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Arrived at Hershey this AM at 08:30. Saw Dave Czirr around 9:30 and met Ole Book (nice gent) who had some interesting pix of his Carib restoration and some russian packards (note that I used a small p). Also a comment was made that the N Korean leader, Hu Givz AF, showed up at a meeting in one of those russian look-alikes. Mr PB hollered my name and came over in the rain to shake my paw. I learn something every time I talk to a V8 owner. Between Dave, Ole and Mr PB, my knowledge has inched forward. Dave Czirr gave me a road draft tube clamp as it was missing on the Carib. Thanks Dave. Wandered over to the Chocolate field and saw Rich Sycks and father-in-law Art. My tinted windows didn't show up from Florida so I will have to wait till he ships them. Hershey is still one hell of a car venue.
Learned a train collector friend from Chicago also has a 1907 Packard and a 1909 Packard - both running. He also owns a Duesenberg J but since it isn't an SJ, I probably shouldn't mention it.
Rained heavily but since some folks say I'm all wet anyway the water didn't bother me.
Back home at 7:30 PM

Some year I will make my first trip out there. This year has been one busy one for me with my restoration and work.

Randy -

I've been buried in work on both the work- and home-fronts, but I'm glad to hear you got together with some good people from the group and obtained some essential parts for your project.

Sorry to hear you got rained on, but at least you didn't have to contend with the show field mess. I have heard and read (elsewhere) that it was pretty screwed up this year.

I'm hoping someday things will settle down here and the AACA will get their meet layout straightened out. Maybe then I will try Hershey again, but probably only for a day in the swap meet.

Meanwhile, I'd often thought about hitting Carlisle instead of Hershey, but have heard that event is mostly muscle car stuff now - not much there for older cars anymore. Anyone have any insights?

Carlisle: Corvette, Camaro, 55-6-7 Chebby, 65-up Rustang, 55-6-7 Thunderbird and Chevelle parts up the ying yang, good place to start your beanie baby colection or fufill your numchuck or pirate DVD needs.

upside: hot girls on the weekend to observe (not that I would notice), nice bathrooms everywhere, good car corral if your tastes lean to the more recent years, clean cars from the south brought up to the show.

Downside: you still have to pay to park (like Hershey), you have to pay to get in, there aren't many vendors selling car parts that aren't the above listed grouping of muscle cars that have reproduced parts available from multiple sources.

Hershey: parts, parts and parts, very high "real vendor" to "non automotive crap" ratio, unrestored cars all over the place to look at enjoy and maybe even buy. Hershey has the higest amount of vendors specializing in older, pre-muscle car makes and models, groups of clubs and members in zones (steam cars, Classic car club, Rolls Royce, a semi-Packard section thanks to Bill Hirsch) brass car stuff, model T&A parts (the ONLY T&A at Hershey) for days, people who know older models and have an appreciation for restoring a car to the way the manufacturer made it (true restoration). A happy time with a lot of like-minded people.

Upside: all of the above, next to no non-old car junk to breeze past (multiple Chinese tool vendors nonwithstanding)
the one place in the world to meet people from all over the globe who are into the same make/model/year that you are.

downside: parking isn't free, not as many porta-johns for the area covered, it is vast, you need to be in a walking mood or get the AACA to consider you handicapped and allow a golf cart (more this year but still highly civilized when compared to Auburn melee).

I still really, really like hershey

Pushbutton -

Thanks for the light-hearted comparison. I'd never been to Carlisle, but some Chevy friends keep telling me I should go. Used to be some Packard vendors hit both Hershey and Carlisle, but apparently not so these days.

With a '67 Camaro, '70 and '72 Chevelles, and a couple of Mopars in and out of the shop where I work over the past year, there's little need for me to go all the way to Carlisle to see muscle cars.

Yup, I sure don't go to an automotive swap to see tables full of crafts, but the event promoters counter point is that ya gotta have something for the spouse and kiddies.

However, after opening a door to a portajohn at Hershey one year and finding "waste" piled up to the rim of the seat, I tend to avoid those in favor of a real bathrooms.

I just wish the AACA people would quit using the graying of the hobby or hotrodders and kustomizers as an excuse and get out in public to see what works better at other events and what attracts people to them. While weather is beyond anyone's control, there are a lot of things that need to improve to get me to go back to Fall Hershey for even a day.

Meanwhile, PackardInfo.com is shaping up to be quite the online place to meet people from all over the globe, but I know how much people like to be able to put a face to a screen name. It was great seeing you and BigKev, in addition to the regulars, at the annual all-Packard meet in Warren last summer; maybe a few more will make the trip next year.

This was my first year going to Hershey. The only word that comes to mind is overwhelming. Did find a couple of parts that I was looking for, but man there is just so much ground to cover. After trudging around all day Friday and a couple of hours Saturday, I still didn't see it all.
I was watching the local news late news on Friday and they had a story about the Hershey show. It seems that the show is in some danger. Land prices in the Harrisburg/Hershey area have skyrocketed over the past coupe of years and there is pressure to sell the parking area. The city would like to keep the show, it generates a staggering amount of revenue in just a few days.

Hi Randy,

It was good seeing you at Hershey. Had heard so much about you from Dave and I sure wasn't disappointed. I hope we can compare notes on our 56 Caribbean projects in progress in the months to come.

All the best,

Ole

Likewise Ole, It is always a pleasure to meet someone with the same interests and knowledge. I should thank Dave Czirr for the introduction to you. He is quite a good fellow in his own right. This was a pleasant Hershey despite the weather primarily due to meeting old friends and making new ones.
You will enjoy this forum tremendously as there is a wide variety of interest and diversity of knowledge.
I would be glad to share in any newfound facts/knowledge you find while restoring your Caribbean and I will be glad to return the favor.