Category: Collectible Automotive

Jacksonville Car Culture events calendar

Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: The next one is set for 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, at The Avenues mall’s south side at 10300 Southside Blvd. Cars should start arriving by 7 a.m., the best way in through Malabar Boulevard off Southside Boulevard.

Cadillacs, Continentals and Covairs will be highlighted yet at this pre-holiday event, all showcased in a special display within the Central Lot. As always, there will be a Porsche section, and an exotics area as well as hundreds of vintage and classic cars, muscle cars and so much more.

Official Caffeine and Octane merchandise is on sale at all Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville events.

Check out more at firstcoastcarculture.com.

Jacksonville Car Culture Jekyll Island Holiday Lights Tour: Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. on that Friday with a cruise up to Jekyll Island, departing from the River City Marketplace at 13221 City Center Blvd. starts at 5:30pm. The ride heads to Jekyll Island, Ga. to cruise among the holiday lights, then a one-night stay one night at the Courtyard Jekyll Island or Residence Inn Jekyll Island. Jekyll Island boasts more than 500,000 holiday lights, with more 35,000 on a great tree alone. The cruise is limited to 50 vehicles and will include a stop along the way, an outdoor patio reception at the Courtyard Jekyll Island.

Cost: $100 per vehicle plus hotel room, fees and taxes. Additional passengers are $20 per person. One night at Courtyard Jekyll Island or Residence Inn Jekyll Island is $159 plus fees/taxes. It includes two beverage tickets per vehicle for the patio reception at the hotel at the conclusion of the cruise on Friday night; digital photo of your vehicle by Deremer Studios; and exclusive 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday Caffeine and Octane for cruise entrants – entrants are asked to please bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.

Deremer Studios

The event wraps at about 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Show news

Ponte Vedra Auto Show: The 2021 Ponte Vedra Auto Show returned last Sunday under the direction of Justin Felker and St. Augustine’s Art ‘n Motion with almost 300 cars and trucks on show at the event field at 245 Nocatee Center Way in Ponte Vedra Beach, and it is free and open to any classic or modern sports car, motorcycle or specialty/exotic.

The Best in Show was a silver Mercedes-Benz 190SL roadster owned by   Sam Joiner.

The Classic European class winner – a blue Mercedes-Benz 280SE owned by Don Glisson.

The Best of Europe was a Mercedes-Benz SL 63 owned by David Wommer; the Jeep vs. Bronco Class was a CJ5 owned by Laura Geisel.

The Viper Class winner was Ben Bobbitt’s, parked next to a rare Brazilian-built Puma GTE sports car.

The American Classic class winner was Mark Becker’s Chrysler Town and Country Convertible.

The Most Super Supra was Loi Tran’s Toyota Supra, while the Pre-War Vintage class winner is a Cadillac Model 60 Convertible Coupe owned by Gregg Romero, and the Asian Excellence winner was a pristine white Toyota Crown owned by Alan Dickerson. The Classic Corvette class winner was owned by Ronnie Edge, while the Classic Porsche class winner was a Porsche 356SC   owned by Lew Bednarczuk.

The Most Original class winner was the  Jaguar D Type owned by Andre Desmarais, as seen behind this larger Jag.

And possibly the most amazing creation an actual street-legal 2001 Reynard IndyCar, which shot foot-long flames when revved as it entered the show field, painted in its original Visteon livery. Note the headlights, Mickey Thompson treaded tires for crucial ground clearance, and a taillight assembly in back, a stock block V-8 in place of the original’s Toyota race engine. Mariz Automobili just posted a video on the car as it left the show and hit the road at night, as filmed with a wicked BMW camera car also at the show, and edited by Fastrmedia @fastrmedia.

This was its second appearance that weekend for the IndyCar, having wowed crowds, and Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville chief honcho Chris Brewer, when it cruised in the day before at The Avenues.

And if that’s not enough, a 1966 Batmobile replica from St. Augustine – to the Bat Cave!

The show is held in association with the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and the St. Johns County Tourism Development Council.

Motorsports events:

Nitro Rallycross at The FIRM: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 4 and 5, at the Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park at 7266 Airport Rd, Starke. Teams with drivers like Tanner Foust and Travis Pastrana will race on steep berms, banked turns and 100-ft gap jumps at the track. Two-day standing room general admission – $36 each. Two-day grandstand seating – $50 each. Two-day VIP with cash bar – $139 each. Get information here, and reserve tickets here.

Now all the Car Shows:

24th Annual VW Turkey Run: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine, 4730 Dixie Highway South/U.S. 1 in Saint Augustine. Proceeds benefiting the Spastic Paraplegic Foundation.

