Wheels: Classic Cars

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005

Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights

BY BRIAN BEAULIEU
Journal Staff Writer

Ginny Salois of Pawtucket needed a daily driver for work and was thinking of getting a Chrysler PT Cruiser. But that plan went out the window when she spotted this Olds at Pat's Auto Body in Johnston.

She had to have it, and her obsession turned into a hobby as she and her husband, Don, and other family members spent two years restoring the big black beauty. The frame-off restoration resulted in an eye-catching family sedan that looks like it came right out of an old movie.

Searching for parts all over the country became a labor of love, adding to the hobby aspect. The local Oldsmobile club helped point them in the right direction. The Salois brought back the chrome that had been painted black, restored the engine and had the interior redone. "Just about everything has been restored," Ginny says.

Don, whose family owned Salois Dairy, is mechanically inclined, and fashioned the running boards when he couldn't find anyone to make them.

Like many owners, they added seat belts and directional signals for safety. They point out that car show judges allow three improvements with no point penalties. And showing the Olds is part of the fun. The other part is driving it.

Ginny says it always makes heads turn, from young children to older folks who were around when the car was new.

The couple had planned to trailer the car to Detroit for the famed Woodward Avenue cruise last month, but it didn't work out. The Olds is fine, but the Ford truck they were going to use to haul it caught fire. And while trips to Maine and New Hampshire are planned, Michigan is a long haul, even for a big old Olds 60 sedan.

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION: 230-cubic-inch inline six; three-speed manual.

COLOR: Black.

MILEAGE: 63,000 on odometer, new engine rebuild.

PLATE: Our 40

CAN BE SEEN: Tuesdays at Slater Park, Pawtucket, Thursdays at Scrambler's, Woonsocket.

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.

Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The month of September is going out with a blast this weekend with several big shows including events in Portsmouth and Ashaway. The Portsmouth Lions Club show, in conjunction with the Little Rhody Pontiac Club, is open to all makes at Glen Park. After the trophy presentations at 1 p.m., participants are invited to cruise Ocean Drive in Newport. At Crandall Field in Ashaway, which is in Hopkinton, a car show and antique tractor parade will highlight the Swamp Yankee Days Festival.

For those looking for something different, an antique equipment and truck show will be held Sunday at Boro Sand and Stone, North Attleboro, where the Northeast Chapter of the Historical Construction Equipment Association and the host company will demonstrate equipment working as it would have 50 years ago. Anyone with an old truck or piece of equipment is invited to "play in the dirt."

On Sunday in Massachusetts, The Cape Cod Corvette Club will sponsor a show in Sandwich at Heritage Museums and Gardens. Any Corvette owner can enter the show in three catergories. And in Brockton at DeSantis Chevrolet, it's billed as a Camaro show but all makes are welcome.

Shows are also scheduled at two adult care facilities, Briarcliffe Manor in Johnston on Saturday and on Sunday at Briarwood Falls, a new adult neighborhood in Killingly, Conn.

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 21 -- American Legion post, Route 79, south of Route 140, Berkley, Mass., 5-dusk.

Sept. 22-- Inside Scoop, 1105 Scituate Ave., Cranston, 5:30-dusk. Last of the season..

Sept. 24 -- Glen Park, Route 138, Portsmouth, 9-3. Rain date Sept. 25.

Sept. 24 -- Briarcliff Manor, 49 Old Pocasset Rd., Johnston, 11-3.

Sept. 24 -- Crandall Field, Route 3, Ashaway, 11:30-dusk.

Sept. 24 -- Pontiac GTO day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

Sept. 25 -- Green Room, 145 Clifford St., Providence, 1964-and-older cars only, 8-on.

Sept. 25 -- Antique equipment, trucks and cars, Boro Sand & Stone, 192 Plain St., North Attleboro, 8-4.

Sept. 25 -- DeSantis Chevrolet, all makes show, Route 28, Brockton, Mass., 9-4.

Sept. 25 -- Corvette show, Heritage Museum, 67 Grove St., Sandwich, Mass., 10-2.

Sept. 25 -- Briarwood Falls, Cook Hill Road, Killingly, Conn., 1-5.

Sept. 25 -- Volkswagen Van day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

OCTOBER

Oct. 1 -- Cars and trucks, Oak Harbour Village, Route 2, South County Trail, Exeter, 10-2.

Oct. 1 -- A&W, Route 44, Smithfield, noon-4.

Oct. 1 -- British car day, Edaville Railroad, Carver, Mass., 10-4.

Oct. 1 -- Japanese car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

Oct. 2 -- Mustangs and Fords, Lincolns, Mercurys, New England Institute of Technology, Access Road, off Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, 9-4.

Oct. 6 -- Truck show and tractor pull, Foster Fairgrounds, Route 94 off Route 6, 8-3.

Oct. 16 -- Swedish car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

Oct. 23 -- Studebaker day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.

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

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

Seekonk Speedway, Route 6, Seekonk, 6-dusk.

Appetites Restaurant, 473 Tiogue Ave., Coventry, 5-8.

Towne Pizza, Plum Corner, off Route 105, Rochester, Mass., 5-9.

A&W, Route 44, Smithfield, 6-9.

Oakland Beach, Warwick, 5-9.

Jukebox Diner, Route 6, Somerset, 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.

Rendezvous Leather, 690 Quaker Highway, Route 116, Uxbridge, Mass., 6:30-9.

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

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

Market Square, Woonsocket, 5-8:30.

Club Raymond, 1084 Charles St., North Providence, 5-9.

CAP auto store, Fortune Boulevard, Milford, Mass., 6-dusk.

Scrambler's diner, off Route 122, Woonsocket, 5-9.

Star Drive-In, exit 10 off Route 140, Taunton, 5-9.

TGI Fridays, Routes 117 and 2, Warwick, 5-dusk. .

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

Gazebo at the Village Green, Route 116, North Scituate, 5-dusk. British cars and others.

Milk Bottle restaurant, Route 138, Raynham, 5:30-7:30.

Bangma's dairy bar, West Hartford Street, Uxbridge, Mass., 6-9.

Carousel at Crescent Park Drive, Riverside, 5-8. Gold cruise, Gold's gym, Route 109, Millis, Mass. 6-9.

Gold cruise, Gold's gym, Route 109, Millis, Mass. 6-9.

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.