1st gen Brian

Terry, I agree. Would you be so kind as to start such a new thread. I suspect my stirring of the pot is not really welcomed by HQ but if you start such a thread it might get some traction? Thank you, Brian

Hi all, Thanks for the replies! I really was/am trying to stir the pot and see what responses I would get, especially from members in the west. Funny, if you look through the thread only one, Mark from Oregon, has commented. All the rest are from the eastern third of the usa. It was and is very disappointing just like it was at the Las Vegas convention that no one stood up and asked, " So, where is the 2023 Westerns going to be held because I want to book a room." Oh, I thought about it but I've only been a member a couple of years and Vegas was my very first AACA show. As for 61 Polara's suggestion, I'm willing to promote/help but am very concerned when this thread gets no response.... I did belong to a chapter in my area but the members, friendly and pleasant that they are, seemed only interested in their monthly meeting and monthly tour. I brought flyers and emailed them as well for local shows from cars & coffee to concours, especially those I thought I might attend and got virtually no response. And no one from that chapter attended the Las Vegas Westerns. After a few years, yes most of this was during covid, I decided to let my local membership expire. It might also be pertinent that at age 60 I was probably 20 years younger than most local members.... I think there are a few large and active clubs in the West. A few which come to my mind are Orange County, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Tuscon, AZ and Fallbrook, CA. My apologies to those I may have missed. Seems like relations with western chapters is "frosty" at best. Well, that's my perception at meetings I attended while at Vegas so I'm not sure how you fix that but I do think having the Western Region board member living in Nebraska does not send a supportive message to the Western Region. I also wonder why there are rarely any Western events listed in your excellent magazine. Maybe that also sends out a perception that the club "doesn't exist or serve" the Western Region? What do the 6 largest and most active Western chapters tell you? Can you get them to send a "listing" of upcoming events to put in the national magazine? I love your magazine and I had a nice time at Las Vegas and even won a First Junior so now I want to try to get a First Senior but I'm really not interested in trailering my car much past the continental divide.... Seems like a pretty big region with enough chapters to host an annual show. I'm hoping you are approaching directly the presidents of every "active" local chapter in those states and asking what it would take for them to consider it? At this point, I'm pretty concerned that a 2024 Western Nationals is not in the cards either. Am I wrong? I look forward to constructive suggestions and encouraging replies especially from those who live in the Western time zone. I really don't understand why there isn't an Western Nationals show every year and why I'm the only one who seems to be asking. Can someone please explain? Thanks! Brian

Steve, Congratulations on the date and location of the 2023 GN show. Any idea when and where the 2023 Western Nationals show will be? Thanks, Brian Birkeland

Ted, Thanks for the reply. I could almost agree with you but what about recent successful shows by the Las Vegas chapter, the Fallbrook chapter in San Diego,CA area, the Phoenix,AZ chapter, and the Tuscon,AZ chapter ? I still think is is odd that no board members live west of the continental divide and that the "west coast" representative lives in Lincoln, Nebraska???? With several excellent concours on the west coast including the Pebble Beach Concours, which is in my back yard, and is seen as the pinnacle of American car shows I just don't buy the argument that west coast clubs are not interested in hosting a "western" aaca show each year. I think "something happened" behind the scenes where western chapters feel snubbed, angry, and feel a lack of support by aaca headquarters and the board. While I'm a newish member the feeling was clearly palpable at one of the intro meetings at Las Vegas and the phrase "...poor redhedded stepchild.." was used to describe the Western region. So, can we heal the hurt caused and provide the support and commitment to an annual "western" show? I certainly hope so. Thanks & I look forward to a reply by the aaca board, Brian 912583

Terry, Thanks for the reply but you helped prove my case. Nearly 48 hours after my post and you are the only reply and you live in Virginia. The western chapters are not interested in hosting an annual show IMHO and their complete lack of response only proves it. I am so disappointed since the 4 Classic Chevy/Camaro Clubs I have belonged to over the past 40 years have all folded. Now the only one left has moved from MD to PA and has virtually no presence west of the Rockies. All I want is an annual show, with real judging for restored cars in the West. I've been to nearly every Concours in the West, and done quite well by the way, but a national club is really what I enjoyed most. In it's hay day CCI was one of the very best with excellent peer judging, a 1000 point sheet, and the results/sheets were mailed to every car owner about 30-60 days after the show. Bought out by Ecklers Corvette Parts and the club vanished. So very sad. Thanks, Brian

Hi Keith, An interesting thread. As a 60 year old who has shown 55-57 Chevys and 67-69 Camaros for about 40 years almost all of them were bone stock and the two I currently own are totally stock. While I've only been an AACA member a few years I'm concerned about the West Coast scene. My local chapter, with very nice people, has an average age of 80. They have a monthly meeting and a tour period. The shows here in Nor Cal cater to the street rods with Goodguys headquarters here. Lately, cars & coffee events have blossomed. Just had one at Laguna Seca with 1200 cars ! AACA, has to rethink their mission or they will not survive in the West I think. Gotta have restored, unrestored, modified, and custom classes at the show. Also, a display only / cars & coffee type class too. In addition, I don't think local chapters want to step up as they think/perceive that National won't help and that they will "drain" their treasury if they host the Western Nationals. (This is what I hear when I ask at events up and down the west in the past few years when I find an aaca member) I really liked the 2022 Western show, but was so completely disappointed that there were fewer than 100 total cars, which for the most part were excellent quality I might add. How do we get the Western chapters to get "fired up" to host a Western show every year? I was flabbergasted that there was no announcement at the 2022 Western awards dinner about the time and location of the 2023 event. I'm pretty sure at this point there won't be one and I'm not too confident about a 2024 show. I'm really disappointed that the Western chapters each just do their own thing and have basically given up on the National AACA. Sorry to vent but it's how I feel. Can you give me some hope for an annual Western National show? Thanks, Brian

