Carlisle Question

I'm expecting delivery of my Beck this spring and plan to make the drive from Detroit to Carlisle with my younger son (20) for the first time in 2010. I'm hoping to meet a few of you and see your cars. Will you be parking in the $50 judging area or the $20 non-judging area?

I believe that's the $20.00 non judged area....Gordon or Tom will know for sure.....

Leon's correct. We don't wanna be judged by ANYBODY ;-)

We don't need no steenking judges! Even so, our own Charles Gardner from Atlanta, parked in the low-priced area, won an award for his SAS coupe, one given to only ten cars on the show field. I'm sure he didn't mind.

Yep! $20 is admission for you and a passenger ALL weekend long.

~WB

Not only are we "Judge Averse", but we only give out four awards: Longest distance, driven or trailered, for Speedsters and Spyders. So hang out with us on the "non-judged" field! We're the largest Kit Car Contingent at the Carlisle Kit Car Show! (We're also too cheap to spring for the $50 weekend pass and then have to park away from the rest of the group).

We've always figured that if you drive it or trailer it farther than anyone else, you SHOULD get an award! Even for those works in process trailered in mid-build (which my new one may be this coming Spring).

None of this "Best in show" or "Best Shift Knob" (I think Vince might win that one!) or "Best Dash Knobs" or anything like that...

Drive or trailer it the farthest, and get the award, but you also get to meet some of the nicest car folks on the planet!

Also, for the past couple of years the awards have been terrific Speedster/Spyder drawings, hand drawn and colored by our own "Super-Chief", Cory Drake, soon to be bringing his booty back from Djibouti.....

BTW: So far, we've had drivers come in from Iowa, Ohio (pulling a small trailer), Arkansas, Canada, Maine (almost Canada), Indiana, and South Carolina, with folks trailering from Colorado, Oklahoma, Georgia, South Carolina (me), Florida, (think,think,think) and probably others. I know I'm missing a few longer-distance ones here, but you get the idea.

Oh! And we've also had folks fly in from the West Coast, Texas (almost Mexico), Puerto Rico and England.

Looking forward to seeing YOU there, too no matter who YOU are!!!

Gordon
Organizer of "Speedsters Meet Spyders at Carlisle"

Ahhh... Carlisle talk, and it's still October (for a few more hours). Ok, now I can start getting psyched up for May :-)

Gordon,
Here is a picture of the 2008 Longest Distance Trailered award, just so everyone knows what it looks like. Now.... I am putting you on notice! You better trailer your car to Texas and back because the LMS and I are coming this year and you don't stand a chance of winning the coveted LDT award !!!!!!!! We are out to getcha ;-)

Happy Trails (trailering),
Dusty and the Lovely Miss Sharon

Now c'mon, Dusty, that can't really be from '08. If it was it would be covered with mildew.

Carlisle is very much on my mind, always is and always will be.
Where can you go on for a four day weekend trip on the cheap with a group that becomes "your second family" and have a great time that we do every year ?

Amen to that!

Oh and I almost forgot, all attendees must have a thirst for.....beer~

Mmmm... Beer...

- Homer Simpson -

Mmmm... Beer...

- Lane Anderson -

Come on, guys. I know they make/have/sell/consume good wine in PA... or do I have to bring some from the Morro Bay gathering? Send out a committee from the East to Morro and we will teach you about wine, sunshine,lack of rain and beautiful curvy roads. Then, when I and the LMS get back to Carlisle we can have a few to back up our stories about how great it is!!!

Is this boasting about the West enough to make some of you come out to Morro Bay? Drive, fly, hitch-hike or hop a freight train ... we want you to come join us.

Happy Trails,
Dusty and LMS

Also had a longest-distance driven from Iowa the first year.

Tom,

We look forward to you joining us at Carlisle. Watch for updates as we get closer to May. You might also be able to caravan with others coming from your direction. I'm sure you and your son will have a great time.

Tom -

You may have already seen this video I made from my trip to the 2009 SOC gathering at Carlisle, PA. If not, here ya go...

http://vimeo.com/7370985

Hope to see you and your new ride there in 2010!

You guys sure make a fella feel welcome. Thanks!

Great video Jim.

I'm a little concerned about making such a long trip with a brand new speedster that hasn't been sorted yet, with my newbie maintenance skills.

We'll see how brave I am when I get the car in March. I might end up postponing one year so I can get some more driving and wrench time under my belt.

