Information for newbies:
1. When you arrive at the Carlisle fairgrounds you will most likely pass two gates on your right - the first will be for general admission and the second will be for registering or registered participants. You will see a small building outside the registration gate, pull into the parking lot in front and go inside to get your registration materials. At this poiint the excitement begins since you will see other replica and import cars parked there. Once you get your registratiuon materials pull out of the lot and through the gate. Proceed straight ahead and the road will curve around to the right - kep going, you'll see the tent and other Speedsters/Spyders.
2. There will probably not be wash down facilities at the hotels so if you want to wash and shine your Speedster/Spyder, Carlisle has facilities on the grounds about 100 yards inside the registration gate on your left. There are several hoses and running water for your use.
3. Carlisle calls the meet field the "Fun Field", not the "Show Field" so don't worry if your car is not a perfect show car, come and have fun
4. Take the time to walk around the Carlisle fairgounds, there is alot going on. There is a swap meet. replicas and imports for sale, seminars, a couple of buildings of replica manufacturers playing their products, jazz on Saturday, Volvo is the marque so there will be displays, a variety of great affordable food, an SCCA road course/autocross up over the hill, a Standard of Excellence competition, watch for something called the "Steel Yard" in front of the grandstand - a teeter totter that people drive their cars onto and try to balance it, and a car giveaway on Sunday at 4:00.
5. Carlisle isn't the only game in town - catch up to the Speedster group and find out about the dinner cruises and Saturday night awards dinner with a great 5-man panel put together by Gordon Nichols.
ECB
"... don't worry if your car is not a perfect show car, come and have fun ..."
Thank the stars! If I keep taking little nicks and dings the way I have been, my jalopy will look like Spongebob Squarepants by then!
WOO-HOO! Days to go ...
Thank the stars! If I keep taking little nicks and dings the way I have been, my jalopy will look like Spongebob Squarepants by then!
WOO-HOO! Days to go ...
FIRST TIME REGISTRANTS!!!!!!!!
The registration gate is GATE 3.
From the hotel, take RT 11 into town (right, out of the hotel lot) and drive about 5 minutes to the light at Clay Street (look for the infamous Hess Gas Station).
Right onto Clay, then merge onto Spring Street. Pass gate 2 and proceed up to gate 3 and enter on the right. The rest of the directions are in Bruce's post above.
There is also a downloadable/printable PDF file of the entire field, as well as directions from everywhere on the Carlisle web site.
Speedsters Meet Spyders will be in Rows J & K, slots 186 - 216
The registration gate is GATE 3.
From the hotel, take RT 11 into town (right, out of the hotel lot) and drive about 5 minutes to the light at Clay Street (look for the infamous Hess Gas Station).
Right onto Clay, then merge onto Spring Street. Pass gate 2 and proceed up to gate 3 and enter on the right. The rest of the directions are in Bruce's post above.
There is also a downloadable/printable PDF file of the entire field, as well as directions from everywhere on the Carlisle web site.
Speedsters Meet Spyders will be in Rows J & K, slots 186 - 216
Is it too late to get involved with this cruise/event?
David,
It's never too late -- unless it's Sunday Afternoon. Then it will be too late. Believe the old hands here running the show are all out on the road finding their way around back country roads that will, if lucky, end up at Carisle. Doubt they have cell-phone e-mail hooked up. My advice to you is to get to the Fairgrounds as soon as possible and look for the SOC tent and all the Speedsters parked nearby. Then take it from there. And bring beer.
Kelly
It's never too late -- unless it's Sunday Afternoon. Then it will be too late. Believe the old hands here running the show are all out on the road finding their way around back country roads that will, if lucky, end up at Carisle. Doubt they have cell-phone e-mail hooked up. My advice to you is to get to the Fairgrounds as soon as possible and look for the SOC tent and all the Speedsters parked nearby. Then take it from there. And bring beer.
Kelly
Beer's optional, but as Kelley mentioned, come on down, register at Gate 3 (out back, see above post) and find us out on the field.
We can accept a few "walk-ins" for dinner on Friday and Saturday, just let us know at the "Speedsters Meet Spyders" tent each day before 3pm and we'll add you to the dinner headcount.
There were about 25 for dinner tonight (Thursday) and it looks like over 50 for each of the next two nights.
Looks like the weather will cooperate, too, as today was GORGEOUS and tonight's dinner cruise was OUTSTANDING! 65 - 70 degrees, clear skies and broad smiles everywhere!!
See Y'all at Carlisle!!
First pictures tomorrow night...stay tuned........
Gordon
We can accept a few "walk-ins" for dinner on Friday and Saturday, just let us know at the "Speedsters Meet Spyders" tent each day before 3pm and we'll add you to the dinner headcount.
There were about 25 for dinner tonight (Thursday) and it looks like over 50 for each of the next two nights.
