Dig that 1937 Buick Century Model 61!

It belongs to Bayport resident Larry Howard, last year’s winner for Best in Show at the Bellport Fire Department’s third annual Classic Car Show. Howard drove his baby over for a photo shoot in front of the fire house, as did commissioner Rob Paulsen, showing his sleek and jazzy ’73 Corvette as enticers for this year’s fourth annual Classic Car Show on Sunday, June 25.

Bring your dad, Uncle Mel, Aunt Shirley, Grandma Flo and Grandpa Al. About 200 vintage cars will be on display, said Dan Polner, Bellport Fire Department first lieutenant. He was wearing the T-shirt they’ll be selling this year for $10 with Howard’s car imprinted on the front. Admission is free. It starts at 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a nice summer activity, with two live bands, Not Those Firebyrds and D.J. Mike, by Porters on the Lane.  Also, a 50/50 raffle.

Categories judged will be Best in Show, Best Pickup Truck, Best Muscle Car, Best Foreign Car, and Best Restomod (modified restoration).

“Every year, the previous year’s winner gets promoted on our registration form and on the T-shirt,” Polner said. “We’re the only car show that does that.”

Bellport Chamber co-president LuAnn Thompson, from Bellport Arts & Framing Studio, captured the car’s essence with her artwork for the T-shirt.

During the interview, Polner and Howard talked cars. A lot. Howard kept injecting the car’s history, although he had a writeup on it, as well as other car shows he’d attended.

“I’ve been into cars my whole life,” Howard explained. “When they broke down, my dad said, ‘Here, you’re going to fix it, so you’ll learn.’”

He bought it in 1996, chose the color—close to Buick’s ’38 color, Raphael Green. After a six-year frame-off restoration, he sold it. Then he bought another Buick ’38, but wasn’t happy with his restoration results. He sold that one. His true love original became available again in 2020.

That’s the way it is with vintage car enthusiasts. They strive for perfection and work on their cars until 2 a.m. (With Howard’s reunion car, he found the engine was stuck. That had to be addressed.) They study old brochures, tinker with fuel systems, research parts. And they have their favorites.

Polner doesn’t own a vintage car, but he loves them anyway.

“I like to look at them,” he said. “I like to go to Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s parking lot for a meetup every week. It’s 400 cars and the guys enjoy talking about them.”

He popped up a gorgeous red British TVR sports car that won Best Foreign Car from last year on his phone.

You know how it goes with the conversation. It’s the year they bought it. A neighbor had one like it that they vowed to own. Or, it was the same one they courted their honey in, the first time they sat in one, even remembering songs from the era. Also, where to get parts.

The sponsors, besides the fire department, are the Bellport Chamber of Commerce, MVP Automotive, Still Cruisin’ L.I. Car Club and Biocogent. Polner said this year, Brookhaven Fire Department former chief Mike Verney will transport their Shady Grove Antique Fire Department Collection for display in the MVP parking lot, across the street from the fire house. “Bellport will have two antique trucks and probably others from local fire departments,” Polner said.

Roads will be closed from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. along Station Road, off South Country and Bellport Lane to Brown’s Lane.

“You don’t realize how many classic car buffs there are,” Polner said, “until you have one.”