Classic cars cruise Peabody

PEABODY – People turn to look at them when they drive by. But Sunday, people had a chance to not only take a good, long look, but to peer in, and actually sit in, one of them.We?re talking antique cars, and Peabody was the place to be. Main Street – closed to traffic for the day – was bustling with more than 200 antique cars for the second annual classic car show.Cars needed to be 25 years or older to qualify and be considered antiques, according to organizer Ron Khasibian, 75, of Peabody, a retired Raytheon engineer.Classic vehicles, some of them a century old, found a spot to display in downtown Peabody, starting at the corner of Washington and Main Street, down to Forest and Main.?Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,” Khasibian said amidst a disc jockey beside him and passers-by admiring his 1956 Thunderbird. “We added a food court this year. If anyone?s hungry, they can grab a bite to eat.”Khasibian explained he and the Essex County Cruisers, the Peabody-based club that ran the show, were hoping to make it bigger and better by adding food and more variety of cars. The show also had raffle prizes and vendors.The show was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 31, but the weather was inclement that day. This was the rain date, Khasibian said.Some owners stood with their vehicles, while others were walking around looking at neighboring cars or grabbing food.As for the car show?s return next year, Khasibian said you?ll have to wait and see.Jason Lombardi and Amelia Jane, both of Lynn, showed off their 1932 Plymouth PB Coupe, one of the older vehicles at the show.Lombardi, who also collects motorcycles, explained the vehicle, which he still drives daily, runs on a 454 supercharged engine.?It?s a classic hot rod,” Jane said. “It?s has a crazy fast engine.”Passer-by Alrick Freeman said he couldn?t believe the good shape the car was in, especially the back tires.?I love the way it looks,” Freeman said. “It is more than 70 years old. That?s unbelievable. I wish I was the owner.”Children passing by said the Plymouth PB Coupe was “really cool” and “awesome.”A few spaces down, Sylvia, and Anthony Venuti, both 74, of Lynnfield, displayed their 1957 Chevy Bel Air.The vehicle, which has a 502 fuel injection engine, was Sylvia?s family car and the first car she owned. She still drives it out-of-state today.It is still popular, although a few decades have passed.?When people think of the ?50s, they think of the ?57 Chevy.”Passers-by – many of whom took pictures on their cell phones – marveled at the engine, its looks and the way it stands.Kenny Hiskell, out of Saugus, is the Venutis’ mechanic and helps to keep the car in running condition.