Pennington Fire Department Car Show

Overview Shot of the Show 

Ok, all joking aside, I wanted to squeeze in at least one more car spotting adventure before I had to go back to actually being a productive member of society.  This car show was about an hour's drive from where we were staying, so I decided to go check it out.  And to answer your question: yes, that is Christine in the photo.  I didn't get to take a closer photo because I waited too long and the owner left.  It was a 1958 Fury painted red and done up like Christine, although I don't think Christine had bucket seats.  

1940 Buick Century 

Here's a very nice Buick Century, sporting some wide white wall tires and a tidy interior.  While they're not very practical to drive on the highways, I like these 40s and early 50s cars with all their chrome.  Then again, I like most any car that's pre-1990.  

1967 Mercury Cyclone w/ 289 

I know, I'm about to say it again, but this really was another cool car at the show.  The owner had a photo album detailing the restoration process (and the tar shingle patches he took off the floor pans).  This thing went through a full rebuild and even though the restoration is going on 10+ years, it still looks great.  

1976 Ford Gran Torino Elite 

This Gran Torino Elite looked to be an original, well-preserved car.  Cream-on-cream is probably one of the most 70s color combos  you can get, and probably not that visually appealing.  However, with the shape this car's in, it doesn't matter what color it is.  The interior was completely untouched, and I think the dash pad was actually free of cracks.  

Classic Dodge Power Wagon Fire Truck (Pennington FD) 

This truck  belonged to the fire department that was hosting the show.  I don't know if this is actually one of their old engines or if its a replica of one.  I still like it either way.  

Saab 900 S Convertible

David: One of the nicest 900 'Verts I've ever seen... including the Monte Carlo Yellow 900 from Wheels and Wings '22. 

Sam: Yeah, this one was pretty nice.  I don't think the seats had any tears in them or anything and the paint was spot-on.  

1965 Pontiac Bonneville 

When I saw this car at the show, I first thought it was a '65 Impala because I could only see the roofline.  Technically, I wasn't too far off since the Bonneville shared the B-body platform with the Impala.  In a way, this is the cousin to my car.  The more attractive and elegant cousin with all its chrome and stainless trim on both the inside and outside of the car (I still prefer my car.  It's more honest).  I didn't get a chance to talk to the owner, since they weren't with the car.  

1957 Chevy 210 Sedan 

Here's a nice and clean example of a 210.  This one was restored awhile back, and it hasn't aged too much since.  The owner had pictures of the car from the 80s (I think) sitting on the back seat (as well as a couple trophies), and the car looked virtually the same.  The funny thing about this car is that someone swapped in the radio out of a '65 Impala (the random things you notice after owning an Impala).  I guess you can do that since the dimensions are the same.  They probably got tired of waiting for the tubes to warm up.  

1969 Pontiac Firebird convertible w/ 400 CI Engine and 4MT

Here's a find for my uncle: a '69 Firebird 400 4-speed car.  Save for the manual, paint, and hood tach, this car is the same as his.  This might have been a factory 400 car, too.  It was really clean, and it sounded great when it left the show.  

1976 BMW 2002 

Here's a BMW 2002 that was at the show.  It's in really good shape, both inside and out.  The Cobra next to it is a kit car, otherwise I would have photographed it, too.  There was a real Cobra at the show with some special history, but I'll save that for the end.  

2003 Mercury Marauder

Here's a really clean Marauder that was at the show.  This is not the same car as the one I photographed back in May, so I know of at least two in New Jersey.  I also got the red '57 Bel Air next to it in the photo to save some time and storage space.  Someone had swapped a more modern drivetrain into it (I think a big block Chevy), but the rest was stock.  

1968 Chevy Camaro SS 

Here's a '68 Camaro SS.  You see a lot of '67s and '69s, but not too many '68s, so this was a cool find.  This car had been restored to original, including the factory 350 it came with.  A lot of time and effort definitely went into this restoration.  They even recreated the letters that were rubber-stamped on the firewall!  

