Michael J. Badolato has fond memories of attending classic car shows on weekends with his father while he was growing up. “I would always try to talk him into getting a classic car, but it never worked out,” he says with a laugh. “But I knew that once I was on my own, I’d buy one for myself.”
The opportunity arrived in 2018 when his father-in-law decided to sell his classic Corvette to buy a different car. “I always gravitated toward Corvettes, especially the C3 body style, which this one had,” Badolato says. “Eventually I would like to own a C1, which is a 1953-1962 Corvette.”
Today, Badolato’s 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod remains a source of pride—and he keeps it well-maintained with the help of the pros at Blue Sky Performance and Restoration in Andover. “They make sure everything is working properly. Last year, they put in a new engine,” he says. “This is why my car is a ‘restomod’: It’s a classic car with new technology. When I go to car shows, I always like to see the cars that people have redone like I have with my Corvette.”
He shows his car at five to seven shows a year—and continues his father’s tradition by often bringing his daughter, Isla Rose, who turns 5 this summer, with him. “I knew before she turned one that she shared my love for cars,” he says. On his horizon is displaying his Corvette at the Lead East car show in Parsippany, which is held around Labor Day and is billed as “the World's Biggest Oldies Festival and Car Event.”
But before then, he has bigger plans: For the fourth year in a row, the owner of Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home in Basking Ridge will share his passion by hosting a classic car show that entertains families and helps the community. “Last year, we had about 160 cars from as far away as New York; we can accommodate up to 200 cars,” he says. “This show really builds a great community.”
As a local business owner, Badolato likes to take care of people in the area. He donates all proceeds from the Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home Car Show to Heartworks in Bernardsville, which is committed to sustaining the kindness and connection witnessed in the wake of September 11, 2001. The organization rallies community members to help bring hope to people experiencing acute needs from unexpected life situations such as a chronic illness, injury, a natural disaster or grief.
“The car show grows larger each year,” Badolato says. “The experience has been extremely rewarding for me. I love sharing this hobby with my daughter and being able to give back to the community.”
The 2024 Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home Car Show is on June 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 101 S. Finley Ave., Basking Ridge. The rain date is June 16. Learn more at GCFuneralHome.com.
“Last year, we had about 160 cars from as far away as New York.”