OCA national meet

[PmL69]

In the last couple months i have been reading up on all the Oldsmobile clubs & i was really excited to learn that the OCA was holding there national meet right in my back yard at Seven Springs resort at Seven Springs Pa 15622. It will be held July 15-19 2009. Please go to the following site for more info

http://www.alleghenyrockets.org/nationals.htm

Just thought i would help spread the word

PML

[Redog]

I'll be there, but not until Saturday's show

[rocketraider]

If you wait till Saturday you won't see the main show. Judging is Friday and that's when all the cars will be on the showfield.

[68Tom]

I hope to be there Friday & Sat. Just hope I get my car done in time.

[ent72olds]

Tom, hope to see your car there also...after the disappointment you went through, it would be a nice recovery! We'll be there Wed, leaving Sat morning...hopefully the '70 Vista will be done in time also. I'll also be bringing the '65 Vista!

[PmL69]

Saturday was going to be my day but judging from what im reading on hear i might have to go friday night as well!!

[Redog]

Originally Posted by rocketraider

If you wait till Saturday you won't see the main show. Judging is Friday and that's when all the cars will be on the showfield.

I gotta work, Friday night is even pushing it

[The Stickman]

So what no one is on the show field on Saturday or Sunday? Everyone leave their cars at the hotel? Kinda sucks cause we were planning on doing saturday and Sunday.

[Bluevista]

There will be cars on the show field Saturday, judging is on Friday, Sunday morning it's over. They always take too long to come up with an itinerary which does add to the confusion. Take a lot of cash if you want to eat or do anything, the Mondello lectures are free.

http://www.alleghenyrockets.org/nationals.htm

Google Earth the place and look at the layout.
The hotel and the show field can't be too far apart, the swap my be a short walk.

[TK-65]

By noon friday the judging is over. Last year, about half the cars were gone by that night. Many of the swap meet vendors were gone by then too.

[68Tom]

Thanks Erik. I hope I make it too. I also hope the car looks good. haha. Will be cool to see the Vistas. Perhaps we can get together some time before the event. I hope to have the 442 back out here by the end of June.

Originally Posted by TK-65

By noon friday the judging is over. Last year, about half the cars were gone by that night. Many of the swap meet vendors were gone by then too.

Holy smokes. Really? Wow, maybe I should consider leaving here Thursday after work and spending an extra evening in PA.

[The Stickman]

Originally Posted by TK-65

By noon friday the judging is over. Last year, about half the cars were gone by that night. Many of the swap meet vendors were gone by then too.

Really? Excuse me for saying this but that's messed up. Every other show I go to is a a weekend show with some activites thursday friday. Certainly not over by friday afternoon. It just seems silly to have a show that is local(a few hours drive) and have to take time off from work. I mean isn't that the reason for moving it around each year so people in other parts of the country can get to enjoy the national show?

[olds68]

I have to side with Stickman's reply also. I have been to 7 National events and the show is not over on Friday. Granted, all the cars are on the showfield in their respective positions on Friday for judging but many remain through Saturday. Judging usually lasts the better part of the day on Friday and results typically are not posted until the following afternoon which should keep the attendees in the area. Other activities parallel the show so that wives, friends, children and others can be amused while us Olds nuts drool over the cars. It's a vacation to be enjoyed by all. And yes, OCA tries to keep the show moving to cover all areas of the country.
My plug is that we're doing it in New England in 2010 for the 1st time!
Come on down, or is that up.

[TK-65]

I was in Dearborn from Wed thru Sat. Thursday is the official start day, not much was going on. Hardly any people in the show field, some cars but no people. Friday morning was the main day, all the cars were out with their owners preping them. By Friday night the trailer queens were back in the trailers. On Saturday 25% of the regular cars were gone, and there was hardly any foot traffic.

I am used to the Saturday afternoon, sit and talk to spectators kind of show. OCA is nothing like that.

[rocketraider]

Dearborn was a different animal because of the gas prices last summer. There were a LOT of cancellations. That's also why judging didn't take as long, since I can't tell you the times I've been out there judging all day- from right after judges breakfast til late Friday afternoon.

If Obamanomics doesn't jack up fuel prices again, I think you'll see a good turnout in Seven Springs.

OCA Nationals is designed as a vacation type thing, since the idea is that if people are going to drive great distances to attend, there should be more for a family or couple to do than just a car show. Granted, going alone I spend most of my time in the show or swap meet, but I can understand needing to entertain the rest of the family who might not be as "into" cars.


