Jean Shepherd and the 7th Voice Auto Rallye

August 1, 1963, Vol. VIII, No. 41

Seventh Annual Voice Auto Rallye

As a sidelight to the Village Voice Rallye held last Sunday, a number of remarkable old cars turned up for the pleasure of the public and the plaudits of the contestants. All were in beautiful condition and ran as well or better than new.

The oldest automobile, a superb 1916 Buick touring car owned and driven by Joe Misuraca of Dongan Hills, Staten Island, contracted clutch trouble after the long trip via ferry, but Mr. Misuraca climbed out, climbed under, and rectified the difficulty in prompt 1916 style.

John Slongo came to the rallye in a prize-winning 1936 Auburn boat-tailed speedster which, with its huge chrome exhaust pipes running into the fenders and big, rumbling, supercharged motor, looked and sounded worth every penny of its $6000 restoration cost. An unusual Chrysler Airflow sedan of 1936, with its modernistic slope-front grille, was driven down by Bernard Kritzman of upper Manhattan.

Also on hand were Voice auto columnist and rallye-master Dan List's 1922 Dodge Screen-side wagon., on which m.c. Jean Shepherd perched while addressing the crowd, and a 1931 Model AA Ford 1 1/2-ton truck used by The Voice for parades and rallye paraphernalia attendant to such exercises.

Jean Shepherd's own 1931 Chevrolet rumble-seat roadster, although in running order, did not receive registration plates in time to be driven to the rallye; Shep came in a new Morgan roadster with New York radio-call-signal license plates. Other curious machinery on hand included a 1954 Kaiser-Darrin which, although entered as a show car, ran in the rallye to a happy last place; and a brand-new, tiny but potent, dazzling red Fiat Abarth sports roadster. -- Dan List

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