Toys-for-Tots Cruise-in Car Show on Labor Day Monday Sept. 5 at Portland Motor Club

Hard to believe this will be our third year helping out the U.S. Marines’ Toys-for-Tots program with hundreds of presents for kids for the holidays — no doubt, this year more than ever families will need some extra help around Christmas time with gift giving.

Don’t miss this great family event — a wonderful cause, a huge assortment of vehicles (we expect about 200), delicious food and we even have a DYNAMOMETER available this year from www.portable-dyno.com! If enough folks sign up, some of the proceeds from the dyno will go back to the show, too.

This show was a smash success in 2009 and 2010 with about 200 cars attending. It’s free to attend but each person in a car should bring a new unwrapped present for the program. Some folks collect them at work and end up filling their cars up — it’s quite a sight!

This is a really easy event because you can just show up in your vehicle (any and all are welcomed to attend), line up and enjoy the day. It starts at 10 and ends at 2. Somewhere around noon Monday Night Posse (www.MondayNightPosse.com) will put on a live show with some groovin’ tunes that blur the line between rock and country.

As always, a huge thanks to Stan and Cheryl Page who organize this event along with car clubs around the state who help out as well. This is an all-club event, not presented by any one car club. Stan and Cheryl travel the state and even New England almost every weekend going to shows and helping to make a difference and inviting folks wherever they go. This show actually ran a couple years elsewhere before it relocated to our facility. So, actually a happy 5th Anniversary to the Toys-for-Tots Labor Day show!

We might even toss in a bit of smoke at the end of the show this year…

Smoke 'em if you got 'em

This was the grand finale at our first-hopefully-annual Portland Police Department Police Athletic League’s on June 25, 2011. Portland Motor Club owner Bill Waldron puts on a tire show in his 1965 Plymouth Belvedere drag car. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore!

And speaking of not making ‘em like that anymore, this was former Portland Police Chief James Craig’s almost last official act, serving as a show judge while also having inspired and helped to organize it. Thanks, Chief — we miss you! Thanks for the show.

Portland Motor Club is a specialty car storage and care facility featuring secure, climate-controlled and heated, year-round and seasonal vehicle storage. Designed as a marina for car owners, members can come and go anytime in their favorite set of wheels from a classic Mopar to a vintage MG TD to a Aston Martin DB9. Members also have access to this handsome facility for social gatherings and business meetings. For more information, call 207-775-1770 or email to info@portlandmotorclub.com. There is also a top-notch detailing facility on-site, Portland Detailing (www.PortlandDetailing.com).

In addition to all the good the event did for the Portland Police Department’s Police Activities League with the couple thousands of dollars raised (thank you sponsors*, supporters, entrants and everyone that attended and helped to make this great success even for a rainyish day) as well as the show being a great send-off to our beloved Police Chief James Craig who inspired this hopefully annual event, one of the lasting legacies of the show is the intriguing places that mention of it showed up around the internet.

*Calling All Cars and Trucks and Motorcycles was sponsored for 2011 by the Portland Police Department, Portland Motor Club, and MaineToday Media (Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram)

From Bangor to Boston to Cincinnati to a carpet cleaning service in Portland Oregon, from Indiana to India to Australia, from Music.aol.com to SoccerNews.com the eco-conscientious TreeHugger.com, this story got out there… way out there! Here’s a partial list of some of the places this story found itself.

(But first a quick link to some photos from the day. More will follow later: <http://mainetoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1275203&CategoryID=52602>)

Here’s that surprising random assortment of mentions and articles across CyberSpace as we know it…

<http://www.pressherald.com/news/portland-could-learn-today-whether-police-chief-leaving_2011-06-28.html>

<http://www.pressherald.com/news/calling-all-cars-show-gets-enthusiasts-revved-up-_2011-06-26.html?searchterm=car+show>

<http://articles.boston.com/2011-06-26/cars/29706286_1_car-show-vintage-cars-car-aficionado>

<http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110628/NEWS0108/306280024/James-Craig-picked-Cincinnati-s-new-police-chief>

<http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/25/news/portland-chief-reaches-out-to-youth-with-los-angeles-style-car-show/>

