Pictures from the Ted Vernon Visit

Here are a couple of pictures from our adventure to Ted Vernons.
The first is Tom being wired for sound.

and here's a shot of all of our cars in the parking lot.  Quite a few of us showed up to this event.



Saturday's Great Time Just Got Better

BIG NEWS FOR THE HURRICANE CHAPTER!

 

This is terrific! Our own little club now has a High Supreme Commander Field Marshal General Admiral in Charge of Procuring Lunch! (I was moved to give him a field promotion without consulting the board of directors. We can vote him the official title while sampling their fine assortment of toothpicks after the eats!) It's our own JOHNNIE MACK! Look what he's found for us:

 

This Saturday, after we get our mugs on TV with the Discovery Channel show that is being filmed at Ted Vernon's place, and we get to see all his cars, wrecks, bombs, jalopy's and self-propelled rolling enigmas, then we're headed off to a lunch spot that's so great only a man of class, stature and fine up bringing could have found the joint! That may be why I couldn't find it. But I digress. Any way, here it is!

 

It's the Crab House Restaurant located at 1551 79th Street Causeway, just a short drive away from where we'll be looking at the cars and getting famous on TV!

There's a BIG parking lot with lots of room for us "B" Body guy's and gal's! There's no need to worry about anyone trying to launch our boats, since the Miami Beach PD regularly patrol's the place (and eats there!). 

A fine assortment of libations to get the dust of the trail off our throats is available right inside the door, so there's less waiting time at the pump.

A buffet we can put a serious hurtin' on for $19.95. Lunches run $10-$12 (this is real food, not burgers in a basket!)

Those windows face out over the water. It's a great view!

 

I'm really fired up about this. The place is really classy, easy to get to, easy to leave and offers first class amenities. Dress is informal during lunch so don't worry about wearing our club shirts or tee shirts. They even have bibs for those who may need them (no names, ok Ed?)

 

The plan is simple (I came up with it!): Friday night we will have a driver's meeting at Tower Shops if anyone wants directions. Saturday Morning the northern crew (Anyone who is north of Tower Shops!) will meet in the TS parking lot between 10AM and 10:30, with a roll out about 10:30. We will go I-95 (no toll booth to delay us) down to Exit 7, the 79th St. exit, then head EAST (turn left) for (1) one mile. At this point we go over a small bridge and turn LEFT into the parking lot for PRESIDENT SUPERMARKET, where we'll park right out front by the street. Ted's place is right around the back of this building, and I want to give the video crew time to set up for our GRANDE ENTRANCE. Then we'll tool on in and shock the Discovery Channel right off the air!

 

If you're going without us, that's fine. If you're coming from the south the directions are the same, just take Exit 7 and go east. That's a short exit ramp so down shift early. Please wait at the supermarket parking lot.

 

We should all meet at the supermarket parking lot between 11 and 11:15. Call me if there are any break downs or lost souls. (954) 325-9620. In the event of rain we'll go anyway. If you don't want to risk your Pontiac in bad weather please come in your daily driver. Bring your family and friends, since the more the merrier! Just make sure they've had their shots.

 

Just so you've been warned...The cars we're going to look at are seriously for sale, and Ted is a wheeler dealer. Prices are stupid but he'll listen to offers and would rather trade for your car than take cash. Since they are doing this show about him they really want to show Ted wheeling and dealing, and making a deal, so you may be able to steal something so it looks good on the camera!

 

More in an E-mail tomorrow. Please write me back and let me know what you think of this. I would like a head count too, since the restaurant would like some advance notice. Tell me which car you'll bring as well.

 

Toplessly Yours,

Tom Martin

Get Ready for Next Weekend

It's MAGIC TIME!

 

Hey gang! This coming Saturday, the 28th of August, we are going to cruise to Ted Vernon's Specialty Autos (471 NE 79th St.) in Miami in front of the television cameras  of Pioneer Television Productions from England. This show will air on Discovery Channel this winter. Here is the recent letter I received...

 

 

---

Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 2:40 PM
To: Tom Martin
Subject: RE: Pontiac Car Club in Miami
Hi Tom,

Great to speak to you earlier. I’m looking forward to see you’re lot cruising into Miami! Here’s a little about our project;

We at Pioneer Productions are making a pilot for the Discovery Channel about Ted Vernon’s dealership. We’re getting to know a bit about his crew, how he operates and the deals he does! We’ll be filming the pilot from the 28^th onwards up to mid September with a view to returning to film a 5 part series over the next few months. Your Pontiac club will be the first major filming job we do and so we’re eager to get some shots of you meeting and chatting with Ted and perhaps see what cars you’re interested in (if any). If we can, we’d also like to rig up and film a bit of your cruise as I’m sure it’ll look great rollin’ down the road!

I look forward to meeting you in Miami. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need to.

Thanks,

Sam

Here's the plan: Our Northern crew will meet at Tower Shops parking lot Saturday morning about 9:30AM for a 10:30 roll out. We'll drive to meet our Southern cousins at a yet to be determined parking area near Ted Vernon's place, then we'll roll on in together, like we're taking over (we are!). The plan is to be there from 11AM until we leave, which will probably only be a few hours. Next, we plan on driving on over to a lunch spot (to be determined) and owning the place, as usual. Do any of you Dade people have a suggestion as to where this should be? I need some help here. Johnny Rocket's on the beach was suggested and I will cruise on down there this week to see how that is. The ideal venue will be a place we can all fit in easily and not get our wallets lightened too much. The beach is a nice place but usually too tight on a Saturday to take a parade of 10-15 cars. All suggestions are welcomed!

