Malba’s Field & Marine Club’s Tenth Annual Car Show At The Beach and Children’s Hot Dog Party showcases 111 hot rods, customs, muscle cars and sports & GT cars.
Depending on how long you’ve lived in Malba, the sleepy community’s annual block party has been known by many names. Back in 1958, it was the Weenie Roast. In the mid-1970s to early-1980s, it was officially the Annual Children’s Hot Dog Party. In 1984 it was renamed after the death of its founder, Bill Maggio, the Bill Maggio Hot Dog Party. Regardless of its official name, the event draws some of the finest street rods, race and show cars in the Tri-State area.
For those not from the Big Apple, Malba is located at the foot of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and just 10 miles from midtown Manhattan, It is a unique, tightly knit family community of some 400 homes. A tranquil, green oasis with its own private security patrols, it borders Francis Lewis Park and a magnificent 17-acre (East River) waterfront. It was incorporated as part of New York City in 1898 and is in the borough of Queens.
Sunday September 18, 2011 marked the tenth year that the show was held as a combined children’s festival and hot rod & custom event. Bright sunshine and mild temperatures made for a great day for children of all ages, including those who brought their favorite cars! Hosted by the Field & Marine Club, it was attended by local area residents, car guys and representatives of local churches as well as politicians.
Mlaba’s Field & Marine Club has been around for 96 years and is listed in the American Yacht Club Register. Although its members continue to enjoy exchange privileges with hundreds of other yacht clubs worldwide, it’s now a land-locked social club that serves the local community. Many of its members are card-carrying car guys who own serious high-performance automobiles.
The Retro Garage Group, family and childhood friends of show chairman and friend of the Car Guy Chronicles, Bill Giaccio, ran the car show. There were 111 cars eligible for judging. Malba’s own Dan Sambucci’s ‘55 Chrysler captured the most votes and the Cadena Cup in memory of former member. Martin Cadena.
Malba’s Rick Manetta, a collector of very special Corvettes and muscle cars, took the top award, the Commodore’s Trophy, with his Baldwin-Motion ’69 427 Phase III GT Corvette, above. One of 12 built over three model years by Long Island’s Joel Rosen, the Phase III GT was the first Corvette designed and engineered to be a true GT or Grand Touring road car. It is one of the rarest collector Corvettes and the centerpiece of Manetta’s collection.
To see more of photographer Bill Cruz’s coverage of the show, check out his albums at,
http://cruz21105.zenfolio.com/f286681696