Wednesday, May 25, 2005
1961 Chevrolet Corvette
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights
BY BRIAN BEAULIEU
Journal Staff Writer
There are a lot of Corvettes on the road, and owners of old ones usually
tell the same story. They are driving now what they wanted to drive when they
were young.
Dick Welshman of Rehoboth, Mass. is one of those owners. His perfectly restored
1961 is one of three Vettes owned by the semi-retired plumber. He also has
a 1969, and a '67 that he says is a "driver."
Not that he doesn't drive the '61, even though it has won several prestigious
awards. These include a 97.5 score at the Bloomington, Minn., competition (where
no Corvette is judged to be perfect) and a top Flight Award (99.9) from the
National Corvette Restorers Society.
Welshman, president of the East Bay Corvette Club, looked at six or seven
cars before he decided on this one. "I had a broker looking for me, and
he found this one in Winchendon, Mass. in 1989," he says. Welshman did
most of the restoration work on the chassis, and Ron's Auto of Fitchburg, Mass.
helped out with the rest of the work.
This isn't one of those powerhouse Vettes -- the 283-cubic-inch small block
develops 230 horsepower -- but you don't have to go fast to have fun. The silver
beauty is a rare radio delete car, so there is a plug plate where the radio
would go.
These days, Welshman says, he wouldn't listen to the radio if he had one.
That, and a few years, are the big differences between a youngster's dream
and a grown man's fulfillment.
Engine/transmission: 283-cubic-inch V8; 4-speed manual.
Color: Sateen silver.
Mileage: 5,000 on restoration.
Plate: 50M.
Can be seen: Sam's Club, Seekonk, on Sundays.
Condition: Pristine restoration.
If you have a classic car you wish to be considered
for this feature, please e-mail bbeaulie@projo.com with
details.
Calendar: In the spotlight
A two-day event at the Elks Lodge in Attleboro, Mass., highlights the car
show scene this Memorial Day weekend. A car show will be held Saturday from
4 to 9 p.m. at the Elks on Route 152. On Sunday, the Bristol Stomp will have
something for everyone interested in cars, including a rally and other driving
events, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Both events are sponsored by the Bristol Street
Rod Association, in its 31st year.
Also on Sunday is a car show at Fred's Service Center in East Providence,
and an all-day show and swap meet at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Richmond,
where you can have breakfast beginning at 7 a.m. This event was rained out
on April 24.
Memorial Park, Route 6, Johnston, is the site of the 16th annual Rhode Island
Street Rodding Association show, to benefit the Johnston Little League, on
Memorial Day.
Shows/events •
Weekly Cruise
Nights
Cruise nights that are not held weekly are listed by date
in our shows/events listing.
MAY
May 26 -- Regional High School, Route 106, South Easton, Mass., 6-9.
May 28 -- Elks Lodge, Route 152, Attleboro, Mass., 4-9.
May 29 -- Bristol Stomp rally, driving events, Elks Lodge, Route 152, Attleboro,
Mass., 9-3.
May 29 -- Show and swap meet, Washington County Fairgrounds, Route
112, Richmond, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Postponed from April 24.
May 29 -- Riverside show, Fred's Service Center, 3730 Pawtucket Ave., East
Providence, 9-2:30.
May 30 -- Johnston Memorial Park, Route 6, Johnston, 9-3.
May 31 -- Brooks Pharmacy plaza, Washington Street, Canton, Mass., 5-dusk.
JUNE
June 1 -- American Legion post, Route 79, south of Route 140, Berkley, Mass.,
5-dusk.
June 3 -- Mattapoisett wharf, Mattapoisett, Mass., 5-9.
June 4 -- Market Place Plaza, 1160 Stafford Rd., Tiverton, 4-dusk.
June 4-5 -- Concours d'Elegance, Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, 100 Arch St.,
Greenwich, Conn., 10-5. American cars on Saturday, European cars on Sunday.
June 4 -- Rock 'n' roll ramble, Heritage Gardens, 67 Grove St., Sandwich,
Mass., 10-2.
June 4 -- British car dyno day and car show, New England Dyno and Tuning,
7 Lenora St., Worcester, Mass., exit 10A off Mass. Pike, 8-5.
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 10 -- St. Mary's Church, Dartmouth Street, Dartmouth, Mass., 5-9.
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 -- Shawmut Diner, Hathaway Road, Exit 3 off Route 140, New Bedford,
Mass., 5-9.
June 17 -- British car rally, leaves from Gazebo at the Village Green, Route
116, North Scituate, to mystery location, 6-6:30
June 18 -- British cars, Heritage Gardens, 67 Grove St., Sandwich, Mass.,
10-2.
June 18 -- Camaro-Firebird day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3.
June 18 -- Military show and flea market, Hebron Fair grounds, Route 85, Hebron,
Conn., 8-3.
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 19 -- Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Elm Bank, 900 Washington St.,
Route 16, Wellesley, Mass., 10-3.
June 21 -- West Greenwich Plaza, 780 Victory Highway, West Greenwich, 6-dusk.
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 -- Oddballs Sports Bar, 105 Chases Lane, Middletown, next to Home
Depot, noon-dusk.
June 26 -- British car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 9-3
WEEKLY CRUISE NIGHTS
Sundays
Sam's Club, Route 6, Seekonk, Mass., 5-dusk.
Mondays
Burger King-Krispy Creme lot, Sockanosset and Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, 6-9,
begins May 16.
Seekonk Speedway, Route 6, Seekonk, Mass., 6-dusk.
Towne Pizza, Plum Corner, off Route 105, Rochester, Mass., 5-9.
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, Mass., 5-9.
Slater Park, Pawtucket, 5-9.
Patriot's Bar and Grille, Routes 140 and 126, Bellingham, Mass., 6-9.
Wednesdays
Warwick Mall, food court entrance, Route 2, Warwick, 6-9, begins May 18.
Denny's, Exit 7 off Route 95, Coventry, 6-9.
Main Street, Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30, begins June 1.
Thursdays
Scramblers diner, off Route 122, Woonsocket, 5-9.
Star Drive-In, exit 10 off Route 140, Taunton, Mass. 5-9.
TGI Fridays, Routes 117 and 2, Warwick, 5-dusk.
Paddy's Bayside, 159 Atlantic Ave. Misquamicut Beach, Westerly, 5:30-dusk,
begins May 26.
Fridays
MacDonald'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.
Milk Bottle restaurant, Route 138, Raynham, Mass., 5:30-7:30.
Saturdays
Carousel at Crescent Park Drive, Riverside, 5-8.
Cliquot cruise, Route 109, Millis, Mass. 6-9.
Gillette Corner, behind MacDonald's, Routes 10 and 202 Southwick, Mass., 6-9.
To list an event, e-mail information to Bbeaulie@projo.com, phone
(401) 277-7179, fax (401) 277-8175 or write to Brian Beaulieu, Journal Features
Department,
75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.
