Next Rally: 2023 Fall Foliage Tour - October 13 - 15, 2023.
Next Rally: 2023 Fall Foliage Tour - October 13 - 15, 2023.
The inaugural Fortunato Rally was held on October 15-17, 2021 and covered 1,100 miles over a 3-day tour of six New England states. Starting and ending point was the Southington Drive-In in Southington, CT.
The 2021 Rally route was as follows:
Day 1 - Fri Oct 15
Southington, CT to Burlington, VT
[est. 325mi]
Day 2 - Sat Oct 16
Burlington, VT to Plymouth, MA
[est. 425mi]
Day 3 - Sun Oct 17
Plymouth, MA to Southington, CT
[est. 350mi]
Rally teams by Class are listed below.
Team Name: 1496 Classic Cars
Team Instagram Account: @chemstat
Team Members: Bruce LeFebvre and Guy Mattran
Team Hometown: South Windsor, CT
Team Q&A
How did your team become a team?
Both members of the 1496 Classic Car Club.
What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?
One of our members became aware of the Fortunato Rally and challenged us to pick a car and enter this year’s rally. We have participated in many car events but never a rally, so here we are… with baited excitement we are really looking forward to a great time.
How did you develop an interest in vintage cars?
We have both been “car guys” from an early age. Bruce has 6 vintage autos and enjoys the challenge of restoring them to their traditional glory. Guy is a road racer, amateur high performance driving instructor and is currently building a Porsche 911 race car.
Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight?
While removing the seats and interior for the rewiring process we discovered that there were massive mice nests in the springs of each of the seats. Fortunately, the mice were long gone by the time we discovered the nests and the seats were removed without further incidents.
Favorite road trip food?
We are both health nuts so our snacks will be protein and energy bars along with extra strength energy shots and drinks, candy bars and ice-cream when we can get it. Personal favorite, NECO Wafers.
Vehicle: 1941 Chevy Special Deluxe
Powertrain: Stovebolt six cylinder engine. The vacuum assisted transmission makes shifting a breeze and this is the only automobile that I am aware of to feature this option.
Options/Features: The car has 33 of the 52 accessories available in 1941. The transmission and convertible top are both vacuum powered.
Background: From 1941 to the early 1990’s very little is known about the car. What is known is that Charles Cawley, founder of MBNA Bank, and avid car collector purchased it in the early 1990’s and donated it to the MBNA Car Collection sometime after that. Around 2004 the Bank donated the car to a national car museum in Pennsylvania where it remained for 15 plus years. However, due to sagging attendance attributed to the pandemic, the museum entered this car in Hemmings Auctions where in July of 2020, I was the winning bidder. The engine and transmission were both removed and rebuilt and the wiring was all replaced. The headlights were converted to halogen for safety reasons though the remainder of the car was refurbished to factory specs. We are now “Ready to Rally”!
Team Name: NY Prancing Moose
Team Instagram Account: @nyprancingmoose
Team Members: Wagner and David Ortuno
Team Hometown: Oyster Bay, NY (Long Island)
Team Q&A
How did your team become a team?
Father and son team for 13 years. We are a Volvo family. The 1800e has been in the family for 18 years.
What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?
Spend some quality time and miles with my son as we drive along with other vintage car nuts.
How did you develop an interest in vintage cars?
Father is a mechanic, grew up watching The Saint TV show, Mechanical Engineering background, fell in love with Volvos along the way.
Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight?
We have not driven the car a lot the last 2 years because of Covid. We had to go over all systems and prepare as much as possible.
Favorite road trip food?
Meat. (read burgers, steaks)
Vehicle: 1971 Volvo 1800e
Powertrain: Original 1800 cc, FI, 4 Speed manual with electric OD
Options/Features: Period correct Minilite wheels, 4 disc brakes, external oil filter option, IPD valve cover, Nardi steering wheel and shift knob, rare gauge pod under steering wheel, car is Fuel Injected from the factory (has a Bosch D basic computer system-like the Porsche 911), Original radio, one center speaker.
Background: Car was a Volvo Overseas Delivery, ordered by a Doctor in Long Island who picked up the car in Sweden, drove it and shipped it back to the US in 1971. The car was in New Jersey when I bought it in 2003. Over the years, the car has been a great way to build memories with my Dad and my kids. It is a rare vintage round fender Volvo with a manual transmission, and has a unique color. It is not a fast sports car, but a great GT tourer. Super reliable and easy to work on all these years. A head turner at any car show or highway. Still makes me smile every time I drive it.
Team Name: Two for the Road
Team Instagram Account: @garry.nickerson.7
Team Members: Garry and Cindy Nickerson
Team Hometown: Wilbraham, MA
Team Q&A
How did your team become a team?
Husband and wife team for 44 years.
What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?
Have a fun weekend with my wife and enjoy the ride, scenery, adventure and meet other enthusiasts.
How did you develop an interest in vintage cars?
Worked at a gas station at age 14. It became a hangout for car guys with hot rods. Environment rubbed off on me.
Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight?
Fitting all the tools, emergency equipment, luggage and passengers in a 5 window coupe took some trial and error fitting.
Favorite road trip food?
Apples, peanut butter crackers.
Vehicle: 1932 Chevrolet Confederate
Powertrain: 350 CI V-8, Turbo 350 Transmission, 2:73 Ford 9” Rear
Options/Features: A/C, XM Radio, Power Windows, Mustang II IFS, Ford 9” Rear-end, 31 Chevy Dashboard, 34 Ford Gauges, Leather Interior, 2 Tone Paint, custom LED Tail Light and 3rd Brake light.
Background:
Team Name: The Flying Bricks
Team Instagram Account: @krupyuri
Team Members: Yuri Krup and Irene B
Team Hometown: Brooklyn NY
Team Q&A
How did your team become a team?
N/A
What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?
Vintage vehicles.
How did you develop an interest in vintage cars?
Collect vintage cars.
Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight?
No.
Favorite road trip food?
Pizza.
Vehicle: 1980 Volvo 242 GT R-Sport
Powertrain: 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual
Options/Features: R-Sport equipment
Background: Owned the car for 5 years.
Team Name: Great White Shark
Team Instagram Account: @jordan_carguy
Team Members: Jordan Chokshi and Austin Monde
Team Hometown: Farmington, CT
Team Q&A
How did your team become a team?
Friends who both have an interest in vintage cars. We're both 22yrs old.
What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?
Our interest in the rally was to go have fun driving an old car on a road trip versus just going to a car show.
How did you develop an interest in vintage cars?
Jordan has been working on cars since a young age and now works at a restoration shop; he has been restoring cars for about 6 years. Austin started working on cars with his father and has been surrounded by high performance cars his whole life.
Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight?
We were originally entered in the Competition Class and planned to drive Jordan's 1978 Dodge Magnum on the rally. To prepare for the rally, we removed the Magnum's transmission and sent it out to be rebuilt. Unfortunately, some of the needed parts for the transmission rebuild were delayed due to supply chain issues so the car wasn't ready for the rally. But we like road trips and vintage cars, so we transferred to the Observer Class for 2021 and will be back to dominate the Competition Class in 2022!
Favorite road trip food?
Our favorite road trip food is probably fast food like Wendy’s or McDonald’s.
Vehicle: 2017 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4
Powertrain: 6.7L Cummins Turbodiesel, 6-speed automatic
Options/Features: N/A
Background: N/A
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