JOHN'S PICNIC...disappointingly large

Firstly I want to congratulate John and the KOA people on the success of the event this weekend and over the last 13 years. This year there were announcements at 9 am that the main area was full and no more cars could enter. Fortunately the venue has plenty of overflow areas so no-one misses out.

That brings me to the point of this post. NO-ONE misses out. The guy in the convertible Mercedes sipping red wine from his plastic wine gl*** didn't miss out. He had a good spot. Plenty of old Falcon utes, Toranas, Monaros and Commodores didn't miss out either. The guy in the Lamborghini who was registering as I was leaving didn't miss out. He didn't get my quip about his car being an extremely well customised '50 Ford either.

I know John is keen to foster any interest in the rod and custom lifestyle that he can and for that I thank him...but...it is the ROD and KUSTOM picnic. People go there to see RODS and KUSTOMS, not the same old **** they can see in the Safeway carpark on a Saturday morning.

If I had my way there would have probably only been 200 to 300 max cars in the "event" area, the rest would be in the "carpark". Unfortunately there is no distinction. It's just free for all. It's John's event and he will and should run it as he sees fit but when it gets this big and the decent cars are diluted a****st everything from Mercedes to Falcon utes the effect is lost and frankly the walking is barely warranted. I'm not saying what my impression of a decent car is. The fact that I'm on here says enough and that's not the point. I don't want to dictate what the cut-offs should be. Just that somebody in KOA should give the issue of cut-offs and segregated parking some serious consideration.

I'm going to give it another go next year, because I do enjoy it and it marks the beginning of the season, but if the trend continues a few of us might just have a little HAMB BBQ instead.

Sorry for the rant. And despite the rant, my sincere thanks and congratulations to John for doing what he does.

Pete

 

Pete, my guess is you haven't worked on the gates! But I understand where you are coming from. About 6 years ago I thought I would help John out and do a shift on the gate. That shift turned into a 5 hour stint and there was only one entrance, jeeeeezzzzuuss! Never again. Ever done any work in regards to quality control. It would be a walk in the park compared to arguing with the numbnuts in ****ters, late model **** and the like who want to enter AND park the hell wherever they want. I argued with a guy for a while but when there are tow cars parked in plain view, cars building up behind him, most boiling, well you kinda say F@#kit pay up and drive on through. As for organizing parking, most people will argue black and blue its their right as they have paid good money to be able to go wherever they want......Not saying I agree, after all it is for Rods and Kustoms, just very hard to draw a line in the sand. I know Chopper wont as he likes the mix, maybe not so much the later model stuff but....like you said his show.
Maybe we should make Saturday the real day for true hotrods as its more relaxed then, less street rodders anyway!

Now as for a HAMB BBQ how about the next one being a CENTRAL one!!!

 

Yeah, Brett, I understand (not as well as you, perhaps) the difficulties of policing the entries, and I know John likes the mix. I like the mix too, if it's Rods, Customs, a few cl***ics and maybe the odd muscle car thrown in. But who the **** wants to look at an XR8 ute. Like I said, it's not for me to say what the cut offs should be, just that there must be a line somewhere. I know it's really hard but something has to give otherwise we're gunna be turning up at 6 bells just to get in only to find that the centre area full of station wagons. It IS a ROD & CUSTOM gig

???
Pete

 

Hey Striper, good to put a face to the name...didnt click that it was you until martin pointed your car out! Awesome work on Adrian's 32 and that 40 pickup....man whenever you want to lay some lines on a geetar lemme know!
Couldnt build enough motivation to go out to the picnic today, last year kinda pissed me off with the masive crowds...most of them dont give a **** if you are trying to photograph stuff so one day was enough for me this year.
Got the old man to get MFS3 so i didnt lose out on anything

 

Just had a thought, we could split the grounds in 2. The nice gr***y sealed end for true rods and customs and the dusty unsealed entrance end for later models...

Believe me Pete when I say it is very hard to police who parks where. The majority of entrants don't really get it. Bit like the fact it is actuall y a 3 day event.. My solution is we get all the HAMB guys there on Saturday and really make it what it should be. We could then also see Sean play!

By the way Perfect Sin rocks.... Haven't taken it out of the roadster yet Sean!!!!!!! Listened to it 6 or 7 times over, too bad I missed you play
Did you find your drummer?

 

Being a gate nazi would be a hard job, especially if the "accepable car" rules are not absolute.

I've always said I'd like one of those gates that go side to side for sorting sheep: cool one way, the rest another, no negotiation.

A year cut-off like '49 would be fairly easy (mmm?), but when you get into customs it becomes a lot tougher.

