Classic car buffs in Bohemia: looking cool, driving with caution

The first time Barry Ehrmann’s grown daughter got into the back of his ‘65 Chevy Camaro, she was surprised to find there was nowhere to buckle up.

“She was like, ‘Where are the seat belts?’” Ehrmann, of Nesconset, recalled on Sunday at a classic car meet in Bohemia, surrounded by dozens of gearheads milling about open-hooded hot rods, muscle cars with shiny chrome wheels, and retrofitted convertibles.

Although classic cars lack many of the safety features of modern ones — things like backseat seat belts, air bags and automatic braking technology — collectors are more attuned to the roads and their surroundings, according to Ehrmann. Others at the show said they’ve noticed worsening road conditions in recent years, as well as an increase in aggressive and distracted driving on Long Island. 

“A lot of people have expensive paint jobs, and older suspensions,” said Ehrmann, a film producer behind concert videos like Billy Joel’s “The 100th” and Beyoncé’s “Renaissance.” “We’re sensitive to road debris and rocks.”

Newsday reported last month that more than 2,100 people have been killed and 16,000 seriously injured in crashes on Long Island’s roads over a decade, with fatalities on the rise since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Calling the findings “deeply alarming,” Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) last week called for congressional hearings on local road safety.

Nick Ferraioli, another car collector at the Bohemia meet, said driving a specialty car means always paying attention.

 “We’re all very alert drivers because we’re car guys. But you have to be a little more alert when you’re driving a specialty car,” said Ferraioli, president of Drive For Dana, a classic car nonprofit that provides aid to needy children

Karen Esposito, of Sayville, who came in her mint-condition 1961 Chevy Nomad station wagon, said she’s concerned about drivers getting distracted by their phones.

“They’re constantly texting and talking and watching things,” she said.

The monthly car meetup at Eleanor’s Lounge in Bohemia — which takes place from March through October — is smaller than other events, like the weekly carshow at Smith Haven Mall. But it’s growing, according to the bar’s proprietor, Brandon Altman.

“We get a nice crowd,” Altman said. “You get to see a lot of different classic cars, which is really cool, and new faces.”

On Sunday there were several dozen specialty vehicles and close to 100 people, plus live music by The Mechanix, a classic rock band.

Esposito said her vintage station wagon — which seats 9 — has no touch screen or GPS.

“You have nothing to distract you driving the old cars — it’s basic,” she said. “And I drove from here to Timbuktu without [GPS]. … The only thing I think is an important modern feature is the backup cam.”

Jose Garcia of Shirley, stood in front of his Chevy ‘65 CT0 pickup truck, fitted with air suspension to resemble a lowrider. He’s noticed more pot holes on Long Island’s roadways in recent years.

“Drivability wise, the truck is great, but the roads suck,” he said. “You’re driving all over the place because you’re trying to avoid potholes. I put four grand into my wheels and tires, but you just blow them out like it’s nothing.”

In general, he said he and other collectors are cautious drivers because they’ve invested so much in their vehicles.

“We got a lot of money in this car,” he said.

Altman, the bar owner, said Ehrmann, who is his stepfather, allows him to drive his two Camaros, a Firebird, and a Pontiac Grand Prix — though he’s never felt a need to go fast.

My wife and stepdaughter call me ‘the turtle.’ I’m going 35 no matter what,” he said with a laugh. “But they’re absolutely fun to drive.”