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July Special Car Shows
July 9-12 – Mecum Auctions (Kissimmee) July 12 – Tint World Cars & Coffee (Melbourne) July 12 – Moore's Collectable Show (Mims) July 12 – Empanadas Exotics & Coffee (Tampa) July 12 – Beat Cancer Car Show (Belleview) July 12 – Street Wars Car & Glow Show (Lehigh Acres) July 12 – Frazio Auto Design Car Meet & Chill (Palm Springs) July 13 – Surfin' Sarfari Party Car Show (Fort Pierce) July...
The Next Hot Wheels?
Written by Tara Bush Robert Harden of Ocala decided to take a little ride on April 26, 2025 to Tampa for the Hot Wheels Legends Tour car show. Mattel has partnered with Walmart in a global search of the next Hot Wheels vehicle. “The Hot Wheels Legends Tour celebrates the builders, visionaries, and the people in the automotive world who put in the late nights, early mornings, and 10,000 hours of challenge accepted in their drive to...
Everything Ends Eventually
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography Everything ends eventually: Jobs, relationships, life. When something that we enjoy ends, the sense of loss and sadness can be powerful. Hooters & Hot Rods, the cruise-in hosted by Cruisin Orlando at Hooters of Sanford, was an event loved by many and attended by hundreds every month. There’s a special place in my heart for this event. I first discovered Cruisin Orlando and FlaCarShows.com because...
Memorial Day Celebration in Lake Helen
Written by Tara Bush. Photos by Russ Muller Photography Memorial Day weekend marks the official start to summer and for Florida that means afternoon thundershowers and extreme humidity. But that didn't stop the 300+ show cars, trucks and custom vehicles from attending the Memorial Day Celebration in Lake Helen (located north of Orlando, east of Deland). Hosted by Tina Jett GreatFlorida Insurance Agency which offers many options for...
Spray Ceramic Coating vs. Professional Ceramic Coating
Contributed by Steve Calafato, Resurrection Auto Detailing Walk into any auto parts store and see spray ceramic coating. Walk down the aisle and view ceramic wax. Then, get on-line and see professional ceramic coating in a small glass bottle. Allow me to remove the confusing marketing claims about spray ceramic coating vs. professional ceramic coating for your classic car. Surface Longevity/Paint Bonding Spray ceramic coating is NOT...
Goin’ Topless…..
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography Spring is in the air, and that means many things: Flowers and trees blooming, pollen everywhere, and warm weather. Weather that is, dare I say it, perfect for going topless. No, not that type of topless. I’m talking about top-down cruising in convertibles. Now, get your mind out of the gutter and join me as I take a brief look at three very different drop-top classics, one from each of the Big...
Life-Sized Radio Flyer
Written by Tara Bush At 16, Antonio Pasin immigrated to Chicago from Italy in 1917 and started building wooden toy wagons to haul his custom wood phonograph cabinets and tools. He started receiving orders for the wagons and soon began making stamped steel wagons using the mass manufacturing techniques of the auto industry. In 1930, he named the new Radio Flyer wagon as a tribute to two famous men of the day; Italian inventor...
Paint Correction 101
Contributed by Steve Calafato, Resurrection Auto Detailing PAINT CORRECTION The “Rub-Out” is the Ceramic key! In my last article, I stated the importance of the paint correction step. This step removes all the light circular scratches, blemishes, and general paint imperfections your classic displays. If you apply ceramic, (professional only), to the paint, all those paint imperfections will be magnified 10x fold. Ceramic...
The Bird is the Word
Written by Russ Muller Photography Eagle, Falcon, Firebird, Lark, Phoenix, Roadrunner, Sunbird, Skylark, Thunderbird. From the earliest days of the Model A, birds have been a part of automotive history. Henry Ford suggested using a quail as a hood ornament on the Model A, to symbolize the swift acceleration the car exhibited. Well, swift for 1928, anyway…All the Big 3 automakers, and several of the smaller ones, chose real or mythical...
