The Ford Barn

Gary Karr · 07-02-2011, 08:59 PM

Frank55a said it like it is. Let me bring you all up to speed on a couple of facts of the 2011 San Diego MARC Meet. I am one of five individuals that formed the Pacific A's Region of MARC for the sole purpose of putting on this National Meet. We chose to host a MARC Meet because they had the closest date available for a meet. MAFCA was booked through 2014. We decided that the next possible date for a national meet from either national club would be 2016. We didn't want to wait that
long. Our board consists of two gentlemen from Los Angeles, one from Orange County, and two from San Diego. With this said, there was a lot of traveling back and forth for us and many others for meetings. Now, onto costs for a meet such as this. The registration fee of $70.00 must cover the costs of many items that are free to registrants, such as custom license plates, factory badge pins, the 44 page printed program, all of the event space at the hotel, all of the A/V rentals, fine point judges hats and lunch, blue and red ribbons, patches for the national club vests, misc printing costs, repair tent rental, the website rental and design, misc office supplies, etc, etc. (I'm sure I'm missing many other items!) AS for parking, registered guests paid nothing for parking if they were staying at the host hotel, and $10.00 per day if registered but not staying at the hotel. Anyone coming to the hotel would normally pay a max of $16.00 per day for parking. I can tell you that there is no convention hotel anywhere in California with free parking. In closing, let me say that those who attended had a ball and we of the Pacific A's really enjoyed hosting the 2011 MARC National Meet.

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 07-02-2011, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Karr

.... In closing, let me say that those who attended had a ball and we of the Pacific A's really enjoyed hosting the 2011 MARC National Meet.

Gary, thank you so very much for your friendship & hospitality! Also a tremendous thank you to Ron, Chris, Bob, and all the 'team' that did just a remarkable job. It was indeed fun and it was a super value for the money I spent. Thanks again!!

Steve Ciccalone · 07-03-2011, 07:01 AM

Gary, I'm very sorry I couldn't make it. I wanted to see your coupe.

As the former National Meet Coordinator of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, I know exactly how hard you guys worked to make it a great meet. Unfortunately, you can't please all the people all the time and some other folks are just simply plain cheap. I spoke with some of the "usual suspects" and they all said it was a terrific time.

Like the commercial goes, "the smile on Ron Rude's face when he received his award - priceless!"

Richard in Anaheim CA · 07-03-2011, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill o'brien

my opinion, take it for what it is worth.

i am not a member of either model a club. Kudos to those of you who are! There are a lot of benefits to being a member of these great clubs.

i feel that the national meet should be open to anyone who is willing to pay the fee to walk in and not be a member. our hobby certainly could use more members. the kinds of people who dont want to turn our beloved model a's into hot rods w chevy 350's in them! (i think 99% of us can agree with that

)

why not encourage more people, non model a people to come and see how wonderful these cars are and how much fun they can be?

So you charge $15 per person to walk in and open it to everyone. Would be a much larger turnout and might end up making more $$$ in the end.

Thanks for hearing me out

perhaps you can explain this to me. These meets are expensive and those of us that are members and pay our own way are being saddled by the free loaders.

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 07-03-2011, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard in Anaheim CA

perhaps you can explain this to me. These meets are expensive and those of us that are members and pay our own way are being saddled by the free loaders.

That is an excellent point. After thinking about this for a few moments, I am thinking that even if 100 extra people decided to "drop in" on a Meet, their extra $1,500 of revenue would not be worth the hassle of offering this option. I too think that folks either need to step up, ...or step back and pay the proper fees to attend. As most of the people who attended this Meet will attest, it was a financial "value" for us however anything in life is only worth what you are willing to invest in it. Model A owners can still have fun with their Model A even without attending a National Meet.

d.j. moordigian · 07-03-2011, 01:50 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Gary,

Thinking about what you said, also Brent, you guy's are correct, the extra revenue
is not worth the trouble!
Your club/people put on a first rate show, the facility was great and also the classes!
The people that didn't attend missed out.

