A literal sea of Mustangs...
A literal sea of Mustangs and classic Fords greeted us first thing Saturday morning on entering Silver Springs. While Saturday was chilly, people braved the cool weather to wipe down their cars, set up their displays, and pull out the folding camp chairs in preparation for the countless show attendees and their barrage of questions and old stories.
The annual Ford & Mustang Roundup held at the beautiful Silver Springs attraction in Silver Springs, Florida, is never a letdown. Year in and year out we see all sorts of rare and interesting classic Fords that we fall in love with and want to take home. Unfortunately the wallet isn't thick enough to bring back a single one.
It must be that the Silver Springs show is the first big show of the year and people are itching to get their hot Fords, Mercurys, and other Blue Oval favorites out of the garage and out for some fun. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that National Parts Depot graciously pays for the first 1,000 entries (yes, that's three zeros), or that the Silver Springs show has a laid-back popular-vote style. There's no need to bring a trunk full of cleaning supplies or run and hide to avoid a request to help judge other cars. No, people come to enjoy the weekend, Silver Springs itself, and the over 1,000 great Mustangs, Fairlanes, Torinos, Falcons, Mavericks, Cougars, Comets, Galaxies, Panteras, Cobra replicas, and so much more that are displayed throughout the weekend.
Our hats are off to the folks at Silver Springs and NPD for their continued success at one of the best Ford shows in the Southeast. Make sure you keep an eye out for news on the 2007 show right here in Mustang & Fords.
 Many national and regional...  Many national and regional groups used the Silver Springs show as an opportunity to hold a mini-meet... |  ...We found several groups,...  ...We found several groups, including the Maverick/Comet Club International (www.maverickcometclub.org)... |  ... and the Suncoast chapter...  ... and the Suncoast chapter of the Falcon Club of America (www.falconclub.com). |
A Spring Full of Information
The Silver Springs attraction is the oldest theme park in Florida with over 300 acres of rides and natural attractions. Silver Springs is on the list of Natural Landmarks by the National Parks Service, and people have been enjoying its famous glass-bottom boat rides on the Silver River, where the springs pump out over 550 million gallons of spring water a day, since the late 1800s! Today's electric-powered boat rides allow you to see the natural springs, the world's largest, as well as all sorts of aquatic animals and artifacts.
For those that enjoy trivia, Silver Springs was the original filming location for six of the original Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies. Other films included Creature From the Black Lagoon, Rebel Without a Cause, Revenge of the Creature, James Bond's Thunderball, Moonraker, and Never Say Never, and even Smokey and the Bandit Part 3. TV shows filmed here include Sea Hunt, I Spy, SeaQuest, and Steve Irwin's Crocodile Hunter. For more information about Silver Springs and its concert schedule, check out the Web site at www.silversprings.com or call (352) 236-2121.