue and grey cloth upholstery, 2.8L inline 6, 5-speed manual, sign claims 49k miles, believed to be “P” package car based on large fender flares and even larger rear wing.

SOLD FOR $17,000. The first-gen Supras looked very much like the Celica on which they were based. This car, a 2^nd gen, was given a more unique styling treatment. I remember these well when they were new and we thought they were hot. Prices for 2^nd (and 3^rd) gen Supras were reasonable until very recently; check BaT to verify the escalation in sale prices. Based on what I’ve seen online, this was about right, maybe even a little light.

S34 1967 Buick Special, gold, black vinyl roof, black interior with bench seat, 340 V8, auto on column, factory A/C. Online photos look stunning, in person less so. However, overall cosmetic condition is strong.

SOLD FOR $17,500. I liked this car, spurred on no doubt by my ownership of a ’66 Buick Sportwagon in the same color combo. Note that this car is a ‘Special’ and is NOT a ‘Skylark’. I think finding a GM intermediate in this condition at this price makes this a good deal.

W218 1985 Ford Mustang SVO, claim to fame is the reported 10k original miles, but it looks it. Dark red, grey leather interior, 2.3L inline-4 turbo, 5-speed manual. “Late ’85” with the aerodynamic headlights and greater power output.

SOLD FOR $19,000. If I ever were to get a Fox body, the SVO would be my first choice. When new, these sold for more than the V8-powered GTs. Their lighter 4-cylinder engines made them better handling cars. My price guide puts SVOs between $10k and $20k, and very clean ones have sold on BaT for very high teens, so this one, as a 10k mile survivor, was worth the winning bid.

T19 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, 2.3L inline 4, 5-speed manual, sign claims 32k original miles, dark red, grey cloth interior.

SOLD FOR $21,500. These are Fox body platform cars, but larger than their Mustang brethren. This one sold for a bit of a premium, probably because of condition and the rarity of the 5-speed. Nice car.

W232 1986 Porsche 928, metallic beige, beige leather interior, 5.0L V8, automatic, odo stated to read 80k miles. Sign on car claims original paint.

SOLD FOR $22,000. It doesn’t seem that long ago when nice 928s were sub-$10k cars, but no one wanted them. Prices took off around the start of Covid and may have cooled a bit since. This car was straight but nothing special other than being the only 928 here. Interior seemed better than many other 928s, which tend to show cracked dashes and seat upholstery. Mileage is on the low side; many 928s at auction show well over 100k on the clock. At this price I’d give slight advantage to the seller. Hope the new owner plans to drive it and not just stare at it.

W189.1 1967 Oldsmobile 98 convertible, gold, tan top, tan interior, 425 V8, automatic. A huge boat of a car, it was in gorgeous condition and looked great in these colors.

SOLD FOR $28,000. Expensive? Not for condition. I would bet that a Chevy from the same year would sell for more; this Olds is arguably the better-looking car.

S82.1 1983 Datsun 280ZX, dark grey metallic, silver leather, 2.8L inline 6, 5-speed manual, sign claims under 60k original miles. Factory A/C, T-tops, sign claims car kept in climate-controlled garage.

SOLD FOR $31,000. Condition was great; the car looked like a 5-year-old well-kept used car. Compare this selling price with W237, the other 280ZX in this report: colors and condition brought almost triple the money.

T109 1969 Volvo 1800S, blue with brown interior, 2.0L inline 4, 4-speed manual with electric overdrive.

SOLD FOR $32,500. While the car was spotless, something looked off to me, and that was the color, or perhaps the colors. I’m clearly not an 1800 expert, but I cannot recall seeing this exact shade of blue on a Volvo before. Same with the brown interior, at least not on a ’69. The trunk panels appeared non-original as well. Even some engine compartment detailing wasn’t what I’d call factory correct. Would love to hear comments from some of the Volvo faithful.

F175.1 1969 Jaguar E-type roadster, Series II car, red, tan top and interior, 4.2L inline-6, sign on car claims 5-speed manual. Clean, straight XKE.

