Cars for a Cause

Jim Richards has acquired quite a collection of cars, a wildly diverse assortment from different decades, different genres, and domestic and foreign manufacturers. Now he is inviting you to come and check them out.

Richards’ collection of 20 or so vintage, muscle, and exotic cars will form the backbone of a display at “Cars and Cocktails,” a fundraiser being held on the afternoon of Sunday, October 19, on Cascade Court. The event, open to all with no ticket price or cover charge, will benefit Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, the Marco-based charity that is feeding thousands of nearby residents.

Allyson Richards is chairperson of Our Daily Bread (ODBFP) and works hands-on in delivering groceries to many who would otherwise be living without “food security,” the basic human need of knowing where your next meal is coming from.

Cars and Cocktails, now in its third year, exemplifies how to induce people to do something useful by providing an enjoyable experience, the classic “good time for a good cause.” The event will feature a full open bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres created and served by Prestige Catering, along with desserts, live music and, as mentioned, a gaggle of gorgeous vehicles to inspect. Jim and Allyson Richards are covering all costs of the soiree.

Jim Richards is not the only car collector who will be exhibiting his stable. Auto enthusiasts including Bill Young, Steve Garske, Glenn Perkins, and Keith Pershing of Island Automotive are some of those expected to show off their cars on the 19th. But just on his own, Richards has enough Detroit and European horsepower to put on quite a car show.

His oldest car is a 1932 Ford Roadster cabriolet (or ragtop), the first non-luxury production vehicle to be powered by a V-8 engine. His hunter green model also features a convertible top, spoke wheels, running boards, a rumble seat, and a hand crank, as well as a battery to start the engine. Additional Fords include Thunderbirds from 1957 and 2002. Cast your memories back to the Beach Boys singing “fun, fun, fun till her daddy takes the T-Bird away.” We’re talking iconic American cars.

The oldest vehicle in terms of when Richards acquired it is the car he lusted for but couldn’t afford back when it was new. After many years of driving strictly modern cars, Richards made his first purchase of an antique car about 15 years ago, when he bought a fire-engine red 1967 Pontiac GTO two-door coupe.

“The GTO was the best muscle car from the sixties. That was the first car I bought for fun,” said Richards. “It’s amazing the memories old cars can bring. You think, ‘where was I in 1967?’” Another amazing thing, he said, is just how long a two-door car could be back then. The GTO is powered by a 400 cubic inch beast that got around General Motors’ rules for maximum engine size and helped kick off the muscle car era.

At another point in his life, Richards’ cherry red ’62 Vette was his dream car. His lemon yellow 2000 Plymouth Prowler comes with a matching yellow trailer, in case you want to bring along anything bulkier than a bag of groceries. Jim’s 2003 Mercedes CrossBlade topless minicar, a tricked-out Smart Car, is one of only about a dozen in this country. Das Rod, a customized 1970 Volkswagen, has a Porsche engine, Corvette headlights in a ’32 Ford front end, and Harley Davidson taillights.

Richards keeps 17 of the cars, plus a motorcycle or two and a nitrogen concentrator for filling the tires, crammed into a garage at another house around the corner from his. Each of the cars has a backstory, and Jim and his son Joe, along with the other collectors, will likely be kept busy during Cars and Cocktails, telling the stories to the guests.

But there is another story to be told here, that of Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, and Jim said he is delighted to be able to put his collecting hobby to good use for such a worthy cause. This is the story that Allyson is passionate about and devotes much of her energy to advancing.

“We fed 1,133 people on Saturday this week, just at the food pantry,” she said, not counting all the mobile food pantries, outreach missions she and additional volunteers go off island to perform.

“We have a constant need for funding” – not surprising when you are buying food to give away. Last year’s Cars and Cocktails, she said, brought in approximately $60,000. “Whatever anyone can do, we appreciate,” said Allyson. While there is no admission fee, guests on Sunday can expect to be asked for donations.

A good time for a good cause – even if you’re not a car enthusiast.