norwalk | New England Auto Museum

25 Feb

New England Auto Museum Father’s Day Car Show to Feature Mopar and Subaru Cars on June 16th in Norwalk

1955 Chrysler C-300, considered America’s first muscle car, dominated NASCAR racing in its day. (Archive Photo)

Norwalk, Conn. – New England Auto Museum has announced that the featured marques at its 5rd Annual Father’s Day Car Show will be Mopar Muscle, performance cars from the Chrysler Corporation, and Subaru automobiles, celebrating over 50 years in the U.S. market. The show is presented by the Garavel Auto Group and will be held Sunday June 16th from 10AM to 3PM at Mathews Park in Norwalk, rain or shine.

In its 5^rd year, the NEAM Father’s Day Car Show takes advantage of its surroundings on the spacious lawns of the Mathews Park which provide a scenic backdrop for a spectacular collection of classic cars. The show provides a wide variety of attractions for car owners and spectators alike including tours of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum and the neighboring Stepping Stones Children’s Museum as well as great BBQ food, ice cream and games.

20192

Mopar is the parts, service and customer care organization within Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The name is a portmanteau of the words “MOtor” and “PARts”, first used by Chrysler in the 1920s and introduced as a brand starting in 1937. The term “Mopar” has passed into broader usage among car enthusiasts as an unambiguous reference to vehicles produced by former parent company Chrysler Corporation, now FCA US.

America’s first mass-produced 300-horsepower car was the legendary 1955 Chrysler C-300 coupe, which many consider America’s first high-performance auto available for the general public. The 1955 300 was virtually unbeatable in competition that year, winning its first NASCAR Grand National race. It took the checkered flag at 37 NASCAR and AAA races of more than 100 miles.

1970 Plymouth Superbird (Photo Mecum Auctions)

The success of the Chrysler 300 in the luxury segment, led to a plethora Mopar high-performance cars in the 60’s and 70’s stimulated by the “horsepower wars” among major manufacturers on race tracks and drag strips across the country in that era. These were celebrated nameplates, including Plymouth Superbird, Road Runner, GTX, ‘Cuda and Dodge Charger, R/T, Super Bee and Challenger, that have become prized collectables today with ever increasing prices at auctions.

Under FIAT ownership, FCA has continued the tradition of street and racing muscle car dominance with SRT (Street and Racing Technology) versions of its popular vehicles headlined by the 808 horsepower Dodge SRT Challenger Demon and the 717 horsepower Dodge SRT Charger Hellcat.

2018 Dodge SRT Challenger Demon with 808 Horsepower, billed as the “Fastest Production Car in the World” (Photo Dodge Division, FCA)

20195 Subaru’s first vehicles were sold in America 50 years ago, but you could say the brand really just arrived here in the past decade. The first car – the Subaru 360 – was small and plain, a far cry from the automaker’s current models. Their first ads conceded that “Cheap and ugly does it.” True to that first car’s name, the Japanese company sold only 332 cars in 1968.

The 360, first Subaru imported to the U.S. in 1968 (Photo Alden Jewell Flickr)

But that has changed over the last decade: You could say that Subaru now is feeling the love – the theme of the carmaker’s popular, 10-year-long advertising campaign. Sales have climbed every year from 2007, when the company sold about 187,000 vehicles for 1.16 percent market share, through last year, when Subaru sold almost 650,000 for a 3.76 percent share. Subaru is cashing in on the market shift to crossovers and have an all-wheel-drive lineup with their “go-anywhere” attitude. They stay connected to their loyal customers; they are attracting new buyers to the brand at an impressive clip, and bringing out new products that are designed only for the U.S. market.

50th Anniversary edition of the Subaru WRX (Photo Subaru)

Anyone interested in showing a car at the Father’s Day Car Show may pre-register online at the New England Auto Museum website at only $15/per car or at the gate on the day of the show for $20/per car. All show cars will be welcome with no cut-off year. Spectator admission is free. Prizes will include awards for the Peoples’ Choice, the Mayor’s Choice, Favorite in Show and many more. Dash plaques will be available for the first 100 cars to register.

