Hot Rods Questions for Florida car guys

I'll second this, the vintage cars I transferred were about $180ish per vehicle. There was some stipulation about length of ownership that reduced the first time reg. fee also, I think you had to own it for at least a year in another state to get the reduced rate.

 

5 flags Speedway in P'cola. Sometimes big name racers show for the Snowball Derby. There's a drag strip in Holt off of I-10 west of Crestview. Real estate isn't bad in the north end of the counties in the western panhandle. Cheaper prices east of Tallahassee and north of Ocala. Could use a decent shop in my area.

 

@George
Sorry on Names , I been all over
Central Florida West to East then North and panhandle,,,
Was even over @ Pensacola for snow

 

I survived the "Blizzard of '25"....

 

Paint & Body I think is a big deal in FL. A friend bought 2 FL cars and had them shipped to CA. Both were rust buckets and covered with bondo and fresh paint. I suspect when people from the north east retire they bring that old rust bucket in their garage to restore. Once done it's still an old rust bucket so it goes on the market.

 

Don't, for any reason, buy a Corvette down here without putting it up on a lift first... just... DON'T.

 

Working in the hotrod industry for a long time in California I can confirm everytime we saw a Florida liscence plate we cringed in my experience they were always a can of worms I, I have seen some nice stuff in Florida though so I suspect most the stuff that makes it to California was a flipper/ auction car the Californians bought because of a cheap price point , I’m originally from Midwest when we paint stuff it gets blasted clean then epoxied and done proper to last in weather , I have also seen a lot of sins in California from lower level shops that seems to work for awhile because of dry climate … paint over rust primered cars sitting in the weather for months then scuffed and painted ect just like flipper houses, flipper cars have permeated the industry it’s sad but it seems the norm now

 

I know hurricanes leave a lot of destruction , but I’m originally from Midwest tornados and straight wind happen all the time too, pretty common storm rolls through and thousands of roofs are being replaced or whole car lots get hail damage Then there are the roofing /construction scams I think the insurance companies are going to do whatever they can to start making people think harder befor making a claim

 

I have lived in FL since 1972. Spent 50 yrs in Gainesville then moved to St Augustine after I retired from working at the University of Florida for 40 years. Ocala has both of Garlits museums and they have nice classic car events there. As mentioned already, Gainesville raceway is amazing. Went to 25 straight years of Gatornationals. Damn I miss Denny Savage. St Augustine has a classic car museum and quite a few classic car events. Yes the Daytona Turkey run is huge and super fun. I have been to the Bradenton raceway many times. The late Joe Jacono was such a hoot. Lakeland has a track as well. I have not been to any events in Orlando. It’s hot and humid here. Hurricanes are no fun. Love bugs show up twice a year. Nasty bugs that are hard to get off your car.

 

St Augustine seemed cool is it pretty hectic with all the tourists or just busy in old town area?

 

Traffic is horrid everywhere. Trying to get through traffic on US 1 & 312 is a nightmare. I do not go downtown anymore. And nights of lights is horrible for residents. But if you find some property in Florida, I highly recommend checking it for being in a flood zone. Copy and paste the address in and enter. It will show you if you are in a flood zone. https://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis...x.html?appid=aa18a2d8737c4d66bb6434a09e17203a

 

Traffic is horrible in the Orlando/Kissimmee area, also most of the coastal areas in the Summer, except maybe in the Big Bend area.

 

I had the mis fortune of going past Disney on a Tuesday at like 2:00 I was in traffic for 3hours It looks like it maybe even worse than LA traffic there ! That was a eye opener for sure

 

You may think I'm joking but I'm not.
Before affordable home climate control and Walt Disney, Florida was hell on earth.
Winter....
You will die of hypothermia at 40F in Florida. Winter days can be brutal in Florida. Many a northerner has learned that just because you wore shorts and T shirts in 25f weather all your life, it's a different deal in Florida. Anything below 50F you better have a parka on. Be sure to bring it with you because all Wal Mart has are shorts, T shirts and Flip Flops. If south of Orlanda, also have an umbrella for winter because it will be raining iguanas.
One of the worst military disasters in US history happened in the Florida cold, the Dade Massacre in the 2nd Seminole War 1836. It was a brutally cold day with rain mixed with sleet. Dade's soldiers had their muskets buttoned up in their overcoats when the Seminoles ambushed them.
Fortunately, winter only lasts about 2 days in Florida but ...there may be 6 winters.
Spring Time......ahhh the bugs come out with the Tornadoes.
Actually, the bugs never leave they just slow down during those 2 days of winters. You'll know it's Springtime because you can suffer of hypothermia and a heat stroke on the same day. Then get blown away by tornado before dark.
Summer.....It's like Africa hot. The paint will literally turn purple and burn off of a black car. No joke people have been severely burned by vinyl seats. Brutal, Brutal sun. No joke Florida would be uninhabited without AC.
Fall.....Hurricanes. Like big ones.

Wildlife.... Don't let the kids play in the water because something might eat them. Big water, little water, it makes no difference. I'm serious, you have to watch out for alligators around kids and pets.
Then there's deer, who run right out in front you at night.
Opossums.
Snakes.
Bugs.
Methheads.
You'll likely find all of these at the nature preserve.
Florida has suffered from 2 invasive species. The Burmese Python and Karens. The Pythons have taken over the Everglades; Karens are trying to take over the rest.

Culture....
Mayberry especially in the inland panhandle.
Beveryly Hills 90210
Swamp Thing
Good Morning Vietnam
Godfather Part II
Baywatch
Maimi Vice
Choose wisely.

I'm more familiar with the Panhandle around Pensacola to Panama City. Inland is very Southern. Ft Walton and Pensacola are military, so the car scene seems pretty steady. I do know of some specialty shops in Santa Rosa.....
That area seems decent. Crestview....DeFuniak Springs. Tallahassee to the east....Those areas still have a lot of Southern laidbackness....

 

Bolded is fact!!!!! I never been colder than one night at races in Barberville in March during Bike Week.

 

And don't go swimming in warm water.... brain eating amoeba are a thing here and they're fatal. Swim in cold water or a pool at a GOOD hotel.
Spiders. Fuckers are everywhere.

 

I will be selling a V-twin motorcycle that is registered in a different state but stored in Florida. I will report back here to let you know how much the fees amounted to, and who pays them. I do know to sell it in Florida both the buyer and seller (me) must go to the Secretary of State to complete the transaction.

 

Mayberry/ baywatch sounds nice!

 

Depending on what your interests are besides a piece of land and building a shop you'll have to spend some time and look around. I would suggest inland north of Ocala. If you want salt water fishing you can get a hour from the coast and be well out in the country. Our biggest problem is home owners insurance because of the rates change for hurricane coverage. Mine is a little under $6,000 a year, two and a half hours south of Daytona and one mile from the beach. One friend was going to retire up t
around Fort White in North Florida, did some homework, and settled on Georgia just over the Florida border. He saved a ton on real estate and tax costs.

Lee