Looks like the weather will cooperate, too, as today was GORGEOUS and tonight's dinner cruise was OUTSTANDING! 65 - 70 degrees, clear skies and broad smiles everywhere!!
See Y'all at Carlisle!!
First pictures tomorrow night...stay tuned........
Gordon
Gordon -
Here's hoping the weather stays nice. Looking forward to seeing those pics! Have fun and be safe!
Peace - Out!
Here's hoping the weather stays nice. Looking forward to seeing those pics! Have fun and be safe!
Peace - Out!
The weather held, unbelievable! Only a sprinkle while we slept Saturday night.
Chris Nichols took a ton of great photos and I suspect he will have them posted soon. A another terrific weekend with plenty to do, old and new friends and great cruises. Great job by everyone involved!
Chris Nichols took a ton of great photos and I suspect he will have them posted soon. A another terrific weekend with plenty to do, old and new friends and great cruises. Great job by everyone involved!
We had a blast with great weather and good friends. Everyone that wanted to drive Hoopity did, with some unique test drivers that I am sure Cory will post.
~ Thanks all for making this event such a complete success! ~
~ Thanks all for making this event such a complete success! ~
It was more fun than I ever expected. My first carlisle with my own car and I had an incredible time. From driving the Hoopty to an inside perspective of the industry from Henry, John & Carey to incredible cruises with a long string of speedies, all I can say is WOW! I'll be there again next year!!!!
Hey Cory, can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next for the Hoopty. Even Chuck was impressed. You gotta be so proud . . . the Hoopty was the hit of the event!
Hey Cory, can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next for the Hoopty. Even Chuck was impressed. You gotta be so proud . . . the Hoopty was the hit of the event!
I kept tellin' Cory that it'd be the hit of the show, and he was almost ashamed to park it next to our "shiny shinies". Henry Reisner was impressed and had some excellent feedback on some fine tuning tips. Chuck Beck was looking it over with a grin on his face. All in all, I think Cory had a good time. I sure as heck did!
Lambros was taking spy-video of the 904 Chuck brought while Mickey and I toured the pavilion closest to the SOC tent. Loads of cool cars there, but all I wanted to see were the MG/Miata Jag conversions. They're AWESOME.
Chuck's 904 wasn't under the pavilion much. You could hear it coming and going, but I rarely saw it. Lambros and his camera were standing near the 904 when Mickey and I walked up to finally put an eyeball on it, and I'll be gull-darned if he wasn't having a conversation with Chuck himself.
To me, that guy is the plankowner of this hobby. I know Henry and Kevin have been around for a long time, but I've always wanted to meet Chuck. It'd be like a back-alley brawler getting to meet Ali.
Anyway, Lambros stalls the conversation he's having about the 904 to make my introduction. Chuck was going to autocross the 904, and had been told to come back in a half-hour's time for his turn (can you imagine the hoo-bahs on the guy who told him that?), so I got the old courage up and asked him if he had a couple minutes to kill.
In my mind, the conversation went something like this:
Me -- "Mr. Beck, I'm a huge fan. Would you like to see what I cobbled together?"
Chuck -- "No. I've seen thousands of pieces of --"
Lambros -- "Oh, no you haven't. You might have something there with that 904, but you HAVE to see the Hoopty."
Chuck -- "Lambros, I trust you completely. I will have a look."
However it REALLY went, Lambros, Chuck and I walked about 100 feet to the Sloppy Jalopy, and Chuck didn't even raise an eyebrow. I thought for sure he was going to walk away just as quickly. I was shocked that he didn't.
When I asked him to hang on for a couple minutes while I opened it up, I was surprised he stayed. When I took loose the Dzus fasteners and disconnected the electrics, he watched me open the front and back -- and his mouth made a perfect "O." (Talk about COOL.)
He asked me if I was aiming at any particular re-creation goal, and I told him I just wanted a 50s racer but couldn't possibly afford the real thing. I figured he already guessed as much. Unbelievably -- especially considering the conversation I had with Carey later -- Chuck Friggin' Beck looked at my car for a good 15-20 minutes.
He asked about the steering rack, the engine specifications, Raby's shroud (thanks, Jake!), Sartwell's transmission, the torsion tube and beam modifications and where the CenterLines came from.
Then, as he was heading off to dial in his carbs or maybe adjust the shocks on the 904, he said it.
"Son, if you were going for the 50s racer, you nailed it. I like your car."
You could have knocked me over with a feather. Carey told me later that he's walked away from home-built cars in the past in seconds, and that the conversation and inspection of mine was really something.
I was tickled to death. Wow.
I also owe everybody who saw the conversation happening -- big thanks for a couple things. I didn't even notice until Chuck was back up the hill that you guys had faded back to give us space. I don't know why you all did that, but that was cool. And for you guys to take pictures so I'd have a photo or 30 for the wall in my den? WAY over the top!
