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Classic-car fans come bearing gifts

By MARTY CLEAR
Published December 16, 2005

Maybe the warm Florida weather caused Santa to leave his sleigh at home. Or maybe the reindeer were resting up for Christmas.

But for whatever reason, Santa Claus and his helpers delivered about $8,000 worth of toys for needy kids in a trio of antique trucks, including a 63-year-old Chevy flatbed with only 17,000 original miles on the odometer.

The booty came from the third annual Roamin' Oldies Toys for Tots Car Show, which was held Saturday in the parking lot of Wal-Mart at State Road 674 and Cypress Creek Drive.

Roamin' Oldies is a car club in Sun City Center. Anybody can join, but most members drive classic American cars.

The club's name refers to the cars, not the members.

"But it could refer to the geezers out here in Sun City, too," club member Paul Courter said. "I guess it means both the cars and the members. We're both old and we both roam."

Roamin' Oldies sponsors two big annual shows. The Toys for Tots show is the smaller of the two, but its popularity among car owners and spectators is growing.

"This was the biggest we've ever had," club president Bob Mankedick said. "It gets bigger every year."

This year's show attracted about 80 cars from just about every era. There were beautifully restored classic from the 1920s and '30s, British sports cars and American muscle cars from the '60s and '70s, street rods, and even some almost-new high performance vehicles.

"We do this every year," said Jim Hance, the owner of a pristine powder-blue 1954 Mustang convertible. "We're having a great time."

Each of the owners paid a $10 entry fee and brought at least one toy that was donated to Toys for Tots. Most owners brought several toys.

Spectators who came to check out the cool cars donated toys, too. In fact, the Sun City Center Egypt Shrine brought in a Ford Explorer packed with toys.

At day's end, club members delivered the gifts to Toys for Tots headquarters in a 1946 Ford pickup, a 1957 Chevy pickup and that 1932 Chevy flatbed. The '32 Chevy had been driven only 17,000 miles and then stored in a garage for more about 70 years. Roamin' Oldies member Jerry Kirker acquired the truck recently and brought it to the show.

Mankedick estimated the value of the toys at $8,000, double the record from last year's show. Entry fees and money from a raffle brought in over $2,500 more, all of which went to Toys for Tots.

[Last modified December 15, 2005, 10:05:12]