You guys who've been to Car Shows lately. How have they gone?

We have A LOT of Show 'n Shines in the Calgary area that are "open" to all makes and models (not Mustangs ONLY for example).
A few of us participate in quite a few of them during the summer. How else will people know about us and our Club? Right?

These days, it seems the "reception" from show goers is usually quite good - because the Fiero catches their eye.
People come over to look at them, sometimes getting more attention than the 2015 Corvette some guy bought himself for his birthday last month.

We get the usual "I always wanted one" or "I had one before I got married" comments from people who LIKE the car.
Some people STILL have never seen a Fiero "opened up" and are surprised to see it's a mid-engine. Then they ask "is it front-wheel-drive".

I haven't heard a "bad" comment for quite some time. It may be people are just more polite than to get into a "my car is better than your car" argument.
But last month, we DID overhear as they briskly walked past, some Grandpa telling his kid "they stopped making these because 20,000 caught fire".

Ah, Alzheimer's - something that gives one the ability to "remember wrong".


------------------
My World of Wheels Winners (Click on links below)

3.4L Supercharged 87 GT and Super Duty 4 Indy #163

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 06-26-2015).]

I'm not a Show 'n Shine kinda guy, and neither are any of my Fieros , but I do autocross... and yes, my Formula gets lots of attention. I find that the people at the track enjoy talking about them. Even when I'm out in the backyard working on my Fieros at home, strangers walking by (as I live on a corner lot) stop to shoot the breeze about these little plastic cars from the 80's.

I've been showing my Fiero for a long time, and it seems each year more people come over to look at it. There was little interest in the car in my area when I first started showing it, with more interest a little further away. Now it draws attention my area also. A lot of younger folks check it out because they've never seen one, so I now have a small collection Fiero Hot Wheels, including the Ferris Bueller model that's almost a perfect match for my white 84.

[This message has been edited by johnt671 (edited 06-25-2015).]

One thing I HAVE noticed - the more cars there are, the better the interest.
A Fiero or two draws lots of passers-by - BUT get 4 or more together and people stop to look AND talk.

We have a weekly Wild Wednesdays evening Show 'n' Shine that draws 300+ cars.
On occasion we manage to arrive early so the others participants "fill in" around us.

NOT my Indy - but that's my GT next to it.
(we have 2 Indys in our Group - Bob bought his after I got mine)





Even when we meet as a Group at A&W we pull in people from the street to have a look.

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 06-25-2015).]

Most of the events I frequent are the "Show and Shine" type - very informal, just a bunch of car people driving everything from 66 Corvettes to late model Buicks. I have never seen another Fiero at the shows (tto bad) but it does get a lot of attention. The most common comment is "I that is the nicest Fiero I've seen in a long time" can't EVER hear that enough

It's nice to have the only one at the local cruises, but I would love to see a few more, as I know there are several other in the area, I occasionally see them driving around locally.

But the reception has been very good, I get (and answer) a lot of questions, and love every minute of it.

------------------
Tim
'87 GT
Med Red Metallic
85K miles
Bay City, MI

I can't get gas without attention... She gets allot of attention at shows too

Mermorial Day show Green Township just outside Akron. Two hundred and eighteen cars, only one heavily modified Fiero!

[This message has been edited by Robertzep2 (edited 06-25-2015).]

Just went to an evening cruise-in on Wednesday night at a small town near to where I live. (First time per invite from another show.) Got there late and there were hundreds of cars. The "Stinger" was very well received and heard nothing but positive comments. A couple of guys at the end thought it was the nicest car there! The suicide doors was the hook to draw them in and then the LT1 blew them away. People asked a lot good, intelligent questions.

There was one other Fiero there that I had never seen or owner I had met. Nice 3800SC with some nice mods. Way to go JL Pilsner.

I like the show & shine concept. No worrying about prepping and polishing. Can just enjoy the cars.

Jeff

[This message has been edited by GTGeff (edited 06-26-2015).]

quote Originally posted by trivet: The most common comment is "I that is the nicest Fiero I've seen in a long time" can't EVER hear that enough

That's the ticket. We hear it too.