You guys ROCK!
Chuck's 904 wasn't under the pavilion much. You could hear it coming and going, but I rarely saw it. Lambros and his camera were standing near the 904 when Mickey and I walked up to finally put an eyeball on it, and I'll be gull-darned if he wasn't having a conversation with Chuck himself.
To me, that guy is the plankowner of this hobby. I know Henry and Kevin have been around for a long time, but I've always wanted to meet Chuck. It'd be like a back-alley brawler getting to meet Ali.
Anyway, Lambros stalls the conversation he's having about the 904 to make my introduction. Chuck was going to autocross the 904, and had been told to come back in a half-hour's time for his turn (can you imagine the hoo-bahs on the guy who told him that?), so I got the old courage up and asked him if he had a couple minutes to kill.
In my mind, the conversation went something like this:
Me -- "Mr. Beck, I'm a huge fan. Would you like to see what I cobbled together?"
Chuck -- "No. I've seen thousands of pieces of --"
Lambros -- "Oh, no you haven't. You might have something there with that 904, but you HAVE to see the Hoopty."
Chuck -- "Lambros, I trust you completely. I will have a look."
However it REALLY went, Lambros, Chuck and I walked about 100 feet to the Sloppy Jalopy, and Chuck didn't even raise an eyebrow. I thought for sure he was going to walk away just as quickly. I was shocked that he didn't.
When I asked him to hang on for a couple minutes while I opened it up, I was surprised he stayed. When I took loose the Dzus fasteners and disconnected the electrics, he watched me open the front and back -- and his mouth made a perfect "O." (Talk about COOL.)
He asked me if I was aiming at any particular re-creation goal, and I told him I just wanted a 50s racer but couldn't possibly afford the real thing. I figured he already guessed as much. Unbelievably -- especially considering the conversation I had with Carey later -- Chuck Friggin' Beck looked at my car for a good 15-20 minutes.
He asked about the steering rack, the engine specifications, Raby's shroud (thanks, Jake!), Sartwell's transmission, the torsion tube and beam modifications and where the CenterLines came from.
Then, as he was heading off to dial in his carbs or maybe adjust the shocks on the 904, he said it.
"Son, if you were going for the 50s racer, you nailed it. I like your car."
You could have knocked me over with a feather. Carey told me later that he's walked away from home-built cars in the past in seconds, and that the conversation and inspection of mine was really something.
I was tickled to death. Wow.
I also owe everybody who saw the conversation happening -- big thanks for a couple things. I didn't even notice until Chuck was back up the hill that you guys had faded back to give us space. I don't know why you all did that, but that was cool. And for you guys to take pictures so I'd have a photo or 30 for the wall in my den? WAY over the top!
You guys ROCK!
I can't find my dang card reader! No pictures until I scour my backpack; I'll either find it or buy a new one by tonight.
Lane, you were right. I think my ugly little manace was a smash hit. If I can remember the names of all the folks who drove the thing, I'll be able to label the pictures -- but I think the only people who didn't drive it were Hoss and Chuck.
Henry had it out for quite a while, long enough for the SOCers at our site to wonder if maybe he was putting leather and carpet in it. Carey wound out the rev limiter and both guys had excellent feedback on the minor tweeks left to add. Henry, with that wicked-cool accent of his, said, "You might want to tell somebody about the brakes BEFORE they drive it."
It pulls to the left a little on hard deceleration ...
Carey and Henry both agreed I need adjustable coil-overs for the rear; I'll be doing that next.
Lessee ...
Lambros, who had just sold his car, looked like he needed a pick-me-up; the keys were his whenever he wanted them. SEG? You bet.
Wild Bill brought his outlaw with its four trumpets, and he had a big SEG on his head when he got back. (Bill - thanks! I bought the gas on the way home without spending a dollar. Don't let 'em tell you otherwise; you're a gentleman and a scholar.)
Paul had a smile on his face so big I thought he was going to swallow his shirt collar.
Ron was rumored to have taken a spin, but I don't know for sure if he did -- if I was around, I can't remember.
Danny traded a performance drive for a similar run in his Spyder -- I made out on that deal. I'm STILL smiling!
Lane, naturally, got his stick-time and SEG. Twice.
Rocky looked right at home. I think he wanted Nomex and a light-tree. SEG? Check.
Alan puttered around -- as far as I know, he never hit the gas.
Chris was a great source of performance feedback; I think he put it through its paces.
Gordon looked like his pulse might have quickened a bit -- for a guy as mild-mannered as he is, it was no small thing to hit a BP of 120/80.
Bruce had a grin on his face like a Buick grille.
Tom didn't stop smiling all weekend, and kept thanking me.