Pearl Harbor Commemoration: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at The Military Museum of North Florida at 1 Bunker Ave, Green Cove Springs, off Florida 16. The event begins with a ceremony, plus car show, re-enactors and a military collector show.

Toys for Tots car show: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday Dec. 11, at Golden Isle Church of God, 20 Boswell Lane in Brunswick, Ga. Free for spectators and $20 per show vehicle, or a new unwrapped toy. Donations go to the area Toys for Tots program.

Toys 4 Tots Car and Truck Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at the WW Ranch Motorcross Park, 1439 Otis Road in Jacksonville. Spectators are asked to bring a canned good or donation for the needy, while show vehicle registration is $20. Live music from Beau and The Burners, sponsored by the Callahan Cruisers.

The FIRM (Florida International Rally and Moto Park): Open Track Days held most weekends at the road course and rally course at 7266 Airport Road in Starke.

All the Cruise-ins

First Coast Car Council, Clay County Cruzers, Callahan Cruisers and Amelia Cruizers all hold regular weekend cruise-ins, so check their Facebook pages.

Jacksonville Caffeine and Gasoline: 7 to 10 a.m. on every first Saturday at the Orange Park Mall at 1910 Wells Road in Orange Park. 

Clay County Cruzers’ events: 3 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday at Big Dawg Sports Restaurant, 1330 Blanding Blvd.; 3 to 6 p.m. every second Saturday at Dick’s Wings, 1803 East-West Parkway in Fleming Island; 5 p.m. every third Friday at Freddy’s Steakburgers at 386 Blanding Blvd.; 9 to 11 a.m. every fourth Saturday at Nicole’s Café, 2216 S. Mimosa Ave. in Middleburg; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.

First Coast Car Council events: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every first Saturday at The Beaver Street Farmers Market, 1810 W. Beaver St.

UPDATE: The Car Council’s second Saturday cruise-in suspended through the end of the year.

NEW – Crossroad Cruise-in: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each first Saturday at Crossroad Church at 10005 Gate Parkway N.

NEW – Auto Legends Amelia Cars and Coffee: 9 a.m. to noon every second Saturday at Mocama Beer Company, 629 S. 8th St. in Fernandina Beach.

Cruise Night at Beachwalk: 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at the Beachwalk Amenity Center, 1000 County Road 210 in St. Johns.

Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: 8 to 11 a.m. every second Saturday at The Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. Information: https://bit.ly/3gPRvVQ.

Cruise Fruit Cove: 4 to 8 p.m. every third Saturday at the PDQ at 194 Florida 13 in Saint Johns, just south of Julington Creek.

Amelia Cruizers: 4 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday at Cold Stone Creamery, 808 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach.

Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine monthly cruise-ins: St. Augustine Cruiser’s “Cruise In” from 5 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday, and Cars and Coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. every fourth Saturday resuming on Nov. 27 (see above), both at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.

Cars and Coffee Fleming Island: 7 to 10 a.m. every third Sunday of the month at the New Vision Theatre at 1820 Town Center Blvd., Fleming Island.

The Part’s House/The Brothers Banter Podcast Cruise-in: The renamed White Brothers Auto Parts Cruise-in at the same time – 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at 405 Lane Ave. N.

Johnny Angels: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every third Friday at Johnny Angels diner at 3546 St. Johns Bluff Road S. 

Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise: 4 p.m. every fourth Saturday between 8th and 17th streets at Main Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield community.

And finally….

Maserati showed off its new Grecale on Tuesday by arranging its 80 prototypes in the shape of the company’s famed logo, a trident, in a record-breaking shot. The outline was 328 feet long. Maserati says it has more than 250 development models distributed across Japan and the United States, United Arab Emirates and China, Finland and Italy.

The Grecale is a compact SUV due to be released this spring, its name derived a Mediterranean wind, which is a Maserati tradition, It slots below the Levante, sharing its platform with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio crossover. The Grecale was originally set to be unveiled officially this week, but supply chain problems have caused some of its key components to be lacking, it said.

Big news first:

The next Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville cruise-in is from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. highlighting BMW M cars and the Ford Bronco (a new one at an earlier C&O below) in a special display within the Central Lot. Remember – submit your ride for consideration at: Ford Bronco – https://form.123formbuilder.com/6010449//. And if a BMW M Series is your ride, submit it to – https://form.123formbuilder.com/6010454//

As always, there will be a Porsche section, and an exotics area as well as hundreds of vintage and classic cars, muscle cars and so much more. And don’t forget official Caffeine and Octane merch is on sale on scene. Check out more at firstcoastcarculture.com. And see more about Caffeine & Octane all over, including Jacksonville, at https://caffeineandoctane.com/.