New England Auto Museum
The New England Auto Museum will be an exciting new attraction for the state of Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. This non-profit organization will build a first class facility dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting historic automobiles and automobile artifacts. It will serve as both an educational learning center as well as a display center to highlight an ever changing evolution of car history and its impact on society. Find more information at www.neautomuseum.org

05 Feb

Garavel Auto Group Signs as Presenting Sponsor of the New England Auto Museum Father’s Day Car Show June 17th in Norwalk

Norwalk, Conn. – New England Auto Museum has announced that the Garavel Auto Group of Norwalk, Garavel Subaru and Garavel Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram will be the Presenting Sponsor of the 5rd Annual Father’s Day Car Show to be held Sunday June 16th from 10AM to 3PM at Mathews Park in Norwalk.

In its 5th year, the NEAM Father’s Day Car Show takes advantage of its surroundings on the spacious lawns of Mathews Park, which provide a scenic backdrop for a spectacular collection of classic cars. The show provides a wide variety of attractions for car owners and spectators alike including tours of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum and the neighboring Stepping Stones Children’s Museum as well as great BBQ food, ice cream and games.

Anyone interested in showing a car at the Father’s Day Car Show may pre-register online (after April 1st) at the New England Auto Museum website at only $15/per car or at the gate on the day of the show for $20/per car. All show cars will be welcome with no cut-off year. Spectator admission is free. Prizes will include awards for the Peoples’ Choice, the Mayor’s Choice, Favorite in Show and many more. Dash plaques will be available for the first 100 cars to register.

New England Auto Museum
The New England Auto Museum will be an exciting new attraction for the state of Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. This non-profit organization will build a first class facility dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting historic automobiles and automobile artifacts. It will serve as both an educational learning center as well as a display center to highlight an ever changing evolution of car history and its impact on society. Find more information at www.neautomuseum.org

Garavel Auto Group
Located in Norwalk, CT, Garavel Subaru and Garavel Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram offer quality new and used cars and are also proud to have a full car service center along with a top-of-the-line quality parts department. For more information check out www.garavelsubaru.com and www.garavelchryslerjeepdodgeram.com

27 Jul

Teens Turning Wrenches – Summer Auto Technology Program at Brian McMahon H.S.

By Robert Koch, Norwalk Hour

Norwalk, Conn. — Learning has been a hands-on experience for a dozen incoming freshmen enrolled in a summer automotive technology course at Brien McMahon High School.

“I’ve always liked cars,” said student Dalia Fouquart. “I’ve learned about the engine of a car and the parts in the engine. It’s nice I get some hands-on activity. I’m actually building an engine here.”

New England Auto Museum partnered with BMHS to offer the summer enrichment course, which began July 3 and wrapped up on July 25.

“One of our main focuses is education,” said Michael Scheidel, NEAM founder. “And with the dire need for mechanics and hands-on people of all disciplines in the automotive industry, it makes sense.”

The course is part of an overall high school transition program for arriving freshmen, provided by the Carver Foundation and Norwalk Public Schools. The classes are co-sponsored by Norwalk-based Black Bridge Motors, and conducted by Black Bridge owner Scott Gilbert and chief mechanic Stan Diguiseppi Jr. in the former auto shop classroom at BMHS.

Scott Gilbert and Stan Diguiseppi Jr. talking to BMHS students about the importance of the mechanic’s toolbox at Black Bridge Motors’ shop in South Norwalk

Students enrolled in the four-week course have met three times a week. Each student has assembled a plastic, scale model V-8 engine — provided by NEAM — and learned about the engine block, crankshaft, heads, pistons and other components.

“They’re going to get plenty of any academic focus through the traditional high school system,” said Gilbert, also interim CEO/president of NEAM. “What we wanted to do is provide a hands-on experience where they’re actually tangibly building something from start to finish and also layering on an academic blanket on top of that.”

Coursework is supplemented by guest speakers from the automobile business talking to the students about career paths and job opportunities.

The students recently visited Black Bridge Motors’ shop in South Norwalk to see actual cars under restoration. Before completing the course, each student will have given a presentation showing what he or she has learned.

BMHS Auto Technology class student admiring Black Bridge Motor’s shop truck equipped with a 550 hp Corvette LT-1 power plant

On a recent afternoon, they stepped outside of the classroom of BMHS to view a sleek dark blue 1965 Shelby Daytona replica owned by Mark Schlegel of Norwalk. Schlegel, president of Rallye For Pancreatic Cancer, Inc., walked them through the origin of the classic race car designed to compete with European Ferraris.

