Community Corner
Hot Cars On A Summer's Day in Ship Bottom
One couple had parked their silver bullet in "Corvette Row," which featured more than a half dozen models from the past five decades
Rich Sheridan and his wife, Elena, took their 1963 Corvette for a cruise down to Long Beach Island just like they have since buying the classic split window coupe in 1965.
Only this past Saturday the Sheridans, of Mercerville, were joined by about 125 other classic car owners and collectors at the annual Classic Car Show hosted by the Vintage Automobile Museum of New Jersey at the Ship Bottom Boat Ramp.
“We have restored her a few times and then decided to start entering shows back in 2009,” said Sheridan, who added the local shows are a great way to get out now and then. “We used to cruise all over, but that was back when were twenty-three,” added Elena with a reminiscent smile.
The couple had parked their silver bullet in “Corvette Row,” which featured more than a half dozen models from the past five decades.
“We had an outstanding turnout,” said David Dieugenio, executive director of the museum. “I estimated we’d get about 100 entries, but we had 130 in total,” he added.
Among them was Long Beach Township’s Beach Patrol Supervisor Don Myers, who was entering his first show with his newly restored 1978 MGB convertible.
“I’ve learned so much all ready and met some great people like this guy,” said Myers introducing Tom Miele, now of Toms River. Miele had recently moved back from Virgina and his royal blue 1950 Chevy pick up still bore the historic license plates from his former residence.
The Ship Bottom event was his first show in New Jersey, and he came up a winner with a Judge’s Choice award for his category, said Miele.
There were multiple categories and the judges often had a lot to choose from in each. Hot rods, roadsters, pick-ups, antiques, restorations, foreign and domestic were all there in a motor enthusiast’s Nirvana.
As the show wound down, the true Detroit muscle cars; Ford Shelbies and Mustangs, Mo-Par’s Barracudas and Chargers and GM’s Chevy Cameros and Pontiac Firebirds roared to life and then settled into a low, guttural 8-cylinder rumble as they joined the exit procession.
