Michael Raphael of Marlboro is proud of the awards that his 2007 Saturn Sky has earned at car shows. JACK MURTHA As Michael Raphael pressed his foot against the gas pedal of his 2007 Saturn Sky, the silver convertible’s engine released a swell of noise along Main Street in Freehold on a recent sunlit afternoon.
Several diners seated at an outdoor restaurant turned their heads to watch Raphael, 67, of Marlboro, gracefully slide the slim, but powerful roadster into a parking spot.
The machine’s slick custom design, which is modeled off a Vauxhall Lightning from England, has earned Raphael about 15 awards at automobile shows throughout the past year, he said.
Raphael has taken home top prizes at Palm Beach, Fla., Point Pleasant Beach and several other competitions.
“The car is the real trophy,” Raphael added with a grin on his face. “You go anywhere with this car; it will compete for attention with more expensive, exotic cars.”
Both sides of the Sky are marked with black racing stripes and the number “44,” which is the year of Raphael’s birth, 1944.
Whitewall tires bring attention to the bright chrome hubcaps, which shine like mirrors as they spin above the road. The vehicle’s lights, some installed for safety and others for display, turn into a fireworks show at night, Raphael said.
“When I drive this car, everybody waves at me. When they pass me, they all look back,” the former New York court officer said. “The world stops when I pull up to a gas station. Everybody gets out to look at it.”
The impressive look was relatively costefficient compared to other luxury vehicles, at about $33,000 after a series of upgrades, Raphael said.
He said he waxes and polishes the car once every two weeks. Raphael’s admiration for good-looking sports cars can be traced to Brooklyn, N.Y., where he grew up and spent most of his life.
“I’ve always liked the design of a car. Forget performance,” he said. “I grew up on the streets of Brooklyn. If you washed your car, everybody would come around and talk to you.”
Several unforeseen benefits were quickly born through his involvement with the auto show circuit and an online forum for fellow Sky drivers, Raphael said.
“I met a bunch of people who drive the Sky and some of us became friends,” he added. “The social aspect of this was totally unexpected.”
His wife, Darlene, said the couple was happy to forge a handful of new friendships through her husband’s hobby.
“They will come over for barbeques. The guys will talk about their cars and the ladies will sit and talk,” she said. “Cars will be lined up and down our street … It’s like an auto show for the neighbors.”
Before Saturn went under, Raphael’s knowledge of the Sky landed him a parttime job at a nearby dealership.