So I would suspect that my fellow Hoons have realized this olelongrooffan, for now, lives down in sunny southwest Florida. And while in many areas of this great country we live in have seasons marked by the return of tree leaves, grass growing in the spring time requiring cutting and trimming on a regular basis and then brown during the summer on to the vivid color of those deciduous tree leaves in the fall, down here in southwest Florida, our turning of the seasons is demonstrated by the almost overnight appearance of privatized auto transporters over in the Big K parking lot on the Tamiami Trail here in FantasyLand. Yes, my fellow Hoons, spring has sprung here and the snowbirds are heading home. And their cars are off on these transporters like wayward children riding the bus while Mom and Dad pop for first class airline tickets. Alas, they both will return in the fall and another season will have begun. But what does that mean to this olelongrooffan? Well, my fellow Hoons, a jump will need to be made to make that determination.


Well, in addition to a whole lot less traffic on my local roadways, it also means it is time for a relaxing picnic in the park. Avalon Park that is. Now this park has a fairly good sized lake that allows Ski Nautique skiing sponsored by my local governmental system as well as Sunfish style sailing. A fee is required for this experience and it is entirely a peaceful time to be had by all. But is that what this olelongroofan was doing there in Avalon Park that day? What do my fellow Hoons think?

Not just NO, But Hell No. The Cool Cruisers were having their annual Farewall Picnic underneath that octagon shaped pavilion, which also required a fee to use. This olelongrooffan had spoken to my buddy TheKenMan earlier in the week and he mentioned this was going on and to come on out. “Show up around 12:30. By then everyone had eaten and I am sure we can get you a plate of free grub.” Guess what this olelongrooffan did just after noon on that Saturday afternoon? As a bonus, along the way I got to see this cherry 65 ford with spats almost immediately upon arrival. Yeah, I know they are technically fender skirts but, hey, it’s this olelongrooffan, not Hemming blog.

Upon exiting my longerroof, conveniently parked in the shade in a corner of that show car field, I spotted this Vantique parked immediately adjacent. I thought that was pretty clever.

Even if, back in the day little sister Joan, aka Bill, was married to a much older doctor and they owned one of these. They let this then young longrooffan use it one summer during my college years and, trust me, it was a blast. And that Arkansas trooper who let me off when I had had a couple beers with pizza over lunch with Bill prior to heading home. Thanks. Trust me, this olelongrooffan does not drive in flip flops or after having a couple beers to this day.

And what car show, or picnic as it was, would be complete without a black Elkie for our viewing pleasure?

My fellow Hoons may be remember this Long Shots subject this olelongrooffan found earlier this year. Yeah, it is in the same driven condition and is still available for purchase down here in FantasyLand. And reportedly, the license plate goes with this rod.

And, as was later disclosed, the driver of this caddy ragtop who was also the karaoke disc jockey, referred to himself as “caddieoke” and my fellow Hoons thought “this olelongrooffan” was troublesome. But it is a sweet ride.

Immediately adjacent to that Caddy were a pair of Avantis positioned around the corner from each other. Oddly enough, neither of these cars are wearing the wheels they left the factory with. Avantis are a strange breed, at least to this olelongrooffan. I mean, is there another marque, besides possibly DeLorean, that has been rejuvenated by so many different itineration of companies throughout its lifetime. At least five as far as I can tell. I wonder if Raymond Leowy or Sherwood Egbert, for that matter, ever dreamed of the longevity this South Bend, Indiana based “America’s Only 4 Passenger High-Performance Personal Car” would see over the years. Even TheKenMan has a late model convertible version of one of these. Last seen by this olelongrooffan on the back of his roll back truck after an unpleasant over heating excursion a few years back up in the Cheese State.

And of course, what car show would be complete with out the ubiquitous Poncho with a “Tiger in the Tank?” A bright yellow beauty this GTO droptop was.

This here is TheKenMan’s latest acquisition, a ’39 Ford. He picked this up from some dude up Georgia way. That dude and his son dropped it off the same day that deal was executed and TheKenMan is one street rod richer. This one will spend its summer resting comfortably in Goldie’s two car garage alongside her Mercedes 220 her oldest son bought for her some years ago upon her retirement from teaching a bunch of spoiled brats for many years here in FantasyLand.

TheKenMan did later confess to this olelongrooffan that he has always lusted after an early 442. “Why don’t you pick one up KenMan,” I queried upon hearing that? “Longroof, you know I own nothing but Blue Oval stuff,” was his response. I, wisely, made no comment about the SBC under the bonnet of his latest street rod acquisition. About that 442. According to that poster leaning up against the front of it, Dad bought this car bought this car new back in the day. His daughter got to take it off to college and hung onto it. Upon Dad’s retirement, she gifted it back to him and he is in the process of getting it back into shape. Talk about full circle.

Just down from that 442, this classic Impala ragtop was spotted. This olelongrooffan has always lusted after this body style Bowtie whether in droptop, pillarless hardtop or longroof fashion. The wonderful woman who married my brother all those years ago drove a fire engine red pillarless hardtop one of these when they first started dating back in the day. Bus_Plunge, in his typical carney verbage, referred to that one as “cherry.” A word, kind of like “jam up,” reserved for something right nice and rare.

This olelongrooffan is pretty sure this is a 1966 model year given the rectangular taillights I saw out back. I believe it was one of the first years where the Impala did not possess three individual round taillights on each side of the rear end of one of these. BTW, a couple years ago, this olelongrooffan received a framed image of a longroof one of these from a fellow Hoon for Hoonimas and it adorns the wall of my condo to this day. Thanks Man!

Over just a row or two was this rubber bumpered MGB dating from the Malaise era of big bumpers fitted to old school rides. While there are many who enjoy this style bumper, this olelongrooffan will always prefer the chrome versions offered just a few years previously. Thanks to those lawmakers who in 1973 decided we all needed these huge ass bumpers to protect ourselves from, well, ourselves.

But it’s okay, this one has badges!

And just a quick view of a typical row of classics that showed up at the final luncheon of the Cool Cruisers for Spring 2015.

And while this olelongrooffan does not remember the name of these dashmounted stop light viewers, although I have been reminded of it more than once, I sure could use one on my longerroof to see around that tint screen along the upper portion of my windscreen. Not likely to find on in usuable condition for the money this olelongrooffan could afford these days. But I’m still looking.

That stop light dash viewer was spotted on the control panel of this 1957 Belair post sedan. A right nice looking ride, if I do say so myself.

Of course, this 1957 Belair vert was nothing to shake a stick at either.

Back to TheKenMan’s 39 street rod. This knob on the dashboard was to hold the windshield in place. Loosen the knob and the windshield is allowed to pivot open at the top to allow fresh air entry into the cockpit of this old ride. Pretty cool all the way around.

This is the headlight bezzle on TheKenMan’s 39 Ford Deluxe. See that extra lens at the top of it? Well, TheKenMan suspected this bezzle was sourced from a 1940 Ford and installed on his ’39. Well, in the Second Edition of this story my fellow Hoons will find out whether this is actually the case during an afternoon that has caused this olelongrooffan to rethink my “Hey, I went there and saw this,” style of writing. More on that later. In the meantime,

Let’s all be serenated by this dude seen around the corner playing his acoustical guitar for no one in particular and everyone in general.
Stay tuned for further exploits of that afternoon a few weeks ago.
Images Copyright Hooniverse 2015/longrooffan