STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Staten Island region of the Antique Automobile Club of America celebrated its 50th anniversary with a massive car show Sunday at the Nicotra Group’s Corporate Commons campus in Bloomfield.
The 450-plus vehicles on display spanned over 100 years of automotive history, from Henry Ford’s Model T, to the fabulous fins of the 1950s, the muscle cars of the 1960s, and the luxury barges of the 1970s and beyond. Various local clubs came to highlight their members’ love for Cadillac (the Verrazano Cadillac Club, Staten Island Cadillacs and Classics), Chrysler (NYC Mopar Club), Corvette (Richmond County Corvette Club), Pontiac (Richmond County Pontiac Association), and more (Staten Island Kar Klub, Legendary Muscle Cars). Members competed for hundreds of available trophies, including special awards for best paint, best interior, best engine, and best in show.
The President’s Cup was awarded to Mark DiPilato of Eltingville, whose 1971 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was chosen as an outstanding vehicle by the club’s president, Paul Arena. DiPilato completely restored his car. “This is one of only eight hundred because of the factory 4-speed.
It was taken down to bare metal, and every nut and bolt in this car was refinished and put back,” he explained. Ray Ocello entered his 1926 Model T Ford in the show. He only became a car collector a year ago: “I always wanted an antique car and this actually was a birthday gift from my lifelong partner.
” Greg Parlante’s 1967 Oldsmobile 442 convertible has 43,000 original miles on the odometer. “My friend has a website where he buys and sells cars, and when he found out about this car, we went and looked at it. Before he put it on his website, I bought it,” said Parlante.
Along with food and music, the show included two 50/50 drawings and a raffle car giveaway. Jeanine Vitale won this year’s prize, a 1987 Camaro IROC-Z. The event was more than just a car show; it also raised money for local charities.
“Each year, the club donates to local charities, and we selected three this year: Catholic Charities of Staten Island, Lou’s Helping Hand Foundation, and Pitbulls & Addicts Broken Souls Rescue and Recovery,” said Arena. According to Kristine Albano Garlisi, COO of the Nicotra Group, all profits from COMMONS Cafe — one of the eateries on-site at Corporate Commons — on the day of the car show would be donated to the Staten Island Antique Automobile Association, a nonprofit organization. Club president Paul Arena said, “Today was dynamite.
When you have great weather, a massive turnout of over 450 cars, give out hundreds of trophies, and donate thousands of dollars to charities, it’s a win for everyone who comes out. We couldn’t have been happier with the way this show ran and what we’ve been able to do, and we look forward to doing it again next year.” With so many Staten Islanders growing up with a love for cars , it was no surprise when the Antique Automobile Club of America’s national directors issued the charter for the borough chapter on Feb.
8, 1975. The club’s Staten Island region’s first president was Joe Miscuraca. The former proprietor of Swan Cleaners in Dongan Hills was a longtime member of the national auto club, and incredibly passionate about classic cars from a young age.
Miscuraca was joined by his son Leonard Misuraca as club secretary; Edward McCarthy as vice president; and Andy Sciascia as treasurer. Richard Van Lehe, James Spadafora, and Louis Costanzo helped with the club’s job appointments, newsletters and distribution, respectively. Car show specials.
Joe Misuraca looks over two of his prize antique cars, a 1916 Buick, left, and a 1920 Packard, which was held in 1981 at the First Annual Antique Car Show and Flea Market. The show was held at Wagner College's Fischer Field on Grymes Hill. (Staten Island Advance) The club would meet in the old Skipper’s Rest in Great Kills, the club’s regular meeting place for the first six months.
The Staten Island region held its first car show in 1977, on the grounds of the Academy of St. Dorothy in Grasmere. The Misuracas provided 19 beautifully groomed classic cars out of the 80 on display that day.
- A flyer announces the Staten Island Region Antique Automobile Club of America’s first-ever antique, classic car, and auto show at the Academy of St. Dorothy on Sunday, October 17, 1977. (Photo courtesy of Paul Arena) Courtesy of Paul Arena Over the years, the club has held shows at the Michael J.
Petrides Educational Complex in Sunnyside, and the College of Staten Island in Willowbrook, before moving to the Nicotra Group’s Corporate Commons campus in Bloomfield. With the Nicotras’ long-term support, two shows are typically held annually, with nearly 500 vehicles on display. In addition to allowing other Staten Islanders to view their pristine collections, members of the car club’s Staten Island region also provide cars for movies, TV shows and commercials.
The Misuracas, for example, provided a 1916 Buick for “The Godfather Part II” (1974); a 1920 Packard for “The Great Gatsby,” and a 1929 Nash for “Splendor in the Grass.” The Staten Island region’s next car show, the 18th annual Spring Dust-Off, will be held in late April..
