Petersburg, VA: Classic car and bike show rolls back into Old Towne in April

Progress-Index.com: Classic car and bike show rolls back into Old Towne in April
PETERSBURG - The public is invited to join car and motorcycle enthusiasts for Thursday Night Thunder in Old Towne, beginning in April.

Classic cars and bikes will be displayed in the reserved lots on the corner of N. Sycamore Street and E. Bank Street.

Thursday Night Thunder starts at 6 p.m. and runs until 9 every Thursday night from April to October.

Cars may begin arriving at 5:30 p.m. to set up. Arrivals will continue through the evening until the parking lots are full.

The show is free to the public and participants. All makes and models of vehicles are welcome to participate.

Before or after taking in the show, the public is encouraged to check out the shops, restaurants, art galleries, and historic architecture of the Cockade City and enjoy live music at many venues including the "Thursday Concerts at the Old Towne Civic Center" held from April 19 - Sept. 6 from 7 p.m. until midnight.

This event is being sponsored by the Petersburg Department of Tourism, Kimberly Ann's and Cruiser's Collision & Restoration Inc.

For more information about the event, call 804-733-2402 or 804-733-1144.

Cape Breton Antique and Custom Car Club a labour of love

From Herald Wheels (Australia): Cape Breton Antique and Custom Car Club a labour of love
Sydney — The weather is definitely getting better when you start seeing those classic cars out for another season of driving.

While vintage vehicles are usually on the roads for only a few months of the year, enthusiasts work on their pride-and-joys all through the year in what is becoming a popular pastime.

“There’s definitely a growing interest in this area,” says Ralph Jeans, president of the Cape Breton Antique and Custom Car Club.

Some may assume that owning an antique car is a hobby that only the rich can afford, but Jeans says in some ways, it’s not as expensive as you might think.

“For one thing, there’s cheaper insurance and the licensing costs much less,” he says, adding that it costs less than $18 to license an antique car for a year and he pays about $100 to insure his 1968 Mercury convertible.

Licensing a present-day car can cost $270 for two years and insurance can cost in the thousands, depending on the owner’s driving record. But of course, says Jeans, there is an assumption that these cars are only driven for short periods of the year.

It can be a lot of work but for most, it is literally a labour of love. If you’re not mechanically minded, it helps if your car is in perfect condition but, to be a member of this club, you don’t even have to own a vehicle.

“All you have to have is an interest in the history of vehicles,” says Jeans.

Greg O’Flaherty was one of the founding members and he is still involved in the club today as events coordinator and vice president.

“Back then, I attended a car show at the Glace Bay Forum… a group of us thought there should be a club and on November 11, 1979, it all began,” he says.

Since then, the membership has grown to 206 members, thanks to plenty of events throughout the year. The club meets the first Sunday of the month from October to May and the first Tuesday of the month from June to September, at 7 p.m. in St. Theresa’s Hall in Sydney, with the exception of the April meeting which will be held on the first Tuesday of the month.

Cruise nights are held every Thursday evening from June until the late fall and include a gathering of club and non-club members who may ‘cruise the drag’ before heading to a nearby coffee spot.

In addition to these monthly events, there is also the ‘First Run,’ which is considered the first major event of the year that goes through the Mira and Louisbourg areas during Sunday of the Victoria Day weekend.

Another major event is the Community Cruise and it involves 100 or more vehicles driving through Cape Breton communities, parking in each for about an hour and then moving on to the next one. This year’s cruise will take place Sunday, August 12.

“If it’s a nice day, there’s a lot of people and they really seem to enjoy it,” says O’Flaherty, who drives the lead car from Grand Lake Road to Glace Bay, New Waterford, Sydney and Sydney Mines before finishing up in North Sydney.

Other events include attending car shows across the island and the Maritimes, and plenty of social events throughout the year such as picnics, corn boils, pool nights and Christmas events.

