mav75

Odds are, if you clicked on this thread, you've been following this one:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/sout...fall-meet.html

It looks as though the momentum might be picking up a little bit, and I'd like to grab that opportunity to set something in stone.

The premise is simple: A family oriented meet up (no drugs/alcohol) at a quality burger/shake place with plenty of parking to relax and enjoy the cars, the company, and finally, the good weather.

This is going to be a multi part poll. The first part is to figure out where interested people would be coming from. My thought is that since Houston is so scattered, it would be ideal to meet in a central part of town, like the Galleria area. But if there is a strong representation from a particular area of town, like Clear Lake/Galveston or Katy/NW Houston, then there'd be an argument to cater to the majority.

From there, we'll figure out if Fridays or Saturdays work better, and pick a day and time from next weekend until the end of November to get something going.

Since a gathering like this could be considered poaching from http://www.WestHoustonMuscle.com, I'm going to throw a link to this thread up on the F-Body section of their website to let them know about it. To avoid a conflict of interest, perhaps this event could be a meetup before whatever WHM has happening on a particular night. To be as inclusive as possible, I'll open it up to all F-Body Generations.

So...here it goes...where are we all coming from?

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

well first you are going to have to see where everyone is coming from. they might come from all over houston. we did a galveston cruise before and it was pretty cool. we have met in a park for the real big meet.
and it is off 290. i will always vote south mostly because that is where i am at. there is a really good car show on saturday evenings in kima. you might want to pick a really good burger and shake place or find a few good ones around town and go from there.

mav75

I spent a little time doing some research on that very topic last night. You can see it in the gaugeing interest thread. A birds' eye view on Google Maps plus my meal there has me leaning heavily towards Pappa's Burgers on Westheimer.

I think it's fair to meet somewhere on Westheimer. If the idea is to try to bring everyone from Houston together, it's better to meet on "neutral territory" to avoid favoritism of one part of town over another.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

I really like the pappas burgers place Idea. It sounds like the ideal location.

mav75

Thanks, Skelitor...I just can't see how you can beat the central location, the quality of the food, and the amount of available parking.

The question of what to do and where to go afterward has been brought up on the . thread. If the cruising Westheimer idea falls flat, why not just meet up with whatever event WestHoustonMuscle.com is doing on that particular night? I'm in the middle of writing a thread on their Firebird and Trans Am forums to let them know about our little event. This way, we're not skimming from their membership. If anything, WHMers with F-Bodies don't have to choose one over the other, and all of us get to have our cake and eat it too.

J0hn_J0hn08

iTrader: (2)

Just finished voting.

Gonna do my best to follow this thread, im willing to drive some but im tired of driving to katy/north everytime...somewhere down the middle would work.

Jupiter

iTrader: (1)

I like the central Houston idea. I'm in.

'afterward'
There is a 'Fix For The Troops' car meet event November 4th at Wild Wing Cafe
on I-10 @ 6pm by the WHM club. It would be cool to have a bunch of 3rd gens
make an appearance. There were only two 3rd gens at last weekends
Halloween event out of 150+ cars.

mav75

That's a good idea! In that case, I'd propose doing the car meet first to give guys with small children more time with their kids. The only problem with that is beginning at Wild Wing Cafe sort of kills the whole burger/shake idea.

It's too bad WHM doesn't have an After Hours event until next year. Of course, there is the option of having our GTG on the 5th at 8pm to avoid any chance of stepping on WHM's toes AND getting their F-Body representation...

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

I like the WHM idea. Though it would sort of kill that other burger/shake Idea. Much to ponder.

Jupiter

iTrader: (1)

All WHM events are family friendly. Kids love to come see the cars.
Keep in mind though it is in west Houston and i think most here want
a more central meet up. Anyhow i just thought i would put that idea
out there.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

We could do our GTG sometime around like 1:00 and then those who want to drive the extra mile could go to the WHM event. Just a thought. There were TONS of kids last Sat. at the meet. There was even a best costume event at the end for the little kids.

Jupiter

iTrader: (1)

Good idea Skeli. I take it you got the tires from Terry and ready to ride?
Hope to finally see your ride.

mav75

I am very much in favor of the Central meet up idea. A very quick look at WHM's calendar shows events on Sat. 10/29, Fri. 11/4, the entire weekend after, and then a break until the first Sat. in December, 12/3.

