A Brief History of the Shoreline Time Machines Car Club

Back in 1998, a group of guys used to get together at the Reliable Fence Company on the Post Road in West Haven to hang out.  This is a company owned by Big Joe Iannone that installs gates and fences by day, but at night Joe and Tommy Ryan built and customized Mercury Hot Rods.  As time went by more Mercs found their way to the garage to be chopped, channeled and customized.  The guys that hung out on Wednesday nights to watch the work as it progressed were all car buffs and would bring their cars and park them in front of the garage on the post Road.  As more guys showed up with their cars, the passing traffic would stop to check out the classic autos of the past.

One night when Seth Carley arrived and noticed another 1950 Mercury that Joe brought in, he said this place looks like Merc Heaven.  The guys started to talk and exchanged ideas and the Mercury Heaven Club was born.  The original group of guys that hung out were Big Joe Iannone, Frank Muscato, Tommy Ryan, Rich Collier, Art Ferris, Seth Carley, Chuck Czajkowski, and Mark Ferro (Sparky).

As more guys started to come, they outgrew the Post Road location at Reliable Fence.  Talk continued and it was decided with all the interest in the classic cars and street rods, why not start a Cruise Night of our own.  Now we were faced with finding a location to meet that would accommodate the increasing number of cars.  Our first thought was to try for a location on the Post Road, but it was later decided to keep the club in West Haven.   After a number of locations were considered, it was decided to get a location along the shore front if possible.  

Art Ferris was able to reserve the parking lot at the Savin Rock Conference Center on Wednesday night from May to September and this is where the Cruise Night would be located.  This is the spot where Jimmies Hot Dog Restaurant was located back when Savin Rock was in its heyday.  This is also where the guys and gals from the 50's, 60's and early 70's grew up and hung out on Saturday nights.  

Our first cruise night attracted about 30 cars and increased as word got around.  We ended our first season of 1999 with a turnout of 50 to 60 cars on a Wednesday night.  The first season was a learning experience for all of us.  We realized we needed insurance as the membership and spectators increased.  Also being a club we needed a charter and by-laws.  The fellas decided that we should form a committee to draw up a charter and by-laws along with acquiring insurance and a new official name for the club.  

The committee took in many name suggestions from the club members and voted to pick the name "Shoreline Time Machines Car Club".  A charter was drawn up, along with by-laws and we got the insurance.  Officers were installed in 2001 and we officially became the Shoreline Time Machines.  

In 2002, the club brought in Paul LeMat who starred at John Milner in the movie American Graffiti, along with the 32 Yellow Ford Coupe.  This show attracted 650 cars and 5000 to 6000 people.  The same happened in 2004 when we brought him back a second time.

Today we have a membership of 55 club members and our own website that anyone can access.  The address is www.shorelinetimemachines.com.  Cruise nights are on Wednesday nights from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM with music provided by D.J. Chuck Czajkowski playing all the oldies from the 50's and 60's.  The club sells hot dogs, cold drinks, and coffee.  Cruise Nights run from May to September and are posted on our website.

Anyone with a pre-1975 classic car, street rod, or special interest car along with any other car club members are welcome.  Each week a car is chosen to be presented as the feature car.  This car is displayed on a roped off carpet in the center of the lot.  

The Shoreline Time Machines Car Club is a non profit organization run strictly by the club members.  Any profits derived from the sale of food or drink is donated to a charity of the club's choosing.