Classic Cars

WATERTOWN, CT – John Maxwell’s hillside home in Watertown has the makings of a modest transportation museum. Inside the spacious living room of his house rests a one-horse open sleigh, which he believes dates to 1883, while parked outside the front door is an Amish carriage that serves as a …

SOUTH KENT, CT – Factors such as price, reliability, safety and even utility are behind most new car purchases these days, but marque and styling formerly held more sway. Cars in the 1950s and 1960s didn’t look alike as they so commonly do now. The annual arrival of new models …

PLYMOUTH, CT – Unlike so many classic car owners who pamper their vehicles to excess and restrict their use out of rightful concern over inclement weather and traffic hazards, Keith Barilla of Plymouth has no limitations on how much he drives the 1970 Pontiac LeMans Sport convertible that he bought …

OXFORD, CT – Wayne Johnson was 21 years old when he bought a new, fully-equipped 1968 Dodge Coronet 500 convertible from a dealership in Ansonia, CT. “I had graduated school. I was gainfully employed. Needed a car and this is what I ended up with,” he recalled as he stood …

HARWINTON, CT – Ken Ackley of Harwinton was 17 years old when he purchased his first car. Unbeknownst to his parents and against their wishes, he bought a used muscle car – a 1971 Oldsmobile 442. He still owns it nearly 50 years later. “Bought this car in 1976. I …

TORRINGTON, CT – It’s not uncommon to hear owners whose classic cars and trucks are showcased on RIDE-CT to say that their vehicles will someday be passed down to their children. Ann Rafferty of Torrington and her husband Peter Rafferty are the recipients of such a bequest. Nearly two years …

TORRINGTON, CT – Sometimes stories take unusual twists after the fact. That’s true of even RIDE-CT classic car stories, and, specifically, one published three months ago about a model that wasn’t what it was believed to be at the time. It’s actually a rarer, short-lived and largely forgotten model bearing …

HARWINTON, CT – Don Truskauskas of Harwinton is like most classic car owners in that he understands the commitment that’s required. He owns a conspicuous 1976 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray that he’s upgraded substantially since acquiring it seven years ago. “Having one of these cars, or anything that’s older, you have …

HARWINTON, CT – It was a roadside Halloween display unlike any other. Harwinton resident John Birden used a 1935 Hudson Terraplane to be the centerpiece of a spooky display last month near the end of his driveway. RIDE-CT spotted the old car passing his house one day, returned and got …

BURLINGTON, CT – It’s a Bumblebee Camaro – a bright yellow 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS with a movie franchise connection that has obtained a modicum of celebrity of its own. Nicole Partyka of Burlington has had the “Transformers” special edition model since summer 2023 and is the car’s third owner. …