MSA 10th Anniversay Show 2005

[Ed]

MSA is in Orange, California. Convention is in Syracuse or some place in the cold section of NY.

Vicky

C'mon Vicky, not fair! In actuality by the time the convention comes around in August it will be nice. Very nice. About 80 degrees. This will be my first time entering my car.

[Bambikiller240]

Really looking forward to seeing you all. Let's make a point to get together. How about a ClassicZCar.com group photo? or an "Apres-Show" dinner. There's lots of eateries in the area. We could take over the Acapulco restruant on Katella. Maybe even a Tequilla or two in moderation, of course.

"IF" I am able to attend next year it would be good to meet you guys, but an aftershow dinner would not work for me as I would need to leave by 3 or 4PM in order to get home. A Pre-Show breakfast or something else may work better.

[sblake01]

Last time I went to MSA, even with preregistration, they ended up parking me down a side street with some beat up 510s. That was 2002 and because of that I didn't go in 2003. I really don't think you should have to be there at 4am to get a good spot. That show has outgrown itself over the years and really needs to be held in some other venue that can handle such a number of cars rather than on Collins Ave. And we have to pay to be shuffled off to a side street? That being said, I'll still be there parked in front of the businesses on the street west of MSA. I'll actually be closer to the show than where they put me in 2002!

[Ed]

How does there pre-registration work? I would think if you really wanted to show your car then:

1. Pre-register by mail BEFORE the show.

2. You receive a parking coupon with an assigned spot, BEFORE the show.

3. A limited amount of parking spaces are available.

With assigned spots we could have all the 240'z together, 260'z, 280'z, etc..

[sblake01]

How does there pre-registration work? I would think if you really wanted to show your car then:

1. Pre-register by mail BEFORE the show.

2. You receive a parking coupon with an assigned spot, BEFORE the show.

3. A limited amount of parking spaces are available.

With assigned spots we could have all the 240'z together, 260'z, 280'z, etc..

That is true except for the assinged spots. The show is usually overbooked and eventually they place cars on the side streets. I know I'll get flack for saying this, but they shouldn't allow anything but Z's, no 510's, no Roadsters, no Silvias or Skylines, 810's etc. Allowing cars other than Z's only add to the limited space problem. Hell, I don't entertain any thoughts of winning anything, not with cars like Zrush or Too Intense, but I think I should be able to park on the main street instead of a Roadster or 510 especially since it's a 'Z' show.

[Bambikiller240]

How does there pre-registration work? I would think if you really wanted to show your car then:

1. Pre-register by mail BEFORE the show.

2. You receive a parking coupon with an assigned spot, BEFORE the show.

3. A limited amount of parking spaces are available.

With assigned spots we could have all the 240'z together, 260'z, 280'z, etc..

Spots are generally not assigned at MSA. It appears there are exceptions as I've seen some clubs parked together, Johnnie Gable and a few other notables appear to have prefered spots.

If cars were separated by "model", owners of one (or two) models would be complaining about being parked in the boonies. MSA can't please everybody, so they do what works for their staff.

[Bambikiller240]

I know I'll get flack for saying this, but they shouldn't allow anything but Z's, no 510's, no Roadsters, no Silvias or Skylines, 810's etc. Allowing cars other than Z's only add to the limited space problem. .............(snip)................I think I should be able to park on the main street instead of a Roadster or 510 especially since it's a 'Z' show.

I have to agree.

[v12horse]

What is wrong with first come first serve. Was it different last year? I understand your point about no non-Zcars on the main street Stephen, but two years ago when I attended, there were only about 5 nonZcars on that street.

They won't go to a different venue becuase the whole point of having it there is to make money at their shop. I hope I am not bringing up the obvious. It would be a bummer to be in between two Non-S30 Zcars at the MSA show. I don't want to mingle.

Ben

[Ed]

What is wrong with first come first serve.

Ben

I don't think that there is anything wrong with first come first serve. But a pre-registration would alleviate overcrowding and the early a.m. confusion. Not to mention they could organize the cars by model.

[Bambikiller240]

They DO have pre-registration. BUT, people (cars) show up (i.e. arrive) on a random basis. They (MSA staff) run the cars into the show area and park them "in order" of arrival. One next to the other, next to the next, etc.

I may be wrong, but I haven't noticed that they "measure" and mark out spaces for each vehicle. It seemed to me that they "eye-balled it" one after another, after another as they park the cars. Since the show is held on a public street, they have a limited amount of time to prepare the venue (and get some sleep) before the long day of the show.

Except for the point about non Z cars being allowed, I think this is much ado about nothing. It's not like you have to walk MILES to see all of any particular model. Maybe it would be better if they assigned viewers a chair and all of the cars drove by you, in order by model. Come on, it's a car show, what is a little walking to see what is there to be seen. Look at what you are interested in, ignore the rest and move on. It's not that difficult to do.

[Chino 240Z]

If you want to park together you need to put a plan to meet and get in line at the same time. There are some clubs that have their act together and get 20 some cars to arrive and line up, they park in a row together. It's not easy to organize and pull it off. If you are serious, make a plan and get there early. We arrived around 6:30 (I think) and got about 5 or 6 WestcoastZracers together in line and still had a long wait. They do a dam good job at squeezing alot of cars in and parked as fast as they can. Also a CZCC sticker in the corner of your window would be a quick ID for other CZCC people to say HI! The car show was great, but it was the heat that sucked last year.

[Bambikiller240]

Heat is one of the things I look forward to when I attend. Our summer doesn't start for another month.