Back to the Fifties Mpls/St Paul ..tell me about it!

Hey Minnnnesoooota guy's,Tell me about this show!I've heard good things about it but never been to it,What day is the swap meet? where's a good place to stay?Is there a website? etc,etc! any info appreciated!
thanks xtralow ...

 

Great show, search MSRA.com it'll give you all the info you need.

 

its freaking huge with so many diff types of cars there lots of good people only bad part is having to drive in minn/stpaul traffic

 

Swap meet is Sunday - MSRA is asking for preregistration if you want to have a swap space. Its a great show with a couple of caveats...
1. bring a camera - otherwise you get overloaded and all the cars/trucks run into one another and you can't remember a thing!
2. plan on attending at leats 2 days - last year they had something like 11,000 pre-64 vehicles there


There aren't many trailer queens there, and LOTS of traditional rods. The vendors are pretty fair, and nearly EVERYTHING on the grounds can be purchased for the right amount of ching. Additionally, walk some of the parking lots cause lots of people with post '64 cars or those that didn't want to register park and hang out.

Oh yeah - don't miss the chocolate chip cookie place!


Other than that, its a complete blast!

 

Do any of the local H.A.M.B ers hang in any certain area and Drink Schmidt,Grain Belt or Hamms beer ? THANKS for the info Guy's!...xtralow

 

And don't forget about the cheese curds and the Pork Chops on a stick.

DEEEEEEEElECIOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BB

 

I am not from minnesota, but I went to this show last year.. and it rocked..

I didnt care for the camping situation (ONLY BECAUSE THE MSRA MAKES CAMPERS JUMP THROUGH HOOPS TO GET A CAMPING SPACE.)

the swap meet was darn pretty good for a one day affair. I got 2 of my better deals of the year there.

YOU SHOULD definitely take lots of photos I would agree that the majority of the cars in attendance are street driven. very few trailer queens, which makes the show that much better.


AND in addition to the cookies.. anyone visiting this show MUST have at a minimum two orders of cheese curds.

i only wish I was going to be able to make it again this year :-(

 

if you are thinking about going , and want a hotel room reasonably close to the fairgrounds...you should start looking NOW, or plan on staying quite a ways out....hotels in surrounding 10 mile radius are probabilly all filled,many people (like me) make next year's reservation when they check in


Msra publishes a list of hotels if you need it

 

Yes, there is a HAMB love-in at least one of the days. But ya will run into other Hamber's all over, not just at the grounds. 36-3w was staying at the same hotel as me and it was pure chance that we became aquanted. Saw HRLC with the big Olds at the headquarters a few years back. Hope ya make it. C.F.

 

yeah definatly worth going, and usaly all along the fence on snelling by the water tower is HAMB land as far as camping goes. nothin like waking up to miles of hotrods and customs fileing past your tent

tim

 

Last year a bunch/gang of hambers met near the Space Needle, also the Cheaters of Milwalkee usually group up. But being hambers it tends to shift around as cruising the fairgrounds is a must and also the best seat in the house. You get an inkling who the hambers are as they are the coolest cars.
I parked my roadster next to Milners coupe everyday last year, soaking up the coolness vibes. Definitely at least a 2 day must attend event.

 

Got a pic of your roadster? Im sure I saw it if it was near the milner coupe.

I love this show. I dont think it would be even possible to see all of the cars in attendance, they fill up every nook, cranny, and crevass you can imagine, its great.

oh, and when people are mentioning the cookies (sweet marthas cookie jar, its called), cheese curds, and pork chops on a stick, they arent exaggerating, the food is excellent (but at $5 a pork chop, it should be!)

hope to see you there

 

Have'nt figured out how to post pics yet, black '28 Sport coupe converted roadster,Von Dutchy styled pinstriping, Flathead powered, with wide 5 wheels, '40s styled hot rod. Bare neccesities, rates 10 out of 10 on the fun meter.