I'm not sure if Lew got a shot at the pedals -- I might or might not have been there for it -- but I hope he did.
Kelly gave me a really hip ballcap with "Type Hoopty" embroidered on it, and finally took the 2424cc engine out. He had driven it before in its 2366 configuration. Chuck noticed the hat.
Stacey (who looks killer in a flying helmet) said it was more fun than he'd had at the wheel in decades. That said a lot. His pencil-thin moustache looked like the one on Dennis Gage's grape. He also went to the swap meet and brought me back a billet oil filler cap -- THANKS! It seems we baked the old one into a too-brittle state.
Mickey, I think you drove the gel out of your hair, buddy. You looked like a kid at the science museum with his hand on the static generator! (Good to see you again, too.)
I don't honestly remember if Brian got to spin it or not. I know he was there Saturday, but I didn't get to spend a lot of time with him.
Tom looked like the classic "Spies Like Us" G-force, stretched-face test-pilot. Big ole' grin.
Steve-O said the Hoopty would walk all over his Subaru. Time for the turbo, my man.
Max drove the car, looking cool as a cucumber. Paraphrasing: "Cooool, mannnn."
Kevin Hines drove it, too. He hadn't driven a replicar in years, if I understood Carey correctly, and he liked it a lot.
... Geez. I know more folks than that drove the Hoopty ...
But it was a BLAST.
(more)
Lane, you were right. I think my ugly little manace was a smash hit. If I can remember the names of all the folks who drove the thing, I'll be able to label the pictures -- but I think the only people who didn't drive it were Hoss and Chuck.
Henry had it out for quite a while, long enough for the SOCers at our site to wonder if maybe he was putting leather and carpet in it. Carey wound out the rev limiter and both guys had excellent feedback on the minor tweeks left to add. Henry, with that wicked-cool accent of his, said, "You might want to tell somebody about the brakes BEFORE they drive it."
It pulls to the left a little on hard deceleration ...
Carey and Henry both agreed I need adjustable coil-overs for the rear; I'll be doing that next.
Lessee ...
Lambros, who had just sold his car, looked like he needed a pick-me-up; the keys were his whenever he wanted them. SEG? You bet.
Wild Bill brought his outlaw with its four trumpets, and he had a big SEG on his head when he got back. (Bill - thanks! I bought the gas on the way home without spending a dollar. Don't let 'em tell you otherwise; you're a gentleman and a scholar.)
Paul had a smile on his face so big I thought he was going to swallow his shirt collar.
Ron was rumored to have taken a spin, but I don't know for sure if he did -- if I was around, I can't remember.
Danny traded a performance drive for a similar run in his Spyder -- I made out on that deal. I'm STILL smiling!
Lane, naturally, got his stick-time and SEG. Twice.
Rocky looked right at home. I think he wanted Nomex and a light-tree. SEG? Check.
Alan puttered around -- as far as I know, he never hit the gas.
Chris was a great source of performance feedback; I think he put it through its paces.
Gordon looked like his pulse might have quickened a bit -- for a guy as mild-mannered as he is, it was no small thing to hit a BP of 120/80.
Bruce had a grin on his face like a Buick grille.
Tom didn't stop smiling all weekend, and kept thanking me.
I'm not sure if Lew got a shot at the pedals -- I might or might not have been there for it -- but I hope he did.
Kelly gave me a really hip ballcap with "Type Hoopty" embroidered on it, and finally took the 2424cc engine out. He had driven it before in its 2366 configuration. Chuck noticed the hat.
Stacey (who looks killer in a flying helmet) said it was more fun than he'd had at the wheel in decades. That said a lot. His pencil-thin moustache looked like the one on Dennis Gage's grape. He also went to the swap meet and brought me back a billet oil filler cap -- THANKS! It seems we baked the old one into a too-brittle state.
Mickey, I think you drove the gel out of your hair, buddy. You looked like a kid at the science museum with his hand on the static generator! (Good to see you again, too.)
I don't honestly remember if Brian got to spin it or not. I know he was there Saturday, but I didn't get to spend a lot of time with him.
Tom looked like the classic "Spies Like Us" G-force, stretched-face test-pilot. Big ole' grin.
Steve-O said the Hoopty would walk all over his Subaru. Time for the turbo, my man.
Max drove the car, looking cool as a cucumber. Paraphrasing: "Cooool, mannnn."
Kevin Hines drove it, too. He hadn't driven a replicar in years, if I understood Carey correctly, and he liked it a lot.
... Geez. I know more folks than that drove the Hoopty ...
But it was a BLAST.
(more)
Cory - I am SOOO going to be at Carlisle in 08! Congrats on the recognition for your Hoopty project - I couldn't imagine it being any other way, my brutha!
Peace - Out!
Peace - Out!