I took my car to the "local" car show/gathering today. Only about 30 cars when I got there, but in the next hour or so, another 100 showed up. Watching them roll in, seeing them drive by slowly and back into a spot, watching them drive up singly, or in small packs (like 2 Shelby Cobras and a GT350 pulled in together, and at another time a group of late 50's Impala lowriders pulled in the parking lot as a group). Anyways - some really fantastic cars there - at various stages from full show to just getting started on restoration. And yes, I had my car parked in the lineup. Wavy bondo sided and all. Dirty too - didn't even bother to wash her down before the show!

Some of the jaw droppers for me were a PAIR of NEW Ford GT's! (not Mustang GT, but as in the supercar's with the mid mounted supercharged V8!) My jaw dropped. Oh, and the 3 Panteras were looking NICE as well. Some of the custom hot rods were amazing, and of course there were more first gen Camaros than you could throw a stick at - some with the widest rear tires I've ever seen.

And when I was leaving, and about to get in my car - there was this kid walking around with his dad - he must have been 12 or 14 or so. And guess what? He was taking a picture of MY car! Wavy bondo sided and dirty. Taking a pic of my car!

I gave the dad a smile and a big nod. Another future FGF'r right there I tell ya!

With all the amazing cars there at the show, to see the kid's enthusiasm for my Firebird... well - it really was the best part of the show for me. (maybe next time I'll wash her first before taking her out!)

ps - my other FGF'rs weren't there today - but there will soon come a weekend when we show up 10 fold and take up half an aisle to ourselves!!

I remember the first show I took my bird to shortly after I got it and it really looked rough and was barely running - the Electric City GTO Club show at the Schenectady Airport. People saw me pull in and rushed over to tell me how cool my car was and two different people wanted to buy it. My wife was amazed because she thought it was a POS and couldn't figure out why I even bought it. Its like the fairly attractive "regular girl" at the bar that gets more attention than the unapproachable knockout.

I remember the last show I entered. Back about 10 years ago. I had my red 69 400 car at that time. I had restored it end to end. One of those deals where you have had time to really get it right. Paint job wheeled out and gleaming. Interior all replaced with Year One stuff. Even detailed under the hood. They parked me in with a bunch of Chevelles. The Chevelle next to me won first place. Shag carpet on the dash. Funky tach clamped on the steering wheel. The hood wouldn't open, or so they said. You could see the rusty engine through the wheel wells. I didn't even place. Yep, that was the last one..... Now, I go and don't bring my cars. I have much more fun cruising than sitting in a loung chair.

Well Jim, you could either add shag carpeting or stop showing it at Chevelle-only meets.

Try again with the 'vert Jim. People need to be aware our cars exist and how beautiful they are.

Just about every time I drive mine around, I get people waving or stopping to talk about it. Young and old alike. And mine ain't the prettiest neither.

Who says you need to sit by the car, anyway?

Well, it's a Chevy town in a Chevy world. And I was at a GM plant union show. Yep, a Chevy plant show. And if you don't sit right by your car you get two things:
1.Lots of fingerprints and the mystery sauce LOL.
2. No votes.

That's why I like the local gathering. I'm not sure how it started, but it's just a gathering. No one is running it, it runs itself! There's no cones set up, there's no rules about cars, nobody telling you where to park, there's no awards, no vendors, not even any police/security. Just people all gathering together in a parking lot every other Saturday from whenever to whenever! (yeah, no start time either!) Some people bring chairs and sit by their car - I'm much happier to just park her with the windows down, pop the hood open 6" just in case anyone wants a peak, and walk around and stare at other people's cars the whole time.

Sounds like a good time. We used to have something like that but it has faded away....

We have a cruise night in our town the second wednesday each month in the summer. It now draws 500-600 pre-75 cars and has become the largest gathering in this Chicago area collar county. They close off two cross streets, a public lot and three bank parking lots and often reach capacity early on nice evenings. Four to six area restaurants set up booths with their food and a DJ plays 50s, 60s and 70s tunes. Three 1st gens are now regulars and sometimes a couple different ones will appear.

I enjoy watching the dads showing and discussing the cars with their kids.
July 2003

I just came home from a car show myself. I really appreciate Bob S.'s quote,"Its like the fairly attractive "regular girl" at the bar that gets more attention than the unapproachable knockout." That's exactly the reaction people have to my car. I don't bother to stick around for the awards ceremony. I don't give a rip how my car stacks up against anyone's. I set up chairs and then walk around looking at cars and talking to people. Then when I've seen enough, I pack up and go.

