The North East Ohio Cars and Coffee is an event much like other C&C events across the country where enthusiasts gather for morning snacks, caffeine, and a few hours of hang time with vehicles of all types. The NEO C&C, unlike some of the similar meets around the States, is a traveling venue. Last week we were granted the opportunity to host the sizable crowd of drivers and regular attendees here at our own facility for a rare look at some of our headquarters.
Anyone who regularly makes an appearance at a C&C event knows how incredibly difficult it can be to drag yourself out of bed early on a Saturday morning to prep your car and drive before any food has hit your stomach. The drive into the show always provides the excitement buildup necessary to generate some energy, but the real kick is arriving at an event totally unprepared for the variety of builds, unique cars, and the total attendance numbers when they completely blow away any expectations.
We promoted the event alongside the NEO C&C crew, so a high attendance number was no surprise. However, seeing hundreds of people and cars of various makes and models pour into and out of the facility, all morning with seemingly no end thoroughly exceeded our collective imagination.
The crowds of enthusiasts milling about the overflowing parking lot were offered no shortage of excellent vehicles to see up close. Even for this writer, several first in-person sightings of favorite cars dominated the morning. One of the most appealing aspects of C&C events is the relaxed atmosphere that offers the opportunity to speak with owners of some interesting cars. From exotics to classics, and a host of modified contemporary cars, any type of gear-head could have seen something that makes them bust an enormous grin.
Some of the more noteworthy cars from the morning were an eclectic bunch of makes and models from very different roads of automotive history. An all-original BMW E9 3.0 Coupe pulled in amidst a crowd of vintage BMWs and immediately caught the attention of the folks who were in-the-know about that car’s notoriety. Alongside that E9, a period-correct Lamborghini Diablo drew the attention of nearly everyone in attendance at some point, as did an imported Makinen Edition Lan-Evo 6 that has to be one of very few Stateside.
Peppering the parking lot was more than strictly European cars, which made the event more successful. The presence of some well-done STis, an insane S14, and even an LS-swapped Miata were all featured around the lot and inside the ECS garage.
