Slide Show: Cruise Night car of the week Q & A

Robert Blume, 71, of Baiting Hollow owns the Times/Review Riverhead Cruise Night car of the week for September 22. Scroll down to see what he had to say about his persimmon and white 1956 Mercury Monterey with a 312 V8.

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Q: When did you get the car?
A: Eight years ago in Pennsylvania. I’m the third owner. It has 125,000 miles on it. Back then if a car had 100,000 on it- it would be dead. I did not paint the car it is just the way I bought it. It is cosmetically turnkey.

Q: What shape was it in?
A: As is- just like you see it. It had 121,000 miles on it, I put on 4,000 miles in 8 years. I go to local benefit car shows. In July we raised $2200 for the Wounded Warriors.

Q: What was the biggest challenge in restoring it, and did you do the work yourself?
A: I had to rebuild the transmission, power steering and power brakes. I rebuilt it bumper to bumper mechanically.

Q: What’s your favorite thing/feature on the car?
A: All the smiles that it brings to people. Happiness from children, grandchildren, mothers, fathers and grandfathers. they either owned one or rode in one. that’s what it is all about making people happy.

Q: What was the first car you owned, make and model?
A:It was a 1930 Model A Ford. I paid $25 for it. It was a basket case. I bought it in 1954 when I was 14 years old.