“The whole concept of the car was to beat Ferrari at their own game (on) the longer tracks of Europe where they were much faster instead of the short courses that were here in America,” Schlegel said.

And that the Shelby Daytona did, winning the International Automobile Federation’s World SportsCar Championship in 1965.

Mikhail Moss, a student in the summer enrichment course, admired the car’s colors, lines and rear spoiler after stepping out of the driver’s seat. The summer course has given him and the other students a formal understanding of how automobiles work.

“Basically, I like cars and I just wanted to see how these engines work,” Moss said. Beforehand “I really knew nothing.”

BMHS Auto Technology class students get to sit in a vintage Nash Metropolitan recently upgraded with a modern Mazda Miata engine

BMHS Principal Scott Hurwitz said the school hadn’t used its auto shop for automotive learning for at least 15 years. That now has changed. He plans to bring the course back as part of next year’s summer enrichment program while looking for opportunities to expand automotive learning into the regular school year.

“What I’d really love to do is to look how we can keep the relationship during the school year,” Hurwitz said. “I don’t know how that would look, but definitely getting students down to Black Bridge Motors to see what they do. It’s a vision of a potential future career path that they maybe don’t even know exits.”

Black Bridge Motors and New England Auto Museum will be available to provide help. The museum is eyeing several Norwalk locations, including part of the large office building at 25 Van Zant St., as its future home.

Article reproduced by permission

13 Feb

BMW 2002 & Dodge Viper to headline the 4nd Annual NEAM Father’s Day Car Show on Sunday, June 17th at Mathews Park in Norwalk – Presented by BMW of Darien

People’s Choice at the 2017 NEAM Father’s Day Car Show Marc Wonderman’s 1934 Morgan SS “Trike”
(Photo Jenny Ord Bonadio)

Norwalk, Conn. – On Sunday, June 17, 2018 New England Auto Museum will again host the Father’s Day Car Show presented this year by BMW of Darien on the lawn of Mathews Park in Norwalk, site of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum. The event will be held from 10AM to 3PM and will offer a wide variety of classic cars to view. Admission to the event is free to spectators; a donation will be voluntary and any proceeds will go towards the New England Auto Museum’s building and education funds. The New England Auto Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Great food and refreshments will be provided all day by J & D Grilling along with ice cream treats from Good Humor and gourmet popsicles from PopCentric. There will be trophies for People’s Choice, Favorite in Show and more.

Spectators can come out and enjoy an afternoon of classic cars in all shapes and sizes, talk with the owners, be a judge and select their favorite car, grab a bite to eat and even visit the Stepping Stones Children’s Museum and tour the historic Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, right next door. It’s a great afternoon for Dad and the whole family!

This year, the Father’s Day Car Show will feature two celebrated automotive marques: from Germany, the BMW 2002 celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2018 and from America will be the iconic Dodge Viper, 30 years on from the original concept car in 1989.

The 2002 series was probably the most important model in BMW’s history. In the early 60’s, although small cars like Isetta, 600 and 700 kept the Munich company alive, its image was mushy and the financial outlook was still poor. It was the 2002 series that changed its fate. This little 2-door sedan redefined the image of BMW. It combined a powerful engine and agile handling with solid German build quality and practical 4-people accommodation into a reasonably priced package. No one else had ever done that before. From 1966 to 1977, BMW produced 850,000 units of the 2002 series. That’s more than 4 times the number of the Isetta series and each car enjoyed a much higher profit margin. The car not only brought BMW a big fortune but also established the winning formula for the subsequent 3-Series to follow and sales success that continues to this day.

Contemporary BMW 2002 ad heralding its sports car-like performance (Photo Archives)

The Dodge Viper’s road to reality is one of the most intriguing stories to come out of Detroit since the creation of the Corvette. Born of the desire by Chrysler’s then-President Bob Lutz and Chief of Design Tom Gale, the Viper concept was cobbled together in secret by a dedicated cadre of car guys. Their vision was to recreate a modern-day, Cobra-inspired sports coupe devoid of high-tech gadgetry, turbocharged engines and the dreaded automatic transmission.
Under Gale, Chrysler’s Highland Park advanced design studio was tasked with designing the Viper’s exterior, while famed racing legend and Chrysler Performance Consultant Carroll Shelby was brought in to help with inspiration.
The Viper concept car made its first public appearance at the 1989 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and the public went wild. CEO/Chairman Lee Iacocca knew what he had on his hands, and in 1990 he gave the green light to produce a limited number of Vipers, the first examples rolling off the line in January 1992.

