LIVING IN MANVILLE
By:Mary Ellen Zangara
It’s that time of the year again and Cruise Nights in Manville are returning with a new car club.
The Street Dreams Car Club is a newly organized club with about 25 members. Main Street once again will be transformed into a weekly showing of classic cars of all models and types.
Starting on April 25, the cars will take to the street from 6 to 9 p.m. Every Thursday night April through October you can stroll along and see the cars. The Street Dreams club started with car enthusiasts who wanted to continue the weekly show. Officers for the new car club include President Steve Danysh, Vice President John Kropewnicki, Treasurer Al DiGrazia, and Secretary Joe Civitano.
Members from Somerset and Hunterdon counties, and Central Jersey have all joined to share their love of cars. Mr. Kropewnicki, a resident born and raised here, said he joined because he hung around with "the fellows."
"I’m interested in vehicles and you could consider me a motor head. I have been working in garages all my life," he said. He owns four cars that he shows after starting to collect cars in 1968 when he purchased his first car.
Mr. Kropewnicki purchased his car from a gentleman in the Weston section of town while he was on leave from the Air Force. It was a 1963 MGB convertible that he was lucky to get. Since he was mechanically inclined, he got "a great deal."
Mr. Kropewnicki held onto that car and today he takes pride in all the hard work he has put into it. His other cars include a burgundy 1967 Buick Skylark, and his dream car a 1934 Ford Sedan.
A new member to the club is resident Larry Sena. He joined the Street Dreams also to get involved with his car, a 1951 Oldsmobile "a street rod," as Mr. Sena calls it still undergoing restoration.
"I joined the club for the camaraderie, to get out and go to the shows, enjoy the evenings out and the summertime and to see all the guys and all the cars and be out there," he said. It’s the first car club that Mr. Sena has joined and, so far, it’s going well for him. He participated in last year’s shows and is glad that this year the show will be every Thursday night all summer.
"Hopefully, if I can get my car together and have it in good shape, I will be going on cruises with these gentlemen to father and better places," he said.
Each week’s cruise night includes awarding first, second and third-place trophies to cars in the show, provided and chosen by sponsors. A disc jockey provides musical accompaniment to the fun.
Street Dreams’ monthly meetings are held at Pizza and Pasta and the club is welcoming new members to join. For more information about joining the Street Dreams Car Club or sponsoring the trophies you can call Steve Danysh at 575-7454.