Iola car show‏

[nick8086]

[h=5]Iola car show‏ [/h]

They must like the Kaiser cars.

From the web site..

It on my bucket list to see..

[ted sweet]

where?

[nick8086]

Iola Old Car Show

P.O. Box 1

160 N. Chet Krause Drive

Iola, WI 54945

http://iolaoldcarshow.com/

or

http://iolaoldcarshow.com/general-info/

[Guest Oldschoolgent]

The actual show itself is only okay, at best. Their selection of pre-war "big" cars is limited to under six most years. There are many nice post-war cars, however. The swap meet is huge and is more like a generic flea market, but I've always found neat things. You won't find a Packard Twelve radiator shell, but lots of junior-type car stuff.

Best deep fried cheese curds you'll have in your life (from the Wittenberg Lion's Club), and believe me having grown up in Wisconsin, I know a thing or two....

[ScarredKnightfan]

Have had a few friends go to this ... I haven't yet.

Cort www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics | pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve

"He's off on a midwest run" __ Alabama __ 'Roll On'

[John_S_in_Penna]

I've heard of the show, since it's in the territory of Old Cars Weekly;

but how is it? How many vendors, how many show cars?

Does it have a broad range of show cars 1900-1990, as Hershey

does, or is it concentrated on the routinely seen 1960-up Mustangs

and Camaros and muscle cars, with a few earlier vehicles?

Insights from those who have attended in recent years would be welcome.

[Larry W]

I've gone there almost every year for the past fifteen years. I don't think it's as good as it used to be, and prices have really skyrocketed. They say it's due to insurance costs, yet I'm expected to sign a waiver of responsibility. This may be the last year I attend.

[D Yaros]

Iola is a "must see", in my opinion. There are tons of vendors and cars. The year I was there the featured car was the Olds F-88 that Barrett-Jackson sold for 3 Million + a few years back.

My opinion is based on attendance in the year 2000 or so. Hopefully, others who have been there more recently will chime in.

[ScarredKnightfan]

Iola is a "must see", in my opinion.

This is what most of my friends have said, too.....

Cort www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics | pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve

"Years and miles are flying by" __ Bon Jovi __ 'Lost Highway'

[Clipper47]

I went to this show for several years. I really enjoyed the featured make display and there are always a few Classic cars. The car corral is interesting also with a few nice cars for sale. The last few visits were not as enjoyable since there really aren't many prewar to mid 50's parts for sale and vey few foreign car parts understandably but you will find the odd treasure on occasion. In any event it was fun to just wander around for a day although it has become more of a flea market. This is why I haven't attended in the past 4 years. I want to get to Hershey one of these days!

Edited April 10, 2015 by Clipper47 (see edit history)

[Guest WEB 38]

Used to be great now just another high price rip off, Bill

[John_S_in_Penna]

But HOW MANY cars in the show? 100 or 1000?

HOW MANY vendor spaces, HOW MANY in the car corral?

"Pretty good" or "not so good" or "quite a few"

are good insights, but numbers will tell the story better. Thanks.

[CarNucopia]

I went last year for the first time and agree with what is said below. The comment about the swap meet being a flee market is spot-on. I did enjoy the show but I wouldn't put it on the same level as Hershey. My advice is that it's worth the trip if it is a reasonable day-drive. I drove 12 hours to get to Hershey and had no regrets. If I had done the same for Iola, I would have been pretty disappointed.

The actual show itself is only okay, at best. Their selection of pre-war "big" cars is limited to under six most years. There are many nice post-war cars, however. The swap meet is huge and is more like a generic flea market, but I've always found neat things. You won't find a Packard Twelve radiator shell, but lots of junior-type car stuff.

Best deep fried cheese curds you'll have in your life (from the Wittenberg Lion's Club), and believe me having grown up in Wisconsin, I know a thing or two....

[Larry W]

But HOW MANY cars in the show? 100 or 1000?

HOW MANY vendor spaces, HOW MANY in the car corral?

.

You can check their website at www.iolacarshow.com but I believe the actual numbers are only a fraction of what they claim.

[cahartley]

Here is the proper link and no, things are not exaggerated.

http://iolaoldcarshow.com

[John_S_in_Penna]

Thanks for the correct link, Mr. Hartley. The other one didn't work

for me, either.

So, their website says, 4430 swap spaces, 1000 car corral displays,

and 2200 show cars. Sounds good, especially for those not too far away!

Those numbers might mean 1000 flea-market vendors, since vendors

almost always take several spaces to have enough room to sell.

Are all of Iola's show cars authentic antiques, or does that number include

hot rods?

Spring Carlisle, on the other hand, is bigger, but it has no show,

and the car corral (if you walk by all the empty spaces) still has a

decent selection of predominantly 1960's-up cars.

[cahartley]

There's some of everything........and I mean everything.

The vendor wares are all over the map with some seeming more like traveling rummage sales than car parts vendors but oh well.

Vendor spaces don't equate to vendors as all the spaces don't necessarily sell and many vendors take up 2-3 spaces.

In the times I have attended the show I've never made more than half way through the vendor area........it's simply too much walking for me and there are some rolling areas, not HILLS, but ups and downs.

On another note, my friend, Chet Krause (Mr. Car Show and 91 years under the belt), is still kicking and was at the show last year.......

[Guest autoportal]

Its Just awesome show ! They must like the Kaiser cars.

[Guest WEB 38]

It used to be that the vendors had to have a certain percent of car parts. Not any more they can bring in all kind of junk.

[nick8086]

From the web site:

[h=5]Do to the overwhelming response to the swap spaces Joan is working on getting the past vendors all in and will be in contact with the new vendors as soon as possible to accommodate their request.[/h]