<http://www.pressherald.com/news/calling-all-cars-to-portland-giant-car-show_2011-05-09.html>

<http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/163724/2/Portland-chief-reaches-out-to-youth-with-car-show>

<http://1click.indiatimes.com/article/0bCh8Hi8C76uk>

<http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/152786469>

<http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/c52edc66442d4580b688a976a2272563/ME–Chief-Car-Show/>

<http://www.daylife.com/article/03zy7ek76W7wl?__site=daylife>

<http://www.facebook.com/pressherald/posts/184816748236502>

<http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110625-NEWS-110629824>

<http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/c52edc66442d4580b688a976a2272563/me–chief-car-show/>

<http://www.apimages.com/search.aspx?st=k&cfas=person_featured_name&person_featured_name=%22james%20craig%22&id=421552&showact=results&sort=relevance&sh=10&kwstyle=or&dbm=panorama&adte=1304003513&ish=x&dah=-1&pagez=60&cfasstyle=and&>

<http://usaauto.info/pontiac/calling-all-cars-to-portland-giant-car-show/>

<http://www.pressherald.com/life/bumper-crop_2011-06-23.html?pageType=mobile&id=5>

<http://truckandpickup.info/calling-all-cars-show-gets-enthusiasts-revved-up-press-herald/>

<http://mainetoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=36504893&event=1275203&CategoryID=52602>

<http://soccernews.bigsoccer.com/article/0bbCcKY6ljfC5>

<http://carpetportlandoregon.org/calling-all-cars-to-portland-giant-car-show-press-herald/>

<http://music.aol.com/artist/james-craig>

<http://topics.treehugger.com/article/06X4fwl61xeZh>

<http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.196526363730305.47845.174327369283538>

Let us know if you find any other really quirky ones out there. Send us an email to info@portlandmotorclub.com. And special thanks to Southern Maine Motors and the other local dealers who helped put some late model icing on the classic car cake with some new muscle cars.

The Portland Police Department is sticking with the planned Saturday, June 25 from 10 to 2

Looks like the sun might peek out around 10 so hopefully you’ll plan to stop by even if the weather isn’t perfect — the show will be!

SATURDAY • JUNE 25 • 10AM-2PM

PORTLAND MOTOR CLUB • 275 Presumpscot St.

(rain date Sunday, June 26 — call Officer Raymond Ruby re: weather at 207-233-1151)

$15 includes entering one vehicle (choose from over a dozen categories) and includes a show T-shirt!

* OR YOU CAN REGISTER ON THE DAY OF THE SHOW…

but it would be great if you could shoot us an email to let us know you’re planning on coming: info@portlandmotorclub.com

This is a brand new show and unlike Portland (or probably anywhere else) has never seen before! Portland Motor Club has teamed up with the Portland Police Department to create a unique show to promote the community policing approach that Chief James Craig has brought to Portland. The Chief is also a car nut so we have him to thank for this — and maybe for years to come! We have put together a truly exciting show that is designed to appeal to car show lovers as well as to young people who have never been to anything like it.

It’s all to benefit the Portland Police Department’s Youth Activities League to support the great work the PPD is doing creating positive experiences for area youth who might otherwise have such positive opportunities.

In addition to a “regular” car show (which can also include trucks and bikes), local dealerships are bringing some of coolest new cars around to add to the excitement. Because the police are the force behind this show, we are also including vintage police cars as well as some of the highest-tech special police tactical vehicles to the mix. Add in some drift cars, street rods, tricked out cars and who knows what else and it’s a pretty wild combination of vehicles. Then we’ve got a “text and drive obstacle course experience” on a golf cart, a portable dynamometer (www.portable-dyno.com), and indoor karting vehicle plus some BIG RAFFLES and great door prizes.

Add some delicious food from Bingas Wingas (www.BingasWingas.com) and Siano’s Brick Oven Pizza (www.SianosBrickOven.com) who will be donating part of their proceeds and Cap’n Eli’s Soda Wagon will be on hand. Plus BIG HITS Y100.9 and Smooth Jazz WJZP 105.1 as well as some live music from area teens thanks to the Maine Academy of Modern Music (www.MaineAcademyOfModernMusic.org).

