AACA Ocala Region
Kingdom of the Sun (KOTS)
On Friday February 16, 2024 three couples met at John's garage at 7am for a drive to North Florida T&A Tour February 17-21 in Moultrie, Georgia. To our surprise our car club came to wish us well on our tip. Such a nice surprise.
We stopped to take a photo of us crossing the state line into Georgia.
On Saturday we had 26 cars drive to Nashville Georgia to take a 2 1/2 hour train ride on The Azala Sprinter. We stopped at the Framers Market where we purchased lunch to eat on the train. Unfortunately the 50's Music & Dance at the Nashville Community Center was cancelled because of rain.
On Sunday we drove to Cairo Georgia & Quincy Florida. We stopped in Cairo Georgia for a much needed stretch & refreshments. Then we drove to Quincy Florida to N&E Machine (Owner Neal Davis) where we saw his machine shop where he can make almost anything and the cars he is restoring.
On Monday we left for Thronateeska Discovery Heritage Center, Museum, Aquarium & Planetarium in Albany Georgia. We ate lunch at The Cookie Shoppe.
On Tuesday we drove to Cairo Georgia to watch a movie at the Zebuion Movie Theatre. This was opened in 1936. We watched Movie Genevieve which is a British Comedy. (Funny movie) Next to Mr. Chick for lunch. Next to visit Wayne Hadden's extensive Antique Car & Memorabilia collection. Next to Grady Country Museum & History center. Then we went to Ed & Pam Prince Car Collection in Cairo Georgia. What a day!!!
On Wednesday we went to Maule Air (Spence Field) where Maule Air has been building STOL (short take off & landing) airplanes since 1941. Then we drove our cars to Robert Hutson Ford to display our cars. After an hour we went to Moultrie Convention & Visitor Bureau where the press will photo our cars.
Thursday we drove home. Total trip 821 miles.
6/26/23
Yet one more successful repair and hands on experience project for the Ellis Garage Gang. 👍🏻😎. This one was a 1929 Model A that belonged to a gentleman named Tommy from Gainesville. He was referred to the garage by Larry from NPD. The car belonged originally to Tommy’s uncle.
This Model A had a strange rattle that needed to be discovered, and after inspecting and removing the rear axle and universal joint, an accessory rear motor mount, “float-a-motor” that had previously been installed was rubbing against the frame cross member. This was removed, solving the problem. Steve introduced the guys to a product called Turn, a fuel proof grease product for fuel shut off valves.
We got to see a Mitchell transmission up close.
He arrived looking rather dashing for a garage day, but at the Ellis garage it is a hands on experience so we had to post a pic of his dirty hands after the repairs.
Everyone had a great time as usual and we gained a new antique car friend. Tommy was most grateful and expressed his thanks for “everyone’s time, expertise and all around good fellowship”.By Jill Ellis
We joined 12 Model T's for a Loop T Loop tour organized by Kory Pike that took us on scenic roads that lined the inter costal waterway north from Ormond Beach, then over to Flagler Beach and back south on A1A. Never realized how tall a center door Model T is. Ended the afternoon with a group dinner at Hulls Seafood Restaurant in Ormond Beach. Best oysters ever.
Friday night was the 65th annual Gaslight Parade, presented by the Volusia Region Antique Automobile Club of America. The cars featured were 1998 and older. We lined up at the Casements, the winter residence of John D. Rockefeller. The home got its name for its many casement windows incorporated into its design that helped keep the interior cool in the Florida heat. Many folks came bfore the start of the parade to enjoy our cars. Chuck and Gloria Ufkes' 31 Model A drew quite a crowd. It sure is a beauty. We all headed out and rode on A1A to the delight of quite a crowd of onlookers gathered by the roadside. Lots of fun.
11/23/23 Thank you Jill Ellis for our all the pictures and comments.
Our Thanksgiving this year was spent at Daytona Beach with our Antique Automobile Club of America Ocala gang. We drove our Model A;s, a 48 Mercury and two modern cars to the coast and enjoyed a scrumptious Thanksgiving feat, with enough leftovers to go for another meal. The girls walked on the beach and just relaxed while the men took in the swap meet at the Daytona Speedway.
