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Date: 8/22/2023
Last week’s column was great fun. I’ve spoken to many people about their automotive love affairs and this column could easily have become several, or a book!
On the car show circuit this year, Westfield’s Chris Robare’s 1950 Buick Super is a sensation. Amongst the regular muscle car majesty, this four-door tribute to American motoring is drawing crowds, young and old.
The ’50 is a unique, one-year-only body-style. “Teeth-out-front” of the bumper. It’s rare, very. Chris has one and international designer Bulgari has several. I met Chris and his wife Kristin at the weekly Classic Burgers car show in West Springfield. I gave him a copy of Hemming’s Motor News with a feature of the ’50 Super on the cover. I had a ’49 Super and we instantly clicked.
He has preserved his car as-is. It has just the perfect patina, the reflection of its black paint hinting of its pedigree. An upscale family driver once, this Buick has stories.
It was used in the movie “The Brinks Job,” filmed in Boston, where Chris found it. A 1950 windshield inspection sticker was put there by the film crew. Chris has other cars, like his ‘Stang GT convertible, but it’s the Buick that is famous on the car show circuit. I saw three teenage girls swoon over it. A fellow in his eighties wistfully slipped back in time as he reverently touched the hood. A 20-something marveled at the “piano-style hood” which opens from either side, like a grand piano.
Chris has become the docent for this rare tribute to Buick. That means something for the iconic company whose slogan was once; “When better cars are built, Buick will build them.” Today, there are no Buick cars built in America. Buick builds a few SUVs, upmarket Chevys and one of those is built in China. Thank you, Chris, for preserving a piece of America.
Patrick Kennedy’s ’63 Riviera is a legend. It’s in mint, showroom condition. Like Chris, he drives his rare piece of history, sharing it with admirers.
Cars bring people together. Pat’s a neighbor I hadn’t met until the show at Classic Burger. I did not know him, but I knew the car. The first time I saw it, the Riv was majestically gliding down my street through an early morning mist. An apparition of USA past.
I mentioned Jesus “Juice” Vasquez last week. Many friends have regaled me with stories of his being the guru who guided their own car restorations.
The ’67 Chevy Chevelle SS he has loved for 44 years is a great story. One that shows sometimes it takes a village to raise a car. In his own words:
“So, I bought the Chevelle in ’79. I remember my dad trying to talk me out of it; You are going to buy a car that is not even running?!” Friend Juan Flores helped me to get a good deal on the car.
I towed it to my dear friend Roger Gore’s house, who got me a deal at Chet’s Salvage on a 10.5 bell housing and fly wheel which is still in the car today. Then, the owner of Deb’s Speed Shop set me up with a Hay’s Street and Strip clutch set. Roger installed everything and wouldn’t let me pay him for the work.
I drove it home and the tranny linkage locked up! I was out of money. My dad went with me back to Deb’s. I’ll never forget what the owner said: “Pops. If you want to play you have to pay!” My dad agreed and helped me buy a Hurst Super Street Comp Shifter 2 with reverse lock out. It’s still on the car today, worth 10 times what my dad paid. That shifter will be there until the day I die, a tribute to the memory of my father, Ismael V. Molina, a Chevy Man who loved cars too. My grandson, Jaythan Perez has our passion.
Roger installed it all, again, no charge. Winter came and my Chevy joined Tony Cignoli’s Camaro SS in his parents’ backyard. I’d work on the car in the cold and snow. I can still hear his mom calling me to come in out of the cold and “eat, eat, eat!” Italians!
Derosiers Auto Body had her for one and a half years. I did the final assembly after that. That same week, coming home from work, my mom, Pura, wanted to visit my sister in Rochester. The same night, we made the trip with Tia Pura smiling as the car rode like a dream! Puerto Rican sons do anything for their moms, and I will treasure the memory of that ride forever.
With this car, I picked up my daughter Marivette, and sons Pito and Macho from the hospital when they were born. It’s great to see Macho behind the wheel.
In 1986, it was stolen from The Big E. I searched for it for three weeks. It was found in Agawam. This broke my heart and the Chevelle sat for 14 years. In 2000, I replaced the trunk and two years later pulled the body off and did a full restoration, special thanks to Jose Sambrana.
I moved to Florida in 2008, got married in ’09 and we bought a house with a two car garage! Storage, finally for the car. In 2012, I was in a motorcycle accident and almost lost my life. With my wife Marisol’s love, I recovered and began to work on the car again.
Thunder Customs did the repaint and my friend, Dan Klemm so much more. He’s the only person I trust to work on this member of our family.
The Chevelle is a car show multi-award winner. Last week, we placed top three in Hollywood, Florida at a show filed with mega-cars. My dad would be so proud. Trophies are great, but eventually they collect dust. The memories, the friendship and bonds with fellow car people, that is what lasts forever.
Many friends, all family for decades, built this dream with me. Some already mentioned and others like Rich Gardner, PJ Alexander, Luis Rodriguez, Jose Garcia, Eddie Garcia. Forgive me for those I forget. Thank you for joining me in this labor of love.” La Famiglia.
