Syracuse Nationals, 2010

[shaggimo]

Ok so I got a reply already, email says

 Hi John,
It is pretty much set in stone, but there may be a way around it.
Strange question, but where is the club located…are you in NY?
Keith D. Fioramonti
Office Coordinator

so my response

I am located in NY, about 45 minutes from the fair grounds, I have been attending the nationals for the last 6 or 7 years as a spectator, I have never had my car done, to bring it, however now it would be, but the car is a 1981. There really is no official club I am involved with, we're just a small group of enthusiasts.  I basically wanted to know any information necessary on how and if we may enter the show. Thanks for the reply.
John

wasn't quite what I wanted to hear, but better to know for sure now than at the gate.

[shaggimo]

Looks like I'll know more on either Monday or Tuesday,
the latest reply

I’m going to talk to a member of the Central New York Car Club Association at Church this weekend.  I’ll see if you guys join the CNYCCA if you can be in the building for 1980 and above cars, without being an actual club. 

I’m not saying this method will work, but I’m going to try.   We’ll revisit this on Monday (don’t be afraid to drop me a line on Tuesday as I’m forgetful!!)
Keith D. Fioramonti

  one can only hope......

[eaglegirl]

Looks like I'll know more on either Monday or Tuesday,
the latest reply

I’m going to talk to a member of the Central New York Car Club Association at Church this weekend.  I’ll see if you guys join the CNYCCA if you can be in the building for 1980 and above cars, without being an actual club. 

I’m not saying this method will work, but I’m going to try.   We’ll revisit this on Monday (don’t be afraid to drop me a line on Tuesday as I’m forgetful!!)
Keith D. Fioramonti

  one can only hope......

bahahahaha, at church

[eaglegirl]

it's a flippin' amc...they should set some new bounds, seriously....

it really gets me, when you see people there with their new motorcycles, and 08' mustangs, and their mom's kia's with a soda can for an exhaust, and a bunch of stickers....grrrrrr

[IowaEagle]

Many other venues consider us a club.   We put our premium members into the AMC Eagle Nest International Club, although we really have not done much official with that yet.  Hey, we even have membership patches.  They say member right on it.

[eaglegirl]

Many other venues consider us a club.   We put our premium members into the AMC Eagle Nest International Club, although we really have not done much official with that yet.  Hey, we even have membership patches.  They say member right on it.

I will most definatley mention this to shagg, he and I both agree that if we need to, we will join an "official" nationally recognized club if need be

[shaggimo]

Ok so, I let this slide a bit over the holidays, but I'm back on it, I sent a follow up email to to the registration dept, and it looks like it is possible for  post 1980 vehicles to attend, here's the latest news...

Hi John,

Sorry for the delay, I have been vacationing in an attempt to escape another CNY winter. 

 I finally got the chance to speak to Terry, who heads up the Toyota building for the Central New York Car Club Association (CNYCCA) during our show, the Syracuse Nationals, at the New York State Fair Grounds. 

As you know, the show is closed to vehicles newer than 1980.  However, the Car Club Association will accept cars newer than 1980 if they are housed in the Toyota building.  In order to be in the Toyota building there are a series of qualifiers.

 1) You must form a club or join one of the clubs currently listed on the CNYCCA website.
 
2) Your club, if you form a new one, must be a member of the Central New York Car Club Association.
 
3) Each car registrant must volunteer at the show for four hours (volunteering is typically checking credentials in the      campgrounds or helping campers locate their camping spots).           
*Anyone who volunteers receives free entry into the show for the entire weekend.

The CNYCCA meets the second Tuesday of each month at Barbagallo’s Restaurant, 6396 East Malloy Road , East Syracuse , NY 13057 .  Following are some links that may be of use to you:

The web site for the CNYCCA is http://www.cnycca.org

 CNYCCA Car clubs http://www.cnycca.org/Club_Docs/2009ClubContacts.htm .

 CNYCCA membership form http://www.cnycca.org/Club_Docs/membershipform.htm

 Thank you for your interest in the Syracuse Nationals!


So in other words in order to attend, said owners would have to be a part of a recognized club, and their vehicles will be put into a separate building (which could be good in some ways).

[ScottD961]

Many other venues consider us a club.   We put our premium members into the AMC Eagle Nest International Club, although we really have not done much official with that yet.  Hey, we even have membership patches.  They say member right on it.

