I was there last year with my 4.9, but still had some bugs to be worked out and didn't get it on the dyno. So, this year count me in for the dyno if you guys have it. thanks.
Thanks for the response, Chris and all. Haven't really had enough dyno interest to say it's a sure thing yet; I'll probably start a dedicated thread for "signup", and see how it goes.
Majority vote on the drags so far is not to have the track all to ourselves; if that's the case, we can just show up for Friday night test-n-tune if they're having one that night (probably, unless there's another major event). If there are more that would like the track all to ourselves, speak up now...
Again, I'll probably have a dedicated "drags" thread to see how much interest there is...but it's not too early to hear from you now...
Thanks---
Jeremy B. Fierotech@toast.net
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12:45 AM
Jack Cooke Member
Posts: 564 From: Vale,N,C. USA Registered: Feb 2002
I might just have to make the trip for the drag strip for Test and tune, It has been a few months since I have been like to make a couple more passes befor I pull the series 1 out. I
------------------ '87 GT 93 3800sc series I / 4t60e 7.597 1/8mile ET 1.579 60' 88.53 mph
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08:14 PM
Jan 28th, 2005
Dirty Harry Member
Posts: 347 From: Orlando, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Vonov - Was glad to help with your hood. I'm the guy that won the sub-woofer system at the givaway but couldn't find my ticket. Did get the Sprint headers that I also won installed on my 87 GT & they sound great. Looking forward to this years meet. Bringing a few goodies to sell. Harry
------------------ 87 GT Maroon & 88 Formula Red
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07:27 AM
Wolfhound Member
Posts: 5317 From: Opelika , Alabama, USA Registered: Oct 1999
The drags have, historically, not worked out too good. I *will* make an effort myself to co-ordinate something this year. I haven't looked into it myself to see what the options are; I know they run Friday nite test-n-tune from 5pm on, but I don't know what it would take for them to set up a "Fiero-only" test and tune for a few hours.
Take care all---
Jeremy
Jeremy
As you know, I am an old hand at arranging performance and racing events. If I can be of any help setting up Friday afternoon drags one more time, or perhaps working with the local autocross club again - please drop me a PM.
I could also do another run of T-shirts for the drags??? The limited run a couple years ago were really a hit!!
G
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02:57 PM
PFF
System Bot
88GTURBO Member
Posts: 114 From: Columbia Tn USA Registered: Nov 2001
As you know, I am an old hand at arranging performance and racing events. If I can be of any help setting up Friday afternoon drags one more time, or perhaps working with the local autocross club again - please drop me a PM.
I could also do another run of T-shirts for the drags??? The limited run a couple years ago were really a hit!!
G
I'd be real interested in the Autocross. I might be able to get cones and timing gear if there is enough interest, not sure about insurance though. Peace J
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03:20 PM
cadero2dmax Member
Posts: 1266 From: Brighton, CO Registered: Oct 2001
I'd be real interested in the Autocross. I might be able to get cones and timing gear if there is enough interest, not sure about insurance though. Peace J
Will see if somebody can help find a lot large enough. Insurance is not a problem, BTW.
Egads, now we're going for drags, dyno, and an autocross??
George---
I appreciate the offers for help. However...the primary focus here is the swap meet. Last year I organized the Dyno Day for Sunday, which is typically the "pack up and go home" day for the swapmeet, and I figured it would be a nice "event" that wouldn't detract from the shop at all, that wouldn't take all day (each person really only needs to be there for 15-30 minutes, and can show up at any pre-scheduled time of their choosing), and would be interesting/entertaining for those who wanted to hang out all day. Response on the day told me that everyone I had asked thought it was cool, worth doing, and would like to do it again...so I'm setting it up again. Nothing's set in stone until I have 10 or more commitments, but I have spoken with the owner of the Dyno, and the day is ours if we want it.
As far as the dragstrip...it's been arranged twice before, and never worked out. Once it rained out, another time no one knew what was going on, and after being "called off", we found out three or four people were down there, and the track wanted to know "where all the Fieros were". The response in this thread seems to point to running with other cars, rather than a "closed track" event. I have a call in to the track to make sure Friday the 29th is a regular test and tune day, and if it is, anyone who wants to go down, anytime after 5pm, for $10, can watch or run. Sounds good to me, and I'll start a thread regarding it once I find their schedule is "normal" for that weekend. (I was going to try to set up drags last year, but they had a big national event there that weekend, and didn't run test-n-tunes).