So it looks like proposed dates for our event are coming together...

Fri. 10/28 (which I can't make because family is coming into town for my daughter's b-day)

Sat. 11/5

Fri. 11/11 or Sat. 11/12 (conflicts with a weekend long WHM event)

Fri. 11/18 or Sat. 11/19 (the weekend before Thanksgiving)

Fri. 11/25 or Sat. 11/26 (right after Thanksgiving...good luck!!)

I'm not a Rocket Scientist or CPA, but it looks like 11/5 is the best choice out there...thoughts?

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

I like 11/5. Gives me lots of time to prepare my ride. And Jupider, yes I did. Got them installed Monday. Check out this photo I took today.

mav75

Don't forget...the WHM event is on the 4th, which is a Friday and most people would be working in the middle of the day.

I hope to meet both of you!

mav75

Damn, my computer's slow...LOL!!

I think the 5th is probably the best idea.

What does everyone think of Pappa's Burgers at 8:00?

BTW...Sean-Taj from WHM.com gave us a shout out on the link I posted on the boards over there. Maybe that will help our turnout?

I'm going to let this thread sit for a little while before setting time/date/place in stone.

cold.steel

I'm definitely interested in this if you'll let a 4th gen in

mav75

THAT 4th Gen is welcome anytime!!

Seriously...any Generation of the F-Body should be allowed to come to this event. Even though ThirdGenners are planning the GTG, I'm sure I speak for the majority when I say that we like all the F-Bodies, regardless of the generation.

There's no real F-Body specific club in Houston that I know about. The National Firebird & Trans Am Club lists this branch in Houston:

www.tachrev.com

A visit to the site shows that it's more of a source of information and links to other websites than any real effort to get F-Body owners together. Plus, it's not even F-Body specific. There isn't even a forum on there, at least not that I've found.

Now that I have some extra time on my hands, I wanted to see who in Houston was willing to get together and go from there. I figured it was about time!

cold.steel

Sounds good to me. WHM is an awesome general muscle car group, and no one there has a problem with members also participating in other groups. There are plenty of guys that also go to Mustang & Camaro specific meetings. Glad to find out there's an F-Body group trying to organize as well!

J0hn_J0hn08

iTrader: (2)

Would be cool to see an f body club form. Around my side of town all i see is truck clubs and the casual import clubs. Ive heard of whm but never been to an actual gathering might give them a shot.

Im surprised no one has made a site for f bodies specifically in the houston area.

Houston performance trucks and houston imports exist why not an official houston f body club?

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

There seems to be enough of us here to justify making a club.

cold.steel

Not to take away from this fledgling group, but WHM is great. If nothing else, give them a shot when nothing F-Body specific is going on. Great turnouts.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

I'm not a member yet. I should really get around to joining up. I've been going to their meets for like a year.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

I just cant afford the $5 entry fee.

cold.steel

Haha. I just got around to paying my $5 last weekend, but I won $100 in the raffle!

esc

iTrader: (6)

There is also Houston-f-body.org. Mostly an email list full of old timers left over from its hay-day 10 years ago when it had 350 members. These days, very few even have F-Bodies anymore.

There is a second email list that I tried to start a couple of years ago when I started hosting the HFB web site, but it is idle.

It would be easy enough to add a forum...but there is no point if no one is interested.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

You suck.

J0hn_J0hn08

iTrader: (2)

Honestly im kinda jealous of austins (ATGO) i stumbled across their site the other day and it was pretty cool. I guess we have a similar thing going on here with our sub forums but theirs is a bit more focused specifically on the austin community.

Wasn't aware of the entry fee for whm, must be why i havent got to it yet.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

can do saturdays. cannot do fridays no matter what friday it is.

Dark Ember

X2 on the 11/5, 8pmpa's burgers.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

Idunno about meeting 8pm. that seems a little late for the starting point. IMO.

mav75

Skelitor, what time do you think works better?

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

8pm is way late. if there is going to be any kind of show or cruise afterwards it needs to be really early. you need to give at least a 1 to 2 hour window to show up. eat--1 to 2 hours. and then a bullshit and look session for about 1 to 1-1/2 hours and so on.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

Well. Taking into account what 92 said. maybe 2pm. Then that that gives us "...at least a 1 to 2 hour window to show up. eat--1 to 2 hours. and then a bullshit and look session for about 1 to 1-1/2 hours." Then it would end at 8 instead of start at 8.

mav75

2 hours seems like a pretty big window for showing up. I can see 1 hour, but anything more seems excessive to me...but then again, this is my first time doing anything like this...also, wouldn't the bs/look session be longer if turnout is good?