Ponte Vedra Auto Show: The 2021 Ponte Vedra Auto Show returns on Sunday, Nov. 14, under the direction of Justin Felker and Art ‘n Motion. And this year, it adds a first-time A1A Cruise the night before on the same site as the auto show the next day.

The A1A Cruise runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the event field at 245 Nocatee Center Way in Ponte Vedra Beach, and it is free and open to any classic or modern sports car, motorcycle or specialty/exotic.

Here’s last year’s Best of Show Classic – Andre Desmarais’ 1966 Ford GT P/1043 — which also won the Spirit of Racing award, with head judge Jake Weisman and Art ‘n Motion president Justin Felker.

Then from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. that Sunday, the Ponte Vedra Auto Show is presented by Art ‘n Motion in association with the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and the St. Johns County Tourism Development Council at the same grass field. The show, with some of last year’s event shown here, is free for spectators, and $40 to register a show vehicle. Event parking is free. To register a classic car or truck, supercar or modern collector/custom/hot rod, log onto https://pvautoshow.com/register-for-show-1. Only pre- registered cars will be allowed onto the Sunday show field.

Event Location Change Alert: The Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine’s Cars and Coffee will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at a new spot – Bozard Ford Lincoln at 540 Outlet Mall Blvd. This location change is only for October’s Cars & Coffee. It returns to the Classic Car Museum at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine for the Nov. 27 event, and every fourth Saturday.

National Council on Corvette Clubs Florida Region Autocross: 7:30 a.m. Sunday at St. Marys Airport, 400 N. Dandy St. in St. Marys, Ga. Registration and tech inspection is at 7:30 a.m., followed by a driver meeting – First car out at 9:30 a.m. This is a closed exhaust event with 7 low-speed events, helmets required (Snell SA or M and less than 10-years old). Entry fee is $60 per car. And open class cars are welcome.

Off-Road United Foundation seventh annual Krawl’n For The Fallen: November 12th to the 14th at the Florida International Rally & Motorsports Park (F.I.R.M) at 7266 Airport Road in Starke. The nonprofit Off-Road United Foundation supports law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS, service members, line-men and tow truck drivers. Krawl’n For The Fallen was started in 2015 to give back to Concerns Of Police Survivors National and support survivor retreats and kids camps. It has set a minimum donation goal of $80,000 to C.O.P.S each year.

This year’s event expects 2,000 attendees, 1,000 Jeeps and 12 local/state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Gates open at noon on Friday Nov. 12, with a nighttime concert planned for those camping on property. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. on Sat. Nov. 13, with opening ceremonies, open trails, K9 demos, a 5K Running 4 Heroes and more. There’s a Saturday night ride to honor those who we have lost from the year. For information, registration and ticket prices, go to https://bit.ly/3oEPDEK.

Now all the Car Shows:

Annual Car Show: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Paxon Revival Center Church, 5461 Commonwealth Ave. Free.

St. Augustine Fall Fling Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at the St Johns County Fairgrounds, 5840 Florida 207 in Elkton. Free to spectators and $20 day of show for display vehicles.

Southside Business Men’s Club Annual Car Show: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Fields Cadillac at 7999 Blanding Blvd.

Trunk or Treat Car & Bike Show: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 31, at Adamec Harley-Davidson, 380 Outlet Mall Blvd. in St. Augustine. Free for spectators and $20 for show vehicles, with live music from “Bluesdog 66.” Hosted by Callahan Cruisers of North Florida.

Dixie Chapter Pontiac Club Fall Classic: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat. Nov. 6, at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine, 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine. Open to all Pontiacs, Overland or GMC truck, it’s free to spectators and $25 for show vehicles day of show.

Hobos, Hot Rods and Heroes Festival and Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at the West Nassau Museum of History 45383 Dixie Ave. in Callahan. Live entertainment, arts and crafts, model trains and a car show hosted by Callahan Cruisers and Cochrane’s Collision Center.

Callahan Motorsports Expo: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7, at the track at 543455 U.S. 1 in Callahan. Dirt and asphalt racing, radio-controlled and more, admission $10 per person per day.

Jtech Cars, Stars and Stripes Car Show and Drive-in Movie: 3 p.m. Sat. Nov. 6, at Jtech at 8813 Western Way. Double feature with “Cars” and “Thunder Road, starts at dark, $15 per car. Hosted by First Coast Car Council.