Tom,

It rained like a banchee this past May so we left the Speedster home. I don'd mind a little rain but they were calling for high winds too and it rained hard from Chicago all the way to PA. Sandy and I drive her VW EOS instead. I plan to drive the Speedster next May so we can meet up in Indiana if you decide to drive the Speedy. Plus, there is a bunch of "know how to fix it guys" in the group. Gordon always has a truck full of tools and supplies.


Marty

Thanks Marty, that would make me feel better.

Tom,

A 2010 Beck ? Just run it ......see you in Carlisle . ~Alan

Yeah, I agree with that, too.....just run it.

Yes, I always bring half a shop's worth of VW/Speedster related tools including floor jacks, jack stands and all sorts of nifty stuff. We've never had anything really serious to fix, but the tools have come in handy every year. We've seen clutches out of adjustment, waterlogged carbs, (waterlogged cars, too!), out-of-sync carbs, burnt out bulbs - you name it.

Last year, Bill Drayer and I replaced his throttle cable while out on an evening cruise (Bill did all of the heavy work, I clipped the end off with my Leatherman) and had him back on the road in under 15 minutes, and later on Henry Reisner from IM was rebuilding the carburetors on Al Shapiro's car as we had rain starting and Tornado warnings in the area. I've also used my open-deck trailer as a portable lift more than once - comes in pretty handy, I must say.

Still, everything we see is pretty minor and usually wouldn't stop someone on a trip. Besides, fixing someone's sick car becomes a group effort: Usually one or two people working on the car and 10-15 people standing around watching, having a beer and commenting!!

gn

Do have the car checked out by a mechanic after you've driven it a bit, and before you make the Carlisle trip. There are always a few issues, but you can avoid them by driving the car a couple of 100 miles prior to the checkout. Check with us before he trip about tools and spares to carry. Don't be too upset if you get a little wet when driving in the rain. They all leak. I've been tweaking mine for a while, and still got some water in it on the Dragon Run.

.......looks as if Chris is thinking to himself,
"If they can't fix it I'll just start hiking ".

WRT Gordon's previous post...

I heard a local horror story of someone who flat-towed his VW engined vehicle behind his motor home for two days. It turned out the vehicle had slipped into gear somewhere along the way. One brand new engine shot to hell! Be very aware.

Trans would have to been manually bumped into gear, the syncros would not "allow" it to happen just rolling going down the road. I believe the motor would seize and burn off the tire is short time..if not noticed that is...

Actually, Chris was probably thinking:

"Geez.....These guys are messing with carburetors!

Eeeeyewwwwww!

What the hell's the matter with them??

Haven't they ever heard of Electronic fuel Injection?????"

8>)

Damn kids, anyway!!

Thanks for the pics, there, Hombre Mas Guapo!

Feels like it was just yesterday!

BTW: This was the first year that Kathy went to Carlisle with me (not to mention the Jack Russell terriers who spent the weekend in the puppy hotel) and she finally understands how Chris and I feel about the people who come out each year to get together with us - it's like the absolute best family reunion you'll ever go to.

We're trying to get to one of the West Coast events this coming year. I honestly can't guarantee anything yet, but we're trying. Timing is everything.....

Gordon (and Kathy and Chris (and the pups), too!)

Thanks guys. Just made my hotel reservation based on info on the other post and will register at Carlisle post haste.

Tom...good deal you'll have some serious fun with your newly adopted speedster family. ~ Alan

Tom, if mine is ready to go, maybe we can caravan.

That would be great Michael. I just realized that I forgot to visit you on Saturday. I was at the big house with my son.

Someone needs to tell the kid in the first picture Jim posted to pull his damn pants up. Sweet silver speedster though :)

P

No plumber's crack observed ....

Paul was arrested for transporting 'crack'! ;->

Free T-Shirt Offer. As a thank you for helping me spec out my car, I'm offering to bring t-shirts from my band http://www.shoppingcartjoyride.com to Carlisle with me. Just post (or if you're shy) email me your size. You can see what the shirt looks like on my son's website (he's my graphic designer).http://brianblankinship.com/grph_portfolio.htm#top

Plumber's crack??? I thought it was NORGE washing machine repairmen that did that....remember Dan Akroyd's skit on SNL?

That's cool of you to make that very generous offer, Tom 'Jam-Master' Blankinship! Looking forward to our paths crossing at Carlisle 2010!

Peace - Out!

XL