Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Rat Rods, Chili Come To Hicksville: PHOTOS

HICKSVILLE, NY — Hot rods, rat rods, muscle cars and mouthwatering chili are coming to Hicksville.

The custom and stock vehicles will descend upon the former Sears parking lot on North Broadway on Sunday as part of the annual Hicksville Fire Department Volunteer Hose Co. 4 Car Show & Chili Cook Off, organized by New York AutoFest.

Preregistration is open for the event, which kicks off at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. The price is $25 per show vehicle — you can preregister for most events until 7 p.m. Saturday — and $5 for spectators. Kids under 12 get in free.

Leo Cerruti, president of the New York AutoFest, told Patch on Tuesday more than 700 cars and up to 1,000 people are expected to attend, should the weather hold. Attendees can expect to see 1940s and '50s hot rods as well as classics, fully restored stock vehicles, original cars and customs.

The event will also feature so-called "rat rods," which are cars deliberately customized to appear as if they've been wrecked.

"They look like a mess," Cerruti said. "They'll have things like road signs, stop signs as floor boards, windows missing, the paint outside the vehicle is totally rusted — that's the paint job."

He added: "They look like something that's been stuck in a mud bog for a year."

Expect to see many mustangs and corvettes, both stock and modified.About 45 classes of vehicles will be judged based on year and stock or modified. The most coveted awards being best in show, best engine and best paint.

The cook-off is a fully judged show. The event promises to offer exquisite food, inflatables for kids, numerous vendors, raffles and prizes. The public can buy tickets to taste chili from contestants.

Below is a roundup of cars you might see at the show.