Cars and Coffee

[Carl Beck]

Hello Everyone:

While it seems that the Z Car Community has broken itself into generation specific sub-cultures; only to come together once or twice a year at the major Z Car events; there is a movement afoot to bring "Car Enthusiasts" together in local areas at least once a month.

This is an interesting concept and one I believe we should all support and encourage. It's originator calls it "Cars and Coffee". It's held the third Saturday of each month hosted by the "duPont Registry" in their corporate offices parking lot. It starts at 7:00AM and is over by 9:00AM, leaving the rest of the weekend free.

The idea is simply to get Car Nuts in the local area together for a couple hours once each month, to meet one another and talk "cars", have a cup of coffee if you like and appreciate the diversity of automotive interests in your local area.

Today, we had about 15 Ferrari's, 1 Audi R8, 1 1968 Camero RS/SS Convert, 1 Lambo, 1 1958 Chevy Station Wagon Full Custom, 1 Continuation Cheetah.... well you get the picture... about 150+ really neat vehicles...

Why 7:00AM?.... No traffic on the roads at that time Saturday morning, so it's relatively safe to bring your pride and joy out. Plus it's cool in the morning in the parking lot. Ending at 9:00AM leaves everyone free to do all the things needed on the weekend... Yes it takes a little effort, but believe me it is well worth it... especially if you enjoy meeting and networking with fellow "Car Nuts" in your local area.

Local Z Car Clubs could start this - working with their local Nissan Dealers, or local shopping Malls etc. Local automotive related business could also start this - it may take a year before word spreads by word of mouth... but you'll be amazed at the number of cars that show up each time.

Coffee - supplied by a mobile Starbucks vendor - the Host business or organization has people there to greet the arrivals, walk them around and introduce them their fellow Car Nuts as necessary... just as good Hosts would do anywhere...

Attached is a note from the Publisher of the duPont Registry - Mr. duPont is the originator of the "Cars and Coffee" get-together and wants to see the idea spread... Just takes a very little effort and a lot of sticking too it...

I especially like this months Publisher's Letter..

http://www.dupontregistry.com/

FWIW,

Carl B.

Carl Beck

Clearwater, FL

http://Zhome.com

[hls30.com]

Interesting idea! Thanks for sharing that Carl-and the letter too!

I'll chat it up to a few automotive businesses around here-I have one business owner in particular who I think would be very keen on the idea!

Will

[280~Master]

Carl,

That sounds like a great place to be on a Saturday Morning. If I was able to make an event like that I would love it.

Will,

Who did you have in mind?

[1 Bravo 6]

Hey Carl,

Don't you blokes have car clubs to organise monthly get together/meetings ?? The club I'm in have been doing something similar for around ten years.

Rick.

:devious::devious:

[Zulaytr]

Carl,

I find it interesting that the Saturday morning car cruise concept is finally making its way to Florida. Actually, it is nice to see that an organization like duPont is hosting it. These events have been going on in Southern California for years every Saturday morning. While I lived in So Cal one such event I often attended them with my Z. One such event is known as Donut Derelicts. Cars start showing up about 5:30AM in the morning at a local donut shop and it over by about 8:30AM. It has been going on for about 40 years.

Thanks for sharing the Florida experience and hopefully everyone will do all they can to wave the Z flag whenever possible!

[Carl Beck]

Hey Carl,

Don't you blokes have car clubs to organise monthly get together/meetings ??

Rick.

:devious::devious:

Hi Rick:

Cars & Coffee - is a "non-club", "non-marque specific" event - that encourages a very diverse gathering of cars. Many people simply do not have the time, nor desire to belong to a club, and this gives them an opportunity to share their car and automotive enthusiasm with others, when they have the time to do so.

Most of the local car clubs hold monthly meets of course.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Sailor Bob]

Up here on the "Rock" (Newfoundland) in the city of St. John's we do a Thursday evening thing at the local A & W. Pretty much the same deal, but it runs in the summer evenings from about 6 to 9pm. It seems to have been a celebration of the old "drive in" days with mostly antiques or period vehicles, but now it is a combination of Antiques (of course all period vehicles are now antiques anyway), street rods and unusual sightings (saw a Mercedes there last year that ran on deep fryer fat (perhaps there for a fill up)).

The people are largely members of the antique car association and largely north american car enthusiasts, but all are welcome. They seem to go more for Root beer than coffee .

[Darbji280z]

That really is a terrific idea. We have a thing here in NW Indiana in Crown Point. Every Thursday, car lovers gather at the square and hang out from 7pm on. It gets busted every now and again because of some young punk (usually in a Cavalier or Civic or something like that) laying rubber around the corner. Or once it was a girl in a Z I haven't been in a while but it's a blast when I do go.

[bigoak]

The A&W bit is across all the chain in Canada...it's called Cruisin' the Dub...show up with a car 30 years old or older and get a nice cold mug of root beer for $0.25...sweet...

[TomoHawk]

Do you really think it's wise to drink coffee and then get into your sportscar ( or muscle car, or whatever) and drive around? I dunno about something like this for my area, because we have local cruise-ins every night of the week!

[bigoak]

Is your comment based on the caffeine?...if so, I often shotgun a couple of Red Bulls and go for the twisties...

If the comment is based on the ride...yeah...murder on the kidneys when the bladder is fulll... LOL

[Mike B]

Is your comment based on the caffeine?...if so, I often shotgun a couple of Red Bulls and go for the twisties...

If the comment is based on the ride...yeah...murder on the kidneys when the bladder is fulll... LOL

My best guess here is that Tomo thinks someone may spill hot coffee on themselves driving around in their car, although I think the intention is to drink the coffee DURING the get together.

-Mike