[gto4evr]

Nice show for getting my poncho blood boiling again and giving me some fresh gumption to face my garage project again, but I was seriously disappointed in the swap meet area, it was half the size it was in 09. I miss the glory days of swap meets before ebay and repop catalogs, I'd give anything to spend a Saturday at a junk yard again like the far gone days of my youth! Sure did seem to be far fewer cars there too, does anyone have an official car count compared to 09?

[Dick Boneske]

I thought the vendor area was as big or bigger than '09. Car count before the Co-Vention started was 1100+. There were so many almost perfect Pontiacs at the show, inside and outside the Nutter Center. The Nutter Center is ideal for our convention with the many restaurants and nice hotels nearby and other attractions such as the Air Force Museum, PLUS, Eldora racetrack is only one hour, fifteen minutes away. King's Royal was awesome!!I hope GTOAA and POCI do this again soon.

We drove our '64 GTO 500 miles from Winneconne, Wisconsin. It was entered in GTOAA Concours Stock Judging, which was a first for me at any car show. Judges were very thorough, very knowledgeable, and very helpful. My car managed Concours Gold, which is a great feeling since I did nearly all the restoration myself AND I DRIVE MY CAR.

The points judging experience was much nicer than popular vote where many vote for their friends instead of the nicest car in the class. Now I know exactly what I would need to do to improve my car for more points.

[PaulatFast]

Originally Posted by gto4evr

, but I was seriously disappointed in the swap meet area, it was half the size it was in 09. I miss the glory days of swap meets before ebay and repop catalogs, I'd give anything to spend a Saturday at a junk yard again like the far gone days of my youth! Sure did seem to be far fewer cars there too, does anyone have an official car count compared to 09?

Swap venders were up from 09, we had 60 something vendors in 09 and 85 this year. Total spots sold were over 340, filled the main lot and the overflow lot, sold every single spot! the indoor vendor count was down slightly, we had about ten less indoor vendors but that worked to our advantage with the silent auction and chapter displays filling that space nicely.

Registration was almost identicle to 09. Actual Car count was almost dead on the same! The biggest difference was both orgs had the pop vote show on sat in 09 and the pv shows were on different days this year.

The only drop off in car count was at the race, we had 100 paid racers in 09 and although the car count was over 80, we only had around 60 paying bracket racers. I attributr this to the fact that Doug and I were busy with the entire convention and could not focus on the drag race as we did in 09, along with the fact that the POCI Drag Race committee took a serious blow when Dave Bennett passed away.

[PaulatFast]

We would like to thank all of you for the kind words. If this event happens again, it will be because of the feedback you guys provide the National Clubs. We learned a lot. We improved a lot from 09. We can do it even better if there is a next time!

Thanks,
Paul Freese
National Co-Chairman 2013 Co-Vention

[TR]

I got there thursday, after chickening out and deciding to fly up there and rent a car rather than drive my '70 GTO. Weather was great. ( after the storm passed ) While still hot ( in the sun ) the air was much drier in the storm's wake and a welcome relief from NC's sultry weather. Fantastic event. My first POCI or GTOAA convention and I had the time of my life. I've rarely seen RAIV cars before this event, and then here I was seeing a half dozen of them stutting their stuff down the track. What really struck me was the pure stock cars running great times/mph, especially the 69 RAIV GTO's, the bronze 68 RAII Firebird, and the yellow/gold '71 GTO Judge. The '71 GT-27 was breaking up badly at first and then stormed it up later. The full-race stuff was great too: Awe inspiring: and all Pontiac powered. Studebaker coupe and Buick GSX ran great too: Glad to see them, despite objections from a few wags.

Nutter Center was a perfect place for this: Indoor and outdoor. Best car show I've been to and made me wonder what I've misse dbefore. PY party was fun. Good band, and reasonably priced food and beer; and parking lots filled with awesome cars.

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by PaulatFast

Swap venders were up from 09, we had 60 something vendors in 09 and 85 this year. Total spots sold were over 340, filled the main lot and the overflow lot, sold every single spot! the indoor vendor count was down slightly, we had about ten less indoor vendors but that worked to our advantage with the silent auction and chapter displays filling that space nicely.
.

Hmmm, this really made me delve into memory. my initial reaction stemmed from the fact that in addition to the vendors down in that back parking lot behind the center, there were two whole rows of swap vendors up on the parking lot "upstairs" in 09 which didn't have any swap vendors this time. Then a dim memory sparked that I now remember there was a tent full of cars in 09 where the vendors were this time because I remember walking through the tent on the way into the building last time. So basically the vendors got consolidated into one place this time around and they moved the tent-o-cars upstairs. Alzheimers is kicking in hard!

I chickened out driving my 69 the 400 miles from here to Dayton, I was afraid of a 300 mile engine failure that would strand us screwing around getting the car home rather than enjoying the show. I regretted it coming home, a long trip like that deserves a cool car, not a rusty Ford explorer!

