On Sunday a fleet of vintage cars arranged themselves on the lawn of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum to celebrate Father’s Day and the fifth annual Car-B-Q Classic. The event benefited the Fallen Firefighters Fund and was sponsored by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group and the Harbor View Hotel.
Thirty seven cars, spanning from a 1930 Ford Model A to a blacked-out 1987 Buick Grand National, made their way from the staging ground at the campground to the museum. The shapes of the cars were as diverse as their age. An Army-green 1968 Jeep Kaiser, the “five-quarter ton” military truck wielding a United States Marine Corps insignia and an ammunition stock, parked down the line from a sea-foam green 1965 Volkswagen Bus with the license plate: “GROOVY.”
Combined, the price tag on the museum’s lawn totaled $2.465 million. Three cars alone were estimated to be worth over $200,000 — if they were for sale, that is.
First, second and third place prizes were chosen based on a popular vote. But the Best in Show award was voted on only by those with a car parked on the lawn.
When asked who he thought would take home the prize for Best in Show, Skip Finley, director of sales and marketing at the Vineyard Gazette Media Group, pointed to the platinum blue 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300b Cabriolet. Mr. Finley turned out to be correct, and owner Jim Jones brought home the award in addition to a bucket of polish and cleaning products to make the hood of his car shine even brighter.
A flock of car enthusiasts circled Mr. Jones as he explained the unique qualities of his vehicle. He went over the 6-cylinder, 125-horsepower engine, the 4-speed transmission, and the vacuum assisted brakes. But the specific shape of the vehicle’s body drew the most attention. The high-arching lines were commissioned by Konrad Adenauer, First Chancellor of Germany from 1949 to 1963. According to Mr. Jones, only 87 of this specific model were built.
“That’s no car you take to 7-Eleven,” Mr. Finley said.
The winner of the popular vote was Carlos Teles with his 1930 Ford Model A. The car was nicknamed “Woody” for the polished wood paneling along the front and rear cabin of the car. Onlookers enjoyed how the mix of wood and slick-black metal presented a unique twist on a car that is widely appreciated as a classic.
When asked what drew him to collect classic cars, Mr. Teles explained that since he was a kid he had been collecting mini models of cars. But growing up in Brazil, the quintessentially American Ford Model A gained a special meaning for him early on in life.
“It’s a connection to the past,” Mr. Teles said as he kicked at one of the gum-dipped spindled tires. “Growing up and watching all the old movies, seeing all the old cars, I used to dream about owning one.”
David Grain won second place in the popular vote with his 1960 Mercedes 190SL, and Jim Healey took home third prize for his 1965 VW Bus.
Towards the end of the event, Phil Wallis, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, looked out at the fleet of cars perched on top of the hill, set against the backdrop of Lagoon Pond.
“Transportation on the Island fascinates me,” he said. He gestured to the waterfront evoking the days when it was filled with the billowing sails of schooner ships. Then he pointed to the shoreline, where a set of railroad tracks lays sunken below the marsh. Then he looked back at the classic cars.
“They have only been on the Island for about 100 years,” he said. “But it’s hard to imagine a landscape without them.”
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