 Ok, please explain the premium membership  to me / us ? I didn't know about this so I'm sure I missed it. I would be interested is why I'm asking . I/E you can P/M me about this if you would like & have the time. Thank you

[abqcarl]

   Reading this post got me thinking. (Scary, I know...) This situation will continue to come up in the future in regards to other meets, and we as Eagle owners will need to try to justify our cars being let into shows that have a cutoff date before they were built. I have come up with a rationale for letting them into shows that may work. To wit:

   The Eagle should be allowed for several pretty sounds reasons. The first is that the eagle is historically significant in two ways.

   1) That it was the last passenger car that AMC made. Now that AMC is no longer with us, they should be recognized as the last chapter of AMC's history.
   2) That the Eagle was basically a Hornet, which was introduced in 1969, as a 1970 model. A lot of times, when there is a cutoff date, a show will allow later vehicles in, if they are essentially the same car as one before the cutoff. Example- You go to a show where the cutoff is 1972 model year, and you want to bring your '74 Hornet. Many shows will allow it as there is no real difference between the two. With the exception of some minor trim changes, and the crash bumpers, they are essentially the exact same car. There isn't a whole lot of difference between a '70 Hornet Sportabout, and an '88 Eagle wagon, excepting the 4X4.
   3) Explain about the historical significance of the first real 4 wheel drive setup that was able to be driven on dry pavement at regular speeds. That it was the first 4X4 to have an independent front suspension so it didn't drive or ride like a truck, but like a car. That it is the forerunner of the modern day crossover vehicles that have become so popular as of late.
   4) That the Eagle was also an engineering experiment to see if a Unit-Body vehicle could be successfully transformed into a 4 wheel drive utility vehicle. AMC took the lessons learned from the Eagle experiment, and put it to use in the design and development of the downsized Jeep Cherokee in the late eighties. The Cherokee is considered to be the beginning of the 20+ year reign of the SUV,  because it was the first rationally sized SUV that had a decent ride, and handled well. Just drive one back to back with a same era Scout, Bronco, or Blazer which were at best, niche vehicles. The Cherokee tapped into an entirely new market, unleashing a tidal wave of sales for AMC. And it is all owed to the Eagle.

   Hopefully, if the people running the shows are true car folks, they will understand and accept this reasoning. If not, well, Meh... you can lead that horse to water, so to speak. I hope this gives some of you some ammunition to use to lobby for our cars being allowed in shows. If it actually works, let me know...

   Have the Best Day everyone!

CaptCarl

[shaggimo]

Very good statements and points, though, the gent I have been emailing has given anyone interested in bringing their Eagle (or any other post 1980 vehicle) to the show a loop hole. Join a club that they recognize, volunteer for a few hours, and you're in....Yes in a separate building away from other vehicles, but, I look at it this way, if it's overly hot out, there will be lots of people traffic in the buildings, raining same thing, so in a way, it's kind of a good thing. Lets face it, in CNY it's either raining, snowing, or hot, a happy medium is a very rare day, lol.

Anyway, I was looking through the list of clubs on their list, the cny mopar one is an AMC friendly club (the only one I see with AMC pics on it), their dues is $35 for the year which doesn't seem to bad.

[IowaEagle]

What would it take for the club side of the Nest to be recognized by them.    Premium membership info for the Nest is found at the EN Store, but it does include membership in the AMC Eagle Nest International Car Club -- I guess we need to start doing a membership card allong with the original certificate and then with annual renewals.  Something for me to work on this weekend.

[ScottD961]

I just saw this info. Thank you I/E, I'll check it out. Hopefully I'll have another one very soon.

[ScottD961]

abqcarl. That is really good info. I'm going to print this off or copy & post into word if it's ok with everyone ? I'd like to have this for the future. Not knowing much about AMC I didn't realize the Hornet went back that far. Wow, introduced in 69 s a 70 model & ran pretty much till 88 with the last Eagle. I don't know if any other AMC models ran that long but the only other cars that I can think of that had that long of a shelf lief was the 70 1/2 Firebird & Camaro. They were on line by 1970 & weren't replaced until the fall of 1981. During there run they sold millions, & made millions of $$ for GM, Pontiac & Chevy. That design just had that "something " that was a big hit & is why Gm then tried to make every design change last 10 years but none of them were as successful as the second generation F-body design. Wouldn't the Gremlin body have been production that long as well, after it was changed into the Eagle ?