After 25 years, production of the Dodge Viper stopped on August 31st, 2017.This was a momentous occasion. Referred to by car journalists as “the last great American car”, the Viper has inspired feelings of adrenaline, envy, admiration, and pure driving enjoyment for its dedicated fan base since the prototype was first shown to the public 30 years ago.

Dodge Viper prototype introduced at the 1989 Detroit Auto Show(Photo FCA)

Anyone interested in showing a car at the Father’s Day Car Show may pre-register online at the New England Auto Museum website at only $15/per car or at the gate on the day of the show for $20/per car. All show cars will be welcome with no cut-off year. Spectator admission is free. Prizes will include awards for the Peoples’ Choice, the Mayor’s Choice, Favorite in Show and many more. Dash plaques will be available for the first 100 cars to register.

New England Auto Museum
The New England Auto Museum will be an exciting new attraction for the state of Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. This non-profit organization will build a first class facility dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting historic automobiles and automobile artifacts. It will serve as both an educational learning center as well as a display center to highlight an ever changing evolution of car history and its impact on society. Find more information at www.neautomuseum.org

2017 Coachman Club Award winner ’68 Mustang Cobra Jet owned by Vinny Lyons
(Photo Jenny Ord Bonadio)

21 Jun

NEAM Father’s Day Car Show 2017 Award Winners

Photos – Jenny Ord Bonadio

People’s Choice Award
First Place – Marc Wonderman, ’34 Morgan Super Sports “Trike”
Runner Up – Bob Sabre, ’54 Nash Airflyte

New England Auto Museum Award – Favorite in Show
’49 International Pickup, Emily Gagnon

Mayor’s Trophy – selected by Harry Rilling
’54 Nash Airflyte, Bob Sabre

Malcom S. Pray Jr. Award – Favorite Classic Car
’53 Morgan +4 “Flat Rad”, Rod Griffith

Bob Sharp Award – Most Fun to Drive
’95 Ferrari F355, Mickey Koleszar

James Melton Award – selected by George Dragone
’37 Ford Fordor, Vinnie Pousada

Lime Rock Award – Favorite Race Car
’57 Morgan Plus 4, Chip Brown

“Car Bob” Award – Favorite Morgan
’34 Morgan Super Sports “Trike”, Marc Wonderman

CT Seaport Club Award – Favorite Preservation Car
’73 Buick Gran Sport, Phil Roitman

Karl Chevrolet Award – Favorite Camaro
’69 Chevrolet Camaro, Vern & Kim Cyr

Hagerty Award – Car That Matters
’84 BMW 520i, Nick Ord

NE Racing Fuels Award – Favorite Track Car
’67 Volvo 122S, Automotive Restorations Inc.

Automotive Restorations Award – Favorite Restored Car
’70 Pontiac Trans-Am, Jim Napoletano

Spacefitters Award – Favorite Modern Car
’11 Callaway Corvette, Maria & Bill Myers

Ord Family Award – Favorite British Car
’58 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud, Pray Auto Body

Coachmen Car Club Trophy – Favorite Rod or Custom Car
’68 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet, Vinny Lyons

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05 Jun

WKPN-89.5FM’s “Car Bob” Show to Broadcast Live from the NEAM Father’s Day Car Show on June 18th

WKPNFM Radio Personality and Show Grand Marshal “Car Bob” Costanzo

Norwalk, Conn. – WKPN-FM Radio Personality and automotive expert “Car Bob” Costanzo has been named Grand Marshal for the 3rd Annual NEAM Father’s Day Car Show presented by Karl Chevrolet. The “Car Bob” Show runs on alternate week’s Saturday mornings from 9am to 11am on Bridgeport’s WKPN Radio at 89.5 on the FM dial. The show features a panel of car experts in including “Car Bob”, Mark “The Mechanic” Mushin, Diesel Doug Echols, and Motorcar Historian George Dragone. The provides discussion of all things automotive and listeners are encouraged to call in with questions or comments about the topics of the day as well as tips for keeping your car in top mechanical condition.

