March meet , various pics /observations

I am sure some will become upset on my review of the event but ,
Just telling it like I seen it ..I hoped for seeing memories of my past
and unless you enjoy seeing Camaros ..Dont go

 

Famosa is a worn out ,dusty ..windy ...smelly , too many people at March meet ..The bathrooms were completely overwhelmed

The Porta Pots on spec side ..were overflowing ,it was nasty

 

To the people that said " you don't need a golf cart "

One giant go f%$ yourself .. I did not see that stopping the 1000's of others getting the way of trying to walk around there

We talked about it ..My guess is we walked 25 plus miles and said enough , its dusty, dirty, asphalt is torn to pieces the people in charge are over zealous in maintaing "rules"

 

Most of the front engine cars are miles from the old days ...
yes, I know ..safety , etc but ..Its not like you think

 

What would I like ( maybe its impossible ?)

Push start them like old days ..The dance at starting line is what I remember ..Not this

Not saying I'm right by no means ..Just miss the old days

 

Been hanging around race tracks of one kind or another for the past 45 years and those ARE the memories of my past.

 

Few more pics from a dissapointed attendant
I had to take off 9:00 am Sunday
Glad I was there but .. Anyone that missed it ..Don't feel too bad

 

Good point ..
I have been as well ..only 40 years here but , this was the extreme
of the limits

And I never went to see 250 plus 67,68,69 Camaros or will I again
Nothing "nostalgic" about this event

 

I agree with you and I live 45 min away.
As much money they take in they should build a new ( let me take that back 2 new restroom facilties. It get's kinda ruff for some of my buddys that are in their 60's to be walking a 1/2 mile to take a leak.....

But look at the bright side ,

" YOU GOT TO SEE SOME CAMARO'S "

Martin

 

On a good Note

I was able to meet Harry (old4dlvr ) from Australia!

I had found a couple COE's and he was interested in seeing them. Guess what he is a proud owner of another one.

Thanks again for the shirt Harry.!!!

Martin

 

Big Dad,
I grew up in the 50's and 60's at all the SoCal drag strips, and you are right...it isn't like going to a symphany.
For the most part, it is as good as it gets. Sure, I'd like to see Stone, Woods and Cook lining up against "Big John", but thats not going to happen. (Glad I did see that back in the day).
Sure, its barren, windy,and dirty, but its a drag strip. If it was an oasis, some fat-cat would have put homes in there by now and gotten rich.
Yeah, I miss the push starts, the turn around "dance" and the quarter mile long tire smoking races, but they aren't coming back.
I'll continue to go, because its all thats left. I only have a 138 mile drive one way, while you have a major journey, so I don't blame you for not coming back.
But, I am grateful for all the restored machinery (although they are not allowed to race), and I am most grateful that there is a resurgence of enthusiasm for filthy, dirty, rolling in the dirt in the pits, bench racing, and all the rest to keep in place at least a small, very small example of the way things used to be.
Sure, it isn't exactly like going to a stadium to watch a NFL game, but I don't like NFL stuff, so this is all I've got.
I don't like peeing in a porta-pottie while I have to hold my breath while spending my few seconds trying to pee between the logs, but its better than blowing out a kidney.
So, Big Dad, I can relate.
Thank goodness I grew up at LIONS, Irwindale, San Gabriel and Fontana during the golden years, so I've got some great memories.
But I'll keep going as long as there is something even somewhat close to what I remember and as long as I can get a nose full of nitro every few minutes.
Now would I come from out-of-state? I doubt it, but ya never know.
Sorry you had a bad time, but I respect you views...

 

" YOU GOT TO SEE SOME CAMARO'S "


Yeah , jeez .. Like they never ,ever built any other car to make a drag car out of ..

What a tired bunch of goobers ..

I wanted to see 1964, 65, 66, ...real old ,cool cars ..Not glass , not
250k cars .. something people built like the old days

Guess its time to move on to wood boats , they are not re-poopping those yet



ps ..I feel for your freinds looking for a jon .. I let many cut in front of me cause I'm like that

 

You just popped up a PM to me ..I'll answer that and reply here as well for all to see


I'm 49 (soon to be 50) I think I was was 10 first time my uncle took me to the drags ..So, I've got a few years to take some experiance
Your reply is very well thought out and you put in a context that all can relate to ..

I hope that most can understand that is my "opinion" --and with that goes the arguements

To the people to to say "MARCH MEET " !! I just want to say
Yeah, I see the cool factor but, for me ..Its not about tattoes
And the primered up chit boxes ...

I like gold leaf, I like silver leaf ..I like metalic paint .. I like detail

I like clean, functional nice , cool cars ..and I like people you walk up to that will allow you to learn


I'm telling you, for a living ..I talk to people ..and this was not the place to make "friends"


I am glad I went, I'm glad I seen it .. I had friends with me , we enjoyed oursleves ..but ..Its not the "way it was" ..No way

 

You guys didn't like the restored dragsters ? Or their Nitro Fumes ? ...Vagabond 88

 

That sux you didnt enjoy it. I went to my first one in 07 then the HRR last oct. I had planned on going to the MM this year...but just couldn't pull it off.

Did they not do a Cacklefest? The one at the HRR was AWSOME!!!! 50 plus FEDs!!! All push started you would have loved that for sure.

 

We did a small Cackle Saterday afternoon ...I kinda took the wind out of all of us after John Died ..But we thought of him as we fired up ....Vagabond 88

 

Vagabond88...everyone enjoyed you dragster, what a beauty.
I spend several hours in the LIONS Drag Strip DVD booth near your pit, so I got to look at your car all day.