Thanks again, Dudley

Jim Mason · 07-03-2011, 02:07 PM

Is the close proximity (in time) of the joint MARC/MAFCA meet on the west coast a factor? fwiw,jm

peters180a/170b · 07-03-2011, 02:30 PM

How do you figure what [FREE LOADERS] are costing you???? They are not getting any food for free? Hotel is not free ? Please explain what are they getting FREE ? To walk around the parked "A"s in the parking lot? Walk around the flea market for FREE? Registration you charge ! Goodie bag is not free !Diner is not FREE at the last nite! So to stop by and shoot the shit with other Model "A' owners you want to charge?? So i say pick a spot with a TALL FENCE around the meet and a LARGE DOOR with a pass word ...You could at least charge what a locale car show will charge to enter $10.00. or if its so much cost then don't do it any more. See you at Hershey where you can JUST WALK IN and say HELLOOOOOOO.for FREE

Roadster62 · 07-03-2011, 02:47 PM

Glad you posted that first Peter. I've paid as much as $20.00 to walk around local shows, both stone stock and Hot Rod only, can't understand why your Model A clubs wouldn't want the extra gate fee to allow people to LOOK AT THE CARS. Maybe you could ask a few more bucks if the person wishes to ask the owner a question, extra fee if said person has a camera, extra service fee if they bought something at the flea market. I see were money could be made.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peters180a/170b

How do you figure what [FREE LOADERS] are costing you???? They are not getting any food for free? Hotel is not free ? Please explain what are they getting FREE ? To walk around the parked "A"s in the parking lot? Walk around the flea market for FREE? Registration you charge ! Goodie bag is not free !Diner is not FREE at the last nite! So to stop by and shoot the shit with other Model "A' owners you want to charge?? So i say pick a spot with a TALL FENCE around the meet and a LARGE DOOR with a pass word ...You could at least charge what a locale car show will charge to enter $10.00. or if its so much cost then don't do it any more. See you at Hershey where you can JUST WALK IN and say HELLOOOOOOO.

Jason in TX · 07-03-2011, 03:07 PM

This isn't a car show. It's a meeting. Running a car show with gate attendants, police security, bathrooms, music in the parking lot is what this MEETING is not. It's more of a deep dive into Model A accuracy. It's not people sitting in lawn chairs behind their cars.

I think that two things are being discussed here. One side is saying hold a car show for the public and the other side is saing this is a club meeting. Walking around outside the club meeting and seeing the cars is totally fine and FREE but the meeting is not open to the public and is not intended to be an "Antique and Classic Car Show.". That is for another weekend.

Jim Mason · 07-03-2011, 03:31 PM

Also...if you can't get 100 people to show up for free (as now) how many would show up at $10 a head? As jason said, it ain't a car show, it's a MARC (or MAFCA) national meeting...fwiw,jm

peters180a/170b · 07-03-2011, 03:52 PM

Bear Mountain in N.Y. over looking the Hudson River EVERY WED. all summer long ..The smallest amount of cars 200,, the most OVER 500 cars. $4.00 each person to enter without a car in the show and $10.00 a car to show. Music , food , raffel and awards. I helped with judging , class the cars as they entered ,and set up the classes at Mamaroneck Car show for 13 years. [FREE]! The last show i helped with had 600 show cars and they made $29,000.00 profit

. Not bad for a locale car show with people sitting around in their lounge chairs behind their cars

.The reason i helped?? VETS, HOSPITAL,GIRL+BOY SCOUTS,COLLEGE HELP FOR NURSES AND FOOD BANK along with other locale charities.And i don't get a tax write off..

.l.o.l.,,,WELL this makes my 1000 post..Happy Birthday to me...

Gary Karr · 07-03-2011, 03:53 PM

Jason and Jim, you both are correct. My career is event planning. Most folks have no idea what is involved in planning an event; from an afternoon car show to a pancake breakfast to a National Meet. Nobody is talking about insurance issues here. That is the main reason that you must be a member of MARC to attend their National Meet as well as a member of MAFCA to attend theirs. When wasw the last time you attended an annual business meeting of one of the thousands of national associations without being a member. Why should a MARC or MAFCA Meet be any different?

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 07-03-2011, 04:00 PM

Gary, a proposal to MARC about handling all the upcoming National Meets (--for a salary!!) would be something that would interest me. While I definitely feel I giot a huge value for my $$ amount spent at y'alls meet, the situation is that these events cost lots of money to attend AND finding suitable volunteer assistance is sometimes stressful. I am not saying that anyone is doing anything wrong!! I'm just saying a professional event coordinator could take the event up to the next level. Allow the SIG's to still handle their own venues within the Meet. I think a Pro E/C could definitely make money for National by being able to negociate with hotels and vendors who serve the Meet participants.

