From 1930s Fords to young sports cars, the Elks Lodge Car Show & Vendor Fair had them all.
By
Brendan Lavell
| 9:00 a.m. April 21, 2021
East County
Neighbors
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Tara resident Gene Fadely, who was showing off a 2015 Porsche Boxter at the Lakewood Ranch Elks Lodge Car Show and Vendor Fair April 10, said he often tells his friends that since he is 77 and only has one or two more years of driving left, he might as well make the most of it.
Fadely said the car is awesome.
"You can feel the road," Fadely said.
While Fadely's car was of a current era, many of the vehicles shown at the show were as many as 80 to 90 years ago.
Lakewood Ranch resident John Calkins showed a 1932 Ford Woodie that he has owned for two and a half years. Calkins said the car is a one-of-a-kind edition that was built "from the ground up."
Its wooden frame was built by a sailboat builder.
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Country Club resident Steve Edwards saw this 1963 Ford Thunderbird for sale online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The car was located in Ontario, but luckily, he had a mutual friend 10 minutes away to facilitate the transaction.
Lakewood Ranch resident John Calkins has owned this 1932 Ford Woody for two and a half years. He said it is a one-of-a-kind vehicle that was built "from the ground up."
This 1932 Ford Woody is a one-of-a-kind vehicle built "from the ground up," according to owner John Calkins of Lakewood Ranch. He said the wooden frame was built by a sailboat builder.
Tara resident Gene Fadely has owned this 2015 Porsche Boxter for two and a half years. He said his favorite thing about the car is its handling and drivability. "You can feel the road," Fadely said.
This 1974 Corvette is owned by Lakewood Ranch resident Al Durbin. It is part of the Corvette C3 series that was produced from 1967 to 1982.
Bradenton resident Mike Sherman spent eight to nine years making modifications to this 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII, including the Lamborghini doors shown here. Other modifications included a rebuilt engine and a TV in the trunk.
Parrish residents Bonnie and Bill Schnatter stand by their 1939 Chevy Business Coup, which Bill Schnatter said was a working man's car. It doesn't have a backseat, which provided more room for business supplies.
Parrish resident Michael Polito said the 1964 Buick Riviera was known as the "gentleman's muscle car," adding it was designed to compete with the Ford Thunderbird as a car of both elegance and performance.
The 1964 Buick Riviera was known as the "gentleman's muscle car," according to owner Michael Polito of Parrish. He said it was designed to compete with the Ford Thunderbird as a car of both elegance and performance.
Bradenton resident Darwin Heinzman stands with his 1964 Pontiac Bonneville, which he called a "boat on wheels."
Sarasota resident Andy Carrano said this 1968 Dodge Dart would have held records at the drag racing strip when it was first released.
This 1968 Dodge Dart is owned by Sarasota resident Andy Carrano. Carrano said when the car was first released, it was the type of vehicle that would have held records at the drag racing strip.
Gary Lebrun and Louise Laporte stand by a 1937 Ford Cabriolet owned by one of their friends. Lebrun cleaned the car the day before, which he said took him about five to six hours.