SOLD FOR $82,000. These used to be the “affordable” E-Types, after the Series I cars. But “affordable” is a relative term here. Roadsters still bring much more than the coupes. Buyer’s premium brought the price to over $90k; sale price was about the going rate for a Series II roadster, possibly a bit of a steal for the buyer.

Concours on the Palisades, Fort Lee NJ, July 23, 2023

July 27, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events Concours on the Palisades, Fort Lee NJ

The 2^nd annual “Concours on the Palisades” was held in Fort Lee NJ on Sunday July 23, 2023. The show reverted to this rain date when threatening weather on the original planned date of July 16 made it imprudent to hold the event on that day.

The postponement was a wise move, as the weather on the 23^rd was sunny and warm, with low humidity and a slight breeze. If there was a downside, it was the observed possibility that a number of registered cars didn’t show up because the owners were unavailable on the new date. Still, turnout was strong. I would estimate that there were close to 150 show vehicles on site, and a varied assortment they were. The featured marque was the Chevrolet Corvette, celebrating its 70^th anniversary in 2023. Several blocks of Main St. in downtown Fort Lee were closed to outside traffic to allow the Corvettes to take over. There were 50+ Corvettes in attendance, from all 8 generations, from the C1s through the new mid-engine C8s.

The remainder of the show cars were arranged in a parking lot surrounding a large parking garage, just up the block from Main St. Classes included American, British, Italian, German, Japanese, and Swedish cars, plus ‘exotic’ and ‘vintage’ automobiles. Similar to what many towns have done during Cars & Coffee and Cruise Night events, the local restaurants and shops threw open their doors and hopefully were able to drum up some business with all the spectators milling about.

I was there to do more than spectate; I was also judging the show! (See sidebar.) Judging gave me a chance to converse with owners, which is always fun, but I then needed to race through the classes I didn’t judge so that I could take in the rest of the show. The event officially opened to the public at 10 am, and the awards ceremony was held at 1 pm, with everything wrapped up by 2 pm, so it was not an all-day affair.

I’m not familiar with any similar show in the northeast part of NJ (The “Ramapo Concours” ran for only one or two years and seemed to have petered out), so we shall see if Fort Lee can work their magic and have a 3^rd consecutive show in 2024.

EXOTIC

One of two first-gen Ford GT cars in attendance

VINTAGE

’57 Chevy; those are NOT whitewalls! The 18″ wheels have white outer edges!

JAPANESE

This Honda S2000 looked showroom new, had 180,000 miles on it

SWEDISH

BRITISH

ITALIAN

GERMAN

BMW 6-Series; note the license plate (body style was known as the “shark”)

AMERICAN

CORVETTES

C1:

C2:

C4:

C6:

C7:

SIDEBAR: JUDGING A CONCOURS

My very good friend Sal, whom I know from our now-discontinued Sunday breakfast drives, found himself invited to be a judge at the inaugural Concours on the Palisades last year. He invited me to also participate in judging, but I had a personal conflict in 2022 and could not join. Sal repeated the invite this year and put me in touch with the Chief Judge, someone I’ve known for decades: Bob Austin, a Volvo corporate colleague whom I met in the late 1980s. Bob signed me up and the emails began to fly.

I’ve judged a number of car shows, mostly AACA events. AACA has a rulebook chock full of specifics. Overall, AACA rules require that cars be judged based on how they would have appeared when new and about to be delivered by an authorized dealer to the car’s first customer. In essence, this means the vehicle being judged should be 100% stock with no factory deviations. In addition to shiny paint, sparkling chrome, and pristine glass, the colors, materials, and equipment must match what was used in the year the car was built.