Gary Karr · 07-03-2011, 04:08 PM

That's a good point Brent and I remember it being discussed last year after French Lick. The only way that it would work is to have an event planner on the MARC or MAFCA payroll otherwise it would drive the costs up even further. All national event planners and destination management companies I work with put a mark of 40% on everything which would price one of these national meets out of site!

PO51 · 07-03-2011, 04:22 PM

Wanted to make a few comments about the event. First of all thank you to the members who put it on, great job and a great deal of work.
This was my first National Event and I had a great , time don't know if I will have a chance to attend another. My wife was recovering from knee replacement surgery so she spent time in the room or out by the pool in wonderful San Diego. Yes it did cost us some $$$, but it was a vacation for us, I've spent alot more and did not enjoy myself nearly as much! Great cars, great people and a great setting.

Roadster62 · 07-03-2011, 04:46 PM

Is to too early to ask how many "Fine Point" cars will be at Hershey in October? I know I won't get yelled at for looking at them there.

peters180a/170b · 07-03-2011, 06:13 PM

There was 1 last year at Ridgefield Conn. locale meet and might be there again with the other 3 ,180A's and might have company with another 1 too

. But we were out done by that 1907 Model "K" FORD owner

....L.O.L. and the 1903 FORD"A" and the 1905 Ford and so on...L.O.L.

Jerry Parr WI · 07-04-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Karr

That's a good point Brent and I remember it being discussed last year after French Lick. The only way that it would work is to have an event planner on the MARC or MAFCA payroll otherwise it would drive the costs up even further. All national event planners and destination management companies I work with put a mark of 40% on everything which would price one of these national meets out of site!

Having been involved from both sides, national and local, of national meets in the past my wife and I have also discussed this possibility before. To what extent could an event planners expense be offset by reduced cost? Would not an experienced person be able to negotiate better hotel "deals", find more sponsors. know where to get "freebees", and in other ways reduce expenses? From the local club prospective what is offered is requirements and what is wanted is knowledge which is not currently available from the national.

peters180a/170b · 07-04-2011, 04:04 PM

Jerry and ALL i have no problem with the cost of a National Meet [Hotel ,Reg. , Diner and what ever outings. I also have no problem with someone WITH a Model "A" no matter who ,what or where he comes from as long as he has a Model "A' to stop by and checkout all whats there at the meet without a charge. [Parking lot, flea market and so on] .I do have a problem with people who want to charge someone right up front that might JOIN the club if he SEES what its all about.All he ask is to walk around.There are quite a few that talk about joining both clubs together because of membership dropping off and the cost is going up.Sooner or later its going to put each club pricing itself out.I for one can not figure you have 2 clubs for Model "A' s and more"A" owners are in A.A.C.A. then the 2. Now why is that? What drives them away? GREAT MAG. , members , National meets .I ask that question all the time coming home from a A.A.C.A. meet ..Are you a member of MARC or MAFCA too? NO ,,that's their answer and or i don't see a reason to///dumb answer i would say! And they just don't want to join???why is that?? Like i said I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE COST OF A MEET. What you get is well worth it! Just don't make it hard for maybe a future member!

07-02-2011, 08:59 PM	#61
Gary Karr Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,486	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Frank55a said it like it is. Let me bring you all up to speed on a couple of facts of the 2011 San Diego MARC Meet. I am one of five individuals that formed the Pacific A's Region of MARC for the sole purpose of putting on this National Meet. We chose to host a MARC Meet because they had the closest date available for a meet. MAFCA was booked through 2014. We decided that the next possible date for a national meet from either national club would be 2016. We didn't want to wait that long. Our board consists of two gentlemen from Los Angeles, one from Orange County, and two from San Diego. With this said, there was a lot of traveling back and forth for us and many others for meetings. Now, onto costs for a meet such as this. The registration fee of $70.00 must cover the costs of many items that are free to registrants, such as custom license plates, factory badge pins, the 44 page printed program, all of the event space at the hotel, all of the A/V rentals, fine point judges hats and lunch, blue and red ribbons, patches for the national club vests, misc printing costs, repair tent rental, the website rental and design, misc office supplies, etc, etc. (I'm sure I'm missing many other items!) AS for parking, registered guests paid nothing for parking if they were staying at the host hotel, and $10.00 per day if registered but not staying at the hotel. Anyone coming to the hotel would normally pay a max of $16.00 per day for parking. I can tell you that there is no convention hotel anywhere in California with free parking. In closing, let me say that those who attended had a ball and we of the Pacific A's really enjoyed hosting the 2011 MARC National Meet.

