Arkansas Event?

[csxsfm]

Anyone know of any upcoming events of interest to SAAC members in Arkansas?

[cj750]

There are two dozen '65-'66 GT350s touring around north central Arkansas this week. I've seen pictures. But I can't find any solid info as far as a contact person or itinerary.
Aside from that, there are a bunch of Mustang & Shelby owners going as a group to see Ford vs. Ferrari in Fayetteville on Nov. 15.
I don't know of anything after that 'til Spring.

[A-Snake]

There are two dozen '65-'66 GT350s touring around north central Arkansas this week. I've seen pictures. But I can't find any solid info as far as a contact person or itinerary.

The GT350 tour is planned months in advance. Itinerary will not be posted in advance for obvious reasons

[cj750]

There are two dozen '65-'66 GT350s touring around north central Arkansas this week. I've seen pictures. But I can't find any solid info as far as a contact person or itinerary.

The GT350 tour is planned months in advance. Itinerary will not be posted in advance for obvious reasons

Not that obvious. The Power Tour, the Great Race, and plenty of other classic/antique Rallies and Runs publish their routes and stops.
I just thought it would have been nice to meet some other vintage Shelby owners and check out the cars while they were in the neighborhood. Clearly there's no reciprocal interest in meeting us backward native folk.

[Bob Gaines]

There are two dozen '65-'66 GT350s touring around north central Arkansas this week. I've seen pictures. But I can't find any solid info as far as a contact person or itinerary.

The GT350 tour is planned months in advance. Itinerary will not be posted in advance for obvious reasons

Not that obvious. The Power Tour, the Great Race, and plenty of other classic/antique Rallies and Runs publish their routes and stops.
I just thought it would have been nice to meet some other vintage Shelby owners and check out the cars while they were in the neighborhood. Clearly there's no reciprocal interest in meeting us backward native folk.

I think he meant security concerns for the 6 digit figure valued cars that are highly salable outside of this country. Not saying others don't do it but posting a itinerary for a run like this can be looked at like posting a restaurant  menu of collector cars online, in this case for the bad guys to figure the best place to steal a car.  I am sure he didn't mean anything derogatory towards the native folk.

[1969shelbygt350]

I live in Springdale, Arkansas. I haven't heard anything here

Phuong

[roddster]

  There will be an MCA National in Eureka Springs next May 29th-31st.  There is usually a few Shelbys, plus some excellent Mustangs.

[A-Snake]

I think he meant security concerns for the 6 digit figure valued cars that are highly salable outside of this country. Not saying others don't do it but posting a itinerary for a run like this can be looked at like posting a restaurant  menu of collector cars online, in this case for the bad guys to figure the best place to steal a car.  I am sure he didn't mean anything derogatory towards the native folk.

Bob is correct. There was nothing derogatory meant by my post. This GT350 tour is much the same as the annual Cobra tour that's held in different parts of the country each year. There are pictures/video posted after we leave a location but not in advance for security reasons. We enjoy meeting local enthusiasts. We especially enjoy having kids sit in the cars for pictures and taking them and adults for a spirited ride.

[cj750]

That's all well and good, but I and at least one other local SAAC member inquired of some individuals who were "in the know" about the tour and were denied any information about where we might have an opportunity to see the cars. Being civil in unavoidable random interactions with the local populace is one thing. Strenuously avoiding interaction with fellow Shelby owners among the local population is another.

[Bob Gaines]

That's all well and good, but I and at least one other local SAAC member inquired of some individuals who were "in the know" about the tour and were denied any information about where we might have an opportunity to see the cars. Being civil in unavoidable random interactions with the local populace is one thing. Strenuously avoiding interaction with fellow Shelby owners among the local population is another.

Given your sign off at the bottom of your post  " Every post I make comes with an implied request for corrections. I'm here to learn."   I will offer this observation. I think you are being over sensitive. I don't think any ill will was meant.