“I’ve been with it for 33 years and I’ve never thought about stopping,” says O’Flaherty. “There’s always something to do.”

CA: BEST BET: Classic cars, old and new, roll into Del Mar for popular show

From North County Times, California: BEST BET: Classic cars, old and new, roll into Del Mar for popular show
DEL MAR ---- Call it an American history museum on wheels.

The 12th annual Good Guys Meguiar's Del Mar Nationals happens Friday through April 1 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, again featuring more than 2,000 classic cars, plus commercial exhibits, a swap meet, cars for sale, a model-car show and entertainment, among other offerings.

Produced by the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, the show has hot rods, customs, classics and muscle cars manufactured through 1972, along with an AutoCross performance course for show participants. The show will honor the 80th anniversary of the 1932 Ford Deuce, and entertain visitors with a Trick Truck Corral. It all culminates with an awards ceremony Sunday afternoon.

"There is something for everyone," said Betsy Bennett, marketing coordinator for the GoodGuys association. "There will be a special area for honoring the 80th anniversary of the '32 Ford. It's a classic and quintessential hot rod, and has become iconic."

Bennett says car owners will travel from 18 different states and Canada to participate.

"We'll have cars and their owners from Canada, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Rhode Island, Texas and elsewhere," Bennett said. "This is one of the most popular events on our circuit. It's hard to beat Del Mar. The car owners treat this show and San Diego as a destination. They enjoy the weather and take in the sites. It's a terrific backdrop."

Introduced at the GoodGuys Fall show last November was the opportunity for car owners to show off their autos manufactured after 1972. On April 1, the Super Sunday Get-Together will again offer that chance. The event is open to all years of American-made and power vehicles.

"This is a chance for guys who have late-model, American-made cars to show off what they have," Bennett said. "So if they have something like a 2012 Dodge Charger, people can take a look. We did this by popular demand. Car guys are car guys, and they want to see what's out there. The owners can register their cars at the Del Mar Hilton across the street."

The show also honors Southern California hot-rod legends Ed Pink and Ed Iskendarian, who will be onsite at the event signing autographs.

"These are a couple of gentlemen who are hot-rod heroes," Bennett said. "They were instrumental in the early days of hot rods."

The GoodGuys event is a family show, Bennett said.

"We have something for everybody," she said. "For kids, we have the model-car show. On Saturday and Sunday, they can sit down with their parents and use free kits to make and take away their own model cars."

Shows such as these have an emotional appeal for audiences, she said.

"Attending a show like this is kind of like stepping back in time when things were not so chaotic," Bennett said. "You can relive those times when had a '56 Chevy or a '32 Ford. It's a trip down memory lane. And for younger people, they can see the cars we just don't see anymore, the big Buicks and Mercurys. One of my favorite things to see at the shows is little kids pointing at the cars and becoming fascinated by how they look. For all of us, it's a step back in history."

The show runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 1. General admission is $18 for adults and $6 for children ages 7-12. Children ages 6 and younger are free. There is a $9 parking fee. Visit www.sdfair.com or call 858-755-1161.

NC: Hendersonville's Seventh Avenue District hosts vintage car/bike show 4/28

From Mountainville EPress: Hendersonville's Seventh Avenue District hosts vintage car/bike show 4/28
You are invited to bring your family to the Seventh Avenue District on Saturday, April 28th to see vintage vehicles proudly displayed by Hendersonville’s Antique Car Club from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. In addition to the unique vehicles, the day will include great local food and music provided by Tom Brown, the One Man Band. Come to Hendersonville’s Seventh Avenue district, park around the old train depot area and then spend some time strolling along Maple Street just to admire the Hendersonville Antique Car Club’s vehicles and vintage motorcycles parked there. Their vintage motorcycles, autos and trucks will be parked all along Maple Street which will be blocked from the corner of Seventh Avenue.

