Friday's Tewksbury Tour, Dinner and Auction, by Grace Gluck

Friday, the second day of our Grand Classic weekend, had two events – a driving tour during the day and a dinner and auction in the evening.  By late morning, when our driving tour was departing, the parking lot was filled with Full Classics® and trailers.  It was another fantastic day, sunny and warm.  At least 35 Full Classics®  and a number of modern cars drove on our tour through some beautiful country roads, where few, even those living in New Jersey, had ever been.  We passed country estates, crossed one lane bridges and cruised the rolling wooded hills of Morris and Hunterdon counties through historic villages to the restoration shop of Steve Babinsky, the mid-point of the tour.

Here, the display of Full Classics®  parked outside and those inside Steve’s vast new building was simply incredible.  We noticed many people wandering the shop in awe of the treasures that were stored and being worked on.  On top of that we had a marvelous catered buffet lunch from Tony’s Bistro.  The tables were scattered throughout the facility, so the group of 90 or so people could enjoy their lunch amidst the outstanding cars, some of which were from Steve’s own personal collection of rare original Classics.

After lunch, the group slowly began to leave and continue on the country roads that wound along picturesque streams through wooded areas with fruit trees all abloom.  Finally, everyone returned to the starting point, the Wyndham Garden Hotel.

In the evening, over 100 members and guests headed to the Black Forest Inn, an outstanding German-American restaurant, one mile from the hotel, for dinner.  We enjoyed a marvelous buffet with so many choices, it was difficult to try them all – but try we did, much to our gastronomic pleasure.

In between courses, Phil Guilhem, CCCA National Board member from Oklahoma as well as a member of the Metro Region, spoke to the group and presented Bob Gluck with the Cantore Award trophy.  This was the award Bob received at the CCCA Annual Meeting in Boston in January for Regional Director, chosen by the National Board of Directors for his outstanding contribution to the club and its members.  At the Annual meeting the trophy had to be returned for engraving.  This time, the engraved trophy of a boy holding a car set on a marble base, was Bob’s to keep.  Congratulations again, Bob, we are all very proud of you!

Phil also went on to express his thanks to all the members of the Metro Region in becoming one of the most vibrant regions in the organization.  Thank you Phil, for your many kind words and thank you for attending our Grand Classic.

With the arrival of dessert, it was time to start the auction.  We’d like to thank all the Metro members who contributed such interesting items.  We had a great variety of donations, making it an easy task for auctioneer, Bob Gluck, resplendent in his glittering, multi-colored dinner jacket, to run the bids.  There were many laughs and a good time was had by all, especially those delighted folks who won the bid on the item of their choice.  We auctioned everything from original art work of Classic automobiles, books, posters, auto parts, home supplies, Coca Cola memorabilia to an unusual decorative plant and bottles of liquor from the Prohibition era.  Ann Marie Nash, the recorder for everything sold, did a remarkable job of keeping everything straight.  She was ably assisted by Elaine Danielson and Grace Gluck, who walked around with the items encouraging a bid.  The evening passed all too quickly and many happy faces headed back to the hotel to get ready for the next day – Show Day!