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Just got back from a lovely day in Lakeland. Met some new friends, caught up with some old friends, and saw some spectacular cars. It seems to me that both the size of the show and the attendance were way down this year, but that's just my impression. Still well worth the short trip over from our winter home in the St. Pete/Clearwater area.
As seems to have been the case the last few years, the 1961-62 class was very sparsely represented in the judging hangar. In fact, not that many of them around at all. I'll have to bring my 1962 down from New York one of these years.
I guess I better weigh in here. Thanks for the recognition of the work we do in putting on the event, the guys helping me make it happen. It is important to recognize they are volunteers and they live close by, if we move I loose most of them. Any of you tried to get 10-15 people willing to donate 2-4 days in rain, cold or maybe some sunshine to layout lines, park cars and do security overnight?
I will list site the pros first.
1. The facilities, venue and host support are excellent. Sun N Fun has been a delight to work with on the facility support side and the venue is made for events like this.
2. This year we brought on a food vender that serves good food at a reasonable price, and is coming back.
3. Security is affordable and excellent.
4. Facility costs are reasonable.
5. Sun N Fun wants us to succeed and has been very supportive of what we have tried.
6. This location has a draw from area that rivals anyplace in the US: Tampa, Orlando, Ocala, St. Pete, Clearwater, Brandon, Sarasota and Bradenton are an easy one hour drive.
7. In spite of what you think the NCRS registration has not fallen off.
8. It is a successful NCRS Regional event.
9. The public parking has been realigned so that you can park within 50 feet of the swap meet field.
10. We have inside vending spaces, plenty of outside space for spaces and parking for venders.
11. The charge for a swap site is reasonable: 10x30 $75, inside 10x20 $125, outside 10x20 is $65 for the 4 days and a one day 10x30 space for $40.
12. This venue will not be sold/developed in the future so we do not have to worry about what happened to us at the Hyatt and Oldtown.
13. If you watched the traffic flow of vehicles and people it is a plan that can support at least 2500 vehicles with people. We had 150+ drive-in corvettes with room for 200+ more.
Cons:
1. We are all getting old!
2. Ebay has had a huge impact on the need to take your goods to any swap meet to sell.
3. Cars are being restored by professionals who know where to get parts today without waiting for the next swap meet.
4. None of us are promoters, if any of you want to take on the job I will be glad to have you, I can pay you the same as I am paid—nothing. We know it’s a problem and are committed to fixing it.
5. Hotels and facilities are not on site.
6. Other entertainment is 30-45 min away.
I want to thank all who have had suggestions and those who commented on them.
Considerations:
1. We cannot compete with the Mecum dog and pony show.
2. We are going back to the 3rd week of Jan for the show.
3. We will always have swap meet spaces as part of the meet.
4. We will always have a NCRS Regional as part of the meet.
5. The street rod element for Saturday will grow in the future.
6. Carlisle spent a lot of money promoting their November event and it did not seem to get the desired result.
7. One of those helping me is into the big wheel cars with boom boxes. These events charge $20 to get into the event and have to close the gates due to crowd size and run out of area to display the cars. The crowds are at least 20 years younger than we are. The draw market is Tampa, Orlando, St Pete, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota and Ocala.
8. Rich tried REAL hard to get the Corvette Super Sport to the event. Tom Hill has helped us with feature cars from a collection in Orlando and hopefully this will continue next year.
Every endeavor has to have a plan and we actually do have one. Several years ago we recognized the swap meet could not continue to be the major draw to the meet. But In order to continue we needed better facilities with room to grow, reasonable expenses and a layout that could be set up and run by volunteers. To that extent we have accomplished our goal.
Our first consideration is to have an event that has free admission, we want to cover our expenses with just a $5 parking fee but free to Corvettes. I think we did that this year but not all the charges have come in. (We had 150+ Corvettes there Saturday.)
Our second consideration is the NCRS event must continue to be one NCRS members want to come to because of the level of judging and facilities available for classes and cars.
Our third consideration is we will always provide a vender field/facility that rivals any in the US.
Our fourth consideration is to keep it family friendly.
Our fifth consideration is to keep it a car show, with a heavy Corvette emphasis.