Highly Optioned 1966 Nova L79
Written by Tara Bush, contributed by Rick Winslow from Fort Myers Rick has been a car guy all of his life so he’s familiar with classics, street rods, and muscle cars. This little gem caught his eye…a Regal Red 1966 Chevy II Nova non-SuperSport, therefore it is not equipped with bucket seats and the special trim package but it has so many more rare options. Starting with the high-performance L79 327 engine option pumping out 350...
Where Were You In….1971
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography American Graffiti asked, “Where were you in ’62?” Last month, my question was “where were you in ’79?” This month I ask, where were you in 1971? Things were starting to change in the automotive world by 1971. Insurance companies were making it difficult and expensive to insure high-horsepower factory hot rods, and the newly established EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) began to impose...
Where Were You in…1979
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography American Graffiti asked, “Where were you in ’62?” My question is, where were you in ’79? The movie had a great soundtrack, and we had some good music in 1979 as well. Pink Floyd released The Wall, and Supertramp’s Breakfast in America was a huge album. The movie had lots of great cars, and we, well…didn’t. The malaise era was underway, thanks to government emission standards that forced auto...
A Blast to Drive
Contributed by Chip Winans, Brooksville A 16-year-old young man from Kentucky, and his uncle, built this 1932 American Graffiti John Milner 5-Window Replica Coupe. He drove it hard, back and forth to high school, and raced it at the drag strip until it quit. It sat in the garage for over four years. In 2020, Gordon and a friend did a complete restoration. They rebuilt the car with safety and movie correctness in mind. Ever since...
Mecum Kissimmee 2024 – Week 2 Visit
Submitted by Russ Muller Photography Hopefully you had a chance to read about my first visit to Mecum Auctions as they kicked off their 2024 Kissimmee auction on January 2nd at Osceola Heritage Park. (If you missed it, you can find it here: https://flacarshows.com/2024/01/04/mecum-kissimmee-2024-week-1-visit/). The reason for that visit was to look at some of the lower-cost offerings available to someone with a $20k budget. For week...
Hot Rod’s Last Ride Home
Contributed the Kirk Estes, Winter Garden I recently sold my 37 Plymouth Coupe that I have had for the past seven years and went in search of a 32 Ford Roadster. My initial plans were to build a car, but I came to the realization that crawling around on a cold, hard concrete floor for the next 18 months or so building a car was not really what I wanted to do. So, I turned to complete or nearly complete cars that were for sale. I...
HP Ranch Halloween Event Coverage
Written by Tara Bush, photos by various attendees Perfect weather at a perfect venue is what we all want at a car show. It all came together in perfect unison at Horsepower Ranch in a small town called Geneva, northeast of Orlando. The owners, Rachel and Scott, bring together two very different businesses to create a unique car show. Rachel has a Polynesian family history of creating traditional luaus in her native Hawaii. Scott,...
Concours d’Elegance vs Car Show
Written by Joanne Pistorius, Gasparilla Concours d'Elegance We love a good car show! We attend dozens each year, and many car enthusiasts know the difference between a car show and a Concours d'Elegance. Unfortunately, for those who do not know the difference, they can be misled into attending a car show that promotes itself as a Concours d'Elegance just to divert and mislead attendees, participants, sponsors and advertisers for the...
6000 Attend Traveling Car Show
Contributed by Tara Bush Hit the back roads at 7:30am, stop for lunch where the locals eat, cruise into a massive venue for racing & car show time, dinner at a local spot, followed by a hotel parking lot party, then hit the sack anxious for another day to do it all over again….along with several thousand other car fanatics. That is the Hot Rod Power Tour in a nutshell. Since June 1995, there have been 29 Power Tours, driving through...