I entered my 'bird in a concours show today (always do, just to hang out and see the cars) and of the 123 cars judged, 5 were first gen Firebirds, and of the four trophies given in the '65-'69 class, two 100 point first place trophies were given to FGFs. One is a TA 'vert clone from my cruise group, the other is a new acquaintance with a gorgeous '68 convertible.




The yellow bird still stands out, even if it doesn't catch the big trophies. I found it's a lot more fun to keep it in driving condition than showing condition.

Instead of sticks, can we throw rocks at the cramaros?

Steve, my back is more than shot from today's grind. I started out with the oncoming of a cold Friday morning. Other people at work were the forerunners of the cold. I never get sick, not even colds--probabally 15 or so years since my last one. I guess it's because the venilation system in the building is a big vd exchanger.

I slept a better part of yesterday, something I haven't done for at least 10 years, and felt a lot better this morning. Until this moring, I still hadn't fixed the rust on the left side of the car. I cleaned the areas up, fabricated patches (4), welded them in, grinded them, and grinded the surface rust on the left side. Next, I started grinding the surface rust on the hood. I also worked on the headlight sorounds. Of course, when I cleared, it had to orange peel like a MOFO, so I get another round of clear once the clear hardens enough to color sand. I was going to do a wipe of plastic over the patches, but I said the heck with it, because I didn't feel like jumping on it with a longboard while the mud was green.

If I could have managed to crank out a few days like today earlier, I would have been rolling. That's okay, it's just around the corner.

Wouldn't you know it? Wally world seems to have quit selling spray paint, so I have to find another source. I need at least one more can of base and and about 3 cans of clear.

Merv,

I was going to drop you a PM. With the rain (yuck) today and colder weather - I'd prefer not to be rolling around on my garage floor after work today. Sounds like the condition you're in, you shouldn't be doing so either - so what do you say we try for Wednesday this week if you're feeling up to it?

As for Wally World - yeah, I found that out last night too! I went to pick up some candy apple metallic spray paint for one of my guitar projects, and ALL the spray paint from their automotive section was gone?! Now I noticed they still have a variety of spray paint in their paint dept - but not the automotive kind, and not candy apple metallic. I wonder why they stopped selling them??? Now I'll have to try Advance Auto or someplace like that - othewise I'm ordering stuff online I guess, paying double to triple the price, and shipping, and then waiting 7-10 days for delivery? Ugh.

Went to see a local A&W show yesterday with the FB but parked just outside the show area. While I was wandering through it was fun watching the number of people taking a detour out of show row to have a look at mine.

Nice to hear everyone is busy getting out there and enjoying their birds! Just like is should be!

I missed a show I had fully intended on going to on Sunday... an All Pontiac show too! Oh well... I see a lot of that happening this year!

Hey Vikki, on the New to the group Blue bird, what is the sticker on the front drivers side gusset? It's not an A.I.R. sticker is it for the Smog Pump? Just curious as you don't see many stickers in that area and I had to ask...

Thanks guys, keep the cruise-in tales coming!

Brett - 67 Drop Top 455! (sitting in the Garage!)

When i go, I usually park my car ,walk around or just leave it and go eat....I`m not there to sit in my chair...some shows I just drive to in my Firebird , leave it next to the show and walk around...its great to see people leave the show to step over to my car! LOL

The sticker was the engine rebuilder's advertisement...I was surprised to see it, the car is incredible and yet here was this modern adhesive decal...he must really like his engine builder!

I park the car, top down, hood up, and leave to go through the swap meet, car corral, and to check out the rest of the cars. After I'm done "shopping" I come back to the car, grab my chair and a cold beverage, and congregate with other car owners and chat about (what else) our cars. At the end of the day I go back through the swap meet and car corral to look for late discounts, and then one more lap around the show to see if I missed anything.

I also leave business cards for my website under the wiper arm, so anyone interested can take one.

What the heck is "mystery sauce"???

My town just started a cruise night every Thursday around the historic Crown Point "Square" Dillenger broke out of the jail here with the fake gun made of soap
Anyway, it rained the last 2 Thursdays but last week it was really nice out and the cars were out!
I pulled in right after 2 other FGF's (both 69's). They "live" right down the road from me too!
Pontiac's in general were very well represented with a hand full of FGF, second gens and a couple GP's