 

Hmmm--I read and re-read this thread a couple of times,and let me say this: I think your right. I grew up going to Bakersfield--Lion's ---Santa Maria--and later ,OCIR--Irwindale ( the "real" one,not the one now).Most strips were overloaded / under repaired.I can never forget the cardboard hamburgers and crappy nachos that were $5.00 ( when a $1.00 burger was the norm).BUT---it seems like the people/groups running things ----let's just say,somethings not right.I haven't been back to the March Meet / Hot Rod Reunion in about 3 years,mainly because of some of the same problems stated. And the biggest cause of this,I'm sure, is the high cost of EVERTHING---admin cost--general labor / security---and INSURANCE! BUT!--that being said,some of those people just flat PISSED ME OFF! Last March Meet I went to,I had to park my HOT ROD--37 Ford coupe--out on the road because the gate guy said "we're full"--so I pay like $18.00 frickin dollars to WALK in--then find out the car area is half empty.I go to the "guy in charge" to ask about trying to get my car in--and he basic says --you don't like it,leave. So I did--and haven't been back.Maybe just a bad taste left in my mouth,but untill that kind of attitude changes, I'll spend my money elsewear.
Oh yea--too many CAMAROS--maybe that's why I couldn't bring in my car---

 

What I didn't like about the one I went to,was the NEW cars with Altered bodies on them! WTF! I don't want to see New Funnycar chassis with stretched Fiat bodies on them. Pro Street Willys with Top Fuel wings,and I don't like all the Camaros either. The FED's were great though. I think I would rather go to Irwindale and see whatever those guys run. Never know what you'll see...

 

Look at you though... you even bad mouth your own town by calling it "Fort Worthless, TX"...

I bet you don't like the piece of ass you get or your paycheck either.

Sam.

 

My friend Chuck Johnson (RIP) called it that when I moved here 10 years ago because I moved away
and as a tribute to him I left it that way

Before you go making judgements based on non-expericance
ask first

March meet still sucks .. I was there hence , I CAN give opinion

 

By the way .. I never met your freind , I sorry for your loss and his families as well

My opinions of the event do not include that trajedy

God speed to him

 

Big Dad,,,your not to far from BG,KY...come on up here in june for the National Hot Rod Reuinon.....,,you wont be disapointed....

 

Ha ha. Yeah, someone should've told you about the chaos of golf carts, minibikes, bikes, etc., etc. Now that you mention it, it didn't seem as bad this time. I ride a bike around, carefully, and ride it to one of the furthest outhouses. I can relate to not having a good time, but I've enjoyed the March Meets and CHRR's I've gone to. The CHRR is a little better with the cacklefest.

I'm kind of surprised you liked the Pomona Swap Meet better than the March Meet. What did you like about it?

Thanks,
Kurt

 

I had to be in Vegas for work 11:00 am Monday ..

Google CONEXPO / CONAG

We had to scoot by 8:30 -9:00 from Bakersmell to meet a great
to turn the motorhome back in by time we made Pomana

It was noonish or so so ..the crowd had slimmed down allot

We hit the bottom 1/10 of the swap meet ..it was mostly over
I'm not trying to bash so/cal .. Its nice , wish I lived there

And made about 450k a year !

 

Hmmm, to me the people seem more friendly than the 'scene' at most of the Southern California car shows I've been to.

 

I got off work at 6am in Arknasas, hopped on a plane and flew into LAX. Spent the next 3 days with my Grandpa and uncle watching as many different cars as I could want to see pound the pavement. We cracked jokes about the weirdo's in golf cart's and even saw a guy who had a bee land on his hat. My grandpa warned him "Sir, there is a bee on your hat" and he said, dead serious, "I don't care". It was hilarious! We just took bathroom breaks when it got boring or something annoying was happening.

Probably one of the best experiences I've had with my Grandpa & uncle.

 

Most were gone at swap meet by time we made it
I fight bad attitudes for a living ..

Makes me a sacarstic muther focker
where were you dick head to show me around --KIDDING !

 

I've been to every CHRR since the very beginning. My son and I were even on NHRA TV a couple of time while there. Every year I've had a three day pass and thought it was the cats' ass. It had been getting a little crowded though the last couple of years though and so was the March Meet (I'd been going to those forever...).
This year at CHRR I had my 3 day pass and parking permit and on Saturday I got to gate one (actually at the pit gate) when I was told I couldn't come in. Everything was closed down. All I could see was a pit full of motorhomes. Even with a parking pass they told me all I could do was turn around and park in the orchard and walk in. I asked about getting my money back for my pass and I was told to basically get hosed.
I ended up driving home talking to myself the whole way. THAT'S why I didn't go to the March Meet this year. The whole thing has morphed into a rock concert. I'm sorry, I'm old and I'm ranting. It used to be a good thing, even without the push starts and smoking launches...

 

Big Dad I just missed you, I could only make it to the show Sunday, I can relate to some of what you are saying but this is not the old days, how I wish it was too.
I remember going to Niagara dragstrip and US 30 in York Pa and seeing all the cool stock and super stock cars and gassers. man those were the days.
I would have liked to see more willys, anglias,austins and fiats in the gas classes, but you know everyone owns a camaro and a lot of them are racecars.
I had a great time but I was only there 1 day and didn't have to use the restrooms till we were on our way home
with "ALL" the tracks that have been closed out here I am happy to have a place to be able to run at when I get my truck done next year.
man I wish we had a track down here like that, (in SanDiego) and they had a weekly program that was affordable.
hell all we have is a 1/8 mi track and it costs $30.00 to get in and make passes and if you want to run for some $$$$ its another $35.00.
sorry I didn't get to meet you and sorry you didn't have a great time Ron....


Oh and here is a link to my pics from sunday:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562746462vDNNEq



and here are a few pics of my favorites: