Yankeededandy

Hi guys

I'm a C3 owner from Switzerland and will be staying in Marin county from Aug 28 through Sept 9. I was hoping for some Corvette or at least some Classic- or Muscle Car related events during that time in NoCal. But according to www.carshowfinder.org, there's nothing.

I remember from past visits that Huntington Beach was the host to a every Saturday morning get-together. Is there anything like that in the Bay area?

The alternative will be 2 weeks full of museum visits, concerts and shopping for shoes and clothing with the wife

Thanks and greetings from Switzerland,

Martin

Scottkrough

June 4th and 5th is Good guys show in pleasanton

http://www.summergettogether.com/?gc...FR1sgwodAVGZuQ

Problem is this damn rain

califbiglar

Martin, I don't have it opened but one sourse is checking the WSCC web site for Corvette car shows, I think all you have to do is search WSCC or the Western States Corvette Council. Hope it helps

Mrs. glass car

There is always something going on that time of year, but what the hell...you are going to be along the N.Ca coast...how can you go wrong at whatever you decide to do?
And welcome!

Yankeededandy

Thanks guys, I definitely can't go wrong with this. Coming from Switzerland, the "scene" in California is always a revelation. Still, just googeling for what's going on is a bit fruitless. Seems as if most of the meetings are kind of secretive. I was hoping some of you would be able to point me in the right direction. Doesn't have to be a big a$$ meeting - I simply would love to meet some gasoline heads.

Martin

Yankeededandy

Found it thanks. They have an activities calender.

Martin

C2Dan

Grüezi!

The Hillsborough Concours is on August 28. This is one of the best collector car exhibitions in Northern California, not as prestigious as Pebble Beach but well worth attending. (Usually, several Pebble Beach cars stick around for a couple of weeks and enter Hillsborough.) The Corvette class was quite good last year. Hillsborough is a few miles South of San Francisco, and the concours is held on the Crystal Springs Golf Course near Interstate 280. It's worth buying a VIP ticket online, in advance, because it includes convenient parking.

On August 27, an all-Corvette car show will be held in Tracy, East of the Bay Area on Interstate 580. But it looks like you won't be here in time for that event.

Apart from that, be sure to visit the Blackhawk Museum in the East Bay hills, not far from Interstate 680.

Yankeededandy

Thanks Dan,

That's a great idea, Hilsborough I mean. Duly noted and marked in my calendar.

Martin

C2Dan

Oh, I forgot, the last day of the Goodguys West Coast Nationals is August 28. This is in Pleasanton, in the East Bay, roughly at the intersection of Interstate 580 and Interstate 680. I've never been to this show, but it's supposed to be huge (with the attendant parking problems). See http://www.ggwestcoastnats.com.

ptroxx

Solono auto x on the 28th...

Wrencher

Greetings from a fellow Swiss! I don't know of any shows per se, but depending on your arrival time, the Indy car series is at Infineon Raceway August 26-28, and drag racing/drifting happens there as well on August 31st in the late afternoon and evening. That is something you won't see in CH!

There are also a couple of race clubs visiting Thunderhill raceway the 8th and 9th of September and there would be a good chance of scoring a ride, certainly with the Hooked-on-Driving group.

Not a museum, but Specialty sales (http://www.specialtysales.com/) usually has a large inventory of muscle cars on the floor. pretty cool.

I'll pass along more stuff as I think of it.

Hans

doje

Depending on what your arrival time is on the 28th, there is an all-Corvette auto-x in Fairfield, CA. Always a fun event and plenty of folks that will be happy to take you for rides on the track.

Rob04C5LM

If you can attend this you should. It is the largest gathering of american hot rods and custom cars that the Bay Area gets. You can walk around for 3 hours and still not quite see all of the cars, it's awesome!

Yankeededandy

Wow, great guys. Thanks for pointing these out. Now all I have to do is negotiate with my wife how much time we will be spending looking at cars instead of "other stuff".

Martin

Z51JEFF

Martin,unfortunately we have NOTHING that even comes close to the Saturday Cars and Coffee gathering they have in Socal.One other place to take a look is Boston Market in Santa Clara off of El Camino I think,every Wednesday.People start showing up around 4:00 and by 6:00 its packed.This just a bunch of car people coming to hang out.