Rock N’ Blues Concert & Car Show
Contributed by Russ Muller Memorial Day weekend is usually thought of as the unofficial “start of summer” to most of the country. Here in Central Florida, for the last decade or so, I have thought of it as the weekend for the Rock N’ Blues concert, car show, and art exhibit held at Casselberry City Hall and Lake Concord park. This year was just a little different, as the art exhibit which has always been themed towards cars and music,...
Supercar Saturdays Event Coverage
Contributed by Tara Bush If you’re ever in southeast Florida and looking for some automotive excitement, check out the monthly Supercar Saturdays on the second Saturdays at their new location, The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. Yes, it’s at the new guitar- shaped hotel, complete with guitar faces and brightly lit strings. This engineering masterpiece reaches 450 feet and outfitted with floor-to-ceiling glass panes....
An Astronaut’s Corvette Lives On
Contributed by Kim Groves Kim grew up with three brothers (Larry, Terry, and Gary) so it’s no surprise where she got the love of cars. Dad wanted to name her Mary, but her mother put a stop to that. Kim’s brothers drove muscle cars and her father had a soft spot for the classic ragtops. Her first cars were a 280Z Datsun Turbo, a Formula, and a Toyota Supra. She has always wanted a Corvette but the opportunity never presented...
Caladium Festival Event Coverage
Contributed by Tara Bush (reprint from Dec 2017) Have you ever wished that you could experience all of your passions in one day? Mine are cars, gardening, good food and occasionally shopping I found that such day. At the end of every July is the Caladium Festival in the little city of Lake Placid, which is south of Clermont on Route 27. We headed out early in my 1967 Acadian (which has a/c), teamed up with a friend, and made the...
1941 Hupmobile Skylark
Contributed by Allan Weinstein My beloved late father, Fred Weinstein, instilled the love and thrill of the antique car hobby in me, when I was a very young child. My father and I bought the 1941 Hupmobile Skylark in the mid 1980's. It was our second Hupmobile, already the proud owners of a 1938 Hupmobile. We were able to upgrade the car over time to a good amateur mechanical and cosmetic condition. My dad sadly passed in 2010, and I...
Carlisle Auction Event Coverage
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography Have you ever watched a big collector car auction on TV, or visited one in person? If you’re like me, you’ve likely done both. You may have watched one of your dream cars go across the block and sell for an amount that you know you could not afford, and thought to yourself “why are all these cars unobtainable?” or “how can I find a car that’s closer to my budget?” Well, I found one possible...
A Partnership for a Lifetime
Written by Tara Bush, some photos by Russ Muller, owned by Maurice Boetto, Orlando This is not a story about a Corvette and it’s not a story about a guy who owns a Corvette. As with many classic cars, there’s a story to be told. But this is a story about the lifelong relationship that Maurice “Moe” Boetto has had with his 1962 Corvette for 51 years. Moe has great pride in the evolution of his Corvette and the Corvette, though...
Cops ‘N Cars for Kids Event Coverage
Contributed by Russ Muller Red and blue lights are flashing, sirens are wailing, a helicopter is landing and there’s K-9 units closing in. Getting a little nervous? There’s no need. Really. They are not after you. They are all here for Cops `n Cars for Kids, the annual car show/law enforcement/emergency services outreach event hosted by the Oviedo Optimists Club and held at the Oviedo Mall… Saturday, January 21st started out...
Lake Mirror Classic Event Coverage
Contributed by Tara Bush Fall 2022 brought two surprises to central Florida, Ian and Nicole, very late season hurricanes. Right in the middle (mid Octoboer) was the annual Lake Mirror Classic Concours and Car Show in downtown Lakeland. Started in 1999 by Heacock Classic Insurance, of which the owner is a big car enthusiast. After nearly 20 years, Heacock turned the reins over to a local credit union, MIDFLORIDA. Covid struck and...
