With temperatures breaking 90 degrees even along the Maine coast, it was almost too warm to put the tops down, but NEMPA’s 16th annual Ragtop Ramble & Crustacean Crawl, July 17-18, drew some 60 members and guests, traveling in at least 32 cars, two vans and one boat. Happiness reigned.
Photos by Bill Griffith, George Kennedy, Zane Merva, Josh Merva, Kamil Kaluski and Silvio Calabi.
Co-sponsor ‘Wheels’ Barrow and the Snack Wrangler, official forerunner of the Ramble. Appropriately, Jeep calls this color ‘Rock Lobster.’
Dinner aboard the Lexington on Wednesday evening, with the Boston Harbor skyline as a backdrop.
Tour boats and passengers gather to wait for the sunset gun (20:18 on 7/17) and the ceremonial lowering of the colors on the USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides, at Charlestown Navy Yard.
Thursday morning: Once again, Ramble cars staged on the lawn at the Larz Andersen Auto Museum, Brookline’s jewel. Here, barely half the fleet has assembled; an Automotion staffer makes sure the CTS-V wagon is immaculate.
A rare sight anywhere: Lamborghini’s Aventador LP 700-4 roadster.
Global perspective. How often do we find a Z4 snuggled up between a Fiat Abarth and a Hot Wheels Camaro?
Shiny toys were everywhere.
Shapely behinds abounded also—topless, even.
OK, think—what does a Lambo key feel like? The draw for rides.
In addition to the Z4, BMW also sent an M6 and this M3.
Greg Jarem and Erin Ryder (Audi) make off with the 911 C4S.
John Zangari and Ann-Marie Fortunate (Haartz) in a Volvo C70 exit the LAAM lawn; an SL65 and the CTS-V wagon queue up behind.
Steve Oldham (Nissan) and Stefanie Schiavello (Jaguar Land Rover) being checked out of LAAM in a Chrysler 200.
Nicole Wakelin chauffeured Kia’s Amy Corsinita in an Infiniti IPL.
The McLaren Spyder—among many others—drew an appreciative crowd at the New Hampshire Welcome Area, the Ramble’s midway point and car-swap stop.
Work, work, work. Members and guests dining on the enclosed porch at the Colony Inn in Kennebunkport. Many lobsters gave their lives for NEMPA.
The bay window at the Colony Inn. Convertible-top maker Doug Haartz, lower left, was one of the event sponsors.
The 2013 Ragtop Fleet: Cadillac CTS-V Wagon, Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible, Chevrolet Camaro Convertible, Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Edition, Ford Mustang GT, Ford Mustang, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Scion FR-S, Nissan 370Z Roadster, Infiniti IPL Convertible, Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, VW Beetle TDI, VW Beetle Turbo, Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, Mercedes-Benz E350 Cabriolet, Bentley Continental GTC V8, Mazda MX-5, Kia Cadenza, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Audi RS5 Cabriolet, Chrysler 200 Convertible, Fiat 500C Abarth, Fiat 500L, BMW M3 Convertible, BMW Z4, BMW M6 Convertible, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, Porsche 911 C4S Cabriolet, McLaren 12C Spyder, Lamborghini Aventador Roadster, Jaguar XKR Convertible, Volvo C70 Convertible.
Many NEMPA members invested time and energy to make the RR/CC work, and thanks also go to the crew from Automotion: JR Morales, Juan and Luis Alvarez, Paul Hayes, Neil Ingraham, Phil Centola, Manny Vazquez, Bill Greene, Bob Saunders and Dan Nunes as well as Mike Brooks and Cliff Holman—plus of course John ‘Bugsy’ Lawlor, whose payroll takes the hit for their time.
Special thanks to the corporate sponsors of the 2013 Ragtop Ramble & Crustacean Crawl: CHRYSLER, JAGUAR LAND ROVER and HAARTZ, the world’s No. 1 maker of convertible top material.
You guys rock!!! Great wrap-up. A good time was had by all. Until next year….