[cj750]

Thanks Bob. I value your opinion. I'll admit this is something of a sensitive subject with me. But consider this. It's not my imagination that not once in 45 years has SAAC seen fit to hold a convention anywhere in the middle third (or more) of the country. It's not my imagination that SAAC deliberately scheduled their 2020 convention at a time that would hurt the one large Shelby and Ford meet we do have. And while I'm more than willing to give A-Snake the benefit of the doubt as to his comment, the fact remains that the GT350 tour WAS conducted in such a way as to exclude local vintage Shelby owners from having any interaction with the group. See the trend?
I guess I'm just disappointed, 'cause when I joined SAAC I imagined it would be something like an actual club. With at least occasional organized opportunities for interaction with other members in the real world. I missed the fine print stating that aspect of the group is only for members living near the coasts.

Jay

[Dan Case]

I can't speak to anything about the GT350 tours, we haven't had a GT350 in decades.  I do have friends that participate in tours with old Bentleys, the Going to the Sun Rally, and different groups (sometime overlapping) original Cobra tours in multiple countries.  From what those people tell me Cobra touring we have experienced is not all that different.  Cobra touring from my participation's frame of reference, with an original Cobra.  (We participated with a Cobra tour group in Arkansas this past May 2019.)


None of the tours we have participated in have been club sponsored events. None of the tours we have been part of were car shows. In each case we were invited by the organizer(s) that we previously knew outside of any organized club.  Friends inviting friends to a small attendance event, logistics get much tougher to deal with past about 14 to 15 cars. A fun group gathering can become tiring work all too easy as the number of participants increases.  (Speaking for myself the hassle of more than a dozen cars trying to make a timely group fuel stops especially during a cold rain, find parking in a one stop light small town or remote road side dinner for lunch, or just trying to stay together in public road traffic starts subtracting fun from the trips.) Been there done that myself back decades ago when I organized regional MCA event.  I never got to meet everybody or look at most of the cars. They are often 600+ to 1,200+ trailed miles away from home. The Cobras are often driven hours to days in rain, mud, down gravel roads, freshly paved roads, and or snow.   Yes, I said day driving in the rain and I meant from like 08:30 in the morning until maybe 16:30 that afternoon with a lunch stop.  Tours continue no matter what the weather.  Some tours take off for one or more nights on the road so the car is loaded with weather protection gear, extra clothes, fuel additive(s) to deal with country cross roads fuel available, tools, spare parts; definitely not car show preparation and detailing.  Driving and visiting friends, making new friends with similar cars.


The tours that we have participated in are more about the people than their cars. Getting to drive the old cars without dealing with car show crowds is fun.  In most cases the only time we get to visit with most of the participants are during these events.  Texts, emails, and phone calls only go so far especially when participants live between as far apart the east coast and Alaska.  Meal times and evening social gatherings allow lots of catching up and surprise not every subject involves the cars parked somewhere outside.  We get to sit and visit with friends from last year or several decades back.   We talk about families. We talk about the friends no longer with us anymore.  We talk about car events we participated back all the way to the 1960s. The tours we have enjoyed have not been public history or technical seminars beyond simple questions from local bystanders.   Club events are often hours of long technical Q&A sessions if you stay anywhere near your car.


In simple terms, these events have not been organized club events, have not been commercial enterprises to make money for organizers, and have not been planned as public car shows.  A Cobra owner plans a tour and asks if we want to participate. That's it. That's all.  Conceptually I don't see it much different than let's say somebody inviting some friends or close neighbors for a back yard BBQ.  When we invite close neighbors over for a meal we don't advertise an itinerary to the general public.

[A-Snake]

And while I'm more than willing to give A-Snake the benefit of the doubt as to his comment, the fact remains that the GT350 tour WAS conducted in such a way as to exclude local vintage Shelby owners from having any interaction with the group. See the trend?
I guess I'm just disappointed, 'cause when I joined SAAC I imagined it would be something like an actual club. With at least occasional organized opportunities for interaction with other members in the real world. I missed the fine print stating that aspect of the group is only for members living near the coasts.

Jay

Jay, The GT350 tour nor the Cobra tour is not any type of SAAC or other club event. I didn't attend this years GT350 tour but did attend the Cobra tour that was in much of the same area.

I think this year's Cobra tour was the 16th or 17th attended.