Father & Son You Tube Mechanics
Written by Tara Bush Can YouTube teach a person how to completely restore an old car from top to bottom? It sure can. Daniel and Corey can attest to the fact that you don’t have to have mechanical ability or tools to restore a classic; but you do have to possess a ton of patience, desire, and time. Let’s go back to the beginning in 2011. Corey always wanted a 1965 Mustang Convertible. Money and children delayed the dream until a...
Keeping It Original
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography If you have not figured it out by now, I love classic cars. They are a canvas on which a manufacturer painted their masterpiece, while at the same time serving as a blank canvas where one can create their own vision of a masterpiece. We see it in everything from restorations to resto-mods, from pro-street to gassers, to full-on custom builds. The first-generation Chevy II has been modified in...
Classic Stingray Turned Modern
Contributed by Michael Dart, Coral Springs Now famous, Corvette Artist Jeff Hayes and his team in Bloomington, Indiana finished assembly on this 1967 Sting Ray late in 2016 and placed it up for auction in January 2017, at Barrett Jackson's Scottsdale Arizona. The car was purchased and shipped to the first owner in Texas. He only put 161 miles on the odometer, before putting it up for auction at Mecum. The second owner in Virginia...
The Struggle is Real
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography I admit it, I have a problem. A good problem I guess, but a problem nonetheless. And it’s one I never expected. Every time that I am getting ready to go to a cruise in, I struggle with whether to take the old car or the new one. Here are the choices… The Grand Prix, aka the BGP (big green Pontiac). It’s a ’71 Model J, with a 455, Turbo 400 and most of the luxury options available at time (A/C,...
1 of 1 Hurst Heritage GSS Chrysler 300H
Written by Tara Bush, owner Jim Alaimo from Pinellas Park When Covid hit Jim spent a bit too much time on the computer. Already an avid Chrysler 300 fan, owning a 2014 300S, he stumbled upon this unique one-of-a-kind Hurst edition in Oregon. Now retired after 51 years, his wife encouraged him to seek out his dream car. “You’ve earned it” she said. Larry, the original creator, was from Chicago like Jim. Just like old friends, Jim...
Mustang & Ford Roundup Event Coverage
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography If 2022 has shown us anything so far, it’s that people want to return to a normal pre-pandemic life. That helps to explain why there was a record number of pre-registered entries for the Mid-Florida Mustang Club’s 35th Annual Mustang & Ford Roundup show held on Saturday, February 5th in beautiful historic downtown Longwood, FL. Between pre-registered cars and day-of-show entries, there were...
Cops ‘n Cars For Kids
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography After taking 2021 off due to COVID, Cops n Cars for Kids returned to the parking lot of the Oviedo Mall on Saturday, January 22nd. As always, the event was hosted by the Oviedo/Winter Springs Optimist Club, with proceeds benefitting local children’s and special population organizations. Dozens of local law enforcement agencies participated, providing a K-9 demonstration, displays of specialty...
Hidden Car Show Among The Garden
Contributed by Tara Bush There's a hidden gem in Williston Florida. Where's Williston you say? A short drive southwest of Gainesville and northwest of Ocala. Located in beautiful horse country, sandwiched between the Blue Grotto Dive Park and Devil's Den Historic Spring, the Cedar Lake Woods and Gardens is a geological masterpiece. The botanical gardens boosts cascading waterfalls, large koi ponds and breathtaking views. ...
Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance Event Coverage
Contributed by Tara Bush Gasparilla, Buccaneers and pirates are synonymous with the Tampa area, so it was only fitting to call the first Concours d’Elegance event after the famous pirate Jose Gaspar, also known by his nickname Gasparilla. Although there is no proof he existed, legend has it that he terrorized the Gulf of Mexico during the late 1700’s by taking many prized possessions and ransoming hostages. He supposedly died by...
Daytona Turkey Run Event Coverage
Contributed by Tara Bush and Photos by Russ Muller Photography How did the Daytona Turkey Run start? (according to their website): The Turkey Run was created in 1974 by Stu Sarjeant. Stu and his five year old son. Jim had attempted to enter their 1923 Ford T-Bucket in the 1973 Ormond Beach AACA Gaslight Parade sponsored by the local Jaycees. They were ejected and denied entry as Hot Rods were not permitted. Jim starting crying and...
