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Community Corner

Enthusiasts Take to Streets of Ocean Grove for British Car Show

Annual show sponsored by Chamber, Positive Earth Drivers Club showcases vintage autos Sept. 17

The streets of Ocean Grove were clogged with traffic – not vehicular, but human – during the British Car Show held Sept. 17 along Main Avenue. Sponsored by Positive Earth Drivers Club, Brick, in conjunction with Ocean Grove Chamber of Commerce, the show drew several hundred car enthusiasts admiring hundreds of primarily vintage, privately owned automobiles.

Positive Earth President, Rodney Ford, Brick, not only entered his own vintage car, but monitored activities at the Club’s booth.

“This is our annual show – it’s our biggest ever. This is our 14th annual show, and third at this location. It’s a great venue – the location is wonderful. People at the Chamber are so cooperative,” said Ford.

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The club has approximately 210 members, both male and female.

“We’re a club where the wives are members, also – this is a great place where the wives can shop,” said Ford.

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The show’s entry fee was $12 in advance, and $15 day-of, and there were 150 autos registered in the show, with approximately 145 cars on the “field” along Main Avenue. Although Positive Earth Drivers Club considers “vintage” to be from 1985 or older, there were some newer cars from as “late” as the 2000s entered.

Garnering a lot of attention was a “newer” car, a 2001 Rolls Royce Corniche Convertible featuring beige leather interior, and deep blue lamb’s wool shearling floor mats, and owned by Betty and Ron Agasar, Brigantine.

“I bought it about a year ago – it’s a sunny-day, weekend cruiser, and weighs about three tons,” said Ron. “It’s our first year here. It’s a nice little town. Friends of ours, John and Diane Brown from Little Egg Harbor, were here least year with their car.”

Perhaps not weighing quite so much, but drawing attention from attendees, was a silver 1972 Triumph GT6, which was also for sale by owner Pelle Gaglione of Airmont, N.Y.

“I’m a collector of British cars. I own just one now, but I’m always looking to buy,” said Gaglione. “This is my second year. I came last year, and I loved it so much.”

The show featured dozens of sports cars – Triumphs, MGs, Morgans – but not too many large sedans. However, a few Range Rovers and limousines were interspersed among the autos.

One such limousine was the deep blue 1975 Daimler owned by Tom Chowning, Ocean Township, who entered the show for the fourth year.

“It’s a converted limousine and has a Jaguar engine,” said Chowning. “The Queen of England has four of these still; it’s custom-made, and was customized in New Zealand.”

All participants were allowed to vote on “Best-Looking Car” in its class, of which were 20 classes, and plaques for first, second or third place were distributed by Positive Earth Drivers Club following the show which ended at 4 p.m.

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