Thanks, too, to the Portland Press Herald (www.PressHerald.com) for helping us with media sponsorship and the generous package of ads they donated to this great event and worthy cause.

Click to download full-sized/full-quality CALLING ALL CARS poster: CALLING ALL CARS POSTER — you can help to spread the word about the show by sending a link to this page by email or on FaceBook, print out copies on legal-sized paper and hand them out or take them to a car show!

It's The 1969 Dodge Charger "General Lee" versus...

...This Smokin' Hot 2011 Dodge Charger

It had to be done… pit the iconic 1969 Charger against its brawny 2011 distant descendant on a comparison track test: 0 to 60; 60 to 0; skidpad and slalom. Which will win and in which categories? You probably think you already know but here it is for the record:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/techjunkie/2011-dodge-charger-rt-against-1969-dodge-charger-general-lee

It would be great to hear back from you about what you thought. Please send an email from the website, if you’d like to comment. If we leave comments open on the blog, we can an unbelievable amount of spam and worse. But we’d love to hear your feedback and we’ll post it in a blog post update.

And if you didn’t read the review of the new Charger with fond comparisons to its 1969 ancestor, make sure to read our blog post and the review by Scott Wasser in the Maine Sunday Telegram… http://www.portlandmotorclub.com/blog/?p=718

And, why not, if you are looking for one of these handsome 2011 beasts, please visit our Chrysler Dodge Jeep Super Store at www.SouthernMaineDodge.com or www.SouthernMaineMotors.com . We are proud Mopar people — both at the Portland Motor Club and at our dealership in Saco (at the former Jolly John Auto City location).

This rare 1902 Autocar Runabout visits Portland Motor Club en route to a permanent museum home

It’s not its age that makes this 1902 early automobile unique, although it is one of only 56 known to exist from all of its manufacturing years. They were manufactured for fewer than 15 years before the company switched over to making trucks exclusively. What makes this primitive motor car so interesting is that it has been in the same family since it was new! The article referenced below follows its auto-geneological path from great, great grandfather to its current owners. It has spent its last couple decades in quiet obscurity in a shed in Biddeford Pool, Maine. The family decided that it was time to find a permanent and appropriate home for a car of this historical significance and rarity as part of a permanent historical automobile collection perhaps even here in Maine. Great great grandson Will Borders of Chicago came out to Maine one February weekend to assist in relocating the vehicle to Portland Motor Club where it will stay until its future plans are assured.

In the meantime, Portland Detailing did a fantastic job gently cleaning it up so it can feel comfortable in the company of its relatively futuristic descendants (anything would look futuristic compared to this motorized buggy). The clean up was so impressive that Portland Detailing got a call from the owner of a 1904 Autocar wondering how they made it look so good! It turned out that he was one of three people involved with tracking the location and existence of any known Autocars and he revealed that, according to their compiled list, there are only 56 of them out there including the ones that are part of such collections as The Smithsonian Museum and The Henry Ford Museum.

Please make sure to visit the article by Emma Bouthillette at the Portland Press Herald’s website for much more information and more detailed photos.

This 1902 Autocar has been in the same family since it was new!

Can one be sleek and brawny at the same time? If you're the 2011 Dodge Charger, the answer is a definite "yes"!

This very positive Maine Sunday Telegram review of the re-styled 2011 Dodge Charger pays homage to its ’60s and ’70s muscle car roots and even mentions the impressive seven early and recent models currently stored and/or living at Portland Motor Club recently featured on Bill Green’s Maine. Fans of “The Dukes of Hazzard” will appreciate this playful review written by Maine Sunday Telegram/Portland Press Herald Automobile Editor (as well as Executive Editor) Scott Wasser. You can see it/touch it/drive it in person at SouthernMaineMotors.com, Bill Waldron’s new Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership which he bought from Jolly John Pulsifer (Jolly John’s Auto City) in the fall of 2010. Sadly, the iconic Jolly John passed away recently unable to enjoy his well-deserved retirement from his impressive auto-mobile/auto-promotion career of many decades.

You will see most if not all of the Chargers on site watching video tour of Portland Motor Club on our homepage.

Some nice new lines on the rear have a touch of "retro" -- catch 'em if you can!