But the cars HAVE to be in decent condition in and out - whether all stock or "done up".
(sorry - $500 "in progress" cars don't get people excited guys)

And as I said, when there's a group of them, people STOP and really look them over to see their differences.
Notchie or Fastback, different stock/custom interiors, different engines and engine swaps.

The "hot rod" guys can appreciate seeing a BIG engine in place of the stock Duke or V6.
After all, a "muscle car" was the result of squeezing a full-size car engine into a compact car chassis.

They really smile seeing a Grand Prix 3800 S/C in the engine bay, not so much about an SD4 in my Indy

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 06-26-2015).]

I have shown since 1990 and I have seen it all. we were popular then snubbed and now back to popular again. I mostly focus on Pontiac only shows and have done very well against the hard core restored GTO's and the like. I just took second over all at a BOP show just recently beating out a very very nice 57 Starchief.

The Comments I hear are mostly Cool, Nicest one I have seen in years. I had one of these or I always wanted one of these. I seldom get the Fire BS and seldom a harsh word. Most comments are about the Indy Scoop. I also sit at lights and watch people behind me use their hands to describe to the other person in the car what the scoop is. I should video this and put it on Youtube as it can be very funny.

The Fiero is far from a rare sight around out parts here but more and more the nice ones are hard to find anymore.

I still remember back around 1999 I took mine in to get the Manifold recall done. The Service manager looked at me like I was nuts when I said I was particular about my car. I also told him I would remove the Scoop and wind for them. Well after I brought the car in he told me I now know what you mean. He said it had been years since he saw one in that condition. Also the mechanic came out to tell me the same thing.

The only trick to car shows is classing. I generally look for Pontiac only as they are more a challenge or I look for sports car classes.

I also just got an invite to a event this fall. It is a show of wide variety with usually a large group of Ferrari's Lambo's and even McLaren and other exotics. The even director said he may park me with the Ferraris. I took that as a very good compliment. I did attend a event years ago and they parked me in with a lot of High End cars at a concourse. I told my buddy lets get out and get away before they figure out it is a Fiero. A large group of people came over and took photo's. I told my buddy they have no idea the steering wheel in the car next to me cost more than my whole car LOL!

By the way I also get a lot of looks, nods and occasional thumbs up from Bikers.

[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 06-26-2015).]

quote Originally posted by hyperv6: I have shown since 1990 and I have seen it all. we were popular then snubbed and now back to popular again. I mostly focus on Pontiac only shows and have done very well against the hard core restored GTO's and the like. I just took second over all at a BOP show just recently beating out a very very nice 57 Starchief. The Comments I hear are mostly Cool, Nicest one I have seen in years. I had one of these or I always wanted one of these. I seldom get the Fire BS and seldom a harsh word. Most comments are about the Indy Scoop. I also sit at lights and watch people behind me use their hands to describe to the other person in the car what the scoop is. I should video this and put it on Youtube as it can be very funny. The Fiero is far from a rare sight around out parts here but more and more the nice ones are hard to find anymore.

on your participation.

We have some pretty nice Fieros in our group but only 3 of us make a regular effort to show them at Car Shows.
I suppose sitting in your folding chair talking with people about your Fiero is just too exhausting for some...

We also have trouble getting members to come to OUR own Fiero Club get-together at A&W for ONE night a month on a Thursday evening (Apr - Oct).
It's just a get-together to have food/drinks and to socialize. And we always end up in the parking lot looking in engine bays.
But it seems some can always find more "important" things to do (like napping or watching golf on TV...)

I've seen clubs fold when people can't be bothered to participate in anything - even when minimum effort is required.
THEN they moan the loudest when the Club is gone (because there's nowhere to get help when they need it anymore).

PS - they're also the ones who don't bother surfing PFF...

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 06-29-2015).]

quote Originally posted by fierosound: on your participation. We have some pretty nice Fieros in our group but only 3 of us make a regular effort to show them at Car Shows. I suppose sitting in your folding chair talking with people about your Fiero is just too exhausting for some... We also have trouble getting members to come to OUR own Fiero Club get-together at A&W for ONE night a month on a Thursday evening (Apr - Oct). It's just a get-together to have food/drinks and to socialize. And we always end up in the parking lot looking in engine bays. But it seems some can always find more "important" things to do (like napping or watching golf on TV...) I've seen clubs fold when people can't be bothered to participate in anything - even when minimum effort is required. THEN they moan the loudest when the Club is gone (because there's nowhere to get help when they need it anymore). PS - they're also the ones who don't bother surfing PFF...

