One of the oldest antique car clubs in the Hudson Valley celebrated its 50th anniversary car show at the Thomas Bull Memorial Park in Montgomery, Orange County, on Aug. 25.
The fine weather came to the aid of the historic occasion and drew one of the largest crowds the show has ever seen, according to Bob Martin, president of the Orange County Antique Auto Club, which traces its roots back to the 1940s.
“We are like a big family,” Martin said about the long-running club. “We hang out together and enjoy the camaraderie that cars bring out, talking about old times, new times, and current times.”
About 250 participants from four states—New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut—showed up for the contest with antique cars of all stripes and colors.
“We’ve got ones that are barely restored to high-dollar national show-winner cars, and [among participants] we’ve got doctors, lawyers, and mechanics—that is why the family is so big,” Martin told The Epoch Times.
Ilan Vilensky, an antique car enthusiast and carpet store owner from New Jersey, won the top show prize for his restored 1950 Oldsmobile “tin woody” station wagon.
The car is equipped with modern power windows, air conditioning, navigation and stereo systems, and a 400-horsepower engine—a comprehensive restoration that took four years and cost $200,000.
“It rides beautifully, like a new car,” Vilensky told The Epoch Times. “It is something to be proud of—you try to do your best to represent your car as far as appearance and how unique it is.”
In addition to life-size automobiles, the show also featured a fine display of model cars—some of which took years to finish—by members of the Newburgh Model Car Club.
The miniature display, along with a tricky tray fundraiser, food vendors, and nearby playground equipment, helped to make the show family friendly, according to Martin.
Kathy Paternoster, an alpaca farm owner in New Hampton, became involved with the antique auto club five years ago through her daughter and son-in-law. Although she doesn’t have an antique car—her truck is only 20 years old—she keeps returning to volunteer for the club’s activities.
“For a club that is about cars, there are a lot of couples involved and a lot of women in it,” she told The Epoch Times. “We had a lot of fun.”
Many local businesses sponsored trophies at the car show, including Interstate Batteries of Goshen, Star Collision of Middletown, John Abrams & Associates Insurance Agency of Newburgh, Highground of Pine Bush, and BRIM Recyclers of Cuddebackville.
