2001 My Classic Car Autofest

[wasions]

http://www.myclassiccar.com/mccautofest/autofest.html

I know you weren't there last year Aredub, but ya gotta talk it up anyway.
It's an absolute blast!

C'mon, you guys can't kid me. You're not just Subaru folk. You're CAR NUTS! This is the supreme American event for car nuts. Think of every stock or modified, old or new car imaginable and it'll be reresented at the event. Think Civic/Neon kids with 18 inch wheels and sub woofers. Think 13 DeLoreans, wings up, in a perfect echelon. Think stock '61 Rambler Wagon with a (also stock) monster V8 and an interior which folds completely flat (including the front bucket seats). Think 75 year-old funny little man chroming up his new PT Cruiser. Think REAL SC Cobras, and even faster copies. Think one (and only one) SVX (Let's not do that again!).

Friday there's a cruise-in on the Riverfront. (The DeLorean guys welcomed me as one of their own.) Showtime Saturday and Sunday at Robert's Municipal Stadium (thousands of shiny cars). Saturday night four or five blocks were blocked off by the city for a HUGE party in several new car dealer lots (take your pick). The dumps were uncapped, and there was racin' (well, really just burn-offs) in the street. Lots of tire smoke. Lots of whining blowers. Even the cops had ear-to-ear smiles.

Y'all come!

Steve

[Aredubjay]

My wife's birthday is on the 29th. Last year she spent the day on the road to Vermont. If she doesn't ask to be somewhere else for her birthday, this year, you won't be alone.

[LarryIII]

Wasions,

I took driver ed in high school in a '59 AMC 'something'. It was one down from the Ambassador and one up from the Rambler. It had a 6-cyl. engine and a push button automatic trans. What a dog.

Larry III

[Rev Hard]

But i am going to Carlisle for the custom compact power jam. May 4-6 check it out...

www.carsatcarlisle.com

PAUL!

[Aredubjay]

You do realize that you're going to drive right past Carlisle on your way to Reading, don't you. We stopped there last year to visit some acquaintences. Also, Brian "Never2Phat" Chaplinski lives in Carlisle and will be at the Reading meet. Small world, eh?

[wasions]

How about a '67 Toronado for drivers ed? :)

The Rambler was probably an American. Remember the Rambler Rebel (Red, White, & Blue) with Denim Interior? Predecessor to the AMX.

wasions@midwest.net

Steve

[svxter]

My wife's first car was a 59 Rambler American station wagon - looked sort of like an inverted bathtub on wheels. Flat-head six, stick shift, bare-bones interior. D**n, I wish we still had that car. In its own funky way, it had a lot of class, or nerve, depending upon your POV.

[Aredubjay]

Hey, Steve. Are you actually going to register your car for show? Let me know. And I'll put my registration in also, so, we can have a showing of two. It'd be great for some of youse guys "close" by to join us (St Louis? Chicagoland? Ohio? Tennessee?). It'd be a real chance to "stick out in a crowd." Not to mention, if we have a basic "formal organization" by then, we could "promote." Meanwhile, my stepson asked if I'd be interested in trying to get some cars together for a special show at his work. He said they're beginning to solicit different kinds of cars than their "typical." They have a Porsche get together scheduled this summer along with several others. Anybody be interested? Oh, I almost forgot to tell you where my stepson works: The National Corvette Museum, in Bowling Green, KY. Whaddaya think? :)

[wasions]

Yeah, I thought I would this year. It'd give me an excuse to spend the whole two and a half days there. There were a lot of guys that came and ogled my (oops! - Sharon's) car last year at the party, but I could have been better prepared - and showed it during the day. It's a very cool event for me, but I kinda like cruise-ins and car hops and stuff like that.

Have you seen the radical custom (very orange) Cord from Evansville? It shows up at a lot of those events. It's unbelievable! He drove it to the party.

Lots of vendors are showing up now too. It's not as big as the Frog Follies, but I don't have a pre-1948 SVX.

The show at the Corvette museum sounds awesome. More info please.

Steve

[Aredubjay]

Okay, then. SVXes will be represented. I'll send in my registration (just hope my wife in gonna like spending her birthday in Evansville.)

I'll get more details on the Corvette Museum thing next time my stepson comes in from school. I'll try to find out what they would need from us, and what (if anything) we'll get from them. :)

[montypython]

Autofest 2001 sounds like an event to attend ...... BUT ..... Sept 28-30 ??? :( I don't think so because I'll be in Indianapolis for the USF1 Grand Prix. :D Bad, Bad coordination.

[Aredubjay]

Well, Colin. I guess we can see where YOUR priorities lie, you "empty headed animal food trough water." "Now, go away, or I shall taunt you a second time-uh!" :D

[svxter]

Hey, i haven't visited lovely Evansville, IN in some years. Last time I there was for a bicycle race, uh , in, uh..... a few years back. Last weekend in Sept. should be possible for me. I'll get my registration in. Sounds like a fun weekend.