Building the Ultimate Garage (on a budget)
Contributed by Steve Klein & Tara Bush I can’t be the only one who has noticed the garage in the background of a car magazine or while watching TV and marveled at the space to work and how organized and clutter free it was. I can’t be the only one who thought- “If my garage was like that, I could do all sorts of projects.” I can’t be the only one whose garage was packed with boxes, bikes, old [broken] parts that were taken off the...
The Lowdown on Car Show Terms
Contributed by Tara Bush If you are a newbie to the car/truck show world, either classic or modern, the terminology to describe the event can be confusing. What exactly is the difference between cruise, cruise-in, show, rally, meet, cars & coffee, etc? There are many opinions and this is only mine. So let's break it down: CRUISE & CRUISE-IN – To me, these are the same thing. Unlike the name suggests, you don't actually go...
Dezerland Part 2: To the Bat Cave and Europe…
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography Our next stop on the tour was the Great Gatsby room, which features some of the beautiful cars of the art deco age. According to Mr. Dezer, the maroon V12 Cadillac was owned by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Towards the back of the room was an area filled with tables and chairs. Cory informed us that the space, and others throughout the museum, can be rented for parties, events, etc. In my...
Dezerland Part 1: Bond and Beyond…
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography One lesson I learned may years ago was to never turn down an opportunity for a private tour of a car collection. That’s how I got to know Bob Shearer and shoot his S40 Collection, and it’s how I got to see the American Muscle Car Museum. When Tara asked me if I would like to tour Dezerland Park Orlando with Flacarshows.com, I immediately said yes. If you’ve lived in Orlando for a while, you may...
![Top 25 [Most Overused] Phrases in the Collector Car Market](https://flacarshows.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/d4a4af_6fc3c010cbf34fc8b4b88ffcf770ac81_mv2-240x240.jpg)
Top 25 [Most Overused] Phrases in the Collector Car Market
Contributed by JP Emerson, Automotive Freelance Journalist So your in the market for a classic car. Like any major purchase, doing your homework is imperative, but just in case your buddy with a killer set of tools gives you a hot tip about a cool car sitting on a lot or just waiting to be scooped up on line, here's a short list to help you understand exactly what you'll likely hear. Barn find = Needs more money thrown at it than it’s...
Very Rare Orange Cosworth Vega
Contributed by JD Smith of Deltona In 1974, while John DeLorean was at GM, he wanted a car that would compete with the flood of imports such as the BMW, Datsun, etc. His team worked with Cosworth of England where they produced an aluminum twin cam 16-valve head for the Vega block. The Cosworth Vega was first built in 1974 but never made it into production due to emissions failures. In 1975 they were introduced with the Cosworth...
GTO Back After 35 Years
Contributed by Randy Brown, Winter Park I bought my first car, a 1965 Pontiac GTO, when I was 16 years old for $2,000 in Oklahoma. Sadly, I had to sell it on the day of my 21st birthday because I couldn't afford the gas, insurance, and repairs while in college (GTO: Gas, Tires, and Oil!). After many years I began looking for another one, but it's difficult to find the less-common “Coupe” or “Post” cars, as they...
Lookout for the “Stampede”
Contributed by Ed Sindoni “…….there is something about the 65 – 68 Mustangs”. With those words, James and Alison Slone set out to find a 1967 Mustang Fastback. But before that quest began, some history is in order. James had always had a soft spot and worked on late model Fords and muscle cars. His wife, Alison, also became interested during her high school days, sharing the same appreciation for the 1960’s muscle cars. Fast...