Hi all, We had a great time at the Vegas show in March with a photo above to prove it. So, any news on when and where the 2023 Western Nationals show will be? I have absolutely no illusions that a Grand National show will be held in the Pacific or Mountain time zones any time soon and that seems to be a point of confusion when I bring up this topic. Yes, I suspect years for a "western" GN but that is because the membership does not seem to "strongly" support the concept of an annual Western Nationals show. So, to clarify I'm just looking for a regional but annual show held in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Can we actually do it???? Ok, all clubs in the Pacific and Mountain time zones it is time for you to speak up. I eagerly await your reply, Brian

Ed, I feel for you and so many other members that a list of all upcoming regional plus the grand national events are not listed in several places on this site. It makes it so hard to plan vacation time when the 2023 dates have yet to be decided. Yes it is published in the magazine and so I have to either cut out or photocopy the page and post on the wall to look up dates. Why not post on the website calendar and maybe in the forum too? In addition, I was at the Vegas Western show, which was well done, but sparsely attended, and was flabbergasted that no 2023 date and location was announced during the awards banquet. I've been a member at least four national Chevrolet clubs since the early 1980s and we always announced at the Western Nationals banquet when and where the next show would be held. In fact, we usually had a contingent from that host club present. They often stayed after the banquet to answer questions and "hype" next years show. Some people even registered on the spot! Actually, I still have no idea if there will even be a 2023 Western Nationals show. And when I ask I get the reply that the Grand Nationals date and time has yet to be decided. Which was not what I asked.... Well, with such a small turnout at the 2022 show I have my doubts the board would select a location west of the continental divide and my perception at this show was that the "Board" really does not have a very good relationship with western chapters in general. Ed, I think most Western members realize we have a long way to go but at this point shouldn't it be a goal to have a Western Nationals show every year? If/when we get hundreds of cars on a regular basis then we can "politely ask" if a Western location would be considered for the Grand National. I eagerly look forward to a flood of replies from Western Chapters. :)

Hi all, First, thanks to Larry for fixing my upside down photo. Second, thanks to Kevin for asking about the show. Third, why was there no response to this show afterwards? No videos and no photos? Does anyone else find that odd? Fourth, why was there no announcement at the awards banquet of the dates and location of the 2023 Western Nationals? Again, I seem to be the only one in the room who found that strange???? Fifth, I've been a member of a few other "classic car" clubs in my 40ish years of showing cars and they "always" announce the show for the following year at the banquet. Yes, there have been times where the exact dates or the exact host hotel was up in the air but at least someone from the host club got up to the podium and announced the next show in an effort to drum up excitement. Sixth, where are the posts on the webpage from the AACA? The president and several other officers were there and yet nothing??? Seventh, a video was taken and shown during the banquet yet only those in the room saw it??? Again, great marketing material is stuck in someone's video camera??? It was well done and yet not shared??? Lastly, I really hope the AACA can help a local chapter or group of chapters host a 2023 Western Nationals show. The goal should be to have a Western Nationals show every year but we have to show them we want it too! Sorry for the rant but I feel it needs to be said. I eagerly look forward to your replies, Brian Birkeland #913583

We had a nice time too and appreciate all who came from the East Coast to save this show. Wish some post event photos and videos were on this site to drum up enthusiasm for a 2023 show. We still have no idea if it will even happen???

Hi Kevin, We drove down from the Monterey Bay Area and had a nice time! The hotel is a summer water destination because of the lake so not crowded. Also the on site casino was permanently closed so a a bit remote. Rooms & staff friendly and we hav friends who live nearby so it was ok. The large “east coast” contingent made this event happen as the did most of judging and I suspect the behind the scenes work for the 80+ cars entered. That was disappointing the western chapters did not support with hundreds of cars. There was a video of the event shown at the banquet so maybe you can get AACA to post? I really didn’t take many show photos but here are two we took in the parking lot just before our 11 hour drive home. 😀 Also, no announcement at the banquet of when or where the 2023 Western will happen? Disappointed! Again, I hope the “active/vocal” chapters will step up to get a ‘23 show on the calendar. I’d like to try for a Senior award soon. Thanks to all who put on the Vegas show, Brian

Hi, In the Chevrolet section I only see a section for Trucks. What about other models such as Camaros? Can the moderator create a section for us too? Thanks !

Enjoyed the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard,CA this August. It is open from 10am-3pm on Fri & Sat only. They have a website : www.mullinautomotivemusuem.com. It is the best collection of Bugatti, Voisin and other 1920s vehicles I've ever seen under one roof. NIcely displayed, excellent docents, just beautiful and interesting.

Hi, Where are the photos from the Phoenix show? I really wanted to attend but high covid rates in the greater Phoenix area and our "place to stay" evaporated when our friends in Scottsdale moved to Oregon. I've seen the winners list but not much else. Did the host club create a website where they posted photos or even a Facebook page? If so, would you post a link? I'm looking forward to the Lake Las Vegas show in spring 2022 as I have a place to stay and I think covid numbers are a bit better in Nevada. At least they have been for many months. Did that local chapter create a website or facebook page for the show yet? I'm eager to show at an AACA event and certainly hope the Vegas show works out. Thanks, Brian