07-03-2011, 07:01 AM	#63
Steve Ciccalone Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: "Live Free or Die!" Posts: 510	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Gary, I'm very sorry I couldn't make it. I wanted to see your coupe. As the former National Meet Coordinator of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, I know exactly how hard you guys worked to make it a great meet. Unfortunately, you can't please all the people all the time and some other folks are just simply plain cheap. I spoke with some of the "usual suspects" and they all said it was a terrific time. Like the commercial goes, "the smile on Ron Rude's face when he received his award - priceless!" __________________ "A wet bird doesn't fly at night."

07-03-2011, 01:50 PM	#66
d.j. moordigian Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fresno, Ca. Posts: 3,636	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Gary, Thinking about what you said, also Brent, you guy's are correct, the extra revenue is not worth the trouble! Your club/people put on a first rate show, the facility was great and also the classes! The people that didn't attend missed out. Thanks again, Dudley

07-03-2011, 02:07 PM	#67
Jim Mason Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 913	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Is the close proximity (in time) of the joint MARC/MAFCA meet on the west coast a factor? fwiw,jm

07-03-2011, 02:30 PM	#68
peters180a/170b Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Putnam Valley N.Y. Posts: 2,151	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? How do you figure what [FREE LOADERS] are costing you???? They are not getting any food for free? Hotel is not free ? Please explain what are they getting FREE ? To walk around the parked "A"s in the parking lot? Walk around the flea market for FREE? Registration you charge ! Goodie bag is not free !Diner is not FREE at the last nite! So to stop by and shoot the shit with other Model "A' owners you want to charge?? So i say pick a spot with a TALL FENCE around the meet and a LARGE DOOR with a pass word ...You could at least charge what a locale car show will charge to enter $10.00. or if its so much cost then don't do it any more. See you at Hershey where you can JUST WALK IN and say HELLOOOOOOO.for FREE Last edited by peters180a/170b; 07-03-2011 at 04:07 PM.

07-03-2011, 03:07 PM	#70
Jason in TX Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: ⓉⒺXⒶⓈ Posts: 2,047	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? This isn't a car show. It's a meeting. Running a car show with gate attendants, police security, bathrooms, music in the parking lot is what this MEETING is not. It's more of a deep dive into Model A accuracy. It's not people sitting in lawn chairs behind their cars. I think that two things are being discussed here. One side is saying hold a car show for the public and the other side is saing this is a club meeting. Walking around outside the club meeting and seeing the cars is totally fine and FREE but the meeting is not open to the public and is not intended to be an "Antique and Classic Car Show.". That is for another weekend. __________________ -------------- Drive it like you know how to fix it! DMAFC / OILERS CC-MC

07-03-2011, 03:31 PM	#71
Jim Mason Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 913	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Also...if you can't get 100 people to show up for free (as now) how many would show up at $10 a head? As jason said, it ain't a car show, it's a MARC (or MAFCA) national meeting...fwiw,jm

07-03-2011, 03:52 PM	#72
peters180a/170b Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Putnam Valley N.Y. Posts: 2,151	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Bear Mountain in N.Y. over looking the Hudson River EVERY WED. all summer long ..The smallest amount of cars 200,, the most OVER 500 cars. $4.00 each person to enter without a car in the show and $10.00 a car to show. Music , food , raffel and awards. I helped with judging , class the cars as they entered ,and set up the classes at Mamaroneck Car show for 13 years. [FREE]! The last show i helped with had 600 show cars and they made $29,000.00 profit. Not bad for a locale car show with people sitting around in their lounge chairs behind their cars.The reason i helped?? VETS, HOSPITAL,GIRL+BOY SCOUTS,COLLEGE HELP FOR NURSES AND FOOD BANK along with other locale charities.And i don't get a tax write off...l.o.l.,,,WELL this makes my 1000 post..Happy Birthday to me...