Yankeededandy

For me as a foreigner, it's fascinating to learn how different the car culture is in the different regions. Over here in Europe, most people have never heard of "Socal" and "Nocal" and the assumption prevails, that California kids (people with classic cars will always be kids in their eyes) are cruising the streets in convois from San Diego right up to Eureka. Seems to me as if the car scene folks of Nocal are less exhibitionistic. Still, I'm really happy to find that there are more than enough car related events going on while I'm in the Bay area.

Greetings from Switzerland, where the Corvette population ratio is the biggest of Europe.

Martin

BodaciousBlue

Martin,

Greetings and welcome to California. Remember the 'Corvette WAVE'

Reuben

BodaciousBlue

What is "The Wave"?
From the August/September 1969 issue of Corvette News

Ever since Corvette No. 00001 first met Corvette No. 00002 on the road, their drivers saluted each other with waves. Today, unfortunately, this grand and glorious tradition is wavering. WAVE WHEN YOU PASS ANOTHER CORVETTE!

There's one item of standard equipment that comes as a pleasant surprise to every new Corvette owner. It's an instant wave of recognition he or she receives when he meets one of their ilks on the road. The first time it happens, they will be taken by surprise. He immediately thinks: 1. He has been mistaken for Sterling Moss. 2. His lights are on. 3. He has just been given the bird.

Soon, however, the new Vette owner anticipates, indeed even relishes, encountering other Vettes as he drives. During this period, he experiments with his waves, running the gamut from the gaping "yoo hoo" to the ultra cool "two finger flip." He perfects his timing, making sure he affects neither a too-early wave, nor the jaded "oh brother" too-late variety. Determined not to be one upped, he even develops a defense mechanism for non wavers, usually settling on the "Wave"? My hand was just on the way to scratch my head" approach. (This is especially useful when you're not driving your Vette, but you forget, and like a dummy, you wave anyway.)

Indeed, one of the most perplexing problems facing a would-be waver is what to do when driving next to a fellow Vette owner. Passing him going in opposite directions is one thing. Greetings are exchanged, and that's that. But what happens when you pull up next to a guy at a light, wave, nod, smile and then pull up to him at the next light, a block later? Wave again? Nod bashfully? Grin self-consciously? Ignore him? Or take the chicken's way out and turn down the next side street? If you're expecting an answer, you won't find it here. Sad to say, some questions don't have any. SAVE THE WAVE!

Girl-type Corvette drivers also have a unique problem: to wave or not to wave. This miss or misses who borrows her man's Corvette for the first time is immediately faced with this quandary. Should she wave first and look overly friendly, or ignore the wave and look like a snob? Most ladies who drive their own Vettes prefer to suffer the latter rather than take a chance of being misread. For this reason, all girls are excused for occasionally failing to return a well-meaning wave. So are new owners who are still learning the ropes.

There is no excuse, however, for a guy who refuses to return the wave, not out of ignorance, but of arrogance or apathy. While this type of behavior is the exception to the rule, it seems a few owners of newer models refuse to recognize anything older than theirs, while some others simply won't wave, period. Boo on them. These ding-a-lings don't seem to realize that they are helping to squash a tradition that had its beginnings back when most of us were still driving tootsietoys.


Here is a little piece of history of the wave and just what "SAVE THE WAVE" means to us who know and those of who should know and for the rest of everyone that will know!!! So next time you see another Corvette on the road----make sure you wave.....even if you're having a "bad day".....wave anyway....it will make you feel better!

polyrocks

Move your trip up a few weeks and hit car week in Monterey. You have all the big auctions, Gooding, Mecum, etc. The historic races at Laguna Seca and of course the Pebble Beach Concourse. I take the entire week off as there are more shows and amazing cars in one place that entire week than can be imagined. Well worth the extra days in CA. The fact that Carmel and Monterey are amazing towns your wife well enjoy makes it a win win.

Yankeededandy

Oh I wish I could move my trip ahead. But it's unfortunately a given thing since we rented a house for the time and the flights are booked. Still, I'm sure we're going to enjoy it very much. Thanks again to all of you.

And about that wave: That was exported to Europe as well.

Martin