Wednesday, April 27, 2005
1946 Dodge pickup
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights
BY BRIAN BEAULIEU
Journal Staff Writer
When Keith Klockars of North Smithfield wanted a life-size logo for his business,
Village Paint & Decorating, he bought a 1946 Dodge 3/4-ton pickup in 1997 and
decided to do the restoration with family members. It didn't work out entirely
as planned.
The restoration took 4 1/2 years, and it came out so well that Klockars doesn't
dare use the vintage truck for business or even park it in the store lot. The
black and red beauty is strictly for the car show and cruise night circuit,
and the occasional parade.
Brought back to factory condition -- better, really -- the postwar WD15 model
has the original motor, which has been rebuilt, and is painted in factory colors.
It has a new wooden bed, which is no longer used for hauling.
Significant features include cowl-mounted parking lights, which are original,
and bumper-mounted amber directional signals, which aren't. It also has what
Klockars calls "air conditioning" -- the windshield, hinged at the top, cranks
open about eight inches.
Klockars has paperwork showing that the Dodge was a service vehicle for Lou
Desy Co. of Cranston, which he believes is a former Chrysler Corp. dealer.
So this "job-rated" truck, as Dodges were known then, has seen its share of
duty.
Klockars isn't looking for another project. "I'll just wait for something
to fall into my lap," he says.
Engine/transmission: 218-cubic-inch flathead 6 cylinder; three-speed
manual.
Color: Red and black.
Mileage: 70,000 original; 11,000 on restoration.
Plate: 42706.
Can be seen: A&W, Smithfield, on Tuesdays; Main Street,
Woonsocket, on Wednesdays; Scramblers, Woonsocket, on Thursdays.
Condition: Pristine restoration.
If you have a classic car you wish to be considered for this feature, please
e-mail bbeaulie
[at] projo.com with details.
Shows/events •
Weekly Cruise
Nights
Rain last weekend forced the postponement of the
car show and swap meet at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Route 12, Richmond.
The annual event is sponsored by the Vintage Wheels group of South County.
The club's Tom Harney says the new date is Sunday, May 29. It will run from
7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and earlybirds will be able to get breakfast at the fairgrounds.
Tomorrow -- Regional High School, Route 106, South Easton, Mass., 6-9.
MAY
May 1 -- Warwick Rotary Club show, Crowne Plaza at the Crossings, 801 Greenwich
Ave., Warwick, 10-2.
May 1 -- All-makes show, St. Angelo Buick-Pontiac-GMC,
500 Taunton Ave., East Providence, 8-4.
May 1 -- Smithfield Lodge of Elks, Farnum Pike, Route 104, Smithfield,
9-3.
May 1 -- Hot rods, Helger's Speed Shop, 935 Main Rd., Tiverton, 10-3.
May 1 -- Oldsmobile show, site of former Berejik Olds, 126 Highland
Ave., Needham, Mass., exit 19A from Route 128, 8-3.
May 3 -- Brooks Pharmacy plaza, Washington Street, Canton, Mass.,
5-dusk.
May 6 -- Mattapoisett wharf, Mattapoisett, Mass., 5-9.
May 7 -- Market Place Plaza, 1160 Stafford Rd., Tiverton, 4-dusk.
May 13 -- St. Mary's Church, Dartmouth Street, Dartmouth, Mass., 5-9.
May 14 and 15 -- Swap meet and car show, Tweeter Center grounds, Routes 140
and 495, Mansfield, Mass. 6 a.m.-dusk Saturday, 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
May 15 -- J.B. Francis School, 325 Miantonomo Drive, Warwick, 9-3.
May 15 -- Cadillac day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
May 20 -- Shawmut Diner, Hathaway Road, Exit 3 off Route 140, New Bedford,
Mass., 5-9.
May 21 -- Kruse auction, Topsfield Fair grounds, 200 Boston St., Topsfield,
Mass., 10 a.m.
May 22 -- Judged show, Topsfield Fair grounds, 200 Boston St., Topsfield,
Mass., 10 a.m.
May 22 -- Italian car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
May 29 -- Riverside show, Fred's Service Center, 3730 Pawtucket Ave., East
Providence, 9-2:30.
May 29 -- Car show and swap meet, Washington County Fairgrounds, Route 12,
Richmond, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Postponed from April 24.
May 30 -- Johnston Memorial Park, Route 6, Johnston, 9-3.
JUNE
June 4-5 -- Concours de'Elegance, Roger Sherman Baldwin Park,
100 Arch St., Greenwich, Conn., 10-5. American cars on Saturday, European cars
on Sunday.
June 5 -- All-Pontiac show, Fiore Pontiac, Route 2, Warwick, 9-3.
June 5 -- Mopar show, Golfland, Manchester, Conn., 9-3.
June 5 -- French car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 12 -- July Fourth committee show, Guiteras School, Route 114, Bristol,
9-3.
June 12 -- Corvette day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 17 -- British car rally, leaves from Gazebo at the Village Green, Route
116, North Scituate, to mystery location, 6-6:30
June 18 -- Camaro-Firebird day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 19 -- Corvette show, New England Institute of Technology, off Jefferson
Boulevard, Warwick, 9-3.
June 19 -- German car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 25 -- Orphan car day (Packards, Studebakers, etc.) Museum of Transportation,
Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 9-3.
June 26 -- Forever Ford show, Goddard State Park, 345 Ives Rd., Warwick, 8
a.m.-2:30 p.m.
June 26 -- Smith's Castle, 55 Richard Smith Drive, off Route 1, North Kingstown,
10-3.
June 26 -- All-Chevy show, Diamond Hill State Park, Route 114, Cumberland,
9-3.
June 26 -- British car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
WEEKLY CRUISE NIGHTS
Sundays
Sam's Club, Route 6, Seekonk, 5-dusk.
Mondays
Seekonk Speedway, Route 6, Seekonk, 6-dusk, begins May 2.
Towne Pizza, Plum Corner, off Route 105, Rochester, Mass., 5-9, begins May
2.
Motorcycles, Chan's Restaurant, 267 Main St., Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30.
Tuesdays
A&W, Route 44, Smithfield, 6-9.
Oakland Beach, Warwick, 5-9, begins May 24.
Jukebox Diner, Route 6, Somerset, 5-9, begins May 3.
Slater Park, Pawtucket, 5-9, begins May 10.
Wednesdays
Warwick Mall, food court entrance, Route 2, Warwick, 6-9, begins May 18.
Denny's, Exit 7 off Route 95, Coventry, 6-9, begins May 4.
Main Street, Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30, begins June 1.
Thursdays
Scramblers diner, off Route 122, Woonsocket, 5-9, begins May 5.
Star Drive-In, exit 10 off Route 140, Taunton, Mass. 5-9.
Fridays
McDonald's, Stop & Shop plaza, Route 122, Cumberland, 6-9.
Firestone tire store, Post Road, Route 1, Warwick, 6-9, begins May 20.
Gazebo at the Village Green, Route 116, North Scituate, 5-dusk. British cars
and others.
Saturdays
Carousel at Crescent Park Drive, Riverside, 5-8, begins April 30.
Cliquot cruise, Route 109, Millis, Mass. 6-9, begins May 7.
To list an event, e-mail information to Bbeaulie
[at] projo.com, phone (401) 277-7179,
fax (401) 277-8175 or write to Brian Beaulieu, Journal Features
Department, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.
