Upcoming Events
Wednesday, September 11, 11:00 am: Early Lunch Meeting
Location: The Old Salty Dog
1601 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236Hosts: Heidi Bodor & Patrick Roden
After lunch tour of Save Our Seabirds Sanctuary
1708 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236
No charge. Donations are appreciated.
Tuesday, September 17, 9 am: Virtual Tech Day
Location: Zoom Meeting
Host: Mike Zelle
Tuesday, October 1, 10 am: Tech Day at Gus' Garage
Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 6: 2024 Model A Day at the Pioneer Settlement
Location: Barberville Pioneer Settlement
1776 Lightfoot Lane, Pierson, FL, USAThe Crankin A's are celebrating the 2024 Model A Day by hosting a weekend event. Event details click here, event summary:
Friday Afternoon: Music, hors d'oeuvres, hotel check in
Saturday: Model A Day activities & explore Pioneer Settlement
Sunday Morning: Coffee & pack up
Wednesday, October 9, 10 am : Breakfast Meeting
Location: TBD
Hosts: Tom Gherna & Sue Egler
Saturday, October 12, 9 - 3: Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival
7410 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota, FL 34240
Tuesday, October 15, 9 am: Virtual Tech Day
Location: Zoom Meeting
Host: Mike Zelle
Tuesday, November 5, 10 am: Tech Day at Gus' Garage
Wednesday, November 13, 10 am : Breakfast Meeting
Location: TBD
Hosts: Dave & Leslie Robins
2024 Events
Thursday, December 5th. 5:30 - 9 pm: Sara-Mana Model A Ford Club Christmas Party
Location: Trailer Estates Club House
1903 Bay Drive, Bradenton, Fl 34207Hosts: Rich & Donna Moray & Your Club's Officers
National Tours / Meets
Recent Past Events
2024
On April 24th, 31 Club Members & Friends including 7 Model As & 1 Triumph enjoyed Charlie Wake's Tribute by sharing Charlie Stories followed by the PBS Documentary: The Race of the Century. In the documentary, Charlie drove the Winton in the race renactment and provided informational interviews. The group then savored the usual excellent lunch at the Honey Tree Cafe...
The Race that put the world on wheels. On a cloudy day in October over 100 years ago, a then unknown and fledging car maker built and drove an untested car called "Sweepstakes" in a race against the premier auto racer and auto manufacturer of the time. In a dramatic upset, Henry Ford defeated Alexander Winton, which gave Ford the credibility to obtain financial backing to start Ford Motor Company less than two years later.
Notable interviews in the production include James Alexander Winton and Charlie Wake, great grandsons of Alexander Winton; William Clay Ford, Sr., Henry Ford's grandson; Winton biographer Bernie Golias; racing historian and author Leo Levine; Jackie Stewart; John Force; Carroll Shelby; and Dale Jarrett.
2024
19 Club Members from Sara-Mana and Edison Ford Clubs enjoyed a joint outing exploring the Military Heritage Museum in Punta Gorda on Tuesday, April 16. Interactive exhibits included flight simulators, virtual reality space flight tours and laser markmenship. To recover from all the fun, we enjoyed a great lunch at Laishley Crab House.
8 classic cars represented our Club at the 34th Annual Venice AACA Car Show on Sunday, March 24th. Four cars won Trophies!!! In addition, we won the "Club Participation" Trophy...:-) A great result on a beautiful day.
2 Ts, 2 As and 18 Club Members enjoyed our Club's first ever Classic Car Movie Morning on Monday, March 4th. We laughed our way through Laurel & Hardy's Two Tars and the silent movie compilation When Comedy Was King. To recover we had an excellent lunch at Anna Maria Oyster Bar Landside.
7 Club Cars made the pre-dawn trek to the Edison Ford Estates Antique Car Show on Saturday, February 3. Even with minor technical problems, we arrived in plenty of time before the 9:00 gate closing. On this sunny, warm day, 14 Club Members enjoyed making minor vehicle repairs, viewing an eclectic collection of Ford cars and camaraderie in palm tree shade...:-)
7 Club Cars & 22 Club Members enjoyed an outstanding tour of the Historic Venice Train Depot & Circus Car on Tuesday, January 30. The docents shared Venice's unique town history and it's close relationship to the "Greatest Show on Earth. Following the tour we enjoyed a superb lunch at Asaro’s Restaurant.
2023
On Thursday, December 7th, 42 Club Members & Guests participated in our Club’s Annual Christmas Party. The chefs provided excellent Hors d'oeuvres Turkey, Ham, Sides and Deserts. In addition, we had a lively White Elephant Exchange. In other words, another great Christmas Party!!!