Saturday morning we headed to the AACA Volusia car show before heading back to Ocala. Some nice cars on display. Jill's favorite was the 66 Corvette. Cindi felt the same about the 1956 Jaguar to celebrate her birth year. Most impressive, the fins on the white Cadillac Sedan de Vill, Like no other....
12/14/23 We went to visit the Ma Barker house on Lake Weir in Ocklawaha. Kate Barker, better known as Ma Barker, was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker–Karpis Gang during the "public enemy era" when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwestern United States gripped the American people and press. She traveled with her sons during their criminal careers. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover described her as “the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade.” Special agents surrounded the house at about 5:30 in the morning on Jan. 16, 1935. Ma and Fred died in a four hour shoot out, on record as the longest gun battle in FBI history. Marion County officials decided to preserve the house and accepted it as a gift, and moved it on a barge to its present location across Lake Weir in October of 2016 to its new home at Carney Island Recreation and Conservation Area, a county-owned park. Wayne, a volunteer, gave us a 1 1/2 history of the event. It was excellent. A tour of the house had copies of FBI photos and we saw the same furniture as the photos. After the tour of the house we went to Eatons Beach Sand Bar & Grill for lunch. We had 21 people in attendance with 4 Model A's.
1/10/24 Steve Ellis arranged for our trip to Crystal River to the Plantation Inn. Seven cars made the drive. We all enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Inn and looked forward to a guided pontoon boat ride after our lunch. We all had a great time on our Plantation Adventure cruise today on Kings Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. It was a chilly ride but lovely views and informative guides. The water gets cooler this time of year so the manatees come here for the warmer water. We were able to see a few catching air. Thanks Jill Ellis for the pictures and notes.
2/11/24 Some pics of the AACA Ocala club members enjoying our time together at lunch today. Good food- good times. Thanks to Jill Walker and Laura Bender for the pictures.
Antique Automobile Club Ocala FL
3/14/24 Thank you Jill Ellis for the pictures and comments
A fabulous sunny day for our AACA Ocala Kingdom of the Sun outing to the Ocala International Airport. We had almost 40 people and 10 antique cars participate. We also added 2 new members to our roster today! Welcome Michelle and Joe.
Matthew Grow, Airport Director spoke to us for almost an hour taking us back to the airport’s beginnings here in Ocala up to the present day and shared a wealth of information about the airport.
The history of aviation in the Ocala area began in 1927 when Rupert Caviness persuaded Jim Taylor to donate land to the City of Ocala for development of an airport. By 1928, Jim Taylor Field had been constructed. In early 1941, Mr. Frank Hanley came to Ocala and established a contract pilot school for the Army/Air Force. The school had originally been designated for Greenville, Mississippi, but due to Ocala's desire to have an airbase, it was located in Ocala. The school began training pilots in late 1941 under the name Greenville Aviation. Greenville Aviation operated until 1944, when it closed due to an overabundance of pilots and the impending end of World War II.
In 1947, Eastern Airlines began servicing Ocala through this airport using Douglas DC-3 aircraft and continued service at this location through 1967. In 1962, the Federal Aviation Administration (then the Federal Aviation Agency) believed that a new airport should be constructed in Ocala. The city was growing around the airport, and airport expansion was needed to accommodate larger general aviation and commercial aircraft. The city issued bonds to finance construction of the airport, which included a 5,006-foot runway, parallel taxiway, terminal building, runway and taxiway lighting, and a weather reporting facility. The airport became operational, and Eastern Airlines began service at the new facility from 1968 to 1972.
There have been additional changes and upgrades over the years with additional runways added and extended and more hangers added. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Ocala and serves general aviation, corporate aviation and the air cargo industry. Air taxi and charter flights are the only air service available. There is a very nice terminal area and Elevation 89 restaurant. Hopefully in a few years they will have the capacity to again have commercial flights at the Ocala International Airport.
It was a monumental day at the airport today for our AACA Ocala member Lisa Bloch. Her great grandson Christopher Gonzalez was flying in a Cessna 172 L to the Ocala Airport as part of his flight training at Embry Riddle University and to see his great grandmother. We were escorted out to the runway and watched him land and taxi in. Proud moment.
We all enjoyed a yummy lunch at Elevation 89 Restaurant and enjoyed our time together.