 

Mmmmmmmm...cookies
Going to have to try a pork chop this year, guess I'll have to get in line about 8 am if I want to beat the crowd.
As far as the show, its a great one, been going for 14 of my 27 years, and I won't miss it.

 

ahh yes the great get together yeah there is a HAMB gathering

 

another

 

As good as the cookies and porkchops are, leave room for a large raspberry/pineapple dole whip swirl! Proof positive that there is a god! Lots of vendors, indoor shops as well as outdoor tents. Everything you could possibly want for a rod is there. There's a video game shed for the kids as well as small carnival type rides. The swap meets is only one day but its always worthwhile.

If you drive up from CA, you won't be disappointed. It starts on Friday, Saturday is the big day, Sunday they hand out prizes and the place usually clears out by mid-afternoon on Sunday.

Packed with rods and people! There's an auction on Saturday (that's where I bought my Mustang), they have a dyno to run your car on, there's a skyway cable ride, good music (oldies) blaring all over the site, a live band also, plenty of trees for shade, bring a camera and lots of film (or a BIG memory stick!). Camping sites are hard to come by as mentioned earlier.

Oh yeah, bring a hanky to wipe the drool from your chin.

 

Wow is that ever one awsome looking convert.

BB

 

I think that oogly convert looks better on the salt, myself. Anyways, I go for the cheeze curds and to oggle Billy Joe. The 11,000 cars are nice to watch too. Like Tim said, HAMB camping is under the water tower on the fence line at Snelling ave. Here are a few 2003 photos.I drove the BBC 56 ford pickup up there to sell for my buddy..took Tim with me and even conned him into driving back from Meenesoota for awhile..

 

joeycarpunk is this your car?

either way I like it.

 

AHH yes it's all good but two things you gotta watch out for.Bleed and that guy from kanada Tuck.Places to hang out are.If you wanna see some cruising there's porky's.And a place to drink and maybe listen to some bands is Lee's lounge over in minneapolis about 10-15 min. away from the fairgrounds.(that's if you leave from the back way).Cause snelling ave. is backed up from the northside of fair grounds down to university ave.Oh if anybody looses sight of of Tuck one hint look for a parking lot full of zippers and i'm pretty sure you will find Tuck there teasing them with the hex.

 

Here is a good pic of bobk and a few of the HAMB gathering

 

Yep, Thats it. My Dads '54 Merc Sun Valley is behind it. Other days he drove his 348 powered '33 Ford Cabriolet.
I can taste and smell the foot long hotdogs and cheese curds already.

 

Also check out the deep-fried butter on a stick. Pretty tasty. Some may say even better than the curds.

 

Eyeball,that top pic to the right is me and Vic (in black)talking to Tokyo.He was doing some sweet talking to Vic,I was thinking of kicking his ass!!!HaHaHa.We had two good meets,it was cool temperature wise last year so that made it more enjoyable.I think clubs can reserve spots to hang out,I can check it out,that way we don't have to set up times to meet we'll have a place to hang all weekend.

 

That would be a great idea.

 

Oh yea,to let you know what a stupid ass I am,I put my wife and a 12 pack of beer in with Bob K (no room for me) to cruise to the meet.After I did that I realized I made a big mistake,I would'nt have any beer for the meet!!!!!

 

I'ts hard to see everything in one day on foot. Bring a mini bike or something.

 

Don't forget the car auction on Saturday (I volunteer...gives me a chance to drive tons of cars thru the chute)...This is the LARGEST car show IN THE WORLD featuring 64 and earlier vehicles. The swap is Sunday 6AM sharp. The show set-up is Wed/Thur...I always go Thursday 'cuz the place is already rockin'...I stay 'till Sunday...Hot Rod Sensory Overload!

 

I've been trying for three weeks to get someone from MSRA to get back to me on camping registration. Have a string of e-mails to Tom Volbrect (sp) but still not contact. Ca anyone advise what the secret hand shake is for camping?Charlie