Now we're talking autocross. Every Sunday the local club runs autocrosses in the morning, at the old airport. If anyone wants to head over there, I'm sure you can get some runs in. Trying to start our own autocross just doesn't seem to be what we're "about". Maybe later in the year, if you guys would like, George can try to set something up, and we can have an all-weekend autocross event, with the Fiero Factory as "home base" for folks to bring their trailers, meet up, get broken stuff fixed, etc...I envision Friday being an "autocross/driving school" type thing, with Saturday and maybe Sunday the actual event. Sounds cool to me, but it also sounds like a different event, all together, than the swapmeet. I just don't see a "realistic" way to organize an autocross event *during* the swapmeet, without seriously detracting from what's going on at the shop.
We are not trying to put on a full-blown show here, with daily events, judging, or awards. We are opening up our field, renting tents, making food, and giving everyone a place to hang out for a couple of days, talk Fieros with other Fiero folk, pick Ed's and my brains, watch me and Dave work on Fieros, see some stuff most people don't get to see on a regular basis, drive unique setups or engine swaps, and buy/sell/swap some Fiero stuff. Hopefully bringing some new people in to see what's going on and what we're about. I tried the dyno day last year as a way to generate some more interest and traffic, maybe give someone a reason to go who was "on the fence" about it.
Also, for those who don't know...Ed and Rosy foot the bill for this whole deal themselves. We're not doing this for profit (usually loose some money). My dyno event nets me and the shop nothing. Food sales generate some revenue, and we have door prizes and raffles, which generates a little income, if the items are donated. The biggest thing that anyone can do to help "the cause" is 1) show up! We're doing this to see lots of you here! 2) Tell as many people about it as you can, who may be interested in coming! Like I said earlier...we're all about word of mouth, and 3) If you want to donate anything that can be raffled as a door prize, that is always greatly appreciated. Contact me at Fierotech@toast.net for more info.
George, you mentioned T-shirts; you're welcome to make anything you'd like and bring down. If you want to make up some "dyno day" shirts, Email me and I'll give you all the info; if the name of the shop is on there, I'm SURE he'd have no problem with me bringing a bunch down there to sell on Sunday. Give me an idea of how much $$ you need for them, and I can give a price for dyno runs with shirts and without. Also, as soon as I find out if there is Friday nite test-n-tune available to us, shirts for the drags would be cool, especially if quite a few of us can make it out there.
Look for a Dyno sign-up thread soon. Thanks again for the offers, and suggestions, and take care---
Jeremy B. Fierotech@toast.net
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07:27 PM
cadero2dmax Member
Posts: 1266 From: Brighton, CO Registered: Oct 2001
George, you mentioned T-shirts; you're welcome to make anything you'd like and bring down. If you want to make up some "dyno day" shirts, Email me and I'll give you all the info; if the name of the shop is on there, I'm SURE he'd have no problem with me bringing a bunch down there to sell on Sunday. Give me an idea of how much $$ you need for them, and I can give a price for dyno runs with shirts and without. Also, as soon as I find out if there is Friday nite test-n-tune available to us, shirts for the drags would be cool, especially if quite a few of us can make it out there.
Jeremy B. Fierotech@toast.net
I will send a PM about shirts.
I like the separate per4rmance weekend idea. Maybe sometime during the swap meet we can get together and discuss?
G
[This message has been edited by cadero2dmax (edited 01-29-2005).]
The drag strip will be open that weekend. Only question is will it rain. It is not very often they cancell Friday night test and tune but they have if they had a very large event that saturday. We usually go to the strip atleast once every 2 weeks during the summer and fall, I do not see them making any special arrangments for just the fieros but show up friday night make several passes and have a great time. Then saturday morn. everyone can meet up at the swap meet f0or another funfilled exciting day.
------------------ '87 GT 93 3800sc series I / 4t60e 7.597 1/8mile ET 1.579 60' 88.53 mph
[This message has been edited by jb1 (edited 01-30-2005).]
The drag strip will be open that weekend. Only question is will it rain. It is not very often they cancell Friday night test and tune but they have if they had a very large event that saturday. We usually go to the strip atleast once every 2 weeks during the summer and fall, I do not see them making any special arrangments for just the fieros but show up friday night make several passes and have a great time. Then saturday morn. everyone can meet up at the swap meet for another funfilled exciting day.
They had a nat'l bracket racing event there last year, on the same weekend of the swap meet. I want to ensure that isn't the case this year before I have George make up T-shirts and tell everyone it's a go. A couple years ago, we did have it set up where they were closing down the track for just us to come in, as I understand it, but it didn't work out. So this year, once I'm certain they are going to run test-n-tunes (like you said, probably are, but there's always that chance...), I'll let everyone know it's on, if it's not rained out.
Thanks--- Jeremy B.
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02:12 PM
VA RICR-ETR Member
Posts: 414 From: Nashville, TN USA Registered: May 2004
Can someone give me lodging info and an idea of what may be happening/times for the days? I'd love to come down. May give me a chance to unload the 87 SE I'm looking to get rid of and get someone to give me some tips on my 88 GT. I looked through the posts but didn't see hotel info. Thanks in advance.
