Car club honors ‘golden age of hot rods’

SANFORD — The future of car clubs enters J.T. Tomorowitz’s mind often.

The 54-year-old from Orlando says high costs can prevent those who want to start in the hobby from doing so.

That, combined with an aging base, could mean trouble for the hobby, said Tomorowitz, one of the lead organizers of Orlandobased Misfires Carclub.

“The old-timers are dying quicker than young people are coming into the field,” said Tomorowitz, 54. “It’s difficult for young people, because it’s not cheap.”

For the 18th straight year, Misfires hosted its annual car show in Sanford on Saturday, as enthusiasts drove more than 300 pre-1964 cars into a parking lot at the Route 46 Entertainment District.

Live music blared through speakers, while a DJ spun classic rock tunes in a different part of the venue.

The event lets enthusiasts show off vehicles some have spent decades restoring and fine tuning.

“We want to honor the golden age of hot rods,” Tomorowitz said. “It’s about respect for old-world craftsmanship. Once Detroit started making Mustangs and GTOs, people didn’t have to build stuff anymore.”

As Bill Cassidy showed off his 1929 Ford Roadster pickup truck, he mingled with the crowd and noticed that some of them seemed younger.

That gave the 61-year-old from Orange City hope that the hobby will not disappear.

“After we are gone, who will be there to take over?” he said. “It’s nice to see them involved. We hope it means this club will continue instead of dying off.”

That’s what Jeff Pereira hopes, as well.

The 32-year-old from Seffner said seeing older car enthusiasts reminded him of how he entered the hobby.

As a child, he would help his father work on low-rider vehicles in Los Angeles.

That helped make Pereira an enthusiast, too. He now has three cars at his home.

“It’s a part of history,” said Pereira, who brought a 1970 Chevy C10 truck to the show. “You have to appreciate what you see here. It’s a dying art.”

If car clubs are to survive, they will likely need a push from parents, who can bring children into the hobby.

As he browsed a row of Harley Davidson classic motorcycles, Terry Scott of Winter Springs said he has been trying to encourage his 15-year-old son Kolby to take up an interest in cars.

Kolby, whose chief interest has been Japanese cars, said he likes car shows because it’s a subculture coming together to share their interest.

“I like seeing the changes in cars from year to year,” he said. “Everybody can come together and enjoy the scene.”

That kind of talk encourages Tomorowitz, who says he has seen some positive signs.

“Younger people, they are starting to tinker and learn,” he said.