Anyone, that  has the time and passion, can try to organize a tour whether it's original Cobras, Shelbys, or ?. Find a great place that has the right accommodations, a place to store trucks and trailers, great roads, restaurants, gas stations that are within 100 miles of each other that have more than a 'one hole' restroom to accommodate the 40+ people, drive the route in advance to log each turn and stop, sometimes more than once, and do this to fill 4 or 5 days of driving and use new roads each day. Have the time to scout this out for the love of it because you will not be compensated for your time. Then have the log books for each car printed and hope there are not many misprints in directions. Oh, and be sure to invite people that will get along with each other for a week

So, know anyone that wants to organize a tour?

[Dan Case]

And while I'm more than willing to give A-Snake the benefit of the doubt as to his comment, the fact remains that the GT350 tour WAS conducted in such a way as to exclude local vintage Shelby owners from having any interaction with the group. See the trend?
I guess I'm just disappointed, 'cause when I joined SAAC I imagined it would be something like an actual club. With at least occasional organized opportunities for interaction with other members in the real world. I missed the fine print stating that aspect of the group is only for members living near the coasts.

Jay

Jay, The GT350 tour nor the Cobra tour is not any type of SAAC or other club event. I didn't attend this years GT350 tour but did attend the Cobra tour that was in much of the same area.

I think this year's Cobra tour was the 16th or 17th attended.

Anyone, that  has the time and passion, can try to organize a tour whether it's original Cobras, Shelbys, or ?. Find a great place that has the right accommodations, a place to store trucks and trailers, great roads, restaurants, gas stations that are within 100 miles of each other that have more than a 'one hole' restroom to accommodate the 40+ people, drive the route in advance to log each turn and stop, sometimes more than once, and do this to fill 4 or 5 days of driving and use new roads each day. Have the time to scout this out for the love of it because you will not be compensated for your time. Then have the log books for each car printed and hope there are not many misprints in directions. Oh, and be sure to invite people that will get along with each other for a week

So, know anyone that wants to organize a tour?

+1, plus really liked this, "Oh, and be sure to invite people that will get along with each other for a week."  You also need to respect each other and trust the other people's driving sensibilities and skills from parking to going through snowy mountain passes.  Knowing who is planning to participate in advance is very reassuring. In very hot to below freezing conditions, cloudless day to snow blizzard, drizzle to driving rain, down several miles of minutes old black top pavement, over fresh chip sealing, down miles of gravel roads, over muddy road construction or driveways, and very long days sometimes especially if somebody has a breakdown. Yep, having fun and being friends at a car show and having fun with friends out in the 'wild' can be pretty different. No, I wouldn't plan on going on a Cobra drive in a snow storm but once over it was a shared experience and formed a fond memory.  Rainy foggy Arkansas was fun too even with more deer than I could count standing beside the road on both sides that foggy evening.

There's several original Cobras ahead of us in the fog this past May. There's one.  The deer were much more difficult to detect. I think I saw four by one driveway. Martha Case picture May 2019.

[cj750]

Jay, The GT350 tour nor the Cobra tour is not any type of SAAC or other club event. I didn't attend this years GT350 tour but did attend the Cobra tour that was in much of the same area.

I think this year's Cobra tour was the 16th or 17th attended.

Anyone, that  has the time and passion, can try to organize a tour whether it's original Cobras, Shelbys, or ?. Find a great place that has the right accommodations, a place to store trucks and trailers, great roads, restaurants, gas stations that are within 100 miles of each other that have more than a 'one hole' restroom to accommodate the 40+ people, drive the route in advance to log each turn and stop, sometimes more than once, and do this to fill 4 or 5 days of driving and use new roads each day. Have the time to scout this out for the love of it because you will not be compensated for your time. Then have the log books for each car printed and hope there are not many misprints in directions. Oh, and be sure to invite people that will get along with each other for a week

So, know anyone that wants to organize a tour?

That just reinforces my point. If you're going to put on one of these things, the logical thing to do is reach out to local like-minded people and get them on board up-front. They're the ones who know the good roads. They know the good places to eat and the stations with good gas. They know the sites that are worth seeing and the ones that are over-rated tourist traps. They might be willing to offer their garage with a lift to anyone who needs it. Take advantage of their hospitality. It'll be easier for the organizers and result in a better experience for the participants.