07-03-2011, 03:53 PM	#73
Gary Karr Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,486	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Jason and Jim, you both are correct. My career is event planning. Most folks have no idea what is involved in planning an event; from an afternoon car show to a pancake breakfast to a National Meet. Nobody is talking about insurance issues here. That is the main reason that you must be a member of MARC to attend their National Meet as well as a member of MAFCA to attend theirs. When wasw the last time you attended an annual business meeting of one of the thousands of national associations without being a member. Why should a MARC or MAFCA Meet be any different?

07-03-2011, 04:00 PM	#74
BRENT in 10-uh-C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern Tennessee Posts: 11,508	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Gary, a proposal to MARC about handling all the upcoming National Meets (--for a salary!!) would be something that would interest me. While I definitely feel I giot a huge value for my $$ amount spent at y'alls meet, the situation is that these events cost lots of money to attend AND finding suitable volunteer assistance is sometimes stressful. I am not saying that anyone is doing anything wrong!! I'm just saying a professional event coordinator could take the event up to the next level. Allow the SIG's to still handle their own venues within the Meet. I think a Pro E/C could definitely make money for National by being able to negociate with hotels and vendors who serve the Meet participants. __________________ . BRENT in 10-uh-C . www.model-a-ford.com ...(...Finally Updated!! ) .

07-03-2011, 04:08 PM	#75
Gary Karr Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,486	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? That's a good point Brent and I remember it being discussed last year after French Lick. The only way that it would work is to have an event planner on the MARC or MAFCA payroll otherwise it would drive the costs up even further. All national event planners and destination management companies I work with put a mark of 40% on everything which would price one of these national meets out of site!

07-03-2011, 04:22 PM	#76
PO51 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Upland Ca Posts: 274	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Wanted to make a few comments about the event. First of all thank you to the members who put it on, great job and a great deal of work. This was my first National Event and I had a great , time don't know if I will have a chance to attend another. My wife was recovering from knee replacement surgery so she spent time in the room or out by the pool in wonderful San Diego. Yes it did cost us some $$$, but it was a vacation for us, I've spent alot more and did not enjoy myself nearly as much! Great cars, great people and a great setting.

07-03-2011, 04:46 PM	#77
Roadster62 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ridgefield, Ct Posts: 3,441	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Is to too early to ask how many "Fine Point" cars will be at Hershey in October? I know I won't get yelled at for looking at them there. __________________ They don't have to run to be enjoyed. I'm here to enjoy the hobby, and enjoy the cars no matter what they look like. Most of the worlds problems are electrical.

07-03-2011, 06:13 PM	#78
peters180a/170b Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Putnam Valley N.Y. Posts: 2,151	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? There was 1 last year at Ridgefield Conn. locale meet and might be there again with the other 3 ,180A's and might have company with another 1 too. But we were out done by that 1907 Model "K" FORD owner....L.O.L. and the 1903 FORD"A" and the 1905 Ford and so on...L.O.L.

07-04-2011, 04:04 PM	#80
peters180a/170b Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Putnam Valley N.Y. Posts: 2,151	Re: Cost to Attend the MARC Meet?? Jerry and ALL i have no problem with the cost of a National Meet [Hotel ,Reg. , Diner and what ever outings. I also have no problem with someone WITH a Model "A" no matter who ,what or where he comes from as long as he has a Model "A' to stop by and checkout all whats there at the meet without a charge. [Parking lot, flea market and so on] .I do have a problem with people who want to charge someone right up front that might JOIN the club if he SEES what its all about.All he ask is to walk around.There are quite a few that talk about joining both clubs together because of membership dropping off and the cost is going up.Sooner or later its going to put each club pricing itself out.I for one can not figure you have 2 clubs for Model "A' s and more"A" owners are in A.A.C.A. then the 2. Now why is that? What drives them away? GREAT MAG. , members , National meets .I ask that question all the time coming home from a A.A.C.A. meet ..Are you a member of MARC or MAFCA too? NO ,,that's their answer and or i don't see a reason to///dumb answer i would say! And they just don't want to join???why is that?? Like i said I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE COST OF A MEET. What you get is well worth it! Just don't make it hard for maybe a future member!