MUCH more to follow this week. I will keep everyone up to date, and we will have a "pre-cruise" meeting at Tower Shops Friday night. Shirts will not be ready so we'll have to dig out the old ones and hope we still fit in them!

Ted's website: wwwSouthBeachClassics.com

Topless Tom

Tower Shops Meet Up

Tonight we'll be meeting at Tower Shops.
There will be some sort of canapy or flag to help you find us.
We'll have brief meeting and bring everyone up to speed on club happenings.

Pictures from the Cruise In / Date Night

This is from the NorthRidge Sports Lounge Meet.  The FIRST Cruise In of the "New" Hurricane Chapter.

The Northridge Sports Lounge has a facebook page and has posted some pictures on their page as well including a group shot with all of our rides.

What A Great Night

Hello to all the Hurricane Chapter gang!

 

First of all, I want to thank everyone who was able to make it to our Date Night last night at the Northridge Sports Lounge!  The open bar and finger foods was a great idea; the videos, sofas, great host and hostess, parking and weather made for a good setting, but as always it was the people that made the night. Thank you all for your participation, presence and good cheer.

 

I did get a lot of RSVP's from members who want to be more involved in the club now that we are moving in a different direction, but were not able to make the party for lots of reasons. Thanks to you too, who couldn't make it and were kind enough to let me know that you want to be part of the fun. I want you to all be up to date with what happened last night, so here is a brief synopsis of what we discussed for everyone who wanted to be there but couldn't;

 

1) The first order of business: Future Cruise-In plans: (the BIG news first!)

 

August: We've been invited to Ted Vernon Specialty Autos, Inc at 471 NE 79th St., Miami. WWW.SouthBeachClassics.com He's got close to 300 classic cars for sale and available for us to wander around and look at. There is a video company who is doing a reality show in Miami, and they will be there in August to show his cars, and he wants US to be there to be in the show and be famous! Fifteen minutes of fame, here we come! No date has been set yet by Ted or the video company, so I can't tell you yet when we'll be there. It will be a Saturday, I just don't know which one. Stay tuned!

 

October: Marge's Garden Restaurant at Andrews Avenue and Prospect, in Fort Lauderdale, was just awarded a tribute for being the oldest business in Fort Lauderdale to be owned by the same family. Marge used to have a big classic car show every year in October, but since she's turned the business over to her daughter they haven't had one. We got to talking, and BANG! We have a sponsor for our B.O.P. show, which will be expanded into a Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, GMC, and CADILLAC show, making it a B.O.P. GMC C. show! Again, no specific date has been set yet. I plan on making a date soon.

 

November: Thanksgiving means it's time for turkey and the Turkey Rod Run in Daytona Beach!!!  We'll have a presence there since we have already reserved the 304 spot at turn 4, and we are getting inquiries regarding parking stickers. We will be paying $2 each for them and selling them for $5 each. This year we will NOT be doing the Bar-B-Que and free drinks for everyone who shows up. Last year we were in the red ink for $273 after we got home. Its a lot of work with no reward, and just isn't worth the effort. So we will have a great big parking place and I will be contacting the other clubs who usually join us, and telling them the good news: The party is officially THEIRS!

 

December: We liked the place we were in last night. Big sofas, big video screens with our car movies, big drinks, lots of good food, good parking and a great host and hostess makes for a super fine meeting place. It was decided to have a Christmas Party / Date Night / Cruise-in there, with more planning to go into it than we could do last night. Maybe a secret Santa gift exchange would be nice. Please send your ideas! We welcome any help you can offer.

 

2) That leaves September open, and since the next order of business was "Where Is The Club Going?" , this idea was floated:

 

ROAD TRIPS!

 

For September a ride to Rag Tops Motor Cars (www.ragtopsmotorcars.com) in Palm Beach would be a great idea. The plan is to meet up in Broward at a parking area and cruising there together on a Saturday. More planning has to be done here.

 

Naples was a great place to go once. We had fun driving across the 'Glades for lunch and then driving home again. It's not too far and the cars all seemed to like the easy ride on the straight and flat road. We could always cut the trip in half and stop at the Billy Swamp Safari camp that's in the middle of the state.

 

Drag Racing at the old Moroso Speedway was suggested (but not too well received by those in attendance; Sorry Don!). We can always have a smaller group cruise there.

 

 

3) More Business: New shirts, which lead to the idea of a new logo. I don't have a new logo and since we may be on TV this month, I'm looking into getting new shirts fast, so that idea may be premature. The vote was for collared Polo type shirts with a breast pocket and the logo on the pocket for men, and cap sleeve shirts for women. This week I will have information regarding pricing and availability.

 

4) Other Business:

-A Facebook page for our club? Dawn will help us with that idea and assured us it was easy and a good thing to do.

-A new website using Go Daddy was suggested, along with a new E-mail address (this one is mine). I hope to do something there soon as well. Help is desperately needed will be appreciated.

-Ed Cozzi is getting our first newsletter together, and hopes to have something ready for us soon. Look for that.

-The second Friday of every month we will be having a Semi-Official meeting at the Tower Shops Cruise-In. There will be a cooler in the trunk with cool drinks. Watch for more news regarding this.

-Time to get off your wallets! Club renewals are due in August. Notices will be sent out via E-mail and phone calls. No snail-mail because it costs money and is WORK!

 

Again, if you were there, THANK YOU for coming to kick off the new and improved version of the Hurricane Chapter of P.O.C.I. If you couldn't make it, watch your E-mails for more exciting news and fun times.

 

Topless Tom

Chieftain

Hurricane Chapter