"......With all the talk of the true value of the Tiger, there is nothing like
exposure to the general public for more appreciation of this car....."
Larry
I was thinking about just this driving up to Tahoe and then had a bit of an
epiphany a few days later on the way to the Shelby dinner. We were camped
just to the east of the casinos in Nevada and so had to pass them going to all
the events. On the way to the dinner (a little late and couldn't stop), I
glanced up one of the open malls between two of the behemoths and saw a row of
classic cars parked diagonally on display up the center of it.....and mobs of
people around them.
Standing in the middle of the park in Meyers the next morning looking at
the ring of gorgeous Tigers (and Alpines!) around me, I thought, "What a
waste!". I don't mean that as a criticism of the concours site, which was
very nice. Nor do I think you could successfully combine a serious concours
(I'm always surprised how serious T.U. concours are!) and a real public
display.
But if, as Larry rightly points out, a Tiger or three in a car show is a
good idea for promoting the marque, why do we waste the chances we have to
show off the biggest eyeful of Tigers to the public. I can't speak for TE/AE,
but of the west coast T.U.'s I've been to in the last 15 or so years, precious
few of the events were in real public view (perhaps good), and there wasn't
one event dedicated to showing the cars to as many people as possible
(definitely bad). And this at the yearly gathering of the largest number of
the nicest Tigers in the western U.S. !!
Perhaps it's time to add an event to T.U's on both coasts that's
intentionally high profile. Maybe not with points toward the Lord Rootes, but
with deficit points if you don't show. Or hand out ballots and give a trophy
to the winner (a real popular vote). Tahoe in June isn't silly season, but
pretty close, and in case noone noticed there's a lot of money up there. Put
in the proper venue, we could probably cash in on someone else's advertising
too.
......just a thought.....
Chris Hill
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