“Car Bob” Costanzo has been working on automobiles since his early teens and graduated from Central Connecticut State College in 1974 with a BS in Education, Industrial Arts. For many in the area, “Car Bob” will be remembered as a Judge at auto shows in the Corvette Class and early American automobile up to the 50’s. “Car Bob” is currently a Professor of Automotive Technology at Gateway Community College in North Haven where he is the lead GM ASEP instructor. He is an ASE World Class Technician and also certified in alternative fuels vehicles including hybrid and electric cars.

“Car Bob” is often seen around the Bridgeport/New Haven corridor in his daily driver, a green Morgan Plus 4 roadster. Morgan Cars from England are the featured European marque at the year’s NEAM Father’s Day Car Show which is an official event on the Morgan Club of New England’s 2017 Event Calendar.

The “Car Bob” Show will be broadcast live from the show at Mathews Park in Norwalk and show spectators and participants are encouraged to meet “Car Bob” and his panel of car experts at the WKPN-89.5FM tent beside the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion.

17 May

110 Year-Old Fiat Targa Florio Race Car Coming to the NEAM Father’s Day Car Show June 18th

1907 Fiat 60HP Targa Florio Corsa owned by Manny and George Dragone of Bridgeport, Connecticut

Norwalk, Conn. – The first of the classic European road races was the Targa Florio, which began in 1906 and continued until 1976. The first course was three laps of 92-around the Madonie Mountains. Fiat’s entry in 1907 was led by Vincenzo Lancia and Felice Nazzaro. At the end of the first lap Lancia was in the lead, but ultimately it was Nazzaro in the 60HP who won the second Targa Florio. That same year he also won the French Grand Prix and the German Kaiserpreis also in Fiat race cars. This is one of the five original 60 HP Fiat team cars from the Targa Florio. It was discovered with a touring body and has been restored to the specification raced by the great drivers of 1907 by Manny and George Dragone of Bridgeport.

In 1907, there were 51 entrants in the 2nd Targa Florio race in Sicily, including pioneer automakers Darracq, Itala, De Dietrich, Benz, Berliet, Gobron-Brille, Daimler, Clement, Junior, Star-Rapid, Zust, Diatto-Clement, Radia, Ajax, Isotta-Frashini, Rolland-Plain, Opel and the five 7.4 liter/60HP Fiats. Felice Nazarro won the race with a Fiat, followed by Fiat teammate, Vincenzo Lancia, just 12 minutes later and after nearly 8 ½ hours of racing. Lancia also posted the fastest lap of the race, with a time of 2 hours, 43 minutes, 8 seconds. A third Fiat finished in 8th place driven by Aldo Weilschott. The other two Fiat team cars do not appear in the race results, but Fiat established itself as one of the leading automakers in the world.

Vincenzo Lancia and mechanic and future superstar driver of the 20’s Pietro Bordino, pushing their Fiat F1 in the pits

In 1907, at the age of 26, Felice Nazzaro was the greatest driver in the world. With his effortless and immaculate technique, he stayed at the top, retiring from premier level racing in 1924 after almost 25 years in the most dangerous game in the world. A cagey driver, Nazzaro would often hang back at the beginning of a race, waiting for the leaders to fail and then would pounce into the lead, sometimes making the fastest lap in the process.

Nazzaro was very young when he started work in the workshop of the Ceriano brothers (Fiat founders) and he was soon competing for the new Fiat racing team. He won the Padua 200 km race in 1900 at the wheel of a red Fiat and the 1901 Giro d’Italia in a 6HP Fiat. The popular star of numerous Italian races early in the century; he even became an idol abroad, with a brilliant second place for Fiat in the Gordon Bennett Cup of 1905. Slight of build, gentlemanly of nature and immaculate in dress, his skill as a driver, mechanic and diplomat earned him the position of ‘works’ Fiat driver alongside Vincenzo Lancia in 1905.

The car resides in the Dragone Classics showroom in Westport, CT

While the Fiat Company has records of the serial numbers of the cars that were sent to the Targa Florio, it is not known which cars finished and which didn’t. Records show that the Dragone’s car was shipped to Argentina after the 1908 racing season, where it was fitted with a touring body. It was parked on a ranch in the 1920s and remained there until discovered by Californian Ben Moser in 1976. Moser was successful in obtaining its Targa Florio documentation directly from Fiat, but it wasn’t until 1990 that he was finally able to make its purchase. Unfortunately, Moser passed away before the car arrived in the U.S. The Dragone’s purchased the Fiat from the Moser estate in 1991.

