Group Photo
*Photo by Paul W. Wang
High Street, Perth Amboy 9/7/19
*Photos by Paul W. Wang & Bob Rinklin
Photo Right – Mike Parfianowicz of South Amboy stands by his 1923 Ford “Bucket T” hot rod, which earned a trophy during the recent City-by-the-Bay’s 13th Annual Classic Car Show in Perth Amboy. The hot rod has a 302 cubic-inch engine with a four-barrel carburetor that delivers 325 horsepower. Mike says, “He enjoys driving the car everywhere. When I get behind the wheel and push down the gas pedal, I feel like I’m eighteen again.” The car show was presented by the City of Perth Amboy, its Business Improvement District (BID) and the Raritan Bay Cruisers car club.
*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
Richard Amuso of Staten Island received Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz’s “Best in Show” trophy by exhibiting his 1923 Detroit Electric 97 B vehicle. The automobile was one of the more than 230 vehicles on display at the recent City-by-the-Bay Classic Car Show. Mr. Amuso found the vehicle in less than gracefully aging condition, and it was purchased from the Antique Auto Museum in Iowa. Over the course of a year and a half the Detroit Electric received a ground-up restoration. The car is powered by 14, six-volt batteries (seven in the front and same number in the rear). The estimated range for a single charge is 80 miles and the top speed is 25 miles an hour. This luxury vehicle retailed for $3,000 in 1920s, and the car was very popular among women drivers due to its quietness and lack of hand-crank starting. Two of most notable owners of Detroit Electrics are Clara Ford and Mina Miller Edison, wives of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, respectively. The car show was presented by the City of Perth Amboy, its Business Improvement District (BID) and the Raritan Bay Cruisers car club.
*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
Kenny Smetana restored this 1931 Ford Model A Coupe by using auto parts and equipment from five different decades. The body is from the 1930s, engine is 1949 Mercury flathead V-8, the five-speed transmission is from the 1950s, an interior from 1960s and rack-and-pinion steering from 1980s.
*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
John Orren with his 1965 Shelby AC Cobra Mk IV Roadster, which is a recreation of the high performance sports car created by the legendary automobile designer and race driver Carroll Shelby. This vehicle is equipped with 347-cubic inch Ford V-8 that produces 405 horsepower..
*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
A gorgeous 1970 Buick Electra 225 Custom coupe convertible that is owned by Phyllis Smith, who earned a trophy for this incredibly, well-restored automobile.
*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
“Blue Hawaiian” John Revilla from Staten Island with his 1973 Chevy Camaro that has a huge 383-cubic-inch V-8 engine that delivers 435 horsepower. John said, “I’ve ‘wrenched’ this whole car from the rusty shell it was to beauty it is today.” Blue Hawaiian was John’s nickname when he was growing up.
*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
Adjacent Photo – Junior classic car fans Mila and Zoe Sulikowski and Kylie Bucior (left to right) presented a trophy to car owner Sage Seijo, who brought nine vehicles to Perth Amboy’s auto show. The girls, who helped sell lemonade to raise funds for upcoming Breast Cancer Awareness Month, selected Mr. Sage’s teal-colored and custom-outfitted, Volkswagen camper as their favorite car at the event. Sage also displayed six more VW vehicles, a 911 Porsche Carrera and 1964 Cadillac Coupe de Ville sedan.
*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
Photo Above – Bill and Linda (far right) Kaleta of Perth Amboy brought the 1966 Batmobile to the City-by-the-Bay’s 13th Annual Classic Car Show. This Batmobile was used as a stunt car in the original Batman TV Show. The Batmobile has a durable steel frame that was built on the chassis of a 1966 Chrysler 300 sedan. The Batmobile has 383-cubic-inch engine and four barrel carburetor. According to the Kaletas, Adam West, who played Batman on TV, had a tendency to drive the vehicle in to the walls of the bat cave and other objects. This vehicle became the stunt car because an auto body shop cold quickly repair dents, scratches and punctures in auto’s steel body.
Photo by Bob Rinklin for Perth Amboy Business Improvement District*Photo by Bob Rinklin for the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District
Photo – Below – by Paul W. Wang