[barrierblue66]

I've had my '66 GTO for over 20 years and NEVER attended a national event (no real reason) but after buying my '63 Cat Safari in November, this being a Co-Ven AND the 50th anniversary of the '63 cars I planned to attend no matter what.

The 500 mile drive up through VA and West VA was awesome. Car drove like a big Pontiac should. The last 10 miles were driven through the worst T-storms I've ever been in (yes THAT storm) After sitting under an overpass for the worst I rolled in.

Arriving at the hotel, I saw immediately what I'd been missing...the people you meet / hang with and the conversations you have, the beautiful cars in attendance are an added benefit.

Tried to do it all and came close to it. Shows and swap meet around the Nutter, Air Force Museum, Kil-Kare, parties and cruises.

Many thanks to both organizations, the great folks in attendance and their prized autos, all gold in my book.

[YNOBIL]

Originally Posted by gto4evr

I chickened out driving my 69 the 400 miles from here to Dayton, I was afraid of a 300 mile engine failure that would strand us screwing around getting the car home rather than enjoying the show. I regretted it coming home, a long trip like that deserves a cool car, not a rusty Ford explorer!

I know what you mean. On the 300 mile trip home from Dayton in '09 my '72 GTO spun the #3 rod bearing 100 miles from home. Luckily my numbers matching engine survived.
Made the 600 mile round trip without incident this year.

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by YNOBIL

I know what you mean. On the 300 mile trip home from Dayton in '09 my '72 GTO spun the #3 rod bearing 100 miles from home. Luckily my numbers matching engine survived.
Made the 600 mile round trip without incident this year.

Congrats on taking the driving challenge again! I drive my 71 as a daily driver and wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere (when we got married we drove from Buffalo down to the bottom of South Carolina in it on the honeymoon) BUT, I've barely put 3k miles on the 69 since the resto in 06 and didn't want to crush the long trip on it (I still don't have that confortable "drive it anywhere" feeling like I do on my 71)!

Overall it was a great show (except the part that I couldn't find a single Lucy blue car to show my friend what color my car's supposed to be, that Lucy on the top parking lot with the white GT sword stripe was definitely too light a shade, even though the owner said it was lucy (my apologies to the owner if he's here, but my 71 had the original paint on it when I inherited it from my grandma - I was three and remember sleeping on the back package tray during a trip when they first got it!)....so though that car was stunning, it was too light a shade of blue for Lucy.

[YNOBIL]

Originally Posted by gto4evr

Overall it was a great show (except the part that I couldn't find a single Lucy blue car to show my friend what color my car's supposed to be, that Lucy on the top parking lot with the white GT sword stripe was definitely too light a shade, even though the owner said it was lucy (my apologies to the owner if he's here, but my 71 had the original paint on it when I inherited it from my grandma - I was three and remember sleeping on the back package tray during a trip when they first got it!)....so though that car was stunning, it was too light a shade of blue for Lucy.

How did you miss my car? My Lucerne Blue 72 GTO Survivor was in the back on the main floor of the Nutter Center. With the exception of the right door it's all factory paint. Also, up front on the main floor was a '72 GTO Survivor "Barn Find" with I believe all factory paint.

[gloryrestoparts]

Originally Posted by TR

What really struck me was the pure stock cars running great times/mph, especially the 69 RAIV GTO's, the bronze 68 RAII Firebird, and the yellow/gold '71 GTO Judge. The '71 GT-27 was breaking up badly at first and then stormed it up later.

70 GT-37. and it most certainly was on the first run. fouled a set of plugs. I drive it on the street occasionally, and I knew better. changed the plugs and ripped off 12.84 12.89 and 12.88 all between about 109.7 and 110.2. missed a gear on the last run, so we won't count that one either. But thank you. I enjoy running the car as I slowly restore it.

[gloryrestoparts]

Originally Posted by wovenweb

Yes, definitely need more cars out there, but it was great for this first timer to be able to get a few runs in. I just need to figure out that I shouldn't be waiting for the green light to go.

Brian right? I think you did fine your first time out. I forget the other person's name in the staging lanes as we waited and talked.

Chris

[6 Grrrs]

I gotta ask...anybody have any better pics of the red '76 GP in the middle of the floor about 3-4 cars back? It looks exactly like my first car.

[Engine-Ear]

Originally Posted by Dick Boneske

My car managed Concours Gold, which is a great feeling since I did nearly all the restoration myself AND I DRIVE MY CAR.

Outstanding, Dick!! I hope to lay eyes on your GTO soon.

[REEDRACER]

Did anyone take a picture of the GMC Jimmy? I like the early 1st generation Jimmy's.

[pontiac1981]

When is the next Co-Vention?

[Dick Boneske]

2017? I've heard talk of the Co-Vention being held every four years.