2016 Northern VA Sunday Cars & Coffee Events

[rcollum]

There are several Sunday morning cars & coffee events in the Northern Virginia area. I attend the one out at Dulles Landing early on many Sundays, and travel over to Fairfax Circle with some friends. I will post pictures from both when I attend these events.

 

 

Please post your Sunday Cars & Coffee pictures here.

 

 

Dulles Landing: Most people arrive after 7:00AM, and there is plenty of space for all the vehicles. Large groups of like cars park together, with exotics, domestic muscle, off roaders, and hot rods all well-represented. Dunkin Donuts is right there for breakfast. Directions to Dulles Landing -

 

 

http://dulleslanding.com/directions

 

 

Around 8:30AM, I usually head over to Fairfax Circle to see a slightly different crowd. A smattering of hot rods, imports and exotics dominate this venue. Coffee and snacks are available at Cameron's, with very good baked goods. This parking lot is at 9653 Lee Highway (29), in Fairfax, VA.

 

 

 

Today was the first Sunday of 2016, and the clear skies and 29 degree temperature did not discourage people from coming out. After all, this isn't bad weather at all for January!

 

 

--Bob Collum

[rcollum]

This morning's temperature? - cool, but not mid-January cold. It was high-thirties when I left my house at 6:40AM. There was a forecast of flurries, but they did not start until 11:30AM. Not a bad morning at all for the few who came out to these two events. How bad could it have been? Look what I drove!

 

 

--Bob Collum

[MichaelD]

Bob,

 

Nice half top. Did it come with the car?

[jlumba81]

Looks like a soft bits for sevens half top.

[rcollum]

Thanks, Michael. It was a Christmas present. JLumba is right, it's the Soft Bits for Sevens one. I like the less-claustrophobic feel of the half-hood. I can see out the back (even with my inside mirror), and over either shoulder.

 

I am enjoying the unseasonably warm weather!

 

--Bob Collum

[Kitcat]

Nice top, and excellent job keeping your Cat so shined up, esp the aluminum!

Looking thru your pix I realize how much more I like the character of the older cars. They were unafraid of taking a stying risk. The newer cars seem so bland (with a few notable excepetions). I'd rather drive the new cars, but would rather be seen in one of the old ones. The only exception is your se7en, which is an old car on a new car chassis and running modern brakes, engine, etc.

[Paul Hill]

Bob:

Have to admit to a soft spot for the polished aluminum look, am hoping to have a similar look once we get Rosemarie's early Cat on the road.

Meanwhile I'd love to hear your secrets to making and keeping the shine. I made the doors for the storage bays of our motor home with aluminum and am struggling to maintain the shine. Luckily the areas are flat, just large at 30' long x 30" high...on both sides plus 8' across the rear.

Thanks

[rcollum]

Paul:

 

I have to admit, my car came to me in pretty good shape. I spent some money on having my detailer give it a once-over with the orbital, right after it arrived in mid-August. All I have done since has been to use either waterless car wash or detailing spray. I use Adams' products on my other cars, so I used it on the Seven, as well. I will do a full, nose-to-tail detail on the car in April, and again in late July.

 

So far, the aluminum has been easier to care for than I expected.

 

--Bob Collum

[Paul Hill]

Thanks Bob.

I thought I remembered a previous thread that told that but my memore has been known to fail me on occasion.

I bought polished aluminum sheets to fab the doors so I too had a base to start from. As built they weren't bad. My issue surfaced after salt dust from our proximity to the only major intersection in town and the ice prevention our highway dept mentioned used. I've been on that corner for over 40 yrs and never noticed it ever that bad other years. I got a buddy that polishes truck tanks/wheels to give it a going over.... 3 days for 4 guys later it looked great, at a price of course!

So my interest was to avoid that acute wallet pain in future.

 

Hopefully the Turtle Wax spray wash/wax that I treated it to just before Christmas leaves a better result come spring!

 

Thanks again

[rcollum]

Paul:

 

You might consider, once you get the aluminum polished to your satisfaction, getting it clear-bra'd. It is such a regular shape, it doesn't seem like it would cost that much. Down low like that, it's sure vulnerable (as you said) to all kinds of spray. I have the clear bra on the front of my Elise, and it's still in good shape after almost 9 years.

 

--Bob Collum

 

P.S.: I was interested in your mention of Europas - I had a '72 Twincam for 21 years. Sold it in 2001.

[Paul Hill]

Thanks Bob.

My problem didn't arise from spray, the motor home was parked for the winter outside my shop. But the local highway people lace the intersection with so much salt that you can actually taste it in the air, carried the 300' by the prevailing west winds and deposited on my shiny aluminum.

While the bra is a great idea for the lower doors I will have to find a plan B for all the perimeter extrusions, or at least the corners.

The other issue that is on the opposite side of the coach is the 125 gal aluminum fuel tank that is also subject to salt dust.

 

Europa....I'm not sure if I can properly address what I have as a Europa. I have 4 S2 bodies, one of which is one of the S1 transition units with no warts or door handles. I have 1 decent oem frame, plus 1

 

(Arg......the auto save was only partially recovered. I'll try to rewrite it this evening.)

Edited January 19, 2016 by Paul Hill

[rcollum]

All in all, a pretty good day, weather-wise. I have spent far too much time inside, due to the recent snowstorm, so I was anxious to get a car out. I chose the Seven, and the morning was clear but a little cool. Still, no problems getting anywhere on the by-now-cleared roads. Sadly, I did not have a lot of company, at either Dulles Landing or at Fairfax Circle today.

 

 

The majority of attendees at Dulles Landing were in Jeeps, and it was me and a C7 Corvette by ourselves for quite a while at Fairfax Circle.

 

 

--Bob Collum

[MichaelD]

Bob,

 

Have you thought about attending the July 7s at NJMP? It is a great long weekend wit about 20 other Sevens on track at all levels of experience.

 

I think you would enjoy it.

 

Michael D

[rcollum]

It sounds great, Michael. I'll have to check our schedule; wife's birthday is around then.

 

Thanks,

 

Bob Collum

[rcollum]

Not a big turnout at either location, but some worthwhile vehicles at both venues.

 

 

--Bob Collum

[rcollum]

We managed a pretty good showing this morning, ahead of some rain. A good portion of those in attendance were a large group of Mustangs, who arrived en masse.

 

 

--Bob Collum

[rcollum]

We had a reasonable turnout at both venues, on a cool but clear morning, the last Sunday in February.

 

--Bob Collum

 

[rcollum]

A light turnout today, at both Dulles Landing and at Fairfax Corner. I guess people are waiting for warmer weather!

 

--Bob Collum

 

[TurboWood]

The Ford GT almost makes the 7 look normal sized.

[rcollum]

The events today were predictably light in attendance, in both locations. It was overcast this morning, with some rain threatening. Also, this was the first day of Daylight Savings, meaning that everybody lost an hour of sleep. Still, even with the smaller turnouts, the interesting cars & people that did show up made it worth the trip!

 

Since rain was predicted, I brought my 'rain car', the Elise!

 

--Bob Collum