Cars & Coffee Pics - 5/23/09

http://TwitPWR.com/fKw/

The Solstice/Sky and 'Vette guys apparently didn't get the memo Re: the prior S2000 invasion, but it was still a great show.

 

Nice shots Frank! I think I'll bring the M3 down next week

 

Had you been there earlier, you would have had your choice of parking spots! The Vette's & Sky/Solstace guys know that, so they got there early...

To be honest, how special is your car if you go every week?

 

Welcome to Ferrarichat. First post will probably be your last. Do a quick search of the show online and you'll find references to previous invasions that also met with similarly negative reactions from the regulars. All groups planning on showing up at this gathering should contact the show organizers first.

 

Frank knows his stuff!


o and thank you for posting pics frank

 

Any more pics of that silver 430 Novitec & white 16M!

Cheers,

 

Unfortunately, no. The 16M pulled in as we were leaving and the Novitec was parked nose in and hard to shoot from the other side.

 

A chicken? A chicken! In an Isetta. Now, I've seen everything at Cars & Coffee.

 

Is there a new flyer from Ford(PAG), or a website, or a link to "the memo" that tells people this secret code? The flyer referenced in YOUR post here on F-CHAT only says:

Someone could find their Camry interesting and take up space.

Just sayin

 

By 7:15 I think I finally waded through all the Skye/Solstice and Vettes, so I left. Why don't groups clear it with organizers before they show? I saw John Clinert(sp?) very politely suggest to a Toyota that the lot is full and they should consider the overflow/general parking lot. I couldn't believe it when the guy drove in anyway. For all he has done for C&C, it's a disgrace if John was disrespected like it looked from a distance. Bad form.

There were some special cars between all the daily drivers (there are exceptions and a few DDs are good to see), but when a 95+ point Daytona and others can't find a spot my attitude goes down the tubes.

 

>>The Solstice/Sky and 'Vette guys apparently didn't get the memo Re: the prior S2000 invasion, but it was still a great show. <<

True enough, but unless someone with some balls is posted at the entrance to regulate who gets in, this will never change. Much deserved kudos to John and Linda, but they are too nice to be the heat needed to police who gets in.

 

I don't expect everyone to follow the ongoing story of this show as closely as I do, but I do expect people to have some common sense when attending any show like this. It's a simple matter of someone who doesn't spend enough time getting to know the other showgoers and the organizers.

One of the Solstice/Sky people must have come to the show in the past and liked what they saw. They told their friends about it. Word spread amongst fellow owners and someone figured it was a great idea to get everyone together and come down to the show en masse. Not one of them thought to ask about being considered for a featured marque/model day. Not one of them thought to ask for permission in bringing a huge number of non-regular attendees in a group like that. Not one of them remembers the mess from previous invasions. It's just about being respectful and having some class.

We've gone over this before. There are updated rules and suggestions all over the place. If you want to bring a large group, say ten or more cars down to the show, get in touch with John Clinard, Freeman Thomas or Tom Shaughnessy. If you don't know them, maybe you need to seek them out one of these Saturdays and introduce yourself. Thank them for letting us use their parking lot while you are at it.

This is not a pubic parking lot at a strip mall. It is privately owned and made available specifically for those people who used to meet regularly at Crystal Cove and were displaced. Everyone is welcome. All interesting exotic, high-performance, collectible, and classic cars are welcome. When you find one of the organizers, they can tell you how to reserve the featured marque lot.

If they can't accommodate you and you decide to plan an invasion of your own, consider parking in the spectator lot so you don't piss off the regulars. Chances are John can direct you to a portion of the complex where you can park together and still enjoy the show. Don't take the attitude that it is first-come, first-serve like a few have suggested. It's bad enough that the volunteers have to get up at 5 every Saturday. Don't try to turn it into a situation where they have to start roping off the lot until they get there.

 

Looks like they're trying to takeover Supercar Sunday as well...

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f37/supercar-sunday-woodland-hills-southern-california-every-sunday-7-00-am-46957/

 

OMG! There is a whole row of Solstices in one of your pics Frank. How many were there??

Why is it so hard for people to understand you just can't show up at a LOCAL car show and take it over? It seems so simple to realize the common courtesy to check with the organizers of the event before you drive in with a group of cars. I would NEVER pull into the lot with my car and its worth double those...ahem...cars. As an enthusiast and not an exotic/classic car owner I look forward to attending Cars and Coffee to enjoy just those cars. It's a shame this is happening....again.

