Police Unveil DARE Car
The 1989 Pontiac Firebird has been completely redone and is ready to go.
After two years, thousands of dollars in donations and several auto body shops, the Cinnaminson Township Police Department’s DARE car is finished and ready to hit the streets.
The 1989 Firebird has been completely transformed from its red, white and blue days in the ’90s to a silver-bodied spectacle complete with flames and a Pirate logo on its hood.
How did Officer Michael Czarzasty, who heads up the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in Cinnaminson schools, react when asked if he liked the outcome of the refurbished vehicle?
“Uh…yeah,” Czarzasty said with a smile.
When Czarzasty, a 10-year veteran of the police force here, wanted the department to restart the DARE program, he was encouraged by Lt. Tim Young and then-Acting Police Chief Steve Fowles. Czarzasty goes into Eleanor Rush, St. Charles and Westfield Friends to talk to the kids about drinking and drugs.
Part of Czarzasty’s goal with the DARE program was to fix up the car, which still had its design from more than 10 years go.
Czarzasty worked to solicit local businesses to help with the program and the car, and called on nearly a dozen auto body shops to work on the power train, exterior and interior of the vehicle.
The result is a Firebird with 18-inch chrome BOSS 338 wheels, a 3-inch straight pipe exhaust with flame throwers, custom interior, an in-your-face Cinnaminsom Pirate airbrushed onto the hood and an Xbox 360 with Kinect System in the truck.
“It’s designed to keep kids interested in the program,” Czarzasty said. “We want to keep it as fun as possible.”
The program itself has already been a big hit with the middle-schoolers in town; last month, Czarzasty headed up a culmination carnival for the kids complete with a rock climb, DJ and more.
Lt. Tim Young said the department “absolutely, 100 percent” wanted to support Czarzasty and DARE.
“He pretty much started this with an empty filing cabinet,” Young said. “But, we could not have imagined how good he would do so fast. He did a fabulous job.”
Young calls Czarzasty’s dedication to the program, “so much more than a car.”
“We are very impressed with what he’s doing and proud of the fact he did this,” Young said. “He took it and ran with it.”
The car will not only be used as a teaching tool for Cinnaminson students, but Czarzasty will drive it in Riverton’s Fouth of July parade on Monday. It will be featured in auto shows in Philadelphia and Ocean City, MD.
Czarzasty said the car is a symbol of what kids could have if they work hard and stay away from drugs.
The focal point of the vehicle is the Pirate on the hood, with braids hanging by his ears and a blade between his teeth. It was Fred Sicoli of Killer Kreations in Philadelphia who donated his time and work for the vehicle.
“He made it come alive,” Czarzasty said.
Other local shops who donated work to the car include: Lenny’s Towing in Delran, Michael’s Auto Body in Cinnaminson, Auto Sun Roof in Cinnaminson, Walmart in Cinnaminson, Meineke in Cinnaminson, Arizona Design Company, Clear Star Media/Finishline of Maple Shade, and Menace Audio.
“The idea was to go big or go home,” Czarzasty said. “The kids are going to love it.”
The DARE car is sponsored by:
Lenny’s Towing & Truck Service, Delran
Michael’s Auto Body, Cinnaminson
Auto Sun Roof, Cinnaminson
Clear Star Media/Finishline, Maple Shade
Killer Kreations, Philadelphia
Menace Audio, Philadelphia
Cinnaminson Police Association
Haines Farm & Garden, Cinnaminson
Hathaway’s Restaurant, Cinnaminson
Meineke, Cinnaminson
ShopRite, Cinnaminson
Walmart, Cinnaminson
7-Eleven, Cinnaminson
Georgetti’s Market and Catering, Cinnaminson
Whistlers Inn, Cinnaminson
Jug Handle Inn, Cinnaminson
The Merion, Cinnaminson
Delanco Savings Bank, Cinnaminson
Rosvold’s Pharmacy, Cinnaminson
Long’s Automotive, Cinnaminson
Pep Boys, Cinnaminson
Sleep Inn, Cinnaminson
McDonald’s, Cinnaminson
Sam’s Club, Cinnaminson
Wawa, Cinnaminson
Lynn Mechanical, Cinnaminson
Hunter’s Farm Market, Cinnaminson
Susquehanna Bank, Cinnaminson
Tom Craig Radiator Warehouse, Palmyra
Charles Mothershed, Delran
Frank Pizzo, Delran
Jayson Sharkey, Pennsauken
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In This article
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Cinnaminson Police Department
900 Manor Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Eleanor Rush Intermediate School
1200 Wynwood Dr, Cinnaminson, NJ -
St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church
2226 Riverton Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Westfield Friends School
2201 Riverton Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ -
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Auto Sun Roof
1305 Industrial Hwy, Cinnaminson, NJ
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Haines Farm & Garden
196 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Hathaway's Restaurant
10 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Meineke Car Care Center
201 Us Hwy 130, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Shoprite of Cinnaminson
141 Route 130 S, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Walmart
2501 Route 130 S, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Georgetti's Pasta & Sauce Market
1095 Cinnaminson Ave, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Whistlers Inn
901 Route 130 S, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Jug Handle Inn
1018 S Fork Landing Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ -
The Merion
1900 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Long's Automotive Service Center
1098 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Pep Boys
202 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Sleep Inn
208 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ -
McDonald's
100 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Sam's Club
2521 Route 130 S, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Wawa Food Market
2112 Church Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Hunter's Farm & Market
1101 Union Landing Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ -
Susquehanna Bank
800 Route 130 N, Cinnaminson, NJ
FbS
11:50 am on Saturday, July 2, 2011
excellent job guys!! I remember the old Firebird and the work on it came out great!! You should have brought it out to the car cruise at Johnsons last night! We had our car there!
FbS
12:25 pm on Saturday, July 2, 2011
before we lived here we thought it was so cool that the Cinna police were into cars so mach as to have a show car. Now that we are residents we are a part of it!!! Very proud to be a part of Cinnaminson!!
Steve Fowles
2:26 pm on Saturday, July 2, 2011
Mike, again, another fantastic job! Thanks for seeing the project through, and many thanks to all of the local businesses who contributed and helped out. The car looks great and the kids are gonna love it!
Pat Covert
11:26 am on Sunday, July 3, 2011
The Cinnaminson Police Department is the best. And to Mike - what a great program for the kids! Thank you.
FbS
6:58 pm on Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The car looked great in the riverton parade guys!!
OFFICER MICHAEL CZARZASTY
1:21 pm on Saturday, July 9, 2011
I just want to thank everyone involved with the project, the kids as well as the adults love the car. Now hopefully it can win some shows. FYI to concerned town person yes, Lenny and Jeff were extremely generous and helpful yet the body is airbrushed by Fred Sicoli of Killer Kreations.
FbS
3:22 pm on Sunday, July 10, 2011
Killer creations does nice work.. They did quite a few of my friends cars... See you at the shows, Officer Czarzasty.. What shows will it be at??
OFFICER MICHAEL CZARZASTY
4:35 pm on Sunday, July 10, 2011
Was just in Bristol and won a choice award. The car will also be at burlington city, maple shade, oc maryland, and any others you might recommend.