Man and Machine Shine at Merrick Car Show

Outdoor art exhibit or Sunday car show?

The difference was merely semantics on Sunday afternoon as the Long Island/New York City Chapter of the Oldsmobile Club held its annual "Dust-Off" on the grounds of the Waldbaum's Shopping Center on Merrick Road.

More than 300 car enthusiasts rolled onto the scene in a stunning array of gorgeous rides. Many of the landmark autos in American history were on display; from pristine Model A Fords from the 30s and 40s, to elegant Cadillacs and Chevys from the 50s, to souped up bad-ass Oldsmobiles from the 60s and 70s, to the raging fire-engine red Mustangs of the 80s and 90s, to the futuristic, cutting edge machines of today.

Like all technology and tools, cars are only as good as the people who drive them, work on them and preserve them. With that criteria in mind, this collection was particularly special.

Without exception, every single person at the event, whether there to compete, show off or hang out, was incredibly friendly, informative, curious and just genuinely glad to be there.

"I restored my first one when I was a kid," said Ronald Hoffer, a retired airline employee and antique Model A Ford enthusiast. "I just loved it and I stayed with it, it has become a way of life. I just love it."

The love showed in Hoffer's stunning, perfectly restored and extremely rare 1931 Model A Ford. Wonderfully intelligent, thoroughly educated about his cars and just about everything else, Hoffer was all too happy to offer a brilliant impromptu crash course on the ins-and-outs of his very special machine.

"This is the original re-paint job from the 1940s," he explained. "All the fenders, bumpers and lights? Original stock parts."

Hoffer, of Hicksville, opened the passenger side door to reveal the impeccable interior. 

"There's only 200 of these left in the world," he said.  "It very much is a part of history."

The stories behind the acquisition of these antiques are often as interesting as the vehicles themselves.

"For years he talked and talked and talked," said Merokean and fellow Model A enthusiast Lorraine Glass of her husband, Gary. "I sort of dared him to get one. He went on eBay, poking around, I didn't think anything would come of it. Next thing I know, two weeks later, there's a 1931 Model A Ford pickup sitting in my driveway. He bought it for me. I was crying."

"Strong, simple and reliable," Gary Glass said. "Henry Ford knew that if a farmer 200 miles away from the nearest parts store or repair shop had a problem, he'd have to be able to fix it himself."

Like Hoffer, Glass is a wonderful educator who is intensely passionate about his Model A's. Seconds after meeting him, he was underneath the hood, thoroughly explaining the mechanics of what was one of the first automotive engines ever made.

"No scanners, no computers," Glass quipped. "If something is wrong with this car, you follow a series of steps, use logic and fix it."

As his ebullient wife manned the choke, turned the key and brought the antique to life - instantly transforming the gorgeous relic into a living, breathing, running automobile - Glass summed up the greatness of the antique car experience.

"With a half-inch wrench, a 9/16" wrench and a screwdriver, you can pretty much fix anything," he deadpanned. "It's truly beautiful in its simplicity."

While the Model A folk did their job preserving a very important part of the past, guys like Richie Tuscani, of Bayside, held court on the cusp of the future.

"It's highly, highly impractical," said Tuscani of his souped up yellow and black 2001 Dodge Viper, aptly nicknamed Bumblebee. 

"But you need that in life, don't you think?," he smiled behind his cool shades as he lovingly polished his Transformer-esque muscle machine. "Otherwise things would get pretty boring."

Amid all the pristine paint jobs, sparkling chrome engines, carefully restored interiors and perfectly manicured whitewalls, fins and grills; owners such as Tuscani, Hoffer and the Glasses - with their wonderful attitude about cars, life and their willingness to share the marriage of the two - were the real stars of the show.

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