So who are our principal customers and how do we reach them? It’s not the guy who flies in to go to the Mecum auction then our event. It’s not the guy who brings his family down for a vacation and splits his time between Mecum and our event while the family goes to the parks. While we do hope our future events have activities to attract these people, we feel the folks who live in the areas mentioned above are those we want to attract in the future. Your ideas on how to make that happen are invited to post your thoughts or how you can help.
I agree on all counts. I could walk the vendor area in about 40 minutes looking for some specific parts. I think there were fewer this year for sure... Either people haven't gotten over the cold weather the last two years, they're getting too old to attend, they're still pizzed about the Lakeland move or Mecum sucked all the oxygen out of the air.
Its changing without a doubt. Unless I missed the there was no Glassworks demonstrating their hardtop lift, no 4 post lift vendor that was always at Old Town, no @sshole's Garage tent, Mike Terry - usually a fixture with a few cars to sell is missing, the car corral didn't even pique my interest....not much there.
Went yesterday and picked up some nice 63 stuff and saw no need to return today...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 01-14-2017 at 03:25 PM.
I agree on all counts. I could walk the vendor area in about 40 minutes looking for some specific parts. I think there were fewer this year for sure... Either people haven't gotten over the cold weather the last two years, they're getting too old to attend, they're still pizzed about the Lakeland move or Mecum sucked all the oxygen out of the air.
Its changing without a doubt. Unless I missed the there was no Glassworks demonstrating their hardtop lift, no 4 post lift vendor that was always at Old Town, no @sshole's Garage tent, Mike Terry - usually a fixture with a few cars to sell is missing, the car corral didn't even pique my interest....not much there.
Went yesterday and picked up some nice 63 stuff and saw no need to return today...
I'm glad we were missed, you can always find us at Carlisle.
Just got back from a lovely day in Lakeland. Met some new friends, caught up with some old friends, and saw some spectacular cars. It seems to me that both the size of the show and the attendance were way down this year, but that's just my impression. Still well worth the short trip over from our winter home in the St. Pete/Clearwater area.
As seems to have been the case the last few years, the 1961-62 class was very sparsely represented in the judging hangar. In fact, not that many of them around at all. I'll have to bring my 1962 down from New York one of these years.
I just love a Fawn 62. Beautiful And the hard top puts it over the edge.
Last edited by Brian VH McHale; 01-14-2017 at 04:00 PM.
I was really happy with the show this year. It was warm and sunny.
The almost total lack of C1 Corvettes was interesting. I'm not sure what's going on there.
I think Mecum draws a very different crowd from an NCRS crowd.
As far as vendors most of us are buying less and less at shows. The big guys are all using Amazon.com and the smaller ones use eBay. Hauling a trailer full of parts around the country is not a good way to spend you weekend.
I agree on all counts. I could walk the vendor area in about 40 minutes looking for some specific parts. I think there were fewer this year for sure... Either people haven't gotten over the cold weather the last two years, they'regetting too old to attend, they're still pizzed about the Lakeland move or Mecum sucked all the oxygen out of the air. ..
Yep, waiting on full knee replacements in both knees. Getting old sucks. Maybe next year.
Over the past year I've written numerous articles about judging various marques. I've also been a judge on a couple of occasions. If you haven't watched the judges go over a car you really need to see the process in action.
I think NCRS judging is the most comprehensive judging of any marque. Two things stand out.
First we have an incredible data base.
Secondly we have an incredible training program.
When a car reaches Top Flight, or Duntov, it means something.
Over the past year I've written numerous articles about judging various marques. I've also been a judge on a couple of occasions. If you haven't watched the judges go over a car you really need to see the process in action.
I think NCRS judging is the most comprehensive judging of any marque. Two things stand out.
First we have an incredible data base.
Secondly we have an incredible training program.
When a car reaches Top Flight, or Duntov, it means something.
A couple. I saw a 56 with 2-4 barrels that was a little ratty but all there. I wasn't looking for another project so I didn't ask the price. There were also a number of decent drivers in the Corvette parking area that could be bought right, including a few C2s.
A couple. I saw a 56 with 2-4 barrels that was a little ratty but all there. I wasn't looking for another project so I didn't ask the price. There were also a number of decent drivers in the Corvette parking area that could be bought right, including a few C2s.
I saw that car...definitely needed some TLC and perhaps a survivor.