 

Keep up the good work on the pics!

 

Awesome pics as always Frank!

There's no point wasting our breaths and time on this. It sucks for those showing a quality car, but if PAG doesn't do something about it, I doubt anyone would.

 

Just tuned in here to check out your pics Frank. Very nice. Thanks. It was a great show. I personally enjoy seeing other enthusiasts show up in force, regardless of their marque. That's what it's all about. And any good event, no matter how exclusive it is meant to be, is going to grow. And that's a good thing. I'd much rather see C&C accomodate and grow rather than try to discourage certain car owners and groups from attending.

 

If they were allowed in, it must not have been a problem with the organizers, no? And it's not all about cost as any true enthusiast will agree. I'd rather park next to those Solstice owners who would respect my vehicle rather than some jerk in a more expensive car who would not.

 

I arrived at about 6:30 and all of the Sols were already in place, taking the entire row. I would bet that they arrived before anyone was monitoring the entrance.

The week before, I drove in around the same time and Linda/John were not at their customary station yet.

 

Well more power to em. If I were part of a group like that, common sense tells me I should arrive early so that cars can be parked together.

 

It's not about how much the cars cost. It's about the number of cars you're bringing. The organizers are in a tough spot here, as they want everyone to feel welcome. It's only polite to give the host a heads up. Would you bring 20 friends with you to a friend's barbecue unannounced? Would you be offended if your friend turned you away? Just asking people to be polite, respectful and considerate.

 

A friend's private bbq and C&C are not quite the same, Frank. But I do agree with you that the organizers are in a tough spot. And as long as there are no set rules or guidelines regarding these issues and staff to enforce them, they will continue to recur. Groups and clubs are as much a part of car culture as the individual enthusiast. I can only hope that the organizers will find a solution to make everyone happy, rather than cater to an elite sect. Personally, I would like to see the event grow in terms of space since that would seem to alleviate the problem. I know, easier said than done. But take for example the Ruby's Diner Cruise at the Beach on Friday in Redondo. No set guidelines but with ample accomodations of their pay parking lot, no problems. Maybe C&C can relocate there or a similar locale. Or perhaps C&C should start charging an exhibitors fee. Those with the higher end vehicles won't mind I'm sure, but it would certainly thin out the more economical types. In any case, I think it better to discuss a solution that does not include excluding entry at the gate to enthusiasts who have presentable vehicles.

 

i totally agree with you frank...why dont they put "GROUPS" in the secondary lot?? everyone loves the numbers that come, but sometimes it quality not quantity!! the more exotics usually are solo or one of a kind. like you said before its really not how much the car cost, rather the rarity that it is

 

As others have pointed out, the groups showed up before the organizers did, so it's hard to direct them.

And to FXSTSB, I understand what you are saying, but all of those issues have been addressed ad nauseum in the past. There are "rules" in place, and have been all along. I have tried to post them on as many forums as possible, and I try to share them with everyone who is talking about coming to the show. It is not about being elitist. It has nothing to do with the kind of car you drive or how much money you have. We said the same thing here when people were talking about crashing the Mercedes day.

The idea behind the show is to celebrate the diversity of the automotive enthusiast world. That's what makes it the biggest and best regularly occurring free show in the world. Bringing 10, 20, 30, 50, 100 of the same vehicle is disrespectful because it monopolizes the spaces. You are in essence having your own show at someone else's show. Car clubs are more than welcome, but they should request the featured marque corral or park in auxiliary parking. Pass the word.

 

I thought everyone was welcome? Now they have to become part of some inner circle before attending?

How are they suppose to know you need to be blessed to show? THERE ARE NO RULES POSTED! I think the person that needs to learn respect is the photographer judging people and their cars because he does not find them worthy. Your last line can easily be applied to you.

I have attended the Donut Shop, Crystal Cove, and C&C many times and have never seen the rules you speak of posted any where. I did search after reading the above and found the C&C forum with the rules, but must admit that I have never seen them on any automotive forum before. I doubt most people have. Just because you happen to know the rules because you are part of the inner circle you can not assume everyone else does. Unless posted at C&C I don't really see how they matter much anyway. How are people to know they need to seek out the organizers to get permission to be worthy if there are no instructions to do so?

Come on Frank. Regulars? Your post reads like some old surf movie where only the locals could surf at a certain beach. Again, how are people to know the rules if the organizers do not have the back bone to post them at the show and enforce them?