Steve Moore runs a dust mop over his 1957 Chevy Bel Aire, “About every hour because that green color just shows the dust.” On hiatus since 2019, the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show was held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Giovanni Hernandez, 4, drives his electric VW Bus along the street at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show was held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Sergio Prado’s dog Homer had his own classic car to ride in at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show was held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Diane Montano and Brian Murphy take a look at a 1985 Citroen 2CV6 Charleston, one of the classic cars for sale at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The hood ornament from a 1929 Packard Dietrich, one of more than 400 Classic and Antique cars on display at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Jean O’Day looks at the 1930 Ford Model A Roadster owned by Doris Day. On hiatus since 2019, the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show was held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Sonny Davis looks into the rumble seat of a 1932 Ford Coupe at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Brian Jung takes photos of the engine compartment on the 1954 Chevrolet Corvette at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
A Volkswagen Bug with open work body was one of the odder cars on display at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show was held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Jay Ceran looks into the front seat of a Volkswagen Bus at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show was held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
An old-style license plate from a 1952 Nash Rambler. On hiatus since 2019, the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show was held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Dennis and Susie Stogner look over a 1957 Chevy at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The running dog hood ornament on a 1934 Ford, one of more than 400 classic and antique cars at the 31st. Annual Belmont Shore Car Show, held along 2nd. Street in Long Beach on Sunday, September 11, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of honking horns and then a moment of silence — for the victims of 9/11.
The Belmont Shore Car Show, the largest in the area, returned for its 31st iteration and first in three years on Sunday, Sept. 11, with more than 400 classic and custom cars on display for the thousands of automobile lovers who coverged on Long Beach’s Second Street for the event.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, which nixed the car show in 2020 and 2021, the event drew as many as 40,000 people to Belmont Shore annually to check out the cool vehicles.
It was the first time in recent memory, for example, that some car owners received awards. The top 50 cars, in fact, had placards in their windows as show winners.
The car show, which ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., also included a somber moment. Shortly after the event began, at 9:11 a.m., the car owners participated in a synchronized horn honking to commemorate the nearly 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks. The honking was followed by a moment of silence.