We’re hoping to have one new car event this season (in addition to our 2011 Labor Day Toys-for-Tots Car Show/Cruise and perhaps a 2011 Fall Exotics Gathering) — an event organized by the Portland Police Activities League (formerly “Athletic” League) — a Youth-Oriented Car Show & More especially designed for teens and other young people. We expect to have some sort of People’s Choice Car Show, some cool late model cars, some old and new police cars, some special educational and safety activities (a texting-and-driving danger demo, mechanical and detailing demos and contests), prizes, raffles, music and more! The crew from Portland Detailing (http://www.PortlandDetailing.com) will also be on hand to teach some detailing and cleaning tips.

This is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 25. The success of this will depend on getting the word out to young car enthusiasts — kids who are interested in classic and the latest hot cars, mechanical skills, car care, public safety, and more. Something special to do with the right young person — your child, your grandchild or a friend of the family. We are also looking for volunteers to help out with this event. If you are particularly interested in cars and young people showing an interest in them, please be in touch with Portland Motor Club via our website (http://www.PortlandMotorClub.com) or by phone (207-775-1770).

If you missed it on the news this week, here it is… the link to the short video tour Bill Green did here at Portland Motor Club (www.PortlandMotorClub.com) and Portland Detailing (www.PortlandDetailing.com) for his Bill Green’s Maine show. The place looks great on the teevee — the television camera seems to add about 10 cars to the place! See our Winter 2011 “Collection”!

http://www.wcsh6.com/life/programming/local/bill_greens_maine/story.aspx?storyid=146480&catid=144

Glad we could get Bill Green out of the “Green (White) Outdoors” and into our “Green Indoors” here at Portland Motor Club — in fact, it is actually quite a “green” facility with radiant heat floors and all new insulation in the walls and roof. It comes from a combination of sensitivity to the environmental impact as well as good business sense — if you’re going to keep the cars at 60 degrees through the winter and reasonably cool in the summer, it had better be as green as you can get it!

Who is this man and why were we very happy to have a visit from him at Portland Motor Club this week?!? Why it’s Bill Green, of course, of Bill Green’s Maine and he took a break from “The Great Outdoors” to seek refuge with the cars that have sought refuge here at Portland Motor Club. He wanted to see how the other half (pampered cars) lived and we were happy to show him. It was a very enjoyable visit — he’s a great guy and a lot of fun to be with. It was probably a nice break from wading in nearly frozen streams checking for salmon eggs or something like that.

Our Portland Motor Club segment will run this coming Monday, JAN 31 on WCSH Channel 6 in Portland and WLBZ Channel 2 in Bangor sometime during the local evening news. Then it will run on the same stations again during next week’s Bill Green’s Maine on Saturday, FEB 5 at 7pm.

He had a chance to visit with a couple of our members and with owner Bill Waldron as well as with Facility Manager Jason Michel and Membership Director Kal Rogers. Bill talked about his vision for Portland Motor Club, his Mopar collection and his excitement about owning a Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep dealership at Southern Maine Motors (www.SouthernMaineMotors.com). Jason talked about winter car care and our Portland Detailing operation (www.PortlandDetailing.com); while Kal mentioned Portland Motor Club’s plans to offer classic and sports car rentals starting this spring. Our visiting members talked about having a safe and professional facility to house their special vehicles and about their enthusiasm for owning a car that thrilled them.

We hope you’ll be watching. Please help spread the word via email or FaceBook or Twitter. We should be able to put a link to the segment once it runs. Please let us know what you thought of the segment.

Nice to see what the cold and messy weather attracts to our fine storage facility each winter. It may look full — and the ground floor is — but there’s plenty of room on the mezzanine! Let us take professional care of your special vehicles with daily monitoring, trickle charging, special care requests, whatever it takes!

As much as Portland Motor Club is set up for year-round membership, we also provide seasonal and short-term storage — even when you’re going on vacation or on a business trip! Why not have us detail your car while you’re away at our truly outstanding auto reconditioning facility (www.PortlandDetailing.com) and pay only $10 per day for professional, heated storage. We’re only about 10 minutes from the airport so you can grab a cab or we might even be able to help get you over there and back (depending on availability and timing).

We’re here and happy to help you take care of your car — it’s what we do!