As Bob explained it to us judges in Fort Lee, we would be judging by “French rules”. He explicitly gave these examples: “I don’t care if the color is one that was never original to the car, and I don’t care if the engine or the upholstery has been changed. We are judging cars on condition, of course, but the ultimate question you might ask yourself is ‘would this be the car that I would want to take home with me?’” Put another way, how did the cars impact us emotionally? We were handed outlines about exterior and interior judging, and also told that our judging would not include the engine or trunk. Bob said “be consistent. If you knock a car down because the glass is dirty, you need to be sure to objectively judge the cleanliness of the glass for all the cars.”

The French rules were 180 degrees from AACA judging, but we judges would be on teams that needed to reach a consensus, and no matter how many (or how few) cars were in a class, we had to select 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place. As my fortune would have it, I was teamed up with Sal, with 4 smaller classes to judge: exotic, vintage, Japanese, and Swedish. There were few enough cars in each class that choosing the 3 cars was easy; we then had to rank them, which involved a bit more back-and-forth between us, yet it didn’t take us long to create the final lists.

I’m going to avoid the “how and why” of our choices, for several reasons. One, under French rules, it’s likely that any other team of two would have chosen completely different cars; two, if you weren’t there to see them in the metal, it could be very difficult to explain why we chose the cars we did; and three, I think it’s unwise to reveal any of the process should show car owners be reading this.

Judging can be fun; it can also be time-consuming, frustrating, challenging, and if one is not careful, inconsistent. The last point might be the most important. My own cars have been judged multiple times, and you want the judges to be fair. I believe we were, and I’d like to see Sal and I end up on the same judging team next year.

NJ AACA Covered Bridge Tour, July 22, 2023

July 23, 2023 RichardReina Drives, Events AACA NJ Region, Covered Bridge Tour

On July 22, 2023, Dick and Bobbi Bettle of the AACA NJ Region hosted a Covered Bridge Tour of Bucks County PA. Twelve vehicles were in attendance: most were AACA cars, but the group included two modern vehicles plus a handful of Ford Model As from the local Model A club. The tour took us through 8 covered bridges and included a picnic lunch stop at a nearby park.

At my wife’s urging, I reached out to two sets of friends who own convertibles, although both cars are new enough to be ineligible for AACA. Our friends Andy and Greta drove their BMW Z4 roadster, and our friends George and Pat cruised in their 2009 Infiniti G37 retractable hardtop. I was thrilled that having Greta and Pat along meant that my wife was more than willing to ride in our Alfa for the day. Dick and Bobbi’s attitude about it was “the more the merrier”.

We left our house at 8 a.m. and headed to the Clinton Station Diner for breakfast. Andy and Greta followed us there in the Z4. The Diner was the official kick-off spot for the tour, as we met most of the remaining drivers in the parking lot. From there it was a short ride to Tinicum Park in PA where we met up with the rest of the contingent, including all the Model As as well as George and Pat in the G37.

The bridges were fantastic. At least 5 of these were part of the NJ AACA-sponsored Glidden Tour from last year. The bridges are all similar enough: wooden structures with creaky noisy wooden floors, and so narrow that traffic can move only in one direction at a time. George and I honked our horns inside every bridge, just because we could.

We stopped for lunch at precisely 12 noon and out came the picnic baskets and folding chairs; although it was very warm in the bright sun, it wasn’t humid. Nevertheless, we found a picnic table in the shade, which was a special relief to our friends driving topless.

After lunch, the bridge tour continued. In the morning I had been driving mid-pack, but after lunch I drove sweep. Dick and Bobbi made a point of putting the Model As closer to the front after lunch, as earlier they were the last cars in line and may have been falling back. I don’t know where in PA we were; my phone had no cell service, and we were just following the line of cars in front of us.

It was now getting near 3 p.m. and we needed to be home to meet someone, so at our final stop, we drove in, waved goodbye from inside our car, and headed home (my wife’s phone managed to pick up a Google map signal before my phone did). We were home by 4 p.m., with the Alfa trip odometer reading 138.5 as the day’s total mileage. It was a great tour, and the architectural and automotive scenery made the long day worthwhile.