These things go in cycles I have been through it myself. Life gets in the way or you just burn out after a while. Clubs come and go. Just the way it works for all cars.

[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 06-29-2015).]

The good outweighs the bad by far. I actually see some hotrod guys walk by a few times and sort of look at it but pretend they are not. Like its forbidden for a 32 ford coupe guy to like an 88 Pontiac

Get your cars out and have fun. People like race cars at cruise ins too (Patrick)

I usually take my '87 through to the annual Dunedin Hospice charity cruise, the times I've been it's always been the only Fiero present unfortunately. My '84 the one time I showed it DID get bad comments - normally they'd see the engine and promptly say something along the lines of 'Harrumph, it's just a Commodore V6'. No love for 3800 swaps. Clean as I try have it for shows, the '87 is always a little scruffy since it's a 200+km drive onto a usually damp paddock, it's never won anything but it does get the occasional person stopping to talk which is nice. It also gets photographed a lot by passers by during the cruise section

------------------

quote Originally posted by hyperv6: These things go in cycles I have been through it myself. Life gets in the way or you just burn out after a while.

True. But I know these guys. In some cases, "life" is just being lazy.

I'M the one that should be ready to burn out, since I'm the one who actually does everything in the club (as you know, typical in "volunteer" organizations) since starting it in 2000. If something happened to me and I died - the club would be gone. Some of the "regulars" have acknowledged as much because I am the "driving force".

For our monthly Tech. Meeting, I easily spend 2-3 nights getting the Powerpoint presentation ready. I make a point to have it interesting, pertinent and include video clips etc. because I sure don't want people staying away because it's boring. I must be doing OK because I do get positive comments ("Learned something new...") every meeting from those that do come.

On meeting night, I have to pack the laptop, projector, speakers, folding table etc. that we need at the meeting, THEN unpack and setup at the meeting location and do the 1.5 hour (approx) presentation for them on meeting night, then repack again and take everything back home. It's disappointing to do that amount of work for an audience of 4 out of a possible 20. They just have to come to listen and participate in the discussion, but after work "they are too tired".

Well, guess what - I was tired when I got home from work too!!
If I stayed home, they could just sit and stare at each other.

On the few A&W Nights we meet over the summer I get the chance to just come and relax.
It takes no great effort to be there - and they can't even be bothered do that little bit?

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 06-30-2015).]

quote Originally posted by fierosound: True. But I know these guys. In some cases, "life" is just being lazy. I'M the one that should be ready to burn out, since I'm the one who actually does everything in the club (as you know, typical in "volunteer" organizations) since starting it in 2000. If something happened to me and I died - the club would be gone. Some of the "regulars" have acknowledged as much because I am the "driving force". For our monthly Tech. Meeting, I easily spend 2-3 nights getting the Powerpoint presentation ready. I make a point to have it interesting, pertinent and include video clips etc. because I sure don't want people staying away because it's boring. I must be doing OK because I do get positive comments ("Learned something new...") every meeting from those that do come. On meeting night, I have to pack the laptop, projector, speakers, folding table etc. that we need at the meeting, THEN unpack and setup at the meeting location and do the 1.5 hour (approx) presentation for them on meeting night, then repack again and take everything back home. It's disappointing to do that amount of work for an audience of 4 out of a possible 20. They just have to come to listen and participate in the discussion, but after work "they are too tired". Well, guess what - I was tired when I got home from work too!! If I stayed home, they could just sit and stare at each other. On the few A&W Nights we meet over the summer I get the chance to just come and relax. It takes no great effort to be there - and they can't even be bothered do that little bit?

You do understand all clubs have 2% of the members doing 98% of the work. That is universal. LOL! Really it is true.

This is why I have never had issue with people who run clubs as a business. For one they work harder because they are making money and two they are rewarded for their efforts bases on how well they work. It also keeps out the politics and other issues.

while FOCOA was a mess in how it was run it still out lasted any other national club because it was a business. The one large Shelby club is also run that way and is very strong. FOCOA would be around today if it had someone with out the issues running it.