Can someone give me lodging info and an idea of what may be happening/times for the days? I'd love to come down. May give me a chance to unload the 87 SE I'm looking to get rid of and get someone to give me some tips on my 88 GT. I looked through the posts but didn't see hotel info. Thanks in advance.
The Comfort Inn on 72 is the hotel most people stay at, it has good rates and is across the street from several of the restaurants that many eat at in the evenings. They also provide free internet access. It's the one I'll be staying at and hosting a room party at, as well. There's not really an event hotel, though I considered working with Comfort to make that the event hotel.
As far as events go, the swap meet starts on Friday though I think the official days are Saturday and Sunday. Every night most people head to the local restaurants for socializing. Huntsville is a college town, and also one of NASA's big locations, with tourist facilities.
The Comfort Inn on 72 is the hotel most people stay at, it has good rates and is across the street from several of the restaurants that many eat at in the evenings. They also provide free internet access. It's the one I'll be staying at and hosting a room party at, as well. There's not really an event hotel, though I considered working with Comfort to make that the event hotel.
As far as events go, the swap meet starts on Friday though I think the official days are Saturday and Sunday. Every night most people head to the local restaurants for socializing. Huntsville is a college town, and also one of NASA's big locations, with tourist facilities.
JazzMan
Actually, the "official" days are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with some people trickling in on Thursay to get a jump on setting up, or getting work done. Friday and Saturday are the "big days" of the swapmeet, with the best deals to be found late Saturday (from the folks that are using Sunday to head home, and don't feel like packing up any leftovers there may be). Sunday is usually a cleanup day for folks, as many head home on Sunday. That's why I do the Dyno on Sunday...you can schedule a time to be there, on your way out of town, or early in the morning, if you're heading out early.
The shop opens up at 8:30, and closes up at 5:30. Sunday is 8:30 til everyone leaves. Dyno day will start Sunday, around 9AM.
Regarding hotels, the three big ones that most wind up at are the Comfort in you mentioned, the Baymont Inn & Suites, and the La Quinta. Phone numbers:
Comfort Inn: (256) 533-3291 3788 University Dr. Baymont Inn: (256) 830-8999 4980 University Dr. La Quinta Research Park: (256) 830-2070 (near Baymont) 4870 University Dr. or La Quinta Space Center: (256) 533-0756 (near Comfort Inn) 3141 University Dr. La Qunita also lists an 800 number...800-531-5900 (I'm sure they all have 800 numbers, but I'm pulling this from the local yellow pages, and most don't list toll-free #'s)
The dates for the swapmeet are Friday April 29th, Saturday the 30th, and Sunday May 1st., so reserve accordingly. All three hotels are about the same distance from the shop (15 miles or so). No, there isn't much of anything near the shop. But all are close to TONS of restaraunts, and the dyno.
Hope this helps, hope to see everyone here...
Jeremy B. Fierotech@toast.net
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10:08 PM
Jan 31st, 2005
Boomtastic Member
Posts: 2359 From: Athens, Alabama Registered: May 2000
MsBeth & I will be there again this year. This is always one of the coolest things to do duing the year.
Jer - There really needs to be a big "sign in" sheet right up front where people can/should write in that they are onsite, and maybe like what color clothes they are wearing so people can find them. I have been to the swap meet several times now and I get home and hear about so-and-so was there and I never saw/met them. Heck, I probably should right to someone that I wanted to meet and never knew it. This way you can sign in & sign out.
------------------
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07:22 AM
Raydar Member
Posts: 41489 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
Originally posted by Boomtastic: There really needs to be a big "sign in" sheet right up front where people can/should write in that they are onsite, and maybe like what color clothes they are wearing so people can find them. I have been to the swap meet several times now and I get home and hear about so-and-so was there and I never saw/met them. Heck, I probably should right to someone that I wanted to meet and never knew it.
That's an excellent idea!
You could also just put your name or PFF username on your shirt, like a football jersey. That might even be a good idea for a vendor. Custom T-shirts. Jeremy, Y'all know any airbrush artists?
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 01-31-2005).]
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01:00 PM
RWF Member
Posts: 366 From: Brevard, NC. USA Registered: Apr 2002
Mapquest says, "Total Est. Time: 8 hours, 2 minutes Total Est. Distance: 430.73 miles" from Charlotte. For people traveling from NC, do you travel I-85 south past Atlanta, or are there shorter ways?
