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“It’s fun showing the car off,’’ said Battinelli, who was chief in Glenbrook for 10 years in the 1970s and ‘80s. He regularly attends shows with a 1931 Buick Sedan. On the driver’s side door are Glenbrook Fire Department and Chief decals.
“People ask all kinds of questions,’’ Battinelli said. “One lady looked it over and said ‘They didn’t have seat belts in those days?’ You get some funny questions.”
Battinelli used the vehicle when he was the chief, and bought it from the department when he retired. He still responds to fires, and sometimes rolls up in the antique. “Sometimes I’ll hear the call go out when I’m in the car and I show up with it,’’ said Battinelli, whose son, Mike, followed him into the fire department and is a long-time volunteer in Stamford Youth Wrestling. “They think I’m chasing fires. I just happen to be out when I get the call.”
Cars ranging from a 1909 Ford Model T to a 1981 Pontiac Trans Am Daytona pace car were part of Saturday’s show. There were nearly 60 domestic and foreign vehicles at the show, which also included food, artists and contests for “Best Ford”, “Best Survivor Car” and “People’s Choice.”
Shelton’s Joe Zampano showed off a 1965 Ford Mustang that has been associated with his family since it was purchased 48 years ago.
“I enjoy the whole Mustang culture,’’ Zampano said. “They’re passionate about their cars. They really take good care of their vehicles. I already have a couple of Mustangs, but when the opportunity came to get this one I couldn’t say no.”
Rosa Portell, who stepped down last year as the curator of the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, said she is proud of how far the event has come since its inception. Kirsten Brophy, who replaced Portell at the museum, and David Greenberg worked as co-curators for this year's show.
“It’s nice even for people who are not that much into automobiles,’’ Portell said. “You get to mingle with the car owners and really get to know them. There’s a nice camaraderie, and it’s a friendly event. When I left last year, I wondered if they’d keep doing it. I’m absolutely thrilled that they’re continuing.”
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