I've always wanted to have a run for "two doors and no more." If only to listen to the whining back through the g****vine!

(yes, some folks have built hot rod cool moredoors)

 

Sean (sp)

Would have liked to do your guitar today. Didn't do much striping today, Finished a couple of bowling pins for Martin and did a bit on Wozzas 41. It was too crowded. A few blokes said yesterday they would come and find me today HA.

Maybe I'll just do the Saturday next year. It was pretty cool yesterday and much more relaxing.

Do you get down to the cruise nights at the old airport? Maybe we could hook up there to lay some enamel.

 

haha thanks man...nah we bit the bullet and played without one....bad ****ing idea! hahaha
Il let you know when we play next..i think espy next month.
Back to Hot rods!
Heres some from today (dad took the photo)
Couple neat cars, although not too sure about the pickup bed on the red improved A..

 

I agree, sunday is the 'main' day but saturday was big enough for me..still a few hundred cars.
Yeah We'll be at the next cruise night, il shoot you an email a few days before.

 

Anyway, had my say.



Sean, That bed in the A is a bit home made but so is the whole car. Mick Lee built and owns it and it's a masterful piece of back yard budget rodding. Mick knows his stuff around traditional hot rods. Mmmm Hemi.

 

Do that. Is it 2nd Tues in the month?

 

I havent seen the car in person so i cant really comment...looks the goods though.
Yeah second tuesday, are you going up to bright next weekend?

 

Will there be any Hot Rods there?

 

i hope so....corey's going and with his new supercharger on top of the flathead its one fooking hot rod!

 

Yeah, saw it today. Saw Lowsquires pick up too. I love that car. The seats and the windscreen are top notch. I've always liked the rest of it anyway. Even the paint suits it.

Ben, Don't know if you were asking me if I could put that stripe around the reveal or if you were just saying you wouldn't mind getting it done. I'm happy to have a go. It'd be the longest line I've ever tried to pull. We could give it a go. Turps is cheap.

Sean, Not going to Bright. Never been but I'm not sure it's my thing.


Anyway, the dog's fed and I'm heading for some sleep. 'night all.

Pete

 

I have to say it was too big too..takes the fun out of it when 1 in 50 cars is something I want to see and most of the best cars belong to guys on here.
Late model in one paddock and rods and customs in another.

I'll be there Saturday next year..

WILL THROW UP MY PICTURES TONIGHT.

=]

Twas good to see it all do so well.

 

i think most of us had that exact same conversation. "What the **** is the supercharged monaro got to do with rods and customs?".

After looking forward to the picnic, i was a little dissapointed. I just got sick and tired of walking through hundreds of cars i didn't want to see - so much so i didn't see all of the ones i wantedd to. That plus i had an early nineties firebird convertible parked next to me. What gives?????

It was easy to get in, and was organised great as per usual, but just not what it was, this happens I know, when things grow.

Missed out on tracking anyone down, except Wayne cause we left early.
Ahh well, Kustom Nationals next... we'll see what pans out there.

 

hey guys,

yeah i dig what your saying. i guess from johns point of view, he is a business man so he wants to avoide any negative publicity that would arise from the inevitable fights on the gate over late model cars. telling someone they cant get in really puts thier ego on the line and i'm sure they would slag of the event to everyone who would listen.

best thing to do is make the poster really spell out the cutoff date ('67???) and send those who cant read to some "prefered parking" out the back.

Danny

 

Bummer I couldnt get there as a I had a wedding to attend (WTF!!!!) but I hear it was a pretty good gig this year.

As far as the event goes, FWIW, its doesnt matter is you piss off the guys in their late model ****, theres enough events to cater to these guys as it is. This IS a Rod & Kustom Picninc....the cut off should be a certain year (1971 IMHO) and THATS IT. A 1971 cut off date would allow some primo Oz and Yank muscle cars and most of the post 1971 stuff is **** anyways. If the event is MARKETED as such then people in their late model rides WONT turn up and EXPECT to get in, or the amount who do will be reduced significantly.

The prob is if you dont run the event this way, you WILL piss off the people at whom it is targeted....HOT RODDERS and KUSTOMIZERS. And that would be a shame b/c it is a killer event and Ive seen it grow from very small and humble beginnings into the primo event it has become. Just my two bob.

Rat



The thing is, how welcome would a trad Rod or Kustom be at a ricer's get together????

 

Guys, I spoke with someone about this just a short while ago (who helps Chopper on the running it side. The thing is Chopper doesn't want to run his event like that. He doesn't like to tell people where to park or who can and cannot enter. I stand by my suggestion of turn up Saturday and make it THE day for the treu spirit of the event, after all we know Sunday is mainly street rods anyways ...