------------------ - Matthew
Black, Wingless '87 GT
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02:28 PM
Raydar Member
Posts: 41489 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
Danger Will Robinson!!! I'm not sure of the logistics of coming from Charlotte, but do not take I-85 (or any other road) through Atlanta anywhere close to rush hour. Trust me on this. Atlanta rush hours are legendary, and the traffic isn't always congested in the directions you would expect. Or rather, it is congested in places you wouldn't expect. In the afternoon, it has taken me nearly two hours to go from Norcross (NE 'burbs) to Douglasville (western 'burbs), and that's even knowing which surface streets to take to go around the worst of the traffic.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 01-31-2005).]
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02:43 PM
flyntus Member
Posts: 259 From: Winston Salem, NC Registered: Dec 2000
Matthew or anyone else in NC. Follow Flytus directions. Shortest and best roads. Only traffic is Knoxville and Chattanooga and it's usually not too bad. Ellen and I are leaving Thurs AM early. If anyone wants join us let me know.
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08:41 PM
PFF
System Bot
Vonov Member
Posts: 3745 From: Nashville,TN,USA Registered: May 2004
Anyone coming on I-40E towards Nashville (like if you live between Nashville and Knoxville, or pick up the interstate in that stretch) and then cutting south toward Huntsville would be well advised to avoid Nashville altogether if possible; use I-840 if you can. Interstate construction in Nashville can be a pain (aka the Never-Ending Story).
MsBeth & I will be there again this year. This is always one of the coolest things to do duing the year.
Jer - There really needs to be a big "sign in" sheet right up front where people can/should write in that they are onsite, and maybe like what color clothes they are wearing so people can find them. I have been to the swap meet several times now and I get home and hear about so-and-so was there and I never saw/met them. Heck, I probably should right to someone that I wanted to meet and never knew it. This way you can sign in & sign out.
So, you mean the stick-on name tags that EVERYONE is asked to wear when they walk through the door, AND the sign-in sheets that EVERYONE is asked to fill out when they walk through the door isn't enough?
Seriously...every year, just inside the front door, there are tables set up with Rosy and other volunteers set up, where everyone is asked to fill out a sign-in sheet (which is where we get our data regarding how many were there and from which states), and fill out/put on a name tag. On the same table can be found our raffles and drawings, and info sheets. Also, several years, Bob Englert has been present on site with his engraving equipment making the custom name tags ( http://www.cgengrave.com/Services/Fiero.php ). The sign-in sheets are always in a box on the front table, if anyone asks, they can look through them to see who's signed in.
I will mention now, and in my forthcoming dyno/drags/info threads, that PFF members definitely should put their usernames on their nametags. It's hard to know that this guy, Mark Griswold, that you've been talking to for the last 20 minutes, is also known as "FieroGT15397" on the forum, and you've known of him for years, without the name staring you in the face. I've gotten in the habit of asking people if they're on Pennock's within the first few minutes of conversation.
Also...PLEASE go through the front doors, not the gate, to enter. And PLEASE stop at the table and get your name tag, and fill out your sign-in sheet. Thanks!
If it would help, it will only cost me one or two pieces of poster board...I'll buy one and hang it somewhere (maybe the side of my toolbox or lift?) with a sharpie-on-a-string, that PFF'ers can search out and jot their name/defining clothing on...for the name-tag-reading-impaired...lol... I'm going to provide the space and pen; it's going to be up to you guys to use it or not. It's hard enough getting everyone to fill out a sign-in sheet once, let alone keeping track of who's coming and going...
Thanks all---
Jeremy B. Fierotech@toast.net
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10:45 PM
Feb 1st, 2005
Vonov Member
Posts: 3745 From: Nashville,TN,USA Registered: May 2004
I'm going to have to take 65 through Nashville, what time on Friday should I plan to be through it before traffic comes to a stand still?
Strongly suggest you be through Nashville by no later than 2:30 p.m.--- the rush hour actually begins at 3, what with people working flextime (or "Friday flex" --- you know, the Friday (insert excuse here) appointment) which should put you in Ed's area right around 3:15-3:45, depending on traffic, how fast your ride is, and how much you wanna tempt the troopers, lol. No need to worry much though, the average speed of the traffic on I-65 south of Gnash-ville is about 80, so getting crazy isn't necessary.
------------------ '88 Formula - 4.9 conversion by The Fiero Factory Shifter surround resto by Fierotech SUPPORT YOUR FIERO MERCHANTS Proud member of the Lightbar Fraternity PFF Supporting Member "He who does not oppose evil, commands that it be done!" ----Leonardo da Vinci
i have a feeling i will be one of the youngest ones there..... a blooming 21 yr old...... o well just another Fiero lover! oh yea, does wnyone know exact address of comfort in and where the swap meet will be?
I finally get to go this year. I've missed that last two because I was working on the darn thing! I'm looking forward to it.
Oh, forgot to mention, I will be bringing a set of black GT style wheels and tires. They will be free to the person that compliments my car the most. Seriously, though, I would like to trade them for some good grey pillar trim with good speaker covers, if anyone is interested.
