Saturday February 28,2015
Collier Seminole State Park
Naples Florida
Well it’s the week-end again and that means we hang around home. Early in the morning the neighborhood hawk flies in and lands across from us on the grass. He always calls as he’s coming and I really look forward to it. Shortly he flies up on our neighbors coach. He’s so handsome.
Today is the day of the First Annual Collier-Seminole Antique Car Show. They’ve brought the entertainment to us. How nice. David is very excited. I’m surprised he waits until 10:30 to walk over. The show runs from 10 to 2.
On the way, in Mr. Collier’s field there is a chain saw artist I guess they call them. Glad he’s down here and away from the show. The noise is not one of my favorite sounds.
The car show is set up in the parking lot of the boat basin. Folks visiting it are parked just beyond the chain saw set up and then walk or are driven if they are handicapped down here. It’s set up so that if you are launching a boat, you can still use the docks.
I know that by definition, at least in Virginia, a car qualifies for antique plates if it is 20 years old. Somehow a 1994 just doesn’t seem “antique” to me. But this 1934 vintage sedan does.
A one owner car. Now that’s AMAZING!!
Love the outdoor luggage rack.
Was the shift really on the floor in 1955 rather than on the column? Probably so in this sports car!
This is my favorite of the small show. It’s absolutely beautiful. Wish I could have asked the owner if this is the original color. It’s clear from the “before” picture a lot of loving restoration has gone into this beauty. It’s got a birthday coming up soon. Looks in better shape than most 81 year olds that I know.
How about the prices back then? Of course this was during the depression so you’d have to have been one of the 1% I imagine to be able to buy it. Did you see the dual horns on the front? $9.00 original cost.
David thought it was very fine that the wing vent rolled down with the window. Open on one side, rolled down on the other to demonstrate.
Sure would be fun to take a spin in this rumble seat.
The detailing on this coup is perfect right down to the hood ornament.
There are eventually 16 cars in the show this year and a fair turn out of folks for its first year.
Pretty imposing grille on the front here and a zip out window on the soft top.
As in many car shows, there were booths and music. This duo was actually perfect in that they kept their volume at the optimum level for understanding their lyrics, hearing all over the show but not so loud that no one could have a conversation over at the cars. they are set up under one of the pavillions in the adjacent picnic area. This parking lot is for the picnic area on one side and the boat docks on the other.
They played old classics – Rhianon among them. The sax man was excellent.
It started out as a lovely blue sky day but by it was already raining by the time the event closed. By then we were long back in the coach. I guess we stayed about an hour.
Just before we left, one of the concessionaire guides came polling in on this gondola looking craft.
On our way back we saw this late comer. This looks more like a hot rod than an antique to me. But I guess in your first year, you take all comers.
The rains started out heavy and turned into a serious thunderstorm over night. Water ran through our site like a river soaking everything. It was 2” deep over our mat although I don’t think you can see that from here. The flowing water and debris don’t show up very well. Ruby and Winnona were sitting in a lake. I think I’ll reconsider site 115 although this was more like a summer thunderstorm than a last day of February event. All of a sudden our nice day time 70’s are gone and we’re in summertime mid 80’s.
Guess we’ll be doing some clean up in the morning.
I agree about the chainsaw noise, but I love the end result! I'd love to have one of those sculptures if they weren't so heavy to haul around :)
ReplyDeleteI've never been one to get excited about old cars. I would have stayed home and read a book. ;)
ReplyDeleteThose old cars are real beauties. As is that hawk.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the noise too- but the carvings are stunning. The owls, particularly.
John would love the car show. Me? I'd make a quick trip around and just keep walking. Anyone who can create carvings is an artist. I'd probably cut off a leg or two!
ReplyDeleteThe guy with the 1934 car sure did well-have it all those years and it was free to start with!
ReplyDeleteKids of today don't know how to drive a stick on the floor, let alone a "Three on the Tree" shifter. Nice well preserved cars in that show. I'd have loved to get a car when I graduated college, but I guess I lost out because I didn't go to Harvard... :cD
ReplyDeleteLove the hawk pictures and the old cars. Especially the ship hood ornament. Very unique. Cool cars!
ReplyDeleteI'm not one for car shows either, but George loves them. He'll enjoy taking a look at these pictures I'm sure. Love that the hawk is welcome on the top of the RV :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful hawk! I bet Dad really enjoyed those cars - I can't believe that by VA standards my Honda is an 'antique' - I'm with you that those type cars at the show look more like true antiques! Mother Nature changed the tune after the car show - water, water everywhere!
ReplyDeleteSuch a polite visitor, to call ahead first :-) We don't seek them out, but when there's a car show where we are we do enjoy checking them out. Keeping a car since 1934 is incredible, and to have it now must be such a joy for the owner. The roll down wing window was ingenious. Fun to see the ideas that didn't "stick" with the industry. I still miss wing windows! Looks like you got some serious rain - even the duckies look happy to be inside :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the hawk *and* the cars. I cannot believe the story of the guy who got the car for his Princeton graduation. Who can believe that he kept it all this time? Amazing. I'm not particularly sorry that I didn't hold onto that 69 Chevy Nova that I somewhat inherited after 2 aunts had owned it. I got it in 1975 and by then one already had to use a fork to turn the heater on. Thanks for the pictures. Hope that it's cooled off a bit for y'all. We're supposed to have temps in the 50's tomorrow and then snow on Thursday. It's March in Virginia! Take care!
ReplyDeleteI love your frequent visitations from the Red Tailed Hawk. Great photos! I'll bet David had a good time admiring the antique cars. I would have enjoyed the music. :-) Seems like you guys have had a lot of rain. My folks have had some torrential rains in Apalachicola. They're ready for spring -- you must be, too!
ReplyDeleteSaturday In The Park and by the looks of that rain... you'd think it was the 4th of July:o(( Fun day though before the rains came!!!
ReplyDeleteCool old cars. If David likes car shows, if you're ever in north GA during the summer, they have a huge one with around 300 cars.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty warm here, but no rain and thankfully a nice sea breeze. (If we could get the boat out, we wouldn't appreciate the sea breeze.)
The hawk is beautiful. How nice of him to pose for you!
ReplyDeleteThat looked like the perfect size car show for me. I enjoy looking at a few cars but not hundeds. Sounds like a fun time before the floods:)
The car show would be right in Steve's alley, how nice that it was brought to you. That hawk looked so friendly, and even posed for you.. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI never rode in a rumble seat, but I would guess it to be a rough ride over that rear axle. Looks like a cozy spot for two small folks though.
ReplyDeleteThat hawk is beautiful- you get such good bird pictures. My favorite car in the show is the green one given as a present for graduating from Harvard. It's weird seeing how thin the steering wheels used to be. I had a visual of me falling in the water if I were the one on that gondola. Just started snowing here. xxxooo
ReplyDeleteI like the finished art but chain saws are obnoxious. Love the old cars. You could have kayaked down the road.
ReplyDeleteJealous - I love car shows. Like your pictures of the old cars - especially the T-Bird. Like the hawk pictures too.
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