Long Island classic car show season kicks off this weekend

Once spring is in full swing, Long Island car collectors start to come out of hibernation for the new car show season. The Fabulous ’50s and ’60s Nostalgia Car Club hosts one of the first on the schedule with the Spring Dust Off Car Show at The Maples on Sunday  in Manorville. 

"Everyone is all stir crazy from the winter," club president John Forlenza says. "Traditionally, we like to do it after Easter because by then everyone has the bug to get out."

The dog-friendly show will feature more than 300 cars of all makes and models, with trophies being awarded to 28 classes. DJ Steve spins oldies tunes while The Maples hosts a barbecue on the patio ($10 per plate). Craft vendors and a 50/50 raffle round out the day.

Here are some spotlights on cars from club members participating in the show.

1950 Buick Special Sedanet

Buick was the car of choice in the family of Arthur Rosen from Mastic. In 2008, he located a 1950 Buick Special Sedanet for sale on Long Island and snapped it up.

"I learned how to drive on a Buick," Rosen, 78, says. "I love the style of the car. It’s a Jetback model."

Although he only paid $5,000 for the burgundy red two-door coupe, Rosen put in all the modern conveniences: power steering, power brakes, automatic transition, air conditioning, 12-volt electronics and a custom interior.

"The body is a 1950, but everything else is newer," Rosen adds. "When I’m riding on the expressway and I get a thumbs-up from people driving by, that's the best part!"

1954 Chevrolet 3100

Eric Hagenbruch, of St. James, had been searching for a 1954 Chevrolet 3100 for 15 years. One day he saw the black two-door pickup truck listed on Facebook Marketplace from a guy in Franklin Square and bought it on the spot for $38,000. Then, he put in $35,000 worth of upgrades.

"I changed the motor, the transmission, the radiator, the exhaust system, the wiring and put in a steering wheel column," Hagenbruch, 62, says. "It gives you that extra oomph when you are driving."

The vehicle won Best in Show at the Drive For Dana Car Show in Hauppauge last year.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

Back in 1989, Forlenza purchased a Sierra gold 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air with Dolby beige roof from upstate Watkins Glen for $7,500. Today, the automatic two-door sedan is worth $50,000 with its 283 cubic-inch V8 engine. The car has no power steering or power brakes, but is decorated with whitewall tires, skirts in the back and spinners on the tires.

"I grew up seeing these cars in my neighborhood. It was known as the ultimate race car in the ’50s," Forlenza, 60, says. "I’ve had this car even before I had my wife and my kids."

1959 Plymouth Custom Suburban

Oddball cars are what Lou Gillet, of Selden, is drawn to and when he saw the 1959 Plymouth Custom Suburban in the showroom of Wheels Unlimited in Patchogue, he had to have it.

"I wanted the car because it has big fins," Gillet, 73, admits. "I’m attracted to the vehicles you don’t see every day because they are different. Plus, there aren’t many of these around."

This blue-bodied, white top with gray interior station wagon came from California, where it was used in the Prime Video show "Fallout," in season one, episode six, during a cemetery scene.

1961 Chrysler Newport

Peter Pellicani, 71, of South Setauket, has been riding in his 1961 Chrysler Newport since he was 6 years old when his father purchased it new for $2,940. By the time he turned 16, the car was passed on to him and he’s kept it going since.

"What makes this car unique is that it’s not an automatic transmission," Pellicani says. "Back in the ’60s Chrysler had push-button automatics, but my father ordered it with a stick. Having a standard transmission on the floor is extremely rare."

Pellicani did a complete restoration three years ago and took First Place Junior at the Antique Auto Club of America Car Show in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in 2024. Plus, the vehicle was featured on the covers of Hemmings Classic Car and Old Cars Weekly.

"This car has strong sentimental value," Pellicani says.. "I met my wife in the car; my children grew up in it. I really love my Newport."

1969 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350

Cary Heiman, of Stony Brook, has always admired Shelbys and in 2022 he found a 1969 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 in Wisconsin and purchased it for $110,000.

"Carroll Shelby was an engineer who came up with these cars that took what Ford had done and added his own touch on it," Heiman, 55, says."The car gets a tremendous amount of attention because it’s got that classic ’60s muscle car look."

The Acapulco blue two-door vehicle with black leather interior is rare because fewer than 1,100 were made. It even has its original 351 Windsor V8 (290 horsepower) engine.

Climb aboard  'Espofoot 3'

Among the classic cars at The Fabulous ‘50s and ‘60s Nostalgia Car Club’s Spring Dust Off Car Show, a special vehicle will be on display that stands out amongst the pack. "Espofoot 3” is a 9-foot, 1-inch tall, 22-foot-long 1994 Ford F-350 XLT Crew Cab — Monster Truck with 46-inch tires that weigh 205 pounds each.

"Owning this truck is like a dream come true," says Dan Esposito, 68, of Center Moriches. "Sharing it with people is a passion for me."

The deep jewel metallic green color with 63 special green lights and green flames along the side gives this truck a sleek look. Visitors are welcome to read the storyboard about the history of the vehicle and even climb the side ladder to snap a selfie behind the wheel.

"The color really comes alive in the sunlight," Esposito says. It’s rare that I don’t get feedback from the people driving by me on the road."