50’s on Main Street, Leesburg
Contributed by Ed Sindoni On the second Saturday of each month, the Cruisin Couples Car Club hosts a car show, complete with live, period correct, band. This month it was a “Buddy Holly” tribute group which proved themselves to be a welcome addition to this event. By my account, there were approximately 160 entries ranging from the Model “T” era to a few modern participants. Car owners are also encouraged to dress in the period of...
31st Spring Daytona Turkey Run
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography The laundry list of cool car events that got cancelled in 2020 due to COVID was extensive, and unfortunately included the Spring Turkey Run in Daytona. The good news, however, is that it returned for 2021. From Friday, March 26th through Sunday the 28th, the infield of Daytona International Speedway was once again filled with show cars, a car corral, swap meet and vendors of all thing...
Husband & Wife Fastbacks
Contributed by Ed Sindoni Steve Garai wanted another toy (he already owned a fully customized 1938 Ford coupe), something he could perhaps use almost as a daily driver. Finally, he settled on finding a 1970 Mustang Fastback to be restored to original condition, but the best made plans……. Project Genesis, as this build became known was originally born in Dearborn, Michigan on October 29, 1969. It was equipped with a 351 – 2V Windsor...
From Work Horse to Work of Art
Owner Vince Mastrianni The heart of any landscaping business is the truck. So back in 1949, Vince’s Father bought a new GMC because he preferred the longer 9-foot bed to haul more materials. In Schenectady, New York, there was no need for landscaping services in the winter therefore the truck never saw snow or salt which deteriorates metals at a rapid pace. Vince learned to drive stick on that old four-on-the-floor work horse. Many...
Mustang & Ford Roundup Coverage
Contributed by Russ Muller On Saturday, February 6th, nearly 200 Mustangs and other Fords made their way to Longwood, FL for the 34th Annual Mustang and Ford Roundup. This show is hosted and run by the Mid-Florida Mustang Club and draws participants from all over Florida. I spoke with someone who was unloading their racecar, and they had left Palm Beach at 4:00 AM to get to the show. The streets of historic downtown Longwood and...
A British Car with Italian Styling & American HP
Contributed by Scott Shepherd, Clermont The car belonged to a good friend of my daughters. It showed up in my drive from time to time. Jack had seen me working on my Triumphs and said he would contact me when he was ready to give up the car. A few years later he gave me a call and said that the car was a mess, and the engine would not turn over. He offered to give me the car knowing I would have it restored. I slipped him 500...
10 Tips for Attention Grabbing Photos of Your Ride
Contributed by JP Emerson, Automotive Freelance Journalist Get the attention your car deserves with these 10 simple tips! Tip # 1: Purchase or download a color wheel. Using the color wheel, locate the closest primary color to your car. Directly across will be complementing colors in varying shades. These colors will give your car a much stronger presence in your photo when used as a background. Which color background contrast...
Drive a Classic (Muscle) Car & They Will Come
Contributed by JP Emerson, Automotive Freelance Journalist I’ve had a love hate relationship with my now fifty year old muscle car for nearly my entire life. What was once considered merely transportation has progressed through an evolution that few of today’s machines will ever experience or even survive. For as much as I resisted, I must concede that many of today’s offerings would run doughnuts around my classic but unless you...
Terry’s 1955 Buick
Contributed by Terry Donohue Growing up on the streets of the Bronx in the 50's, I would see the gangsters in the neighborhood driving around in their flashy colored Buicks. As a kid, I dreamed what I thought was an impossible dream – me some day owning such a car. In 1999, in the town of Dundee, Florida, that dream became a reality. The flashy green and white Buick special was mine! Now the work began – cleaning the...
One Great Decision
Contributed by Steve Klein Ever since high school, I’ve had an interest in muscle cars. My senior year, among the pedestrian sedans, wagons, and other family hand-me-downs, there were two 1969 Camaros, a Z/28 and an SS/RS, a 1967 Camaro convertible and a 1972 Buick Skylark 350. While this may sound familiar to anyone who went to school in the late ‘60s-early ‘70’s, my high school years were the mid- ‘90’s, and these cars are still...
