John Bleimaier with his 1965 Mercedes 190 Fintail. A member of numerous car clubs, he also owns a ‘64 SAAB and a ‘73 Volkswagen, but he’ll be taking the Fintail to Hopewell Cruise Night. (Photo by Amy Macintyre.)
By Amy Macintyre
John Bleimaier remembers his parents telling him his first word wasn’t “mom” or “dad.” It was “car,” the beginning of a life-long fascination and appreciation of everything automobile. As a teenager, he knew so much about cars his parents took him to the New York International Auto Show in 1965 to help them pick out a new car. Still not old enough to drive, he happily obliged.
They chose a brand new, white 1965 Mercedes 190 Fintail with red interior. Fifty years years later it remains in the family. Bleimaier will proudly be showing off this car at the Hopewell Cruise Night Friday, Oct. 2 on Broad St. in downtown Hopewell.
In fact, Bleimaier has attended as many Cruise Nights as possible since Hopewell began hosting the bi-annual event 10 years ago. He brought the Mercedes Fintail to the 2015 spring Cruise Night. Last fall he brought his powder blue 1973 Porche model 914, which he affectionately named Löwe, the German word for lion.
Sadly, that was Löwe’s last appearance. After returning to his Hopewell home from a Sunday afternoon drive, a gas leak fire led to irreparable damage.
“It’s like a loss in the family,” Bleimaier said. “I had a lot of affection for it.”
While he may be down one Porsche, Bleimaier also owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz coup, a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 300CD, a 1973 Volkswagen, a 1964 SAAB, a 2011 SAAB, a 2005 Jeep as his “winter car” and he is also is the half owner of an off-road 1984 Mercedes-Benz rally car. He says his fleet is not unusual for car enthusiasts. “I know people who have 40 cars,” he said.
He doesn’t see cars as simply a mode of transportation from point A to point B. Each car has character: each make and model drives differently down the road, and each part and component tells a different story.
On the singed trunk of his burned out Porsche, he taped a three page poem he wrote about his car, practically a love letter about the time it spent under his care. He also has a painting he commissioned of the car, which hangs on the wall of his home on Moores Mill Mount Rose Road. He’s collected many paintings of his cars and other classics over the years, but two paintings in particular have considerable significance to Bleimaier.
A framed oil painting of a blue 1929 Mercedes-Benz is propped on an easel in his living room. It’s a painting of his grandfather’s car in China, where he lived and worked. Bleimaier commissioned the painting from Charles Mayer, a Michigan based automotive artist. That 1929 Mercedes-Benz began his family’s allegiance to the German automaker.
He grew up with his parents owning various Mercedes-Benz and has kept the tradition alive. “My grandfather was an engineer and I think Mercedes always–even today–is a car that appeals to engineers because it’s a well thought out car,” Bleimaier said.
On the other side of the room hangs a large painting of his mother with a similar 1929 Mercedes-Benz on the beach in the background. In her hands, she holds a paper with the Kuhn family crest, a nod to his Swiss heritage.
“They always say if you want to get women’s clothing, you go to Paris. If you want to get men’s clothing you go to London and if you want to get a car, you go to Germany,” he said before delving into the difference between English and German automotive wiring and design.
An immigration lawyer with a law office on Witherspoon Street in Princeton, Bleimaier said, “I’m a farmer, an essayist, a poet, a rally driver and lawyer, because nobody’s perfect.”
Bleimaier is an active member of several car clubs including the SAAB Club of North America, Porsche Club of America, and the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, in which he hosts an annual Picnic for the North East chapter on his Falkenhorst Farm every September.
One of the activities he participates in through the various clubs are the rallies, which are similar to races, but require less speed and a lot more problem solving. Drivers are given cryptic clues as to where to turn and are given a time frame to complete the rally. His wife, Marina Pushkareva, is his trusted navigator. “It’s like a puzzle,” he explained.
Hopewell Cruise Night is a much more relaxed affair for Bleimaier. In preparation for the night, he’ll wash his car and clean up the engine in case anyone wants to take a closer look under the hood. Like the other participants, he’ll stick around his car for bit to talk to the other enthusiasts, novices, or anyone who just wants to say hello. Then, he’ll take the time to walk up and down Broad Street to see the other cars and chat with the owners.
Cruise Night isn’t just about the classic cars, according to Ray Disch, chairman of the Hopewell Borough Economic Committee and original organizer of the event. Held bi-annually in the spring and again in the fall, Disch says it’s a great way to get outdoors and spend some time with your family and neighbors.
Classic cars will line the business district from 5 to 8 pm on Oct. 2nd. Along with food and entertainment, local businesses along the corridor will keep their doors open late during the event. According to Disch, Cruise Night started with around 200 cars and has grown to around 700 to 800. “It’s really grown organically,” he said.
During the last Cruise Night in the spring, Tom Foster held a grand opening for Hopewell Motors, his late model luxury car dealership. Foster plans to open his show room up to the public again and invites everyone to stop in for free drinks, food and coupons for oil changes. “People kind of congregate here,” he said. “It’s nice, it spreads the word.”
For those interested in showing off a car during Cruise Night, spots are available on a first come first serve basis, according to Disch. A car doesn’t necessarily have to be old or a classic. The only requirement is the car must be unique.
If you’ve already attended a Cruise Night, chances are you’ve seen Christopher Sicignano walking up and down Broad Street with his camera, documenting the event. The Hopewell resident first became interested in Cruise Night just by driving by and seeing all the classic cars and their enthusiastic owners.
“There are some amazing cars out there, but what’s more interesting is the stories behind them,” Sicignano said.
As a video producer, he had the idea of documenting the event, and not just the cars, but the people who have invested so much time, energy and love into their vehicles. With his camera, a host he hires for the night and a wireless microphone, he takes to Broad Street to document the stories behind the cars.
For a fee of $20, Sicignano captures video of the cars and then an owner interview with the host. Later, he edits the video and posts it to his website, www.hopewellcruisenight.com
For him, it’s a hobby in archiving American stories rooted in a classic past time. He rattles off the stories behind Matt’s 1937 LaSalle, Mario’s 1957 Thunderbird pickup truck, and Rita’s hood ornament.
“I think car people are one of the most friendly types of people.” Sicignano said. “When you talk to a car person, it’s always a camaraderie.”
Unlike Bleimaier, Sicignano doesn’t have a collection of cars. This doesn’t make him any less an enthusiast. Sicignano’s first car was a 1975 red Trans Am with the firebird on the hood. In retrospect, he wishes he hadn’t sold it. If he sees it at Cruise Night, he’ll definitely ask to sit in it for a little reminiscing.
Beyond cars, Sicignano says it’s a community event. “You walk around and talk to people. It’s a nice experience.”
Hopewell Cruise Night is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2nd from 5-8 pm. The event is free.
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