I didn't see much else I would deem a project.
There were some stand-alone birdcages and other 'bits' that would be more than a project; more like a lifetime commitment.
I wasn't impressed with the car corral but maybe there was more today (I was there yesterday)...
Car corral today only had about a half-dozen cars in it. A couple of them were decent cars and reasonable, but I wasn't looking for another car.
Yeah - the whole event was definitely muted from prior years at Old Town. I don't know if this is a trajectory that can be fixed by relocation or that the event is just not that appealing at this point.
I was surprised too at the paucity of C1s but (and I HATE saying this) I think those may have reached their zenith a few years back; one reason I sold mine....time will tell... Many (most) that know and love these early cars (and I'm one of them) are looking at their seventh decade of orbiting the sun straight in the face and that can be a bit sobering when it comes to material things.
I'm just sayin'
Maybe somebody has a feel for Mecum C1 sales; SWCs were sure grabbed up...
God bless Tyler, Bill Heron, Rich Mozzetta, Tom Blount, Whit McFarland, Ed Augustine, Monty and the rest of the army for making the event happen, and the new Concourse class is interesting, but things need a 'punch in the arm' that even the nice weather couldn't accomplish...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 01-15-2017 at 07:59 AM.
I was there on Friday and also thought there were not that many vendors as last few years. Also the corral area was not that entertaining. Still looking for that 64 winters intake and jack. I think this is the 64/63 conversion
Most people just do not like the location! The property may be ideal for the show and the swap meet, but most everyone I spoke to said they hate where it's at. The only ones who really seem to like it are the people having cars judged, and the judges, because the judging's done inside.
After having been a vendor at the Winter Regional forever, Cyprus, Disney, the Hyatt, Old Town and Lakeland, this will probably be my last trip.
The public does not like the location, so they do not show up.
The Chapter does not advertise the show, so unless you belong to the NCRS, or happen to see it mentioned here on the Forum, there's no way to know that the show even exists. No one working at our hotel, knew there was a Corvette show in town. We met a couple at dinner, who own a Corvette and live 5 miles from Sun N Fun, and had no idea there was a Corvette show in town. I also had at least 3 different people, who came by my space, mention the only reason they knew about the show was because the local street rod club, had been telling people about it!
The final problem I see, is that the show was to early this year. People haven't gotten over the holidays yet. A lot of people were just off of work a week ago, and to turn around this quick to take time off, isn't easy. Also, the "snowbirds" are just now starting to roll into Florida.
One of the Chapter's members told me that moving the show up so early had nothing to do with the fact that Mecum had moved their dates too. He said it was because it's too cold in Florida, at the end of January! It may have been cold the last couple years at the show, but it has nothing to do with the weeks the show was held. It's the winter and it can get cold. I've been to Winter Regional's when it was cold, and when it was hot, and I can't say it makes much difference on the date. If I recall correctly, the year it was 24 degrees at the Hyatt, was around the same weekend as this year.
I was told the show will start next year on January 10th, and will be back at Lakeland. If this is true, I probably won't be back.
Originally Posted by rfn026
As far as vendors most of us are buying less and less at shows. The big guys are all using Amazon.com and the smaller ones use eBay. Hauling a trailer full of parts around the country is not a good way to spend you weekend.
Tell me about it. I towed a trailer 1100 miles each way, and didn't sell enough there to pay for my spaces and gas bill!
Did anyone else notice how many beggars were around Lakeland? We went to dinner at Harry's downtown, and were asked for money by 2 different people, walking a block from the car to the restaurant. The next night 6 of us were standing inside the vestibule of an Italian restaurant, waiting for our table, when someone came in the door, and started asking all of us for a handout! It also seemed like there were people standing at all of the interstate exits, looking for handouts. I can walk around center city Philadelphia, and not get hassled for cash as much as I was in Lakeland. What the heck gives?
01-14-2017, 02:56 PM
Florida NCRS Regional
And the hard top puts it over the edge.
It may have been cold the last couple years at the show, but it has nothing to do with the weeks the show was held. It's the winter and it can get cold. I've been to Winter Regional's when it was cold, and when it was hot, and I can't say it makes much difference on the date. If I recall correctly, the year it was 24 degrees at the Hyatt, was around the same weekend as this year.