Daytona Turkey Run Event Coverage
Contributed by Russ Muller I’m sure everyone can agree that 2020 has been the most unusual year in modern history. It was late-February when I got the envelope in the mail with my media credentials for the Spring Daytona Turkey Run. It was just a few weeks after that when the world stopped. Like countless other events, the Spring Turkey Run was cancelled due to COVID. For many months, the question of whether there would be a Turkey...
Superbird Freed by Chain Saw
Written by Fast Eddie from Ed's Swap Meet, shop for millions of parts How do you acquire one of the most coveted classic cars ever built? Apparently one way is to get a chain saw and set the Superbird free. Yup, strangely enough, for Mike from Ohio he caught his “bird” through the help of such a tool. Like most of you reading this article, classic cars, in general, are a passion to Mike. But then there are cars that...
1964 Acadian Beaumont Wagon
Contributed by Sandy and Steve Gray, from Hamilton Ontario, Canada, and Snowbird in Port Charlotte, Florida We love classic cars and station wagons. We have always had classic cars but our first station wagon purchase was in the spring of 2000 (a 65 Malibu that we still own) and at the time we had many ‘car friends’ question our sanity in buying a wagon. Today wagons have seen a huge resurgence in popularity, and we are still loving...
Russ’s Power Tour 2019 Coverage
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography If you have followed Tara and Steve’s Power Tour blog (read it here) over the last few years, you’ve had the chance to get a little taste of what the Hot Rod Power Tour is like. Last year I decided that reading about it was no longer feeding my need for a killer road trip, so me and my big green Pontiac went ahead and joined them… The journey began in Deltona, FL where I connected with my...
Rare 1 of 22 Indy 500 Festival Corvette
Contributed by Bobby Chestnut If you are a car nut most likely you have at one time or another watched the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race (better known as the Indianapolis 500) which is an automobile race held annually at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana. That event is held over Memorial Day weekend in May at “The Brickyard”, is billed as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The event is steeped in...
A Galaxie Worth the Wait
Owned by Rick & Patti Cabaniss, Seffner, Florida When we decided that we wanted to own a classic car, I went in search of a car that had some special meaning to an event or person in my early childhood years. My first choice was a 1961 Ford Starliner. My Uncle John Bayer had a red with white top Starliner that he allowed me to drive once in a while when he was home from the service. It had a 390, three-on-the-tree with overdrive. I...
From Red to Blue Camaro
Contributed by Tara Bush DJ Don Musica (yes his real name) does more than play music around central Florida at the local car shows under the name, Cruisin Orlando. He has been fixing, modifying, and restoring cars since he was 16. His first hot rod was a 1972 Nova in 1985 in his home town of Meadville, PA. Don has owned many classic Chevy muscle cars and trucks (also he keeps my Shelby and Cuda running), but his specialty is...
What is the S40 Collection?
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography It started simply enough. I was at the car show in New Smyrna Beach when a coral-colored ’58 Chrysler 300 caught my eye. As I was checking it out, the owner struck up a conversation with me. After chatting about his car for a little bit, he walked me over to look at his son’s ’70 Hemi Road Runner convertible that was parked nearby. We chatted some more, and he invited me to contact him for a tour...
His Dream Became Reality, Decades Later
Contributed by Mark Jackson, Naples I grew up in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, and in the 70’s there were a ton of old cars and hot rods. About that time, there was a silver '68 Camaro being built down the street from my house by a guy I only knew of, but I did know the guy who painted the car as he dated a friend of my sister. They put a lot of work into the Camaro with the paint designs by pulling the body off the sub-frame and...
Celebration of Cars Event Coverage
Contributed by Tony Napolitano from CAR-tography Saturday, February 29th, 2020, ‘Leap Day’ dawned crisp and cool. The sun rose in a deep blue sky. It was perfect weather for AACA and the local Cape Canaveral region to have their Celebration of Cars Show held at the American Muscle Car Museum in Melbourne. The line to get in stretched about a half-mile in both directions. When we finally got in we learned that registration filled...