Those of you yelping about having to take time off work- I believe that is why we have the benefit of vacation time, to cover doing something like this. The ten years I was an OCA director, seemed like the National Meet was always scheduled the week that I had to burn up 68 hours of vacation to get the time off- 40 hours to get Tues-Friday, then 28 more to get the weekend night shift. Yeah, it kinda bugged me to have to use that much time when other people could get by with 40 or less, but bottom line was it was something I enjoyed, and I had the time available to take. It was use it or lose it, and I was not about to lose it.

Of course, anyone who has a better idea how to do it is welcome to present it to your Zone Directors who will in turn present it to the Board. That's a polite way of saying if you don't have a better idea and are willing to help execute it, quityerbitchin.

I can speak from experience that putting on a Nationals is a lot of hard thankless work, and the people who bitch the loudest never offer any help. One guy in Greensboro bitched so much that finally, midway the show, I told the meet treasurer to refund his money and suggested he go home. Then he wrote nastygrams to JWO about it. Found out later two other Nationals host chapters had had trouble with the guy before us, though we were the first to refund his cash.

And people wonder why I left the BOD and retreated to just being a member who gets his JWO every month. At least at work I get paid to take abuse.

[Jamesbo]

It would be neat if someone make up some t-shirts saying ClassicOldsmobile.com

So people could actually shake hands with thier cyber friends

[68Tom]

That would be pretty cool. I am going by myself and literally will know no one as I have never been to an Olds Nats before. I just hope I'm able to get my car on the field. I guess I might enter it for judging, even though I'm not super concerned about it. It might be a good wait to get some finishing pointers I might have missed.

And rocketraider, I believe you when you say it's a lot of thankless work. A ton of time and effort goes into planning that type of event, and when you're "involved" with such a thing, you don't even really have a ton of time to step back and enjoy it. I sort of equate it to most of the letters written in to every muscle car magazine. People are always complaining about something and threatening to unsubscribe. You can please some of the people some of the time.... I just sit back and enjoy what I can.

[ent72olds]

Rocketraider, I have to agree with you 100%! The amount of hard work, planning, dedication, and personal time let alone vacation time spent by everybody involved in putting this event on every year can go un-noticed...let me be the first to say ...thank you to all involved! I' ve done judging for our local Lion's Club Chapter here where I live and that is not even a blip on the radar compared to something like this(about 300 cars), and you are on you're feet all day, people are pulling you in every direction, you can't pee or eat, people are complaining"when are you going to look at my car".....I believe some of the guys' words are just coming out wrong. They are probably more disappointed than angry I think (if I'm wrong, please correct me!)... Jamesbo, I like your idea with the t-shirts! Do we have a way to get this done? I know probably half of us going would buy at least one. Any silkscreeners driving oldses! I hope to meet some of you guys there and I may even PM some guys close to me as we get closer to the date!

[csstrux]

Originally Posted by Jamesbo

It would be neat if someone make up some t-shirts saying ClassicOldsmobile.com

So people could actually shake hands with thier cyber friends

Linda and I have been talking about starting something along those lines and have some of the equipment to do so. could probably whip a couple up, but they would still be coarse, and we will not be there. Are you going?

[toro68]

Originally Posted by rocketraider

Dearborn was a different animal because of the gas prices last summer. There were a LOT of cancellations. That's also why judging didn't take as long, since I can't tell you the times I've been out there judging all day- from right after judges breakfast til late Friday afternoon.

If Obamanomics doesn't jack up fuel prices again, I think you'll see a good turnout in Seven Springs.

OCA Nationals is designed as a vacation type thing, since the idea is that if people are going to drive great distances to attend, there should be more for a family or couple to do than just a car show. Granted, going alone I spend most of my time in the show or swap meet, but I can understand needing to entertain the rest of the family who might not be as "into" cars.


Those of you yelping about having to take time off work- I believe that is why we have the benefit of vacation time, to cover doing something like this. The ten years I was an OCA director, seemed like the National Meet was always scheduled the week that I had to burn up 68 hours of vacation to get the time off- 40 hours to get Tues-Friday, then 28 more to get the weekend night shift. Yeah, it kinda bugged me to have to use that much time when other people could get by with 40 or less, but bottom line was it was something I enjoyed, and I had the time available to take. It was use it or lose it, and I was not about to lose it.

Of course, anyone who has a better idea how to do it is welcome to present it to your Zone Directors who will in turn present it to the Board. That's a polite way of saying if you don't have a better idea and are willing to help execute it, quityerbitchin.

I can speak from experience that putting on a Nationals is a lot of hard thankless work, and the people who bitch the loudest never offer any help. One guy in Greensboro bitched so much that finally, midway the show, I told the meet treasurer to refund his money and suggested he go home. Then he wrote nastygrams to JWO about it. Found out later two other Nationals host chapters had had trouble with the guy before us, though we were the first to refund his cash.

