All,
Yes, Eric and I did try to build some interest in a National All-Datsun
meet. We thought that if we had all Datsun cars (trucks, 510s, Zs, R411s,
etc.) invited we could get some support for a meet somewhere in Colorado.
The idea never really got off the ground for several reasons:
Too far to drive- I can relate to this as even driving from Southern
California to Mt. Shasta, California (about 650 miles) is too far for some
to drive. To get from Socal to Colorado is a 2-3 day drive depending on how
hard you want to push it.
Where do we have it? There were several ideas about where to have the meet,
but nothing ever surfaced.
Sponsorship. To put it bluntly, I tried for almost six months to find a
sponsor for the meet. Most of my efforts went into trying to get Nissan to
get involved and got no where. I then tried to get some sponsors from
various magazines and automotive clubs. I got absolutely squat as far as
interest was concerned.
I faced a hard reality. Outside of the Datsun Roadster community and its
vendors, there is little or no interest in our cars. The Z crowd may
tolerate us to a limited expense, but the 510 and truck crowd have no
interest and neither does Nissan.
The only way to make something like this happen would be to form a national
organization of Datsun owners with elected officials, dues, and some kind of
support from Nissan. I once raised that issue on the list and was pretty
much told that most Datsun owners are not going to invest in that kind of
organization as they do not feel they would get any benifit out of it.
So I am thinking that Solvang, Shasta, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta will be
the only Datsun Roadster specific shows for the forseaable future.
I do wish the middle of the country (Colorado, Texas, Ohio, Missouri, etc)
would create their own show to get everyone involved with shows and meets.
They seem to be the only region that has no annual show. I know there are
many cars in those parts of the country and would love to see them at a
venue.
In fact, I will make this pledge to the Roadster Owners in that part of the
country. If you do create a roadster show along the lines of a Solvang,
Shasta, Watkins Glen or Road Atlanta anytime between Memorial Day and Labor
Day 2005, I will bring my roadster from the West Coast to attend. If I am
willing to drive my car that far, then anyone else should be able to if
their car is running and they can afford the trip. The gauntlet is cast down
WycROC, TDROC, and any roadster owners in the area.
I would love to see a show in the part of the country and will attend if one
is created.
Anyhow, get your cars out and go for a drive!
See you on the road!
Andrew Murphy
1967.5 2000 SRL311-00489
>From: <efrisbee@charter.net>
>Reply-To: <efrisbee@charter.net>
>To: Marc&Heidi <mtyler@hctc.net>, Roadster list list
><datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
>Subject: Re: East - Of-The-Rockies Datsun meet?
>Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2004 3:26:05 +0000
>
>I think they have an East coast meet... Watkins Glen? SEROC has a big
>shindig too, but if I recall correctly it's a classic car meet?
>
>Andrew Murphy and I had tried to get a National Meet moving along in
>Colorado, but no one wanted to drive their cars that far.. that and
>finding a place to hold the event with everything that Datsun owners want
>to do was mindboggling. Way too much work!
>
>I'd love to see a Midwest meet sometime though?? I think we'd have a
>blast!! Let's figure something up!
>
>Eric
>
> >
> > With all the hubub hubbubbing, and the suggestion, (facetious or not)
> > of a CO meet, it got me wondering about the possibilty of an
> > east-of-the-rockies meet. Pennsylvania Maybe? Not too Far for the NY
> > NJ MD OH and PA roadsterites? Still a bit far for me in TX but a
> > mid-atlantic meet might be able to draw a crowd. Fredricksburg is next
> > weekend for the Texians
> > -
> >
> > Just a Thought...
> >
> > -Marc T.
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