Wheels: Classic Cars

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights

BY BRIAN BEAULIEU
Journal Staff Writer

This is a car for boulevard cruising, and that's what it's done for all of its 35 years. Owner Ray Rocchio of Greenville can attest to that.

"It's been in our family since it was purchased new, right off the showroom floor," he says.

The LeMans convertible was owned by Rocchio's mother-in-law when she lived in Batavia N.Y., and she only put about 1,500 miles a year on it. It usually spent the winter months on blocks.

"I always loved the car and would drive it when I visited her," he says. "I made her promise she would never sell without offering it to me first." She finally let it go in 1992, and it had 35,000 miles on it when Rocchio took ownership.

Still, it needed work, so he took it to Bundy Motors in Tolland, Conn., where he was living at the time. He decided a frame-up restoration was in order. The rusted fenders were replaced, but the convertible top and the black interior are original, save the carpets. Rocchio thought about changing the paint color, but his mother-in-law wouldn't hear of it.

Everything is stock, except for the AM-FM tape player mounted in the glove box, soon to be replaced with a CD player. Rocchio added an NOS (that's "new old stock") clock to the dash and replaced the original wheel covers with the optional wire wheel covers offered by Pontiac at the time. "I had to buy about a dozen wheels to salvage four quality covers," he says.

It's one benefit Rocchio, a retired insurance man, didn't mind paying out.

Engine/transmission: 350-cubic-inch V8; three-speed automatic.

Color: Mint turquoise.

Mileage: 49,500 original.

Plate: Antique 2270

Can be seen: Tuesdays at A&W, Smithfield.

Condition: Restored to original.

If you have a classic car you wish to be considered for this feature, please e-mail bbeaulie@projo.com with details.

Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights

The Main Street, Woonsocket, cruise kicks in tonight at 5:30 and will be held every week until Aug. 17. Tomorrow night begins a new cruise night at Inside Scoop on Scituate Avenue, Cranston, an event that will be held every other Thursday. Pontiac fans will gather Sunday at Fiore Pontiac on Route 2, West Warwick, for the 13th annual show sponsored by the Little Rhody Chapter of the Pontiac-Oakland Club of America.

Cruise nights that are not held weekly are listed by date in our shows/events listing.

JUNE

Today -- American Legion post, Route 79, south of Route 140, Berkley, Mass., 5-dusk.

Tomorrow -- Inside Scoop, 1105 Scituate Ave., Cranston, 5:30-dusk.

Friday -- British car rally, leaves from Gazebo at the Village Green, Route 116, North Scituate, to mystery location, 6-6:30

Friday -- Shawmut Diner, Hathaway Road, Exit 3 off Route 140, New Bedford, Mass., 5-9.

Saturday -- British cars, Heritage Gardens, 67 Grove St., Sandwich, Mass., 10-2.

Saturday -- Camaro-Firebird day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 9-3.

Saturday -- Military show and flea market, Hebron Fair grounds, Route 85, Hebron, Conn., 8-3.

Sunday -- Corvette show, New England Institute of Technology, off Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, 9-3.

Sunday -- Rotary Club show, Portsmouth Abbey, Cory's Lane, off Route 114, Portsmouth, 10-3.

Sunday -- Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Elm Bank, 900 Washington St., Route 16, Wellesley, Mass., 10-3.

Sunday -- German car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 9-3.

June 21 -- West Greenwich Plaza, 780 Victory Highway, West Greenwich, 6-dusk.

June 23 -- Regional High School, Route 106, South Easton, Mass., 6-9.

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/Hi-Way Bowl, 105 Chases Lane, Middletown, Route 114, Home Depot plaza, noon-dusk.

June 26 -- British car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 9-3.

June 28 -- Brooks Pharmacy plaza, Washington Street, Canton, Mass., 5-dusk.

JULY

July 1 -- Mattapoisett wharf, Mattapoisett, Mass., 5-9.

July 2 -- Market Place Plaza, 1160 Stafford Rd., Tiverton, 4-dusk.

July 2,3 -- Uncas Ballroom, Convention Center, Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn., 10-6 Saturday, 10-5 Sunday. Limited to 250 cars. To register, call (508) 428-8055.

July 7 -- Elm Street at Mason Field, North Attleboro, Mass., 6-10.

July 8 -- St. Mary's Church, Dartmouth Street, Dartmouth, Mass., 5-9.

July 9 -- McDonald's, Route 6, Swansea, Mass., 11:30 a.m.-1:30.

July 9 -- Drive-in movie, Mendon Drive-in, 16 Milford Rd., Mendon, Mass., 6 p.m.-on.

July 9 -- Micro and mini car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 1 p.m.

July 10 -- Rotary Club show and corral, Glen Park, off Route 138, Portsmouth, 10-4.

July 16 -- Motorcycles and hot rods, Ocean State Harley Davidson, 5 Albany Rd., Warwick, exit 15 off Route 95, 10-5.

July 17 -- White's of Westport, 66 State Rd., Westport, Mass., 4-7.

July 17 -- Quinsigamond Community College, 670 West Boylston St., Worcester, Mass., 8-4.

July 17 -- American muscle cars, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

July 23 -- Hopkins Field, Route 6, Scituate, 8-3.

July 24 -- Hot rods, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

July 29-31 -- Autos of the World, show, auction and swap meet, Goddard State Park, 345 Ives Road, Warwick,

July 31 -- Triumph day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

WEEKLY CRUISE NIGHTS

Sundays

Sam's Club, Route 6, Seekonk, Mass., 5-dusk.

Big River Inn, 809 Nooseneck Hill Rd., Route 3, West Greenwich, 5-8, begins June 19.

Mondays

Burger King-Krispy Kreme lot, Sockanosset Road and Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, 6-9.

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.

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.

Motorcycles, Suzy Q's Place, 208 Plainfield Pike, Scituate, 5-9.

Wednesdays

Warwick Mall, food court entrance, Route 2, Warwick, 6-9.

Denny's, Exit 7 off Route 95, Coventry, 6-9.

Main Street, Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30.

Club Raymond, 1084 Charles Street, North Providence, 5-9, begins June 22.

Downtown North Attleboro, Mass., 5-8:30, begins June 29.

Florentina restaurant, Route 140, Franklin, Mass., 6-9.

Mohegan Sun, roof of Riverview garage, 6-9. Begins July 6.

Thursdays

Scrambler's 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. .

Appetites Restaurant, 473 Tiogue Ave., Coventry, 5-8, begins June 16.

Paddy's Bayside, 159 Atlantic Ave. Misquamicut Beach, Westerly, 5:30-dusk.

Fridays

McDonald's, Stop & Shop plaza, Route 122, Cumberland, 6-9.

Firestone tire store, Post Road, Route 1, Warwick, 6-9.

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 McDonald'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.