Maria D’ Angelantonio’s first car was a ‘70 Nova. She named it Nora. Her ’07 BMW was Beatrice, her ’13 5 Series, was Millicent and current ’19 X3 is Winifred. B-M-W, get it? Walter Kroll, has a stunning ’67 Mustang fast back and a wild ‘63 Ford Fairlane that are part the historic Springfield McKnight neighborhood where Walter lives. The ‘Stang makes one think of Steve McQueen’s “Bullet,” Walter’s preservation of old and great, McQueen’s character in “The Bounty Hunter.”
You never know who has cars in their blood. Judy Matt, president of The Spirit of Springfield; a ’63 and ’69 Corvette! A rare ’76 Mercedes SLC, a TR3 and an Austin Healey! Judy was one of the cool car kids!
Jeff Trask is a great friend to have. His ’58 Cay Coral and Artic White Chevy Impala and his white ’59 Corvette Convertible have been wedding chariots for his pals Joshua Clark and Meredith Perri, and Joel McAuliffe and Deanna Rousseau. The wedding photos with the cars are stunning. Who needs a limo?
Jeff’s photo of the ‘Vette in front of Donut Dip in West Springfield (see Facebook) is worth a billion words and has gone viral. The Impala has a special meaning for him. His grandfather Max Olbrych, drove the same car. Family.
Jeff’s, a one-year-only body-style, has just 22,000 original miles. The ‘Vette is also all original with 30,000 on the clock. It’s 283 V8 with factory mechanical fuel injection makes it even rarer. Jeff’s other cars are cool too. Jay Leno would like to be his neighbor.
Jay is almost a neighbor to Atty. Paul Mancinone at their summer homes. Paul is a renowned tax lawyer and accountant. One smart guy. His garage holds well-earned marques today like Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, but there is a special spot for his first car, a 1976 Corvette. A gift from his dad Silvio, bought in ’79 when Paul made the Honor Roll in Junior High.
Silvio owned Silvio’s Blacksmith in Springfield’s South End. He had movie star looks and was a master of metal. He was a champion motorcycle racer in Italy. He built the gates at my parents’ house which I whacked with the ’49 Buick, a Chevy C-10 and again with a Lincoln. The cars are gone, but those gates still swing.
Paul’s antique Fiat 500 is famous. Paul places it in the lobby of the Downtown Springfield TD Bank Building and with District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Mercy Hospital’s Paula Theroux, sponsors; “Fill the Fiat” for donations and toys for children. The car is at his and his wife’s boutique in Avon, Connecticut, Bodytalk, right now, being filled by customers with back-to-school necessities for Gifts of Love benefitting Hartford children. The Fiat is special. Paul’s grandfather drove one in Italy. “Everyone around the car smiles. There are no sad faces with a 500!” La Famiglia.
Evan Garber, a 23-year-old Chicopee native knows what we are talking about. He shares: “Many times we’ve heard our parents lament about cars they wished they never sold. Mine still mourn an MG Midget, a Ford Country Squire, a baby blue ’80 Camaro. But the one mentioned more than the rest, is my dad’s ’65 Ford Mustang Convertible. That car is remembered with the most reverence and regret. Recently, fate (Aka Tony Cignoli) presented an opportunity, a ’68 Mustang Convertible in need of restoration. Embarking on this journey with my dad, George, has already become the experience of a lifetime, one I will always treasure.” Family.
Ed Collins. Internationally revered Organized Labor Leader. IBEW Icon. His car collection is as well – and almost as widely known.
Ed is the classic American story and deserves a book to tell history. Right after high school, he served in the Navy. On big ships. Serious duty. He came home and bought an Austin Healey Sprite, though he really wanted an Austin Healey 3000 but his paycheck then couldn’t warrant it. It was his everyday driver and that was the car that ignited the flame. In ’71 Ed and wife Paula’s son was born, and the Sprite had to go.
But today, Ed owns a stable envied here and “across the pond.” Gracing his garage are: a 1954 Chevy 210 Delray Club Coupe, ’58 Triumph TR3A. ’57 MG Magnette ZB, ’57 Austin Healey 100-Six, ’58 Wolseley Six-90 and a 1972 Triumph Spitfire KK IV.
Recently, my issue of the car bible, Hemmings Motor News, came, and there was Ed Collins in his award-winning Magnette in a special edition on British cars. Ed, worldwide recognition!
I have three more pages of fascinating notes on Ed’s cars that I’ll probably post online. Like with Chris Robare, I’m going to suggest articles to Hemming’s and Collectable Automobile about both 413 collectors.
And last: Chicopee Mayor John Vieau recently stated that Chicopee, not Springfield, can make claim to the origin of the Duryea automobile. He makes a good case that the Brothers Duryea were from Chicopee, despite the manufacturing being in Springfield. I believe Springfield Mayor Sarno might have something to say about this.
I can only offer this; my former next-door neighbors, Ken and Louise Socha still own the oldest surviving Stevens-Duryea, a 1903, on loan to the Springfield Museums. Small world. I was privileged once to sign the documents for the loan extension. I’m going to consult with them and museum docent and friend Don Pratt about this budding controversy…not that I want to cause any issues between the cities and mayors, really.
Cars. Memories. Meaning. Family. Amen.
Anthony L. Cignoli is the president of Anthony L. Cignoli Associates, Inc. & The A. L. Cignoli Company. He is a political consultant and public and media relations consultant for candidates, public officials, companies and charitable organizations throughout America. The opinions expressed within the article are that of the author’s and do not represent the opinions and beliefs of the paper.