 

I'll be there saturday next year...make it HAMB/Traditional Day.

=]

 

Hey man,

I dig it, but the worst we are going to do is just grumble on the HAMB and still show up next year with our money to get into the show. Have an argument with some late model driver and he will slag off the event and John's shop to everyone he knows which would **** for John's shop. Besides, I think to John, the XR8 drivers money is just as good as anyone elses....

I might give sat a try next year. Sunday just didnt rev my motor.

Danny

 

Well I really enjoyed both days (Saturday more than Sunday) and Friday night. As for what enters I know its not always going to be what I want to look at, but over here we have nothing that compares to the Shows we see being run in the States. The Picnic and Kustom Nats are about as close as we are going to get other than HAMB gatherings (and even these have late models turn up to them!). But hey I can live with that. I have tried to make a difference as to what got into the grounds and believe me it aint easy! It will probably be a while before I try that again . The KOA crew are more willing to let anything in and if you read Choppers article in the most recent ASR you will understand his reasoning. Not everyone will agree, but rarely do we ever agree with someone else's views 100%. What would we do if it wasn't on?!

 

I thought it was great! A few tyhings that shouldn't have been there I guess, but hey, overall, what a blast.

Sat night at lowsquires rocked.

 

Thanks jimbob, it was fun..so whos going to stick some shots up of starting that 21 stud beast with BEER?
to keep it relevant to the post...yeh lots of irrelevant rides...but i dont really give a ****. My date for the day had great breasts.

 

Well said Ben and thankyou for so succintly putting it into perspective!

And a big congratulations on the debut of your great old school roadster pickem up. Geoff aka whodaky

 

I wasn't going to say anything..but.....um...

Oh yes..i will posts pic tomorrow when I am a munted mess after tongiht..hehe

=]

 

Well, I could give two ****s less what yer ****in date looked like, let alone her ***s......but at least someones had the balls to say WHO CARES. Don't like it, don't go..........now bring on the pictures. And not of the girls either.

Brandy

 

Thank you, i'll p*** it on to the others who gave up their time and worked so ****** tirelessly to ensure the success of the event.

Yeah that even caught us by sirprise especially considering that folks usually sleep in on the first day of daylight saving.

On the other hand, we did have some expectations due to the restrictions placed on parking space around the grandstaand in order to preserve the facility for the purpose to which it was built. There's a horse racing event being held there on Wednessday and the owners didn't want some of the gr***ed areas critical to the running of that event, chopped up by hot rodders spinning their tyres and digging holes in their carefully manicured lawns.

We prefer to think the venue has plenty of parking space, so everybody can enjoy the day.

I didn't see him, but I'm glad he had a good time and enjoyed himself getting into his version of the spirit of the event. It's a shame his rod or custom isn't finished yet, but his convertible is probably one of the rare and valuable models.

He must have been up and on the road very early to get such a good spot.

Old Falcon utes make excellent customs and they can be quite usefull for hauling home the4 laarger items needed to build that next rod or custom project.

Didn't see too many Toranas, Monaros or Commodores. Although some of our sponsors and vendors, y'know, the people who put up the big money to help make sure the event goes ahead and offfers something for all the participants. Those guys often have to resort to using this type of vehicle and therefore a place is provided for them to be parked. Usually it is away from the main action, but when there's so many participants that the event overflows into the vendor's and sponsor's parking lot it's hard to keep them separate. Sorry if that offends you, maybe next time we can tell the vendors and sponsors they are not needed. Of course the entrants will happily pick up the slack by forking out three times the entry fee charged this year.

I figure if he could afford a Lambo he was probably smart enough to 'get it', maybe he was just too polite, or intelligent, to respond in kind.

Nope, sorry to say you are wrong! It's "John's Rod and Kustom Picnic" he's the one puts his balls, and a ****ing huge wad of cash on the line to run it and therefore he's the only one has any right to dictate who can and cannot participate!

Thankfully he's a car guy and not an elitist snob. He has the ability to see what others can't and he can see the benefit to all car guys of a multi cultural gathering of enthusiasts sharing their love of different vehicles and enjoying the company of like minded souls in a freindly party like atmosphere.

I never saw a Lambo in any Safeway parking lot on Saturday morning or any other time for that matter.

And I would just love to see you achieve that! However, as I understand it, John hires the entire complex for use as 'The Event' area and that's exactly what happened this year, Boy did we have an event! And it filled damn near every corner of the complex.

However, since you raised it, please let me have my little vent!

This year for the first time I lost my cool with a few people. Why? because some, despite being instructed not to go tis way or that, decided they knew better than anybody else and ignored the instruction. Next thing I know, they are screaming in my face, because their engine is overheating and they are stuck facing a wild hoard of incoming trafffic unable to turn around or go forward.

