Kenneth and Chris Guignardi, along with their son Paul, of North Salem, New York, are the owners of a 1937 Plymouth 4-door Deluxe Touring Sedan that has won “Best of Show” at the 2013 Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers’ Antique, Classic & Muscle Car Show. The second annual car show hosted by the Maryknoll Society was held on Sunday, June 9, at the Maryknoll Mission Center in Ossining.
The car show was organized by Maryknoll’s employees as a fundraiser to support the mission work of the 102-year-old Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the U.S. Maryknoll is the foreign mission society of the U.S. Catholic Church.
Nearly 200 antique, classic and muscle cars were showcased on the Maryknoll grounds. Radio personality Ron Ananian (“The Car Doctor”) taped his program at the show and interviewed car owners along with guest tech speakers Forrest Tosie from Mothers Polishes•Waxes•Cleaners and active collector, restorer and genuine car enthusiast William “Chip” Lamb.
Ron Ananian’s program from the Maryknoll car show will be broadcast nationally on affiliate stations on Saturday, June 15. The program also can be heard on Hudson Valley Talk Radio, and podcasts soon will become available on “The Car Doctor” website and on the Maryknoll car show website.
Kenneth and Chris Guignardi restored the car together with the help of friends. It was a “barn find” in complete unrestored condition.
“The car is very special to us,” said Kenneth Guignardi, “since it was the first time we ever tried to do something like this. We met a lot of wonderful people who helped or guided us through the process.”
The car was meant to be with the Guignardi family as the date stamp on the engine (2/22/37) is the same date as the birthday of Kenneth’s late mother.
“We obtained the car in 1995,” added Guignardi, “and we completed the restoration with a public unveiling in 1998 for all the friends who had helped. They brought their cars to our home and it became a mini car show. The most fun we have with it is driving it around and meeting new people who just love to look at it and ask questions.”
The car also has obtained a little Hollywood notoriety, having been used as an “extra” in Woody Allen’s 1999 movie Sweet and Lowdown starring Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman and Anthony LaPaglia.
Information soon will be announced about the 2014 Maryknoll car show. To see photos from this year’s show, visit the Maryknoll car show website.
