Thursday, October 8, 2009

Saturday Reminders

Just a reminder, there are several choices this Saturday. Aside from staying home, there is the Fryeburg Fair Parade & Cruise-in, the festivities at Winterport Dragway, and the Maine Oxy show in Auburn.

Whichever you choose, we hope you have a grand time.

/

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Winterport Reschedule

From James Smith:

The 8th Annual Winterport Fall Car Show & Drag Race has been rescheduled to this Saturday October 10th.

www.winterportdragway.com

/

Monday, October 5, 2009

Fryeburg

/
From Bob Hatch:

Saturday is FRYEBURG FAIR GRAND PARADE day. You and someone else will get in free with your old car on Saturday if you put your old car in the parade. You will want to get to the FAIR no later then 8:00 am and go to gate #2 just past the MAIN gate on Rte 5. They will let you go inside and then go to the infield of the RACE TRACK. You will also be helping the Bridgton old car club. Hope to see you all there.

/

New Classifieds

Just a heads up for those in the market - HotKarz has posted a couple of new listings in the classifieds - a great little Mercedes, and now we have a vehicle you all know as a show winner - Ken Matthews' "Great 48" Chevrolet Business Coupe. Check out all the classifieds here.

/

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Clarification - Willys

Over the summer a few folks asked why I have not taken issue with a couple of Willys Jeepsters of the early '50's being in Special Interest. My response has been that, unless there is a more appropriate class, such as Stock 50's, or Jeeps, those particular vehicles are "borderline" Special Interest because they were "built for a specific and unique purpose".

The following information, some from the old Willys ads and some from Hemmings and other sources will explain:

"The Willys vehicle aided military service greatly due to its toughness and versatility, which allowed it to traverse various types of rough terrain that other vehicles could not navigate. It's higher than normal chassis allowed the Willys to navigate terrain where ordinary vehicles would get hung up.

"Even the civilian models through 1953, whether 2WD or 4WD were specifically built to handle tough, unpaved terrain which was prevalent throughout the U.S. in the early 1950's. Through 1953 the Willys and Willys Jeep models were virtually the only American vehicles built specifically to handle rough, uncivilized terrain, and snow covered roads.

"The Willys of the early 1950's were most popular in South America, where roads were more a luxury at the time."

As you can see, the early Willys can fit into Special Interest as it was built for a specific and unique purpose. But it is not the most appropriate class if the show has a class specifically for Jeeps, which is where it truly belongs. And if the show has a class for Stock '50's, it's a toss-up, as the vehicle could fit just as well there as in Special Interest.

And that, my friends, is why I have no issue with them being in Special Interest - even though they almost always beat the pants off our PT Woody, as they did once again today. Congrats to them.

I hope this answers any questions on this particular issue.

/

A Valuable Lesson

An interesting - and educational - turn of events at the Stratham NH show. A situation that screams out a valuable lesson: if your vehicle is worthy of winning its class, it will likely win, no matter how many other vehicles are in the class. So you are bertter off just staying in your class - no matter what.

If you do not have faith in your wheels, that is a sign you need to put more effort into it. And if you do have faith in it, there is no point jumping class.

At the Stratham NH show, one particular vehicle was registered in the correct class - at first. He soon noticed that his class got rather busy - a whopping 16 vehicles! So, he decided to jump into a class that only had 2 vehicles. Alas, he was advised that it was improper to jump class, and begrudgingly left, returning to his own class.

Had he stayed in the class of two (he would have been the 3rd vehicle), he would have taken 3rd place by default. Not exactly anything to be proud of. I guess he figured at least it would be a trophy. But he did not stay in that class, and chose honesty over dishonesty and returned to the class of 16, realizing his chances of winning anything at all were remote.

But he did choose honesty, and that is important.

And in spite of the heavy competition, he won First Place out of 16. Not Third, as he would have in the smaller class. First Place out of a class of 16. Now THAT is a real achievement.
Think about what that really means...

To begin, he had a vehicle worthy of winning. But he lacked FAITH in his vehicle, and almost forfeited his 1st Place win by jumping class. The message here: if you have a winner, have faith in it. Then, register where you belong, so it can prove how good it is. "If ye have but the faith of a mustard seed..." You may not always win, but you will always be a winner in ways that count.

The second lesson is one that he learned well today. He learned that while it may be more difficult winning in a large class, it is also incredibly satisfying when you do. After all, to take 3rd in a class of 3 is no big deal. In fact, it makes you a loser, not a winner, because you came in last. But to win ANY trophy in a class of 16 is a real feather in the cap. It means your vehicle is a champion, and not just a runner-up.

To that fellow, I say "Congratulations." You deserved 1st place in your class. You did not deserve 3rd in the other class.

And to anyone considering jumping class, keep this true story in mind - the bigger the class, the greater the reward if you win. And it is easier to win in your rightful class.

Also at Stratham, one of the best looking vehicles in Imports was the Cobra. But he did not even place. Why? Because more and more folks are refusing to vote for vehicles out of their class. Had he been in his own class, he would have taken at least 3rd, and possibly 2nd, or even 1st (there were only two other vehicles in his class - a sure win).

Look over the winners in the "Best of the Best" contest. In every case these winners all had two things in common...

1) The vehicles are put into great shape and kept that way - a good deal of effort is involved, and

2) In every case, every one of them always registered in their rightful class. Every time

And that is what makes a vehicle a winner.

At Stratham, two great vehicles. Both worthy of winning. The one in the correct class did win. The one in the wrong class did not even place.

Do what you KNOW is right, and not what you THINK you can get away with.

'Nuff said.

/

Stratham Boy Scouts Show

The threat of damp weather kept a lot of folks home, and it showed, as the Stratham field was only half full. But the vehicles that did arrive were great!

The Boy Scouts did a very good job with this show. Room enough in the classes, well organized, and the chili was the best we've had in a long while.

The Scout Leader did mention that he noticed they will need additional classes next year, to break up Mustangs, Vettes and Imports. So those of you who are in those classes, that will be great news.

I did notice that someone with a Cobra kit car somehow got registered in the import class, where he obviously did not belong (there was a class for Kits). And he did not win. Had he been in the class he belonged in, he would have been guaranteed a trophy, as he would have been one of just three vehicles in the class. This only goes to show that registering in the wrong class can backfire, big time. And my next post will highlight a situation that goes a long, long way to illustrate just that point, in reverse.

But for now, please enjoy the pix in the gallery, and in the winner's circle. And you may enjoy a new Featured Vehicle of the Week.

/