Cops & Cars for Kids
Contributed by Russ Muller Photography The 14th annual Cops & Cars for Kids was held on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at the Oviedo Marketplace Mall, just east of Orlando. This year the event attracted a record number of vendors, but more importantly, it also had 205 registered show cars and 56 different law enforcement agencies participating. The host of the event, the Oviedo Optimist Club, said that the funds received from the event...
The Return of a 55 Year Old Classic
Written by John Wishart & Photos by Ed Sindoni Nestled in the sprawling area of Lakewood Ranch, Florida is a hidden gem of a classic car. It’s not often that the opportunity to see a 1964 ½ concourse level Mustang arises, but when it does, it should be shared. John Wishart (MCA #85927) interest in Ford performance cars started in the early 1960s during his teen years in Vermont. At first it was as a spectator watching Ford...
TRUE 1928 Survivor Hot Rod “Deja Vu”
Contributed by Dana Barlow Deja Vu was originally my high school hotrod from 1959. From 1957 through 1959, 1 found parts and designed it into a running hotrod. In the late 1950’s, things were made and not bought in most cases. In the early 60s, stuff was not made yet or too high dollar for me. As a teenager, I incorporated many unique features into this car. In some ways, the parts I was able to find shaped the build. This is most...
Cool Wheels Plus Much More
Contributed by Tara Bush Where would you find sunny, blue skies and 85-degree temps in the middle of winter…South Florida, of course. On January 19 I headed to Deerfield Beach to the Quiet Waters Park for the 9th annual YATC Cool Wheels Car Show. I’d heard rumors but I wanted to see for myself. It was well worth the 3 ½ hour trip in a 53-year-old classic, but there was much more than just a car show in this beautiful park. It was...
Ponies Under the Palms Event Coverage
Contributed by Ed Sindoni The Mustang Club of West Central Florida held its 28th annual “Ponies Under the Palms” Mustang and Ford Show at Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton) on Sunday November 24, 2019 attracting over 170 participants. The field was mostly comprised of Mustangs ranging from the first generation 64 1/2s, Mustang IIs (you remember those, don’t you), Fox bodies, Bullitts, and current generation, a good number of Mercury models...
C&C Palm Beach & More
Contributed by Tara Bush It’s late September, just a hint of coolness to the air, and we decide to head south for the 6 annual Cars & Coffee Palm Beach with Steve’s new ZR1 Corvette. Even though it is on the bottom of the exotic scale, for the money you can’t beat the performance. Normally when I go out of town, I do my best to cram as much as possible into the time I’m away from home, therefore you can’t drive 3 hours and go to...
Quail Run RV Park Show
Contributed by Ed Sindoni Located in Pasco County near Wesley Chapel, Quail Run presents an annual “car” show to raise funds for their designated charities. It also entertains the many day visitors who enter the property on Old Pasco Road, as well as the residents parked in one of the 292 available RV sites. One of the very best parts of this venue is the availability of at least some shade as old oaks tower over many of the...
Carlisle’s Winter Autofest at Lakeland
Contributed by Ed Sindoni Talk about an event with something for everyone, this is it. Five people can go to this, split up once you get there, and focusing on your interest, never see one another until you’re ready to leave. Let’s take a quick look at what was offered. Airplane rides were offered in a Stearman bi-plane and for some extra $, some aerobatic thrills could be added. The Corvette Fun Field was packed with both newer...
Car Show Don’ts
Written by Tara Bush and video contributed by Casey J Porter of Combustion Chamber This video should be mandatory viewing material for all new car show attendees. We all love spectators and we all love showing off our cars and trucks, but from time to time, we all experience that one person sitting in our car or the sticky fingers running along the top of the fender, or better yet, the sexy wantabe model laying across the hood. I...
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