Didn't rain on my parade at Greensburg show !!!!!!!

[bschemesc/rambler]

Don't get to park beside cars like this kaiser at the local shows!!!!!

I drove my Hurst SC/Rambler 40 miles to the show in very hard rain,never thought I would do that but I really wanted to make it to this AACA event. If my SC was restored I wouldn't had driven it there.

There were still lots of nice cars even with the bad weather (thanks to those who still came as I got to see some real Classics) and I had a great time and met some very nice people.

I didn't go looking to win anything. I was already a winner by just being able to buy my Dream car !!!! It was top shelf stuff that my SC earned its way into the RACE CAR CLASS and never thought it could get any larger then that !!!

I stayed for the awards as I had a friend (Hoye Walls) going for his senior award with his 1934 Ford. I'm glad to say he won it!!! I was then surprised to hear my name called for winning 1st JUNIOR !!!! It was great to hear the HURST SC/RAMBLER named called out for all those people to hear. I was very proud!!!!!!!!!!

As I have posted before that back in the late 70's and early 80's my Farther had some great cars, three Packards and the super rare Wills Sainte Claire. We went to a lot of AACA meets and had a great time but never won anything.I know that being in the race car class open up a door that let my car in with a few modifications which the car has. I'm so lucky that the car has a race history and that the previous owner had kept everything along with old photos so I could prove it !!!!!!!

I called my Mom & Dad and told them what had happend and they could not had been happier !!! They said it brought back lots of fond memories for them. You see my parents took me and my brother everwhere with them as we were their fun !!!! They did not go on vacations without us. We were always included in what they did and the old cars just brought us closer together,we didn't go to the beach that much as we wanted to go to big car shows and there were none better then the AACA shows. Over 25 years later I'm back as a adult and can still say that this is still true of the AACA !!!!!!!!

Thanks to all of you that came up and talked to me about my car and I was very happy that many of you remembered them,as I was told by one man "how in the hell could you forget one"!!!!! This was lots of fun for me and I will never forget the one man that pulled a rag out of his pocket and waved it like he was starting a drag race when I was pulling on the showfield,that was cool!!!

The man that handed me my trophy said we don't uusually give these out to Ramblers (he was laughing)!!!!!! This was great as that is part of what makes owning it so much fun!!!!

I'm not old or rich and may only own a Rambler but I'm on top of the world because of it and am proud of what I own.

I HAD A GREAT TIME !!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU A.A.C.A.

Matt & Valeri Wilson

FREEDOM=AMC

[Guest my3buicks]

Way to go!!! Congrats!!! I was hoping to get to see your car at the show but I chickened out, I woke up at 6 AM and heard the rain, rolled over and went back to sleep knowing the car I had registered was snug as a bug under it's cover in the garage. Maybe I will get to see it at Hershey.

[bschemesc/rambler]

Thanks, I really like Buicks also. I thought about staying home also but decided I was not going to miss the fun. The SC/ramblers were built for fun in 1969 and I'm going to keep it fun no matter what. I'm enjoying the car way to much to take it off the road to restore it and I wouldn't enjoy it anymore even if I did.I will worry about that years from now (I will buy what parts I can find between now and then).I bet you can have a hard time getting some parts for Buicks also.

I did take this photo when driving to the show to put in my scrapbook for the car.

I go by Mars often in late summer as I deliver stuff to the college in Slippery Rock. Maybe we can hook up sometime. I stop at the book store off the Mars exit as they have alot of old car books. Maybe we could meet there someday.

thanks,

matt

I'm trying to come up with a plan so I can get the car to Hershey for even more fun !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shop Rat]

First Junior. First time out. Wow. That is wonderful. Now you HAVE to take it to Hershey.

And I want to say, even though Bill and I were not at Greensburg, that while judges don't like to judge in the rain we appreciate the cars that can be brought out in the rain and shown. And I fully understand why some cars do not come out and risk damage when it storms. But I have to say it is disappointing to travel as far as we do to judge at most shows and then bad weather comes and there are lots of no-shows. It makes for a short day for us and we get our chip(s) no matter what. It is just more fun if there are lots of cars.

Congratulations on your win.