Prince of Peace fourth annual Car Show: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Nov. 13 at the church at 6320 Bennet Road. Free to spectators and $25 day-of-show for show vehicles.

Moosehaven 11th Annual Chili Cook-Off: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Nov. 13 at Moosehaven at 1701 Park Ave. in Orange Park. A classic car show, Kids Zone, arts and crafts, live entertainment and a chili cook-off, plus NASCAR driver Ross Chastain and his Moose-sponsored No. 42 show car. Free for spectators and $5 to judge the chili. The event benefits K9s For Warriors.

10th Annual Exotic & Luxury Car Show: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at Porsche Jacksonville, 11211 Atlantic Blvd. Free for spectators and $50 registration for show vehicles. Proceeds will benefit Homes For Our Troops.

Cecil Pines Antique Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at Cecil Pines Adult Living Community, 6008 Lake Cove Ave. Free to spectators and show vehicles.

14th Annual Back to the Fifties Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at Moosehaven at 701 Park Ave, Orange Park. Hosted by the Clay County Cruzers, NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain and his No. 42 car will be there.

The FIRM (Florida International Rally and Moto Park): Open Track Days held most weekends at the road course and rally course at 7266 Airport Road in Starke.

And… all the Cruise-ins

First Coast Car Council, Clay County Cruzers, Callahan Cruisers and Amelia Cruizers all hold regular weekend cruise-ins, so check their Facebook pages.

Jacksonville Caffeine and Gasoline: 7 to 10 a.m. on every first Saturday at the Orange Park Mall at 1910 Wells Road in Orange Park. 

Clay County Cruzers’ events: 3 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday at Big Dawg Sports Restaurant, 1330 Blanding Blvd.; 3 to 6 p.m. every second Saturday at Dick’s Wings, 1803 East-West Parkway in Fleming Island; 5 p.m. every third Friday at Freddy’s Steakburgers at 386 Blanding Blvd.; 9 to 11 a.m. every fourth Saturday at Nicole’s Café, 2216 S. Mimosa Ave. in Middleburg; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.

First Coast Car Council events: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every first Saturday at The Beaver Street Farmers Market, 1810 W. Beaver St. UPDATE: Second Saturday cruise-in suspended through the end of the year.

NEW – Crossroad Cruise-in: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at Crossroad Church at 10005 Gate Parkway N.

Cruise Night at Beachwalk: 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at the Beachwalk Amenity Center, 1000 County Road 210 in St. Johns.

Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: 8 to 11 a.m. every second Saturday at The Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. Information: https://bit.ly/3gPRvVQ.

Cruise Fruit Cove: 4 to 8 p.m. every third Saturday at the PDQ at 194 Florida 13 in Saint Johns, just south of Julington Creek. And the site was packed last Saturday with all kinds of classics, MOPARS, Pontiacs, Mustangs….and more.

Amelia Cruizers: 4 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday at Cold Stone Creamery, 808 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach.

Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine monthly cruise-ins: St. Augustine Cruiser’s “Cruise In” from 5 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday, and Cars and Coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. every fourth Saturday resuming on Nov. 27 (see above), both at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.

Cars and Coffee Fleming Island: 7 to 10 a.m. every third Sunday of the month at the New Vision Theatre at 1820 Town Center Blvd., Fleming Island.

White Brothers Auto Parts Cruise-in: It has a new name – The Part’s House/The Brothers Banter Podcast Cruise-n, but at the same time – 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at 405 Lane Ave. N.

Johnny Angels: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every third Friday at Johnny Angels diner at 3546 St. Johns Bluff Road S. 

Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise: 4 p.m. every fourth Saturday between 8th and 17th streets at Main Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield community.

Finally…

We couldn’t resist – Hot Wheels has a new Batmobile from the upcoming 2022 release of “The Batman,” produced by DC Films, 6th & Idaho Motion Picture Company and Dylan Clark Productions. The Hot Wheels R/C design team created a detailed 1:10-scale movie prop with battle damage and dirt, as well as a full interior with detailed wires and gauges. There’s an animatronic Batman figure that moves the steering wheel and shifts according to the driver’s R/C inputs. And it spits “smoke” from its rear exhaust.

Photo: Hot Wheels/Mattel

The Batman R/C car has a street-grade suspension, multi-color LED lights, turbo-engine sound and flame FX on both the front and rear. Not released yet, it will be almost 20 inches long, hit speeds of 15 mph, and retail for $500, Hot Wheels/Mattel says. It comes on a Batcave display stand with lights, simulated computers and the Bat Signal. Catch it in action at https://fb.watch/8L6-5RpItd/.