1977 Lincoln Town Car 

Next, we have a big ole' Lincoln Town Car.  Like the majority of the cars at the show, it too was in nice shape.  The interior was intact with no rips or weathering, and the paint still had a nice shine to it.  I don't think the car has been repainted, either.  

1967 Plymouth Satellite GTX w/ 440 CI (Green) and a "Big Block" 1965 Chevy Chevelle (Blue) 

Here's a few more performance-oriented classics.  Both cars were in great shape, and I really like the red-line radials on the GTX.  The Plymouth was a stock restoration, but the Chevelle was a resto-mod.  

1963 Ford Falcon V8 (Sam)

Here's a little Falcon that was at the show.  This car was built in Edison, NJ, so it's got some local history.  The owner had a poster made up detailing the history of the car and what's been done to it.  Not much, as it turns out, and the car still wears its original black paint and interior, although the seats are starting to show their age.  These cars are great for someone just getting started in the hobby, as they're cheap, easy to get parts for, and easy to work on.  The cherry light on the top was the owner's doing.  As far as I know, the car was never used in the police force.  

1949 Chevy 3100 Truck (Sam)

Here's another stock restoration vehicle: a '49 Chevy 3100.  The only mods I can see on this one are the air cleaner and Klaxon horn, both easily-removable.  The old stovebolt six was still in place and appeared to have been rebuild (or at least cosmetically touched up) when the truck was restored.  

1956 Chevy Bel Air Restomod and a 1932 Buick Series 50 (Sam)

Here, we have a modded '56 Bel Air and a much less common Buick Series 50.  The old Buick was completely stock, and may have in fact been an original survivor car.  One thing's for sure.  The engine definitely hadn't been touched in awhile since it blew a little smoke when it took off.  

David: This shot reminds of the film American Graffiti, which came out in 1973. Two of the main characters drove similar cars, although one was a black '55 Chevy and the other was a '32 Ford Deuce Coupe. Still though, awesome shot, and a movie worth watching!

1966 Ford Mustang GT350 (Red) and a 1969 Chevy Camaro SS w/ a 350 CI (Blue) 

Back once again to the muscle cars.  This time, we have a GT350 and a Camaro SS.  I don't know if this was a real GT350 or a replica, but it was still a cool car.  The Camaro was in equally as nice of shape and had also received a stock restoration.  

1966 Chevy Corvette Stingray C2 Convertible 

Past the Mustang and an orange 240Z I forgot to photograph (sorry!) was this C2 'Vette Stingray.  Once again, another stock restored car.  Like the cyclone, its owner had a photo album of its restoration out on display as well.  

1969 Chevy Corvette C3 

And next to the C2, we have a C3 'Vette.  This is the first year of this body style.  In later years, the chrome bumper would disappear and become part of the body.  There's other changed that happened over the production of this generation, but that's the most obvious one.  

1979 MGB w/ British Themed Engine Bay 

What better way to care for a British car than to give it a British-themed engine bay?  Yes, that's Queen Elizabeth on top of the radiator.  

David: This is the most British thing I have ever seen.

Shelby AC Cobra 

Here's that Cobra I was talking about earlier.  This is the 100th Shelby Cobra ever produced. It received a frame-off restoration in 1992, after well-maintained use by the original owner.  I think it still is a one-owner car.  The car had the entire firehouse as its display area, as it should have.  

1978 Pontiac LeMans Safari Wagon 

Here's a LeMans Safari wagon that I shot as I was leaving the show.  The paint is custom, but it looks like the original burgundy interior is still intact.  The car was really clean overall, and I think the body-color bumpers worked out alright.  

Toyota MR-2 Mk. II Leaving the Show 

The last find of the show technically happened after leaving the show.  This MR-2 that I'd missed earlier pulled by and gave me one more chance to photograph it.  And with that, we've come to the end of the show, and almost all my car exploits for the Summer.