The Fiat’s 4-cylinder 7.4 liter engine rated at 60 hp

The Dragone’s 1907 Fiat Targa Florio race car will be featured at the Father’s Day Car Show on Sunday, June 18th at Mathews Park in Norwalk. Anyone interested in showing a car at the show may pre-register online at the New England Auto Museum website at only $15/per car or at the gate on the day of the show for $20/per car. All show cars will be welcome with no cut-off year. Spectator admission is free. Prizes will include awards for the Peoples’ Choice, the Mayor’s Choice, Favorite in Show and many more. Dash plaques will be available for the first 100 cars to register.

New England Auto Museum
The New England Auto Museum will be an exciting new attraction for the state of Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. This non-profit organization will build a first class facility dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting historic automobiles and automobile artifacts. It will serve as both an educational learning center as well as a display center to highlight an ever changing evolution of car history and its impact on society. Find more information at www.neautomuseum.org

28 Mar

1st Annual Rallye for Pancreatic Cancer planned for Norwalk Sunday April 23rd

1965 FFR Shelby Daytona Coupe owned by Mark Schlegel

Norwalk, Conn. – Mark Schlegel is often seen at area car shows where he proudly displays his distinctive royal blue ’65 FFR Shelby Daytona Coupe. The sleek sports racer has won numerous awards including Favorite Track Car at last year’s NEAM Father’s Day Car Show, and is always surrounded by admiring spectators. Mark Schlegel was diagnosed in April of 2015 with pancreatic cancer and is currently under the care of Dr. Richard Frank, MD at the Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center. Recently Mark and a group of his friends formed a 501(c)(3) organization called “Rallye For Pancreatic Cancer” which is raising funds for Dr. Frank’s Pancreatic Cancer Research Study. The purpose of the study is the development of a blood test for early detection of pancreatic cancer and 100% of all the donations to the nonprofit organization will go directly to this research study.

On Sunday April 23, 2017, Mark’s group will host a car rally and show event in Norwalk. The event will run from 9:00am until 3:00pm. It will kick off with a “Rallye” of Classic Cars starting at Veteran’s Park running through Norwalk and culminating at Calf Pasture Beach where the cars will be on display for the general public to view. In the event of inclement weather on April 23rd, the event will be postponed to May 7, 2017.

The Rallye for Pancreatic Cancer organization’s mission and the importance of this fund raiser is to bring awareness and to help fund an early detection blood test screening to diagnose pancreatic cancer.

• Pancreatic Cancer is the only cancer where there is no early screening for detection.
• Diagnosis is usually made at Stage 3 or stage 4.
• It is the least funded of all cancers.
• Connecticut currently ranks first in pancreatic cancer incidence in the U.S.

To support this worthwhile cause, everyone is encouraged to join the event as a spectator, participant, donor and/or sponsor. All gifts made in support of Rallye for Pancreatic Cancer are tax-deductible as provided by law, and all participation forms are available for download from the organization’s website www.rallyeforpanceaticcancer.org

rally
1st Annual Rallye for Pancreatic Cancer – April 23, 2017 (Rain Date: May 7)

Imports, Customs and Classics Car Show
9:00am to 3:00pm
Calf Pasture Beach, Norwalk, CT
Food, Music and Cars

Be a participant or a spectator for the first annual Rallye for Pancreatic Cancer. Come see a collection of unique automobiles. This will be a very exciting new car show to kick off the 2017 season.

Rallye for Pancreatic Cancer was created to bring awareness for one of the deadliest cancers having no early detection and diagnosis. Proceeds will support a landmark, three-year pancreatic cancer research study at WCHN being led by Richard C. Frank, MD, a hematologist/oncologist and the Director of Clinical Cancer Research at Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center and the WCHN Biomedical Research Institute in Danbury.

Come show off your car or become a sponsor to help fund Pancreatic Cancer Research. Please call Mark C. Schlegel at 203-434-8540 or Peter Bondi at 203-984-4574 or
email: pcresearch17@gmail.com

All donations can be made to Rallye For Pancreatic Cancer, Inc.
a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 100% of all proceeds go to the Research Study.