Enjoy a nostalgic trip into past transportation vehicles as you wander all around these lovingly restored beauties. This cruise-in will have something for everyone including classic cycles, daily drivers, muscle cars, trucks and more. Viewing a vehicle representing your own past always brings back memories and often leads to discussions with bystanders and owners. For those too young to remember these veteran vehicles, the cruise-in may become an opportunity begin their education into the history of the motor vehicle in the USA.

There will be food booths at the cruise-in including Daddy D’s, a Southern & Soul Restaurant and the Depot Diner. Each will be serving their usual tasty selections throughout the day. Tom Brown will provide music from the 50’s and 60’s to go along with these vintage vehicles.

All of the other Historic Seventh Avenue District shop owners will be open for business. Please feel free to browse through the shops for gifts, antiques, unique baked goods, fresh organic vegetables, locally brewed beer and more.

If you have a vintage motorcycle, circa 1989 or earlier, come and display your bike. For additional information, please contact Terry Ketcham at 828-890-8246.

The Apple Valley RR Club train display, located in the train station, will be open the entire day. Everyone is invited to tour their newly renovated facilities and see the many intricate train displays that appeal to young and old alike. After admiring all the lovingly restored vehicles, why not take the opportunity to stroll along Seventh Avenue and become acquainted with all the interesting new businesses that have opened in this historic district of Hendersonville?

Seventh Avenue originally developed as a commercial district during the late 19th and early 20th centuries around Hendersonville’s first train depot which was established in 1879. The majority of the buildings are simple one and two-story brick commercial and warehouse structures in the typical pattern of buildings connecting to each other. There are thirty-two contributing structures in the district. This area is currently undergoing revival as a viable commercial area. You are invited to come to 7th Avenue and see the new businesses occupying this revitalized historic area.

NC: Classic cars will line downtown

From Cary News: Classic cars will line downtown
CARY - Scores of classic automobiles will gleam along Cary’s downtown stretch this Saturday [the 24th] with the debut of a local car and motorcycle show. Wheels on Academy, a town-sponsored event, is the opening shot in a volley of new spring and summer events meant to draw new visitors to central Cary.

“The thought of a bunch of old custom cars up and down Academy Street – that’s just the coolest thing,” said Councilman Don Frantz, a car aficionado who advocated for the new event.

Frantz’s rebuilt ’91 Camaro Z28 will join about 150 other vehicles, many of them vintage, at the festival.

The town also will host several art displays, including the live art-ification of a car and a gallery of work crafted from car parts. Visitors also might get a glimpse of the town’s new hybrid trash truck, looking cleaner than it ever will again.

Joy Ennis, the town’s festivals coordinator, hasn’t guessed how many people will turn out for the brand new event, which organizers hope to repeat next year. The town has budgeted about $4,000, and sponsors have chipped in about $2,600 to accommodate the cruisers and gawkers.

“If we have really nice weather, we could have a decent size crowd,” Ennis said, acknowledging that it may swell to thousands. A larger car event in Raleigh draws 25,000 visitors and hundreds of automobiles.

For Cary, the automobile show and a slate of other new events are part of a larger downtown revitalization effort, which has included millions in spending on new properties and cultural projects.

The town wants to show that there’s plenty to do and see downtown, in part by creating more to do and see downtown. Cary government and local groups already hold several downtown-area concert and performance series, and the Lazy Daze art festival, but the new push is to bring big crowds to the downtown drags more often.

Over the next three months, the town is set to hold 10 new performances and parties in its old core. The schedule includes a relocated Ritmo Latino festival, an outdoor performance series, early evening music sessions and a regular old block party.

A farmers market also is returning to the downtown area this year.

The town won’t be able to gauge the success of the new downtown events for several months, Ennis said.

“You probably need to get through a whole season ... to really get a feel for that,” she said. But Cary’s hope, she said is to create “a place that’s alive.”