An assortment of covered bridges:

There were even a few interesting Pennsylvania barns, great for storing those extra collector cars:

Above: the Model A Collection

Car Spotting, Staten Island NY, July 2023

July 16, 2023 RichardReina Cars on the street Staten Island NY

This past weekend found me back once again to the (is)land of my youth: Staten Island. In a fit of nostalgia, I agreed to drive some of my wife’s younger cousins, born and raised on the “sout shaw” of the Island, to the “nawt shaw” where I resided, excepting my years away at college, until I was 25. As relatively small as Staten Island is (14 miles tip-to-tip), it is historically understood that north shore and south shore people don’t venture into what is the foreign end of the island to them. Hence the tour, during which I was surprised at how many older vehicles are parked outside, although most of them are not in what you’d call show-ready condition.

Mercedes-Benz produced its “ponton” sedans like this one from 1953 to 1963. In an obviously non-original color, it wears NY “historical” plates and is in very fine cosmetic condition.

This ’68-’72 Chevy pickup needs a new door! Who knows what the passenger side door looks like. The flyer on the windshield proclaims that the truck is parked in a towaway zone.

This ’63 T-Bird, ironically enough, was included in my March 2021 Car Spotting post. Time has not been kind to this car, as you would expect. Compare the photo from 2.5 years ago and you’ll see increased paint loss on the roof and trunk. The tires look flatter too!

This ’55 Oldsmobile also wears historical plates, but strikes me as less road-worthy than the Benz. Although, now that I note the newer GM SUV behind it, perhaps the Olds does run, at least well enough to be moved out of the way.

Parked in front of the same house where the Olds resides is this ‘60s-era Ford Econoline van. This one is unplated, and the collection of road debris around the trailer wheels causes me to suspect that neither the trailer nor the van have moved in a while. (Look at the Olds photo again and you can see this van in my rear-view mirror.) How do the neighbors put up with this?

The plate on this Kia Soul had me laughing out loud. Let me know if you need a translation. The plate really should be on an Alfa!

NJ Alfa Club Visits Alfa Dealer in Englewood Cliffs NJ

July 9, 2023 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Car shows, Events Alfa Romeo of Englewood Cliffs, AROC NJ Chapter

Members of the NJ Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) were again invited to be guests at the Alfa Romeo of Englewood Cliffs NJ dealership, on Sunday July 9, 2023. The dealer opened their doors on a day when they are usually closed, provided breakfast food and coffee, and had several of the new Tonale SUVs on display.

Several Tonales were staged in front of the showroom

About 10 Chapter members showed up with their Alfas (and one Fiat Abarth); several other members drove to the event in modern iron. The number of vehicles was down slightly from our previous visit, and all the club vehicles were from the “classic” era. There was a nice assortment of Giulia coupes, Spiders, and one beautifully-modified Berlina sedan. We had a total of three 1300 Juniors: two coupes, including your author’s, and one Spider. Keep in mind the relative rarity of these Juniors, as it is a model which was never officially sold in the States.

Several dealer sales and service people gave us a walkaround of the Tonale, a PHEV with a 1.3L gas engine up front, and two electric motors, one front and one rear. The vehicle to my eye looks like a junior Stelvio, which is not a bad thing given that I consider the Stelvio to be one of the better-looking SUVs on the market today.

NJ-AROC members check out the new Tonale

The sky was grey all morning, and we were all aware of the pending thunderstorms in the forecast, which likely played a role in keeping the overall numbers down. The event was scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. I scooted at 10:45 to try to beat the rain. Aside from driving home in two very brief showers, I did make it back before the skies opened their taps.

I had missed the previous two NJ Chapter gatherings, only because of other commitments, so I was glad to attend this one, and it was good to see some Alfa friends again. On behalf of the NJ Chapter of AROC, I want to thank Alfa Romeo of Englewood Cliffs for their hospitality.