Register Your Car at www.rallyeforpancreaticcancer.org

04 Mar

Karl Chevrolet Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of the New England Auto Museum Father’s Day Car Show June 18th in Norwalk

Karl Chevrolet was founded in 1927 by Leo and Emil Karl, two of seven brothers
(Photo courtesy of the Karl family)

Norwalk, Conn. – New England Auto Museum has announced that Karl Chevrolet of New Canaan has signed on as the Presenting Sponsor of the 3rd Annual Father’s Day Car Show to be held Sunday June 18th from 10AM to 3PM at Mathews Park in Norwalk.

Karl Chevrolet is a third generation, award winning, auto dealership bringing the family’s long time automotive experience to customers from Wilton CT to Mt. Kisco NY and all throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties. For almost 90 years, thousands of customers have come to Karl Chevrolet and experienced their motto: “Honesty, Integrity, Service and Trust! We work hard to earn your business!”

In 1927, Leo Karl, one of the seven brothers, got an opportunity to purchase a Chevrolet dealership that had been struggling. He opened it in New Canaan with a younger brother, Emil, on September 15, of that year. For some months they were located on Railroad Avenue (today Elm Street) opposite the train station, and they moved to their current location nearby the following year. In its first year, Karl Chevrolet sold 34 new and 38 used cars.

Recently Karl Chevrolet received a 2017 DealerRater Dealer of the Year Award which recognizes auto dealerships across the United States and Canada who deliver outstanding customer service, based on consumer reviews written on DealerRater.com. “Car buyers have spoken and have identified Karl Chevrolet as the best Chevrolet dealer to do business with in Connecticut,” DealerRater CEO Gary Tucker said in a press release. “The quality and number of reviews for Karl Chevrolet speak volumes of the top-notch experiences they provide to customers.” In expressing appreciation for the award, Karl Chevrolet President Leo Karl III added “It’s not rocket science; we try to take care of each customer on an individual basis”

In its 3rd year, the NEAM Father’s Day Show takes advantage of its surroundings on the spacious lawns of the Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum which provide a scenic backdrop for a spectacular collection of classic cars. The show provides a wide variety of attractions for car owners and spectators alike including tours of the Mansion and the neighboring Stepping Stones Children’s Museum as well as great BBQ food, ice cream and games.

The addition of Karl Chevrolet as Presenting Sponsor highlights the selection of the Chevrolet Camaro, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, as featured American marque.

Camaro # 001, the first of 49 hand built prototypes assembled in Norwood, Ohio in 1966 (Photo Chevrolet Division)

The Camaro was officially announced as a 1967 model on June 28, 1966 by Chevrolet Division’s General Manager Pete Estes. GM marketers claimed to have found the name Camaro in an old French-English Dictionary, translating to “friend, pal, or comrade.” It was also joked that a Camaro was “a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.” The Camaro was undoubtedly a direct response to the success of Ford’s pony car, and its design reflected that.

Camaro will also be honored as a featured marque at the upcoming Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. In announcing the honor, Concours Chairman Bill Warner summarized the car’s secrets to success and longevity, “The Camaro brought affordable world-class design to American car showrooms.” Warner added, “With a big list of models and options one could build a very personalized Camaro. Camaros were road-racing and drag-racing champions, luxury GT cars, Saturday night cruisers, top-down beach cruisers, you name it. Now they’ve taken their rightful place as true modern classics.”

To celebrate the 50 year milestone of the Camaro’s debut, Chevrolet has introduced a specially equipped 50th Anniversary Edition available with unique Nightfall Gray exterior color and orange stripe package plus special interior and exterior trim elements. The special edition is available in both coupe and convertible models and power train options include the 6.2 liter L1-V8 and 6-speed transmission which will deliver a 0-60 time of 4 seconds flat. Karl Chevrolet will be displaying a 50th Anniversary Edition Camaro at the Father’s Day Car Show.

2017 Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition (Photo Chevrolet Division)

Anyone interested in showing a car at the Father’s Day Car Show may pre-register online at the New England Auto Museum website at only $15/per car or at the gate on the day of the show for $20/per car. All show cars will be welcome with no cut-off year. Spectator admission is free. Prizes will include awards for the Peoples’ Choice, the Mayor’s Choice, Favorite in Show and many more. Dash plaques will be available for the first 100 cars to register.

