MIDDLETOWN — All eyes at the Middlesex County Historical Society 38th annual antique car show and flea market will gravitate to this year’s featured car, a Ford Motors 1959 Mercury Monterey.

It will motor to the show located at Palmer Field, adjacent to Washington Street, Route 66 in Middletown, Oct. 6.

Car registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and judging starts at 11:30 a.m. with trophies awarded to the top vehicles at 1:30 p.m. General admission is $3 and children 12 and under are free. Car registration is $10. 

Although cars registered for judging must have been produced in 1999 or older, there is no cutoff date for cars being placed in the vehicle corral, according to a press release. 

In case of rain, the show will be held Oct. 13.

The 1959 Mercury Monterey was coined “Everything you want on Wheels” and “Built to Lead-Built to Last,” the historical society said in a prepared statement. It was one of the fourth generation of Montereys with a wheelbase of 126 inches, a length of 217.8 inches, a width of 81.5 inches and height of 55.8 inches. 

The Monterey had a shipping weight of 3,975 pounds, and could reach top speeds of 107 mph, the news release said. About 43,570 were made in the United States.

The featured car originally had a two-barrel 383 engine, but has been updated to a 351 Windsor with a C6 transmission that has run 57,000 miles.

The latest owner, Rhonda Zawadzki, reports that this vehicle originally cost $4,247.60, including its configuration of accessories. It has been shown all over the country and Zawadzki plans to keep it in top shape for years to come.

Trophies, hand-made by the committee, will be awarded to the top vehicles. Flea market spaces are $15 and the market opens at 7 a.m.  

For more information, contact Deborah Shapiro at 860-344-0033. Rain cancellation details will be available by calling 860-346-0746.