On the last day of November, 19 Club Members with seven classic cars kicked off the holiday season with a tour of the Siesta Key Rum Distillery. After collecting supplies for those cold winter nights, the group headed to Ford's Garage for a well earned lunch.
6 Club Members joined the Florida International Model A Day (9/16) celebration at the Crankin A's New Clubhouse in Barberville Pioneer Settlement. The Crankin A's & First Coast Region hosted an excellent event that included lunch, trivia contest, 50/50 raffle, door prizes and tours of their new clubhouse. Additional Florida clubs that particpated were: Orlando As and Heart of Florida As.
On Saturday, April 22 Club Members were treated to Jeff Mahl's outstanding 1908 Great Auto Race NYC to Paris presentation featuring Charlie Wake's 1911 "Grey Ghost" Winton. From Charlie's Winton drivers seat, Jeff brought to life the events of 1908 and the New York to Paris Great Automobile Race, richly illustrated with more than 70 original photographs. Jeff's great grandfather, George N. Schuster, was the driver and chief mechanic of the winning American Thomas Flyer. TheGreatAutoRace.com
13 Club cars participated in the 33rd Annual Venice AACA Car Show on Sunday, March 26. At this fun event our club won 5 trophies!!! Karen Gross: 2nd Place Vintage & Classic, Janet Cozza: 2nd Place Hot Rod, Mike Zelle: Venice Mainstreet Merchants, Jan Van Wart: Most Original Car and Sara-Mana Model A Ford Club: Club Participation...:-)
On Wednesday, February 22nd five Club Cars & thirteen Club Members enjoyed lunch at Ford's Garage followed by a drive to Big Cat Habitat. Many thanks to Al Leach & Karen Gross for organizing this fun outing...
7 Club Cars and 18 Club Members traveled to Snook Haven to enjoy lunch while listening to over 30 Gulf Coast Banjo Society musicians perform on February 16. Thank you Lynn & Debbie Brown for organizing a great outing...:-)
On Sunday, February 5 eight Club cars were displayed at Vintage Wheels' 33rd Classic Car, Truck & Street Rod Show. Aaron Bokelmann continued his prize winning streak by winning the 50/50 raffle. He states the funds will be dedicated to upgrading his A. See next bullet...
11 Club cars participated in this year's Edison Ford Winter Estates Antique Car Show on February 4th. Aaron Bokelmann's A only required 2 push starts on the way down to Ft. Myers. At the tech day portion of the show, club members recharged the battery and replaced a worn fan belt.
5 Club Cars and 27 Club Members & Guests made the trek to the Manatee Viewing Center and Hercules Motor Car Company with a lunch stop at Ford’s Garage Restaurant - Brandon on January 18th. At Hercules Motors we had an excellent tour of 30's vintage hot rods under construction. As a weird coincidence their next door neighbor, Motortrend CarFix studio was recording an episode on a 30's Buick Woody. They saw our Woody's as they broke for lunch. After some discussion, our Club Cars participated in a short recorded parade with the show's hosts leading the way...The episode is available on Motortrend TV CarFix Season 12, Episode 2. Our cars appear at about 20 minutes into the show.
2022
On Thursday, December 8th, 48 Club Members & Guests participated in our Club’s Annual Christmas Party. The main course & sides were excellent, the deserts were superb and the White Elephant exchange descended into the usual chaos. In other words, another great Christmas Party!!!
11 Club cars were at December 6th Tech Day where "experts" worked on balancing wheels, carburetor repair, steering column replacement, etc...
Three Club Cars were displayed on Saturday, October 29 at the Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival.
On May 3 & 4, Five Club Cars were part of the action at the Murder Mystery: "Murder At the Juice Joint", a night of mystery and intrigue in the wild and romantic era of the roaring 20’s! Club Members Mr. & Mrs. JP Morgan Jr won the "Best Dressed" award. Barbara solved the Murder and won a bottle of mystery wine...:-)
On May 1st, five Club Cars were displayed at the Devereaux-Kaiser Car Show hosted by the Sarasota Firefighters Benevolent Fund.
At the 2nd Annual Water's Edge Car Show six Club Cars & one truck won 7 trophies on April 30, 2022!!!
Four Club cars were displayed at the Southeast High School Gatsby Themed Senior Prom on April 15, 2022.