New England Auto Museum
The New England Auto Museum will be an exciting new attraction for the state of Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. This non-profit organization will build a first class facility dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting historic automobiles and automobile artifacts. It will serve as both an educational learning center as well as a display center to highlight an ever changing evolution of car history and its impact on society. Find more information at www.neautomuseum.org

29 Sep

60th Anniversary of N.A.R.T Celebrated by New England Auto Museum September 28th

Emcee Jerry Cotrone introduces N.A.R.T veterans Luigi Chinetti Jr., Francois Sicard, Roger Colson, Jean-Louis Lebreton and Bob Craige at 60thAnniversary Celebration – Photo: Judy Stropus

Norwalk, Conn. – On September 28th, over 100 guests joined the New England Auto Museum to pay tribute to the Connecticut-based North American Racing Team on the eve of the team’s 60th anniversary at Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk, Conn. The goal was to raise funds for the nonprofit New England Auto Museum, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a permanent facility for display and education in automotive arts and technology to be built in Connecticut. Thanks to participation by many former team members including team owner Luigi Chinetti’s son Luigi Chinetti Jr. who travelled to the event from his home in Ottawa, Canada, the evening created many happy memories of the team’s performances over two decades from 1957 to 1983..

A highlight of the evening was a telephone link conversation with well-known former N.A.R.T. driver Sam Posey from his home in Northeastern Connecticut with Luigi Chinetti Jr. and former Paul Newman racing partner Bob Sharp. Sam shared reminiscences of his racing career on the N.A.R.T. team including his best 3rd place overall finish at LeMans in 1971 with co-driver Tony Adamowicz, who also sent along his congratulations on the team’s milestone. The Ferrari 512M that Posey and Adamowicz drove in the 1971 race went on to break multiple speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1974 with drivers Paul Newman, then an amateur driver, 2-time Formula 1 champion Graham Hill, team driver Milt Mitner, and Luigi Chinetti Jr. The actual 512M chassis no. 1020 that Posey drove at LeMans and set records at Bonneville was on display at the event courtesy of the Lawrence Auriana Collection. A CBS-TV film was shown documenting the Bonneville runs which included two Ferraris, the 512M which ultimately self-destructed with Graham Hill at the wheel, and a well-used 365GTB4 Daytona Competition coupe which went on to break five international speed records for 3 to 5 liter cars on the salt flats.

Ferrari 512M driven to 3rd place at LeMans in 1971 and multiple speed records at Bonneville in 1974 courtesy the Lawrence Auriana Collection – Photo Alex Von Kleydorff

In addition to the Bonneville film, the program included documentary footage by Peter Leahey about the development of the legendary N.A.R.T. Spyder. Luigi Chinetti’s influence with Enzo Ferrari was such that he convinced the factory to build a series of 10 275 GTB4/Spyders with bodies by Scaglietti which became known as the N.A.R.T. Spyders. The first N.A.R.T. Spyder was shipped to America in February 1967, just in time for the Sebring 12-hour race where it was driven by Denise McCluggage and Pinkie Rollo. They finished in a respectable 17th place and second in class behind a Shelby GT350, a good result considering that, mechanically, it was a standard production specification car. Of the ten N.A.R.T. Spyders built, the McCluggage car was the only one raced before being sold to a customer. Initially painted in pale yellow, it became even more well-known later on as the car Faye Dunaway drove in the “Thomas Crowne Affair” with Steve McQueen in the lead role. The car was resprayed maroon for the movie, with McQueen famously calling it “one of those red Italian things”.

Steve McQueen with the N.A.R.T .Spyder in “The Thomas Crowne Affair”
Archived Photo

Complementing the Bonneville and N.A.R.T. Spyder film presentations, the event included a panel of former N.A.R.T. team members who shared reminiscences on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the team’s formation in 1957. In addition to Luigi Chinetti Jr., the group included former mechanics for N.A.R.T. Roger Colson, Francois Sicard, Jean-Louis Lebreton and Bob Craige. The event was emceed by Jerry Cotrone, ex-Chinetti Motors employee and curator of the Malcolm Pray Achievement Center in Bedford, N.Y. Sponsors of the event included Hagerty Insurance, Dragone Auctions, Pray Auto Body, Pray Achievement Center, Spacefitters Logistics & Technology Group, Rive Bistro Restaurant and Ferrari North America. It was a memorable evening for all the racing fans who attended.

Denise McCluggage driving the N.A.R.T. Spyder at Sebring 12-Hour in 1967
Archived Photo