Business: Location: Auto Dealers Auto Repair Bar Carpet Cleaning Child Care Chocolate Coffee Dentist Doctor Florists Furniture Golf Course Gym Hair Salon Hotels Insurance Jewelry Landscaping Locksmith Movers Pizza Plumbing Realtor Remodeling Storage Browse all » by MojoPages Crime PrintprintEmailEmail this articleShareTweetFacebookShare Share!X DiggDeliciousMySpaceLinkedInStumbleUponNewsvineReddit Thief steals 3 vintage cars from elderly Charlotte man .

From WCNC Charlotte, NC: Thief steals 3 vintage cars from elderly Charlotte man
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department auto theft investigators are trying to find a thief with a taste for classic cars.

On Monday morning 84-year-old Parks Davis had his three prized Volkswagen Beetles taken.

"I can't get back what I got in them, the value of those cars," said Davis. He grew up in the 3400 block of West Sugar Creek Road and owns five acres of land in the area.

Davis kept his cars on the land, and all the Beetles were made in 1970 or 1971.

"I had plans to fix it back like it was new and everything,” Davis added.

A neighbor says he saw someone using a trailer to remove the cars. He didn’t call police because he thought Davis had authorized it.

"Like I told the police and I tell everybody, if I had walked over there when they had done it I'd blown the damn hell out of them. That's just the way I feel," said Davis.

The cars are so old that someone could easily sell them for scrap. They wouldn’t even have to produce a title. Police say they are monitoring scrap yards in the hopes that someone tries to redeem the cars.

Investigators say cases like this one are common, and that a lot of cars are stolen for scrap.

Fort Lauderdale: Classic car auction rolls into convention center

From SunSentinel.com: Classic car auction rolls into convention center
A 1956 Rolls-Royce featured in the 1981 comedy "Arthur" starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli is among the vintage cars up for grabs this weekend at the 10th annual Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale auction.

Its expected sale price? A mere $100,000 to $125,000, according to organizers.

Nearly 600 vehicles including American classics, late-model exotics, European sports cars and vintage motorcycles will be sold to the highest bidder during the Auctions America by RM event that runs Friday through Sunday at the Broward County Convention Center.

"This is by far our biggest year ever," with more vehicles being offered, said Donnie Gould, president of Auctions America, which has offices in Oakland Park and Auburn, Ind.

Two other cars with celebrity cachet are a 1933 Cadillac that appeared in the film "Seabiscuit" and a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 owned by Formula One World Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve.

Last year, the Fort Lauderdale auction generated $18 million in sales, and it's expected to top $20 million this year, Gould said.

About 50 percent of the cars for sale are on consignment from out-of-state sellers, some as far away as Seattle, Wash., Canada and Puerto Rico.

"It's a great place to put your money right now," Gould said of the car collectors market. "It's a very safe investment."

This year, several private collections are being sold, including The Tony Parella Corvette Collection of 25 of classic American sports cars ranging from a 1953 roadster to a 1998 convertible.

Gould said South Florida was a perfect fit for the auction because of the number of collectors who live here.

Coral Springs resident and University of Miami professor Dr. Edward Dauer will be there. He started buying antique cars in 1973.

Dauer has more than 20 vehicles, mostly from the 1950s and 1960s, that are housed in a private museum in Sunrise. The oldest is a 1906 Cadillac delivery truck.

"It's one of my many hobbies," Dauer said Wednesday of the collection.

Some of the vehicles he's amassed are models he'd seen and liked while growing up, while others reflect an era when America was the recognized leader in auto craftsmanship and design, Dauer said.

"I've got my eyes on a couple of cars" this weekend, Dauer said.

Jupiter collector Jack Miller, owner of the Miller's Ale House chain, won't make it to the auction this year due to illness.

Miller has 65 Mustangs from 1966 to 2012 models in his private museum collection. Having come from a poor background, Miller said he enjoys buying things he likes. "Now that I have money, I can have whatever I want." Prospective buyers can preview the automobiles for free from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the convention center. Bidding starts at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. on Sunday.