North-central Florida in January can be an iffy proposition. It can be Chamber of Commerce beautiful with temperatures in the 80s, or it can more closely resemble the frozen tundra from farther north. For this year's rendition of the Mustang and Ford Round-Up at Silver Springs, the Chamber of Commerce must have special-ordered the spring-like weather--well, except for Sunday afternoon's rain--that no doubt contributed to the record-breaking attendance.
The Mustang and Ford Round-Up, hosted by National Parts Depot, has become a rite of winter for Floridians and East Coasters looking to escape the cold and snow. By offering free registration, which includes two tickets to the famous Silver Springs park, to the first 1,000 registered vehicles, NPD makes the deal too good to resist, as evidenced by license plates from Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, and other states to the north. This year's turnout set yet another event record with 1,103 Mustangs and Fords packed into every nook and cranny of the Silver Springs grounds.
In recognition of the Cobra Jet's 40th anniversary, the Mustang Monthly Editor's Choice Award went to David Garton's pale yellow '68 1/2 GT/CJ Mustang fastback. Unfortunately, due to Sunday's rain, we were unable to get a photo. Our apologies to David.
Previously held on the weekend after New Year's, this year's 14th annual Mustang and Ford Round-Up was moved back to the second weekend in January to provide participants a bit more separation from the holidays. That's the plan for next year as well, with the show scheduled for January 10-11, 2009.
Vince and Trudi Perfetto drove...
Vince and Trudi Perfetto drove their red '65 hardtop north to Silver Springs from their home way down in Bonita Springs.
Alan Shepley, from Mustang...
Alan Shepley, from Mustang Central in Byron, Georgia, built this lean, clean '67 Shelby look-alike for a customer in Texas. Before delivering the car, he brought it down to Silver Springs to get participant reaction to the lowered stance and supercharged 351 engine. It was a definite crowd favorite.
In addition to the cars and...
In addition to the cars and glass-bottom boats, there was also a chance to learn about body-panel replacement from Paintucation's Kevin Tetz, who held a seminar on Saturday afternoon.
Participants were also able...
Participants were also able to visit with representatives from Eaton Detroit Spring, RRS, Heacock Classic Insurance, and Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation.
Low-mileage Mustangs are always...
Low-mileage Mustangs are always interesting, so it was great to see C. Miller's 15,000-mile '70 Boss 302 on display at Silver Springs.
You don't see many Mustang...
You don't see many Mustang IIs these days, and you especially don't see many with T-tops...
...like Kirk Champion's Bright...
...like Kirk Champion's Bright Red '77 Mustang II.
I had the honor of presenting...
I had the honor of presenting the Lee Iacocca Award to Mustang Monthly founder and my former boss, Larry Dobbs, as detailed in last month's Pony Tales.
The Chrome Retro Bumper Trim...
The Chrome Retro Bumper Trim Kit from Wheelskin is a popular option for the new Mustang.
Happy Trails
The annual Pony Trails cruise from NPD's Ocala headquarters to the quaint fishing village of Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico has become such a tradition that local citizens bring out the lawn chairs so they can watch the procession roll by. This year, 145 Fords, mostly Mustangs, departed NPD for the 1 1/2-hour trek to the coast, where everyone had a chance to shop and visit the local restaurants. Afterwards, Pony Trails participants were invited back to NPD to check out the company's car museum or put their Mustang to the test on a mobile chassis dyno.
Getting 145 Mustangs out of...
Getting 145 Mustangs out of the National Parts Depot parking lot is fun to watch. Thankfully, NPD arranged for local police to stop traffic, not only at the start, but also at major intersections along the route to Cedar Key.
"It's not my fault if you...
"It's not my fault if you get a speeding ticket," was NPD President Rick Schmidt's warning to Pony Trail drivers during the drivers meeting.
Ted And Louise Williams didn't...
Ted And Louise Williams didn't have too long of a drive from Homasassa, Florida to the show. But we're still glad they brought their '68 California Special with them.
A few simple chrome accents...
A few simple chrome accents set off the blue nicely.
Just a few simple upgrades...
Just a few simple upgrades make this a nice car to drive.