Dealer personnel and Chapter members at the Tonale presentation

Close to what you would have seen in an Alfa showroom in ’66-’67

Breakfast supplied by our gracious hosts

Flemington NJ Cruise Night, June 17, 2023

June 18, 2023 RichardReina Cruise nights, Events Flemington NJ Cruise Night

June has been a busy month for car shows, with Greenwich, Quaker Bridge, and now Flemington in 3 consecutive weeks. I had intended to drive the Alfa to Flemington Saturday night, as it’s all of 10 minutes away, but a later-than-expected departure from a relative’s house during the afternoon left me little time, so I darted over in a modern car and managed to take in the show just as some cars were leaving.

The town of Flemington NJ has hosted a bi-weekly cruise night for several years. Held on alternating Saturdays, they announce “featured makes and models”, but from my observation, that doesn’t seem to have much influence on which vehicles arrive. Cars can park along Main St., but there also is a small parking lot which is where I tend to see the best cars. Not one but two live bands were cranking out the tunes, and show-goers were invited to vote for a “People’s Choice” best in show. Local restaurants stayed open, with a few of them offering outside seating. The weather, as it has been for much of the month, was near perfect.

Two nice FoMoCo products: 1st gen Mustang & Mercury Comet

The cruise-in started at 5 p.m. and I didn’t get there until a little after 7, so I don’t know what I missed. There were perhaps a few dozen vehicles scattered around, mostly domestic product. I photographed the cars which held the greatest interest for me, which meant ignoring the heavily modified stuff. I’m hoping to get back here at some point later in the season and put one of my own cars on display, and maybe invite a few of my local car club friends to join me.

One of the few pre-war cars in attendance

’64 T-Bird with ’68 Firebird across the street

(Above and below): This 1957 Cadillac was in the parking lot, hood up, windows down, with its owner nowhere to be seen. I lingered for a few minutes hoping he/she would show up, because I really wanted to speak with them. I go to a lot of car shows an see a lot of cars; this Caddy was truly a #1 condition car, and the truth is, there are very few #1 cars. It was so perfect that I found it hard to believe it was driven here. One question for the sharp-eyed and knowledgeable readers out there: look at the photo of the engine compartment. To the left of the brake master cylinder is a vertical cylinder with a removable cap. What is this??

Above: I managed to chat up the owner of this ’49 Ford just as he was leaving. He was an old codger, and told me that he’s owned the car for about 20 years. He thinks it’s the original flattie V8 under the hood. The car looked and sounded great as he started it up and drove away. It had that look of an honest, old, fun car to me.

Sunday Morning “Cars N’ Caffeine”, Quaker Bridge Mall, June 11, 2023

June 16, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events American Collector's Insurance, Cars & Caffeine, Quaker Bridge Mall

My good friend Mike introduced me to this event: American Collectors Insurance sponsors a series of Sunday morning cruise-ins in and around the Delaware Valley Region. The closest one for me is held at the Quaker Bridge Mall on Route 1 in Princeton NJ. There are two other locations, and the three are on a rotating monthly schedule. The June 11 cruise-in was the first one I was able to attend, and Mike and I were both there.

I showed up precisely at the announced start time of 8 a.m. to discover about a dozen cars already in place. The mall has a huge parking lot, and the designated spot for the show is in a corner at the rear. I staged my Alfa next to Mike’s beautiful ’66 Corvette roadster, and after exchanging pleasantries, I was on the hunt for caffeine, hoping there would also be something resembling breakfast food. A rep from the insurance company had complementary Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and donuts, so I made do with a cruller to accompany my brew. Next time, I’ll stop for a proper meal on the way down.

Within minutes, a fellow car owner named Harry ambled over and introduced himself. He drove a stunning Chevy Nova which had been born with a 6-cylinder and now sported a 396 big block. Both Mike and I spent a good deal of time chatting it up with Harry, who proved himself to be a real “car guy”: knowledgeable yet humble.

The vehicles on display ran the gamut of old and new, stock and modified, domestic and imported. The oldest vehicle was a ’38 Buick (but restomodded, with a modern drivetrain) and the newest was possibly the Mazda RX-8. As seems to often be the case, my Alfa Romeo was the only Italian car.