And people wonder why I left the BOD and retreated to just being a member who gets his JWO every month. At least at work I get paid to take abuse.

At the 1995 Olds Nationals in Greensboro,NC I had a BLAST !!!!
I would have to say it was one of THE BEST Nats in the 1990s for sure!

I never knew about the unhappy guy at that show - all I have to say it was his own fault

[Jamesbo]

Originally Posted by csstrux

Linda and I have been talking about starting something along those lines and have some of the equipment to do so. could probably whip a couple up, but they would still be coarse, and we will not be there. Are you going?

Unfortunately no. I just threw the idea out for members. It's funny how some of us have become friends w/o ever meeting.

[citcapp]

The T shirt is a great idea. The cool thing about this site is that it shows you can make friends long distance East to West North to South we all share the same interest.

[Aron Nance]

Rocketraider is right on the mark! Our Club has hosted the OCA Nationals twice (1999 & 2006), and it is 3-4 YEARS of hard work. You would be amazed at the number of problems that crop up, and are solved, before/during/and after the event, generally with the general populance unaware there was a problem. Thinking on your feet is an understatement. Main thing is to attend and have a great time. I get new ideas at every Nats, see wonderful country going/and/coming (my wife is my nagavator - purposful misspelling!). This year, after travelling to Seven Springs, we will continue on to Virginia and see the magnificant homes in that area (Thomas Jefferson/John Adams/James Monroe). What's that old saying - you can please some of the people all the time, or all the people some of the time, but you'll never do 'em all at the same time.

[Bluevista]

I have to go for a day just to spy on you guys.
I also think everybody from Classic Olds should wear something to show that they're members.

How about this hat?




I thought the quote was "You can fool some of the people all of the time, or all of the people some of the time... but you can't fool Mom".

[car_designer]

I am planning on going to the OCA National meet this year.

It should be a fun drive, but there are a lot of hills between the Great White North and the Nationals for the 307 to deal with.

[jeffreyalman]

wish I could go this year, went the last 2 and enjoyed Bowling Green and Dearborn. My Toro won Sr at Greensboro in 95 (before I had her, but I have the placque) Gas last year to Dearborn was $3.69 a gallon, from MIAMI!!! That was an expensive ride, but still better than dealing with TSA people.

[rocketraider]

Is there any chance you have Joe Coyle's Toronado?

I need to get my Seven Springs registration in the mail. After all this gall bladder mess came up in March I had held off, because of not knowing how that would turn out. The surgery was done Friday and I should be up and running again in a week or so, so I'll try to get the check in the mail this week.

Look for a faded silver 83 Custom Cruiser with a Vajenya Tobacco Heritage license plate. It won't be in the showfield since the host group opted not to have the beater class this year, but I think that car would take you to hell and bring you back if you asked it.

I need to make friends with another high school boy taking auto body classes so I can get the old girl painted again. HS auto body kids painted it in 2000 and it held up pretty well until the last two years. Not after show quality any way- more preservation. It cost me materials and pizza lunch for 20 auto body students, and helping the one who lined things up for me install a cam in his Camaro.

[jeffreyalman]

Originally Posted by rocketraider

Is there any chance you have Joe Coyle's Toronado?

I do indeed, the story of it is on my hemmings homepage, link in my signature

Found it on hemmings.com and bought it from Sharon (Joe's widow) sight unseen going on 3 years ago. She picked me up at BWI and I drove it home (to Florida)

It is still spectacular. It has since been to Nationals at Bowling Green (I had to buy a vendors spot to park, was too late for the show) and to the west coast of Florida several times for OCF BOPC etc. What a great car.

I'm sure Joe is pleased at the care and love it is getting.

[442much]

If I remember correctly, it was Joe's Toro that was beside my car (and a 1976 Delta) as we were staging for the parade. His car (I believe) was also chosen by Oldsmobile to represent its year in Lansing.

[jeffreyalman]

Originally Posted by 442much

If I remember correctly, it was Joe's Toro that was beside my car (and a 1976 Delta) as we were staging for the parade. His car (I believe) was also chosen by Oldsmobile to represent its year in Lansing.

You are correct, that was Joe's car at Lansing. The coolest thing about the car was that I got "the book" of every service that ever happened. He was quite meticulous. I am fairly certain that wheel covers followed the wheels around the car at tire rotations for 31 (now 36) years. His instructions to service managers was very specific. The car is still like Joe kept it, like new.