[houserc]

Saturday, our GT was a contestant in the 3rd Annual Merriam Car and Motorcyle show. There were about 150 entrants, ours being the only Opel, even though it rained almost the whole time.

The top door prize was a performance 350 engine. Both my boys were wondering how we would shove that under the GT's hood. Needless to say, we won't have to worry about that, as someone else was the lucky winner.

The vehicle/s that I enjoyed seeing the most was the REO Speedwagon and the Shelby Cobra. My two teenagers were both captivated by the two lowrider/street dancing Impalas.

 

[houserc]

Opel Engine

Opel Engine compartment

 

[houserc]

REO Speedwagon

REO truck and Speedwagon. (For anyone wondering where the Rock group got it's name.)

 

[houserc]

Speedwagon

Speedwagon

 

[houserc]

Green Impala

Check out the passenger door.

 

[opeldean]

injustice

Gt opel looks the "best of show to" me

Valve cover looks nice..I may have to borrow some of your high shine

 

[houserc]

Judging

You know, I really didn't enter with the expectation of winning anything. It was a great experience for my boys.

But, when a John Deer tractor takes an award, at a car show, something is up there.

I was beat out by a tractor!

 

[Old Hippie]

Well, ya know some of those "ol' boys" probably grew up on a farm and that WAS their passenger car! lol . You do have a fine looking GT.

 

[Stanley_P]

I entered my GT in a show last year. It was an antique classic car show. I was beat out by a 2002 Corvette, 2001 Toyota Truck,
and many more new cars. (since when is a 2002 corvette a classic antique car) I had a 2000 Chevy truck, I should have entered it. There were hundreds of people there and only a handful stop by, most of them asking what is that?

Stanley

 

[houserc]

In all fairness to the situation I was in, it rained almost the whole day, so there was very little time the judges could get out to some of the cars and really look at them.

That said - I know of two teenagers that had cars there, other than my own sons. Now, is it fair to judge them in the same class as all the other cars. I don't think so, if they are doing the restoration themselves, on their own budget. In fact, one of the entrants was a company that does classic car and rod restoration.

I'm trying to get my 16 year old son to take on a project of restoring a GT himself. There is no way that the judges knew if a car belonged to an adult or teenager.

I would suggest to anybody sponsoring or hosting a car show that there should be a catagory for teenagers. This would help get them enthused about the show process, the restoration process, and keep the new blood flowing into this area of hobby.

Now, if anybody wants, they can stop by the high school my sons attend and see the GT any time from 7:30 AM until Soccer practice is over at around 6:00 PM. (of course, rural america probably has the same with the John Deers and International Harvesters, etc.)

I think my sons get more accolades from their classmates then any show could come close to giving them. They do get a lot of what Stanley_P mentioned, "What is it?" and "Who makes it?"

Of course, after that comes the, "Want to race?"

 

[GT-Freak]

I rained a lot. I'm surprised anyone showed up. My day was pre-scheduled by my better half, or she prefers 51%.

If you want to see a lot of REO's, go to the truck show at Kemper Arena. There will about 100 REO's. People bring in the trucks nationwide. It's pretty good.

I may go to the Good Guys event at KS Speedway. Last year a rent-a-ride car smacked the wall in turn number 3. Someone got real racing excitement as advertised. Last year they had over 3000 cars, easy. I must have walked 5 miles up and down the aisles and didn't see everything.

 

[houserc]

It was a rain or shine event, and BOY! did it rain.

My father-in-law wanted to know who owned the trucks. Seems he knows the guy out in Topeka that has a pretty good collection of them.

OK! so let me ask this as best I can in writing. Question of the day!

Are the trucks pronouced Reo as in Rio Grande, or is it R E O As in R.E.O. Speedwagon music?

(your wife gives you 49%? Man! )

 

[Old Hippie]

It's R-E-O for "Ransom Eli Olds", the founder. (I looked it up on the net )

 

[GT-Freak]

I said she gets 51%. The remaining 49% is split between 2 kids, 2 dogs and myself, in that order. I'm as low as the rest of you. Occasionally, others are added above me on that list.

Your car must be in good shape to be worthy of withstanding rainy weather. I'd be afraid of new cancer with mine. It's been repainted once but not thoroughly redone.

 

[Long-gone]

OK guys take it easy on the Johnny-Poppers. As kids we took granddad's to the highway many a morning after a snowstorm. I've found one that I hope to start on when my GT is finished.

 

[Gary]

Re: Judging

You know, I really didn't enter with the expectation of winning anything. It was a great experience for my boys.

But, when a John Deer tractor takes an award, at a car show, something is up there.

I was beat out by a tractor!

When I was showing my '69 GT almost every week end, I went to one show and was placed in the "Special Interest" class. Third place went to a motorcycle that had a puddle of oil under it, second went to a fire truck, first went to an 8 year old who "drove" his toy jeep into a spot. It was participant voting. Never went back to that one.

The flip side was a few weeks later, I took first place in a class that was sponsored by a local "Rice Rocket" club. They were not happy.

 

[ksgt]

Sorry, we tried to get up there for the show and to say HI, but between the rain and some unenthusiastic family members we never got our act together enough to get up there. Looks like a good time even with the rain though. there's a large car show in Ottawa this weekend a bunch of us are going to hit. Haven't heard of any Opel's gonna be there though.

 

[houserc]

Yeah, the guy that puts together the Ottawa show was at the Merriam one.

I thought about the Ottawa show, but I've got too many other commitments before the weather turns, to get done, if I want to have time to work/improve my GT.