Team Name: Wiley Racing
Team Instagram Account: @w1l3y_racing
Team Members: Rich and Dan Wiley

Team Hometown: Cromwell, CT   
 

Team Q&A

How did your team become a team? 

Father and son team for 16 years.

What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?

We saw how much fun the rally looked last year and thought we should give it a try.
 

How did you develop an interest in vintage cars? 

I've enjoyed cars for as long as I can remember.

Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight? 

Lots of work getting the car sorted out for a long trip like this after sitting for so long.

Favorite road trip food? 

Pizza.

Vehicle: 1986 Chevy Corvette

Powertrain: Tuned-Port Fuel-Injected 350 V-8, 4-speed automatic transmission, 3.07 gears

Options/Features: Z51 suspension, Cloth seats, vintage American Racing Wheels 

Background: My father bought the car in 1999 shortly before he passed away. It sat in storage for the last 20+ years.  

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? 

Married for 45 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:  

• Owned the car for 6 years. Bought it as a Project Car while living in Las Vegas. No interior. Engine rusty. Wiring had dead short. Doors didn’t fit. 
• Engine was overhauled. Wiring completely replaced. Wood in doors replaced. Console designed after 1959 Vacel-Vega. Used a Marine XM Radio to save console space. Color is Corvette Shark Gray with Black fenders. Bodywork, Paint and Interior work completed in Las Vegas. 
• Moved back to MA in 2019. Car was rear-ended in 2019. $30k in damage. Added a custom flush-mount LED tail light system to help avoid future rear end collisions. 
• Build book photos can be viewed at: www.32chevy.com

Team Name: Reaper
Team Instagram Account: @jordan_carguy
Team Members: Jordan Chokshi and Joseph Kall

Team Hometown: Farmington, CT   
 

Team Q&A

How did your team become a team? 

We have been friends for about two years.

What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?

I finally finished my car after the issue getting my transmission back last year.
 

How did you develop an interest in vintage cars? 

I have been working on and interested in them my whole life.

Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight? 

A blown up rear differential and parts as usual. 

Favorite road trip food? 

Chips/fast food -  McDonald’s, Subway, Wendy’s. 

Vehicle: 1978 Dodge Magnum XE

Powertrain: 5.9L 360 Magnum V-8, 3-speed automatic.

Options/Features: 1978 original 360 LA 4-barrel performance package car with t-tops, power seats and cruise control. 

Background: I’ve had my car for 6 years. I have gone through everything at least twice now except the whole electrical system - motor, transmission, rear end, brakes and the lights. 

I got the car as payment for restoring two 1975 Chrysler Cordoba’s for a local Mopar collector. I had to redo everything quickly to make it driveable at that time since I was a sophomore in college and my truck had a blown transmission; it was my only car to drive for about 6-8 months. I still drive it almost every day until or unless it’s snowing. 

Team Name: '65 Rally Bird
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? 

We are both from the Windsor & South Windsor area and have known each other for about 18 years and are both “charter members” of the 1496 Classic Car Club located at 1496 John Fitch Blvd, South Windsor 06074. 

What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?

We became aware of the Fortunato Rally last year from another club member and decided it would be fun to get involved. So we did and low and behold, we won the darn thing which was a great honor that we will try to live up to again this year.
 

How did you develop an interest in vintage cars? 

We have been “car guys” from an early age. Bruce has 6 vintage cars and enjoy the challenge of restoring them to their original condition. 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? 

Last year we competed in a 1941 Chevy Special Deluxe Convertible, a fun car to drive however, it couldn’t keep up on the highway driving portions of the rally so we are making a change for this year’s rally. 

Our challenge was to get my 1965 Ford Thunderbird “Rally Ready.” New brakes, new rear seals, front end adjustments, tires balanced and a complete lube job. I think we are ready but time will tell.

Favorite road trip food? 

We are both kind of health nuts so our snacks will be protein & energy bars along with extra strength energy shots and drinks, candy bars and ice-cream when we can get it. 

Vehicle: 1965 Thunderbird Limited Edition Landau

Powertrain: Powered by a 390 cubic inch V-8 (300 Horsepower) with a four barrel Ford Carburetor, Cruise-O-Matic 3-Speed Transmission

Options/Features: Swing-away Steering Wheel (allows for easy in and out) Reclining Passenger Seat (believed to be the first for an American made car), Wraparound Rear Seat (Pleated upholstery makes for a regal look)

Background: 

• 1965 Thunderbird Limited Edition Landau (only 4,500 were built) I am only the third owner of this car having traded for it in 2008. The Thunderbird Special Landau was introduced in the spring of 1965 and differed from the regular Landau due to its unique combination of interior and exterior colors, as well as differences in trim. All Special Landau models were equipped with a Special Parchment-colored vinyl roof, and a matching interior. Special touches included Ember-Glo accents on interior instruments panel, bucket seats and carpeting. The Ember-Glo was used on the unique special deluxe wheel covers and not available on other models. The center medallion of the wheel cover is decorated with red, white and blue accents surrounding a chrome Thunderbird emblem. The rear roof exterior quarter molding had a nameplate mounted on them with a gold-colored Thunderbird emblem, and “Special Landau” engraved on it. The interior simulated woodgrain trim was of “burled walnut” a different pattern not used on the standard models. Also, Special Landau nameplates were mounted on the front door trim panels to remind occupants they were in something special. Ember-Glo was an exclusive color to this model in 1965.
• Personalized Numbered Nameplate: Another exclusive feature of the Special Landau was a “personalized” limited edition numbered nameplate mounted above the radio upon which the original owner’s name was engraved. This car was purchased by Samuel B. Speidle and was #3647.
• Authenticating A Special Landau: Currently, the only way to authenticate a Special Landau would be to check for one of the two interior codes on the VIN plate, mounted on the left door by the latch and on the ROT sheet, which was used by the factory to assemble the car and is found in the springs of the rear seatback on the left side of the car. These sheets have also been located under the front seat cushion springs. When you locate the ROT sheet, be very careful with it. The paper is extremely fragile, and will fall apart very easily.  I have the build sheets and they can be seen in the binder that travels with the car.

Team Name: Moose Tracks
Team Instagram Account: @moosetracks122
Team Members: Don and Jeremy Thorn

Team Hometown: Mahopac, NY   

Team Q&A

How did your team become a team? 

Don: I searched my whole life for a co-driver and could not find one, so I “made” one and named him Jeremy. Now that he’s over 40, I can finally trust him to drive one of my special cars.

What was your interest and motivation in participating in the Rally?

A friend and fellow VSA club member, Wagner Ortuno, was the 2nd place finisher in 2021 and made us aware of the Fortunato Rally. It sounds like a great father/son experience.

How did you develop an interest in vintage cars? 

We are a father-son team (Jeremy was born into the team) with a lifelong interest in cars that started when Don was a boy in the late 1950s and just enjoyed seeing the new car models and driving with his dad. Don’s first new car was a 1966 Volvo 1800S and he’s been a Volvophile ever since. He also owns a 2015 S60 R-design. Jeremy owns 2 Volvos, a 2008 XC70 and a 2011 C30. Don is the Greater NY Chapter coordinator of the VSA (Volvo Sports America) club. His 122S is the 5th vintage Volvo he has owned, acquiring it in 2016. Our mechanical skills are pretty minimal. We have the basic tools and hope that if we need help others on the rally will be kind. We will share our emergency equipment with anyone who needs help.

Any challenges during Rally prep to highlight? 

Our car, Gus, had greatly reduced power from the original B18 motor. A “worked” B20 motor was offered for free by an acquaintance in Memphis and was brought to our home in the lower Hudson Valley by a friend. Getting it assembled and installed took several months. Then a freeze plug came out while driving and all the coolant was lost. The temp gauge was not working so the car overheated and the exhaust valves were frozen open. Fortunately all was not lost and new valve guides and minimal head machining put everything right again. We have a new temp gauge.

A second challenge for Jeremy was learning to drive stick, which he does quite well.

Favorite road trip food? 

We are both simple eaters who prefer a regular diet as opposed to exotic foods which may have unpredictable consequences. A good dinner is much preferred.

Vehicle: 1965 Volvo 122S (aka an Amazon) 

Powertrain: 4 cylinder, 4 speed manual with OD

Options/Features: Our car, Gus, was born with a 90 hp B18 motor (1780cc), which was down to a tired 60 hp until Gus had a heart transplant in early 2022, receiving an over bored B20 motor (now 2130cc) with approximately 130 hp and a street performance cam upgrade. The original 4 speed tranny was replaced with a factory optional rebuilt 4+ overdrive transmission. It’s still a Volvo drive train. The car has been rewired with added safety features such as a center brake light and 4-way flashers. Coming from Florida, Gus arrived with vintage Volvo air conditioning which works well. Much of this work was completed by Brian Dee of Brian’s Automotive in Peekskill, NY. This is a small (1 door, 2 lifts) restoration and modification shop that works on many vintage cars. 

Background: This 1965 Volvo 122S (known as an Amazon in Europe) is named Gus (King Carl Gustave of Sweden). Along with its Swedish Iron heritage, a 1965 Volvo 122S won the European Rally Championship, as noted on the side wing windows.

Gus was originally delivered to Todd Miller of Camden, NJ by Motor Sport Volvo of Jenkintown, PA on July 1, 1967. It made its way to Rhode Island then to Key West, FL. I’m told that the Florida owner was a partner in a car dealership and when he passed the car was purchased by Rich Kushner (a vintage Volvo racer) of Swedish Motors in Lancaster, PA. I bought it from Rich and I’ve been Gus’ custodian since September, 2016 and I hope to remain so for many more years.