Thirty Club Members and guests were treated to a fun and educational lecture on the Hemmings Great Race followed by a very satisfying lunch at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar on Wednesday, April 6 ( 2022 Hemmings Great Race Lecture Flyer with Map )
The Great Race is a time-speed-endurance rally, which relies not on top speed but accurate navigation and precise timing to deliver each team as close as possible to prescribed checkpoints over the 2,000+ mile route. Breaking a speed limit or missing a turn can knock a team out of contention…
Peter Brown and Susan Nourse described their experiences competing in the 2018 & 2019 Hemmings Great Race in their Ford Model A Boat Tail Speedster. We Learned how they overcame unexpected challenges from a badly scored piston to a train delay and how they are preparing for this year’s race.
On Tuesday, March 29, four Club Cars were displayed at the 5th Annual Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club Car Show.
13 Club Cars were displayed at the Venice AACA Car Show on Sunday, March 27. On a beautiful Florida spring day, our Club won 5 trophies!!!
John Brennan won 3rd Place (out of 22) in the 1900-1948 class
John Cozza won 1st Place in the Hot Rod class
To keep in in the family, Janet Cozza won 3rd Place in the Hot Rod class
Jan Van Wart won the show's Most Original Car
Sara-Mana MAFC won the show's Club Participation Trophy
Ed & Lorraine Orr showed their Model A at the Gator Boys Annual Car Show on the same Sunday, March 27.
20 Club members transported by 9 Club Cars enjoyed a fun filled drive, boat ride and lunch at Rum Bay Restaurant on Palm Island on Wednesday, March 23. Resourceful Club members overcame a thrown fan blade and electrical glitch to arrive on time...:-)
On Sunday, March 20, Five Club cars were shown at the Lipizzan Stallions benefit performance for the Myakka City 1914 School House.
Four Club cars were on display at Parrish Heritage Day Parade & Festival on Saturday, March 5.
On Saturday, February 26, Eight Club cars particpated in the Tanya Clavey Foundation Car Show. Three cars were trophy winners!! John Brennan's pick up won Best in Show, Bill & Kathy Priesmeyer's Deluxe Roadster: 1900 - 1940 Class, and Jeff & Helen King's 1931 Vicky: Peoples Choice
On Sunday, February 6, Eight Club cars were shown at the Vintage Wheels 32nd Antique Car Show.
16 Club cars participated in the 2022 Edison-Ford Antique Car Meet on Saturday, February 5th!! Jan Van Wart's 1919 "Mother in Law" T was a winner in the 1901 - 1941 class.
On Tuesday, February 1 the Club held its monthly Tech Day at Charlie’s Barn. Peter Brown & Susan Nourse from the Pine Tree Model A Club of Maine joined the action. The Honey Tree Cafe did its usual fantastic job of serving 20 of us efficiently.
On Thursday, January 20, twenty-four Club members with 7 Model As drove to Ideal Classic Cars followed by an excellent lunch at British Open Pub.
On Saturday, January 15 Steve & Pam Diaz, Jeff King and Mike Zelle enjoyed the low key “Gentlemen Drivers, Cars & Breakfast” on Lakewood Ranch Main Street.
2021
On December 4th, three Club As participated in this year’s Myakka City Christmas Parade. Young and old really enjoyed this annual family oriented celebration.
On December 3rd, forty Club members and guests celebrated the holidays at our 2021 Sara-Mana MAFC Christmas Party. The venue was excellent, the food was superb, and the usual chaos ensued during the White Elephant Gift Exchange…:-)
The Florida Packard Club Annual Fall Meet was held on Sunday, November 21 at "Wits End".
On Saturday, November 20 9:30 the 2021 Florida Packard Meet Tour included gathered at Sarasota Classic Car Museum for a car show and Docent lead tour of their collection. After the tour everyone enjoyed lunch at St. Armands Circle followed by Long Boat Key drive with ice cream stop.
On Wednesday, April 28 twenty-one club members and friends drove one T, three As and an undisclosed number of modern cars to Ford's Garage in Brandon. Along the way we made a pit stop at the Apollo Beach Preserve. Excellent lunch, excellent weather and outstanding people contributed to this splendid club outing.
On Saturday, April 17 club members displayed 5 Model As, 1 Winton and 1 Brand X at Water's Edge First Annual Vintage Car Show. Three cars received people's choice awards.
On Saturday, March 20 Graham & Jan Haile, John Brennan and Mike & Nancy Zelle displayed their As & T at the annual Parrish Heritage Day Festival next to the new Parrish Community High School.
On Sunday, March 7 Al Leach, Ed & Lorraine Orr and Mike & Nancy Zelle displayed their As & Overland at the Lipizzan Stallions benefit performance for the Myakka City 1914 School House.
We had 10 cars participate in this year’s Edison-Ford Antique Car Show on Saturday, March 6. Al Leach’s car won a trophy!! All 10 cars had an extended complementary car wash on the return trip…:-)