Although advertised to run from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, both Mike and I scooted a little after 10. First, I was famished; second, there were no bathroom facilities! (The mall would open at 11 a.m. for those willing to wait for food and restrooms.) This was an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday morning, and weather permitting, I’m going to try to make it to the next Quaker Bridge Mall event on Sunday July 9.

A Falcon and a Beetle (no, this is not the zoo)

One of the newer cars there, a Honda S2000

Another ’66 C2; owner claimed it was all-original

(Above): I don’t know when I last saw one of these; in fact, I had to look it up to write about it. The Chevy Monza was built from 1975-1980, on the Vega platform. Standard engine was the Vega 4-cylinder, but a V8 was optional. The fastback 2+2 is the one I remember, but this “Town Coupe” came later. I think this design has held up well.

E-body Barracuda; note the “billboard” quarter panel treatment

1940 Ford brought by “Carl” who remembered me from last year’s Glidden tour

The Back To The Future Car, aka DeLorean DMC-12

(Above) The most unusual car at this show, this 1956 Canadian-spec “Meteor Rideau” wore a grille treatment and side trim unlike any U.S. spec FoMoCo product. The owner told me that “Rideau” is a river in Canada.

(Above) I featured this same Pontiac when it was at the Neshanic Station Car Show in 2021.

The 2023 Greenwich Concours, Part 4: Domestic Cars, and Some Final Thoughts

June 11, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events Greenwich Concours

One of the nice things about Sunday’s show (and I presume Saturday’s as well although I wasn’t there) was the variety of cars. Perhaps it was too varied, but more words about that below. I have so far posted photos of Italian and British cars, as well as cars from classes not dependent on country of origin. To finish this off, here are photos of some of the American cars on display that day, primarily consisting of personal luxury cars and muscle cars.

AMERICAN MUSCLE

One class consisted of “American muscle cars in high-impact colors”, some of which you see here:

PERSONAL LUXURY 2-DOOR COUPES:

HAGERTY, THE SHOW OWNERS AND HOSTS

The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance began in 1996, when husband-and-wife team Bruce and Genia Wennerstrom decided to host a true Concours in the area. When Bruce and Genia passed away, their children continued the tradition. It was always a two-day event, with domestic cars on Saturday and import vehicles on Sunday. When it was a family affair, I showed cars there 6 times, an honor which I don’t take lightly. Attending the show was always an easygoing and relaxed day.

Hagerty bought the Greenwich Concours from the Wennerstroms a few years back. My 2023 participation was the first time under the Hagerty umbrella. Overall, Hagerty puts a tremendous amount of effort into organizing, arranging, and hosting an event like this. It’s still a two-day show, but now the classes are more varied. This year the Saturday show was billed as “Concours de Sport” and Sunday was the “Concours d’Elegance”. Sunday’s show consisted of a total of 19 different classes! From my observation, there was no overriding theme or sense of unity to the displays.

As a participant, I felt that Hagerty crossed the line from “organization” to “control”. Innumerable emails told me everything from what time I must load in on Sunday (“6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., and we reserve the right to turn away entrants who arrive later”), to how I should park (“place the left front tire of your vehicle on top of disc hammered into the ground at your parking spot”), to what time I could leave (“show gates will be locked until 4:30 p.m., and no one will be permitted to exit before then”). I was told that absolutely no signage of my own was permitted on, in, or around my car, which didn’t stop me from putting informational posters I had created on top of my dash and rear parcel shelf. We had passes for an included lunch, which was nice, but were sternly told that “you may only enter once; once you leave you cannot reenter the luncheon area”. It was difficult to converse with showgoers at times because the MC blared incessantly through the too-loud PA all day long.

What was a relaxed, low-key, fashionable, reasonably-sized and well laid-out classic car show set in a verdant water-lined park has been turned into a mega-event. The communal spirit which flowed through every aspect of what the Wennerstroms had created has been displaced by a big-business approach as would be taken by a major corporation. It’s still a great show; it’s just not as great as it once was.