[wasions]

. . . and there's still six months to go.

svxtr, what was the race? Still ride? One of the greatest fall rides in the world takes place in E'ville, too. The Great Pumpkin Metric takes place in late September (or maybe early October). It's the only Sunday I can take off from church. Been there?

(I predict . . . It will rain during the first two days of qualifying in Indy, but not in sunny Evansville - just a few miles south, giving the snake man plenty of time with nothing to do.);)

Steve

[svxter]

Originally posted by wasions
. . . and there's still six months to go.

svxtr, what was the race? Still ride? One of the greatest fall rides in the world takes place in E'ville, too. The Great Pumpkin Metric takes place in late September (or maybe early October). It's the only Sunday I can take off from church. Been there?

Steve

No, Steve, I can't remember the race exactly. Like I said, it was quite a few years ago, probably about 20 (gasp!). I do remember that it was a road race, out into the country, then finished somewhere in town.

Haven't done any serious riding in quite a while, but I surely need to get back with it. My exercise program in general has gone down the tubes in the last couple of years, and my waistline shows it. :( A friend of mine is trying to talk me into down the BRAG (Bike Ride Across Georgia) this summer, may consider that.

[wasions]

I just finished watching this weeks 'My Classic Car' on TNN. It was about (wouldn't you know it) last years Autofest. They could have showed more cars - but the exciting thing was (!!!) they've changed the date. This years event will take place, according to the show, on October 13th, 14th, and 15th. I haven't checked to see if the website has changed. So, good news monty, Aredubjay!

svxter, I've heard that BRAG is a great ride. I've done one crossing, that being RAIn (Ride Across Indiana) which is a one-day event of 162 miles, in '92. My first long ride was the Pumpkin in '84 on a borrowed Infinity recumbent. I rode uprights for awhile after that and then sold a carbon-fiber Giant 980c so that I could buy a Ryan Vanguard (LWB recumbent). I've been riding recumbents ever since (except for the mtb - and the unicycle). Currently on a Rans Rocket SWB with a Sachs 3x7 and double chain ring (42 gears - <20 in. to >120 in.) and Magura hydraulic brakes. If you're serious about getting back into shape - recumbents put the fun back into the road. They're kinda like SVX's that way. Look here: http://www.bikeroute.com/BikeAnnex

I wasn't sure if I could bring that back around to the SVX or not!

Steve

[tober76b]

i've always wanted to try one of those cycles.
my uncle had hand-made a couple back when i was little,
but i was too short to try them out.
what's the balance like compared to a normal bike?
toby

[Aredubjay]

So, Steve. You can stop whining about being all alone last year. :) We will now be a "force of three." This oughtta be cool! I've seen many more Deloreans than I've seen SVXes in the neighborhood, so, we may be one of the most unique groups there. I haven't seen the Orange Cord, but, when I do, I'm afraid I'll puke (orange is as distasteful to me in cars as is yellow). I saw a deep maroon cord once, it was absolutely awesome. That would be one of the cars I'd love to have in my collection, if ever I was able to afford one. I'm beginning to get excited now.

[wasions]

. . . I must continue this bicycle thread.

Tober! Balance? What balance? If that was necessary, I couldn't ride 'em. (Everyone who knows me says I'm completely unbalanced.) Actually, a LWB (long wheelbase) recumbent is much like driving a car. You just sit down and steer. So much, in fact, that some high mileage bike riders just can't seem to get the hang of it. If you tense up, you can't ride a straight line. When you relax a little, it just comes naturally. The difference between a LWB and a SWB (short wheelbase - duh) is pronounced. Like between an Eldorado and a Midget. SWB's can be a little skittish until you get used to them. I prefer them because they're generally faster (higher bottom bracket, uh pedals - less frontal area - more efficient ergonomics) and feel sportier. My first LWB was USS (under seat steering) which adds even more to the frontal area (arms hanging at your sides) but is probably a more comfortable bicycle than most people can imagine. USS is cool too, because there's nothing between you and the sky. Kinda like the front seat of a stand-up roller coaster kind of feeling.

Another reason I like my SWB is that I can get it on the SVX, which I could NEVER do with the LWB. It has 20 in. wheels, like a bmx bike and fits upright in my rack and I can even leave the seat on. I'll try to post a pic of the bike on the SVX on the Yahoo site later.

Steve

[Aredubjay]

Those dates are even better, Steve. I won't have to talk my wife into spending her birthday at another SVX event. :). I'm still game. Meanwhile, we need to tell them to change the dates on their homepage!

[Aredubjay]

<<(Everyone who knows me says I'm completely unbalanced.)>>

Uh, mister chairman. I'll second.

All opposed? (Silence).

Motion passes by unanimous vote.

Any more old business? :D