Muscle cars, souped-up bikes flood Ace Cafe for Orlando venue's 1st anniversary

Brian Seckel considers the work he does on his 2011 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited Edition motorcycle a way to channel his creative side.The 45-year-old from Ocala has fully rebuilt the motor and installed a 3,000-watt stereo system, prepping the vehicle for competitions throughout Central Florida.“I cannot draw but this is my art,” said Seckel, who works as a mechanic at a Honda dealer. “It’s how I express myself. Everything I do has to do with bikes and cars.”Seckel spent part of his day Saturday celebrating the first anniversary of the opening of Ace Cafe, a venue for car and motorcycle enthusiasts to gather on Livingston Street in downtown Orlando.The daylong party featured sports and muscle cars, along with souped-up motorcycles and live music.

The hobby attracts those after different thrills than sports like baseball and football can provide, said Al Edmonds, 55.“I’ve just never been a stick-and-ball person,” said Edmonds, an Orlando resident who was showing off his deep purple 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 at the event. “I’ve always been a gearhead.”
Edmonds hosts a monthly meetup at Ace Cafe for Central Florida Mustang owners.The venue’s debut last year provided a central location for that gathering, one that had not existed before in the area, he said.“Most of the car shows are not close,” he said, noting that the bigger events were usually held in areas like Sanford or Lake Mary.But the variety of the cars he sees at Ford nights help bring Edmonds back, he said.

“When you think you have done everything, someone pulls up with something cool and new,” he said.When Ace Cafe opened in Orlando last year, it marked the first time the London-based franchise opened a location in North America.The company also has venues in Finland, China, Switzerland and Spain.

A walk through the Orlando location’s halls reveals several signs of the company’s reverence for the past.Classic motorcycles including a 1937 Brough Superior, a year in which only about 170 Superiors were built, sit in a museum on the second floor of the building.In addition, a calendar shows dates for meetings of clubs for owners of specific vehicles, like Porsche or modern muscle cars.

“Every day turns into its own car show,” said Matt Iporre, the venue’s operations manager.As he walked around checking out cars, Orlando resident Tim Wigington made a point to ask car owners questions what kind of power they had under the hood.Showcasing his 2004 Mercedes SLK32 helped Wigington feel like something of an educator because he could encourage others to learn about cars.Still, what he most likes about the shows are the camaraderie he feels from fellow car owners.

“Everybody shares their experiences,” said Wigington. “Some people are into fishing. Some are into golfing. I’m into cars.”