[Dynaflash8]

This was a really fun show, despite the rain. Enjoyed the Friday night affair BIG TIME! One thing we can say about our judges, myself included, is that none of us have "sense enough to come in out of the rain." ....haha. Thanks to Howard and BettyAnn Finney for leading the Region to putting on this wonderful National Meet. Pedro (from PA, not Puerto Rico).....sorry I didn't have more time and was distracted when you stopped by.

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Earl, I echo your comments on Greensburg. Great job to the Laurel Highlands Region and the supporting local regions. Cannot add much, except we all went there to see great people all the way around within our club and hobby. Some vehicles got wet I noticed. Made them shine even more. (Gave us all a chance to see if the wiper motors actually work. Gotta' look on the positive side, especially, if one is dealing with Lucas the way I am..."they worked!")

To each his own whether to take a car off a trailer or not. Personally, two miles of water certainly will not turn my car into a rust-bucket considering it was engineered for rain and compared to the 1-2 years of hard work our fellow members put into a "one day" meet. I am digressing, however, said it once and will say it again: "the AACA is a club. Large club, but, a club."

Hope you, Judy, and, everyone else I conversed with this weekend had a good trip home...

With tomorrow being a salute to all veterans, of whom, gave the ultimate for our country, I did something I wanted to do for a long, long time. Took a slow boat to China on the way home and always wanted to either walk a bit on this country's oldest section of abandoned highway. Just after the Sideling Hill (Eastbound) service plaza, I pulled over to what appears to be a birm pull-off. With trailer in tow, made a sharp right turn and was astonished that there was enough room to go through Jersey Barriers and drive along the abandoned section for 1.7 miles. Wanted to see the Rays Hill Tunnel, abandoned, however, at 1.7 miles, they put Jersey barriers laterally. One could easily trek about a mile to the tunnel. This section has not been used since 1968.

(Anyone new to the forum, go to the "Search" icon on this site for interesting/relative chat from years ago...search word: Pennsylvania Turnpike, PA Turnpike. If you have trouble, give a yell. The "Search Icon is no different from YOUR Library and Research Center...they are not being utilized to their full potential. Both retain a wealth of knowledge coming from "fellow members" contributions.)

The PA State Police have a "pistol range" set up about 1/2 mile into the abandon stretch. Some old Penndot truck tires are set up as a backdrop. It was really neat thinking how cars at the Greensburg meet up to 1968 last drove this stretch of the pike when they were new. Some poster on this site years ago made mention of the stretch where Penndot maintained an Eastbound section to test highway line paints. To me, it looked like legal graffitti...someone went nuts with a roadway line painting truck!!.

Peter J. (Pedro from PA) <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

P.S.- The smooch from Judy sure superceded not having much time to talk with you, Earl <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Now, driving a Brit car up the host hotel's wet, winding driveway, seeing an SUV in my mirror with the "AACA" plastered on the side was a challenge. Gave it my best "Steve" <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />" Pink slips the next time if I can find the darn paper.

[R W Burgess]

Great post, Pedro! Boy, a hug and a smooch! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> You're one up on me friend. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Wayne

[bschemesc/rambler]

I 'm sure I'm burning you all out on this SC/Rambler but I just had to post this photo.I'm so proud of all that has happened for the car that I can hardly sleep at night. I'm just like a little kid as I walk out of my way in the house just to look at the First Junior trophy again and again !!!!!!

The painting of my SC was done by Danny Whitfield , www.dannywhitfield.com .The trophy on the left in photo is just one of the Class Winner trophies from Keystone Raceway back in 1974. The one on the right is the A.A.C.A. First Junior trophy. These events were 31 years apart and both were held near Pittsburgh PA. I get a real kick out of this as the SC went full circle as a unrestored car. This is just so cool.

Thanks again as this has been a big time in my life !!!!!!!

Matt

FREEDOM=AMC (My AMC friend just got back from his tour in Iraq back in March). Thanks to all you Vets I have not had to go to War !!!!! I always think of the ones who didn't make it home. I WILL NEVER FORGET THEM !!!!!!!!

[stock_steve]

Congrats Matt--most impressive!

[Terry Bond]

It was a great meet! Congrats and thanks for letting me listen to it run. I really enjoyed meeting you and hope you consider taking it to Hershey. Im sure you would enjoy those friday race car demonstration runs. My friend from Chesaspeake (Don Whitlow) gives his Ford Thunderbolt a pretty good workout there.

Terry