Had they followed my instruction, they would have found a place to park and been out of their car enjoying the event. Instead they were now creating frusutrations and problems for all the people who did follow instructions and were now held with a thousand cars behind them thaks to these peole's selfishness and stupidity. Oh, and they couldn't easily back up anyhow because of the thousands of people on the pedestrian walkway behind them.

And as for that premium real estate you seem to so covet. The folks who got it, did so because they were first to arrrive. That's how things are done at KOA events. First in best dressed, there's no reserved parking for 'special' vehicles. Although we did try it once with disaterous results.

HHowever, even some of thos early birds made me just a tad angry and guess what, all the cars in question were the type that you came to see. Yup, we had one section of prime gr***ed parking for around two hundred cars that was close to the central "event' area yet had only a couple of dzen cars parked on it. How come? Coz the selfish *******s all wanted to power-park on the front row completely blocking acces to the space behind them. Would they move? Not on your ****ing life, they had the prime real estate and they were not going to budge an inch. One event told me he was there first and if i wanted to open up the space i should move one of the cars that came after him.

Yup, just plain selfish is what i call it. maybe next year we should get ot the tractor and just move any such obstacles by force.

That's because the KOA people are not car snobs! Everybpody paid the same money to participate, therefore everybody is given the same rights. What you drive has ****all to do with it.

Clearly we both saw the event through different eyes. The effect on mine was ****** awesome. Even many regionaal events in the US are not as big as this and regardless if all the cars were not what most interpret as true blue hot rods or full kustoms, they were all hard to find valuable old cars and had every right to be participating.

How the **** are we expected to ensure the survivaal of our hobby if we turn everybody who does not already have "the right vehicle" away from participating in our events?

KOA rules are simple, no politics, no ********, just come along and have a good time enjoying our hobby. If you don't have a rod or custom it doesn't matter, we'll help you learn about them, encourage you to build or buy one so you can ultimately enjoy what we already enjoy. If you don't understand that, then maybe you should pick up a copy of the current issue of Australian Street Rodding and read John's column.

Walking is the best excercise you can get. And excercise is what keeps us all alive and active. Thus might I suggest walking at every oppoirtunity you get, is not just justified, it should be mandatory!

The fact that you are on here suggests to me that you may be a tad more than one eyed or opinionated about what coins***utes a binafide hot rod or kustom.

The fact that I nowadays only lurk here rather than actively participate, might also suggest my view of many who are active participants here. But I didn't jump in and complain about these people having an opinion, If i can't help them understand then I simply ignore them and get on with my own life while they get on with theirs.

Could have fooled me, seems that's exactly what you are saying here!

We have, and yesterday it blew us away to see such a huge variety of car enthusiasts all getting along and joining in the fun....TOGETHER IN THREE PART HARMONY (for the most part).

You also seem to have neglected to mention my repeated requests for people to move certain cars to specific areas etc. etc. Considering that so far all you've provided is your opinion of whjat's wrong, how about you ggive us a few clues on how to fix things. How would you suggest we get people to keep gateways clear or place their cars into designaated areas. Keeping in mind that many Hot Rodders like to bring the 'family truckster' to events because not all the kids or picnic stufff fits into the roadster, "so we need the other vehicle right here where it's habndy." ?

Clearly you've never been told to ****off after politely asking a fellow rodder to move his faily car to the designaateed area so mor rodderss can park in the 'Maain Event Area".

How about you give us a call and join the workers trying to help keep things organised and flowing, God knows we need all the help our small band of a dozen or so workers can get.

I rant in response of my own volition, because I know John is too polite to respond as I have.

However, the fact remains, that your apology and thanks does not dilute the overriding message in your post and that makes me wonder if what I'm doing is worth the pain and effort. I'd love to just rock up, park my car and enjoy the evnt doing some striping and BSing with all my buddies instead of being rude and running off to do some other imprtant task even though my buddies would love for me to stop and chat for a while. I wonder if I am not wasting my valuable time and energy trying to help John create and run events for people with a similar interst to ours.

It would have been great to arive home last night absolutely stuffed from having had such a great time with my pals instead of physically exhausted and in pain after having not had time to eat or even sit down all day. It would have been great to have been like most people who were oblivious to the panic and stress that sets in when we learn there a young child gone missing in the crowd as occurred twice during the day.


I could go on but I fear it's just going to fall on deaf ears, so I'll hit the post ****on and then maaybe read what all the other experts have to say about how they can run John's event better than we do.

 

All they had to do was turn up and Saturday would have been the day.