J0hn_J0hn08

iTrader: (2)

Most meets i go to start at 7 and end at 10 or 11 but they dont really include eating or cruisin so if thats whats happening im curious to see what time ual come up with.

mav75

A 7:00 start time seems reasonable and logical. I hadn't thought much beyond eating and hanging out. I was aiming for more of a laid back vibe to the whole thing. Seems like the only two times that should be firm are the start time and the cruise time. What about 7 and 9:30?

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

6 and 9:30 sounds better to me. But we'll see what works for everybody.

mav75

It's funny you should mention that...I found that mailing list a while ago (don't remember how) and sent a blast mail out to it. No one's responded to that.

I'm actually wondering what kind of turnout there's going to be in two weeks. So far I've posted on here, WHM, NFTAC, and Houston F-Body.org.

I forgot about Firebird Nation, but the local forums don't seem very active. Also, previous attempts to organize GTG's on that site don't seem to have been successful.

I could post on LS1Tech, but that could dilute the ThirdGen showing. Personally, I don't really care about that, as I can appreciate any F-Body that's well cared for and in good shape.

Any thoughts or objections? So far, this thread has had about 180 views but only 12 votes. I know it's still a little early, but is anyone else concerned?

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

Well, I have to make sure my insurence is in order, and that would be the only thing stopping me from coming. I have the money to get it tested and all, but if I don't have insurence I'll have to catch a ride with someone else or no one. WhiteNinja might be going, and we hang allot. I'll make sure he knows about this cause he's not on here that often. And IMO. 6 is an optimal starting time.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

why so late. if it is going to be that late then im out. us older people have family to go home to.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

Yah. I'm open, but earlier is better IMO. I just said 6pm as a compromize.

mav75

I think 6pm is a good idea. I've never planned an event like this before, much less gone to one, so I'm kind of flying blind here. I'm looking at it from the standpoint of trying to maximize time spent with my little ones during the day and then having the rest of the night to myself. But then again, I'm lucky...my wife is staying home and babysitting.

Should it be earlier than 6?

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

My vote is starting @ 1-2pm. Perhaps another poll is necicary?

mav75

I'll do another poll if we can commit to the starting location (Pappas Burger) and the date (we all seem to be leaning towards Sat. 11/5). Then there's the matter of the cruise, but we can get to that later.

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

Papas Burgers is a go. 11/5 sounds good. The later we do the meet the more time I'll have to prapare my car, but we do have to cater to the majority on this one. Now its just the time and exactly what we are going to do.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

pappas burger sounds good.

now we need to get the time thing set up. to me and all the meets i have done have started early. it is also a matter of where to cruise to.
show up time for people will run 1-1 1/2 hours. always has. also im sure people will want to look at other peoples cars and shoot the bull some as well. that will take a couple a hours as well unless this is going to be eat and run. then you want to do a cruise. to where. that will take a little time as well. that is why when i do them i start them around 1 or 2. by the time people show up, hang out, and go eat it will be around 4 or so. then we can look at cars for a little bit and shoot the bull. now we are getting close to 5:30 to 6 time. then we can cruise somewhere. to me this sounds good. just take all this into consideration.

mav75

I understand the logic behind the earlier start, but I was aiming for more of an evening/after hours type event. What happens with WHM's Blast to the Past After Hours events in terms of start time & planned activities?

How can we achieve the best of both worlds? Or am I just that much of a newbie and need to be schooled that all events like this start early in the day?

As far as the cruise goes, I am very open minded about the route, as long as the distance is reasonable. (I've got 48.6K original miles on my '89 T/A.)

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

i think you would have to have people pick a time. some will take the late one and some the early one. and a cruise destination will have to be made official. if it is going to be a katy cruise then i may come to the eat but not to the katy deal. thats 50 miles from my house.

esc

iTrader: (6)

It seems to me that there are car shows all over town. People have their favorites, which seem to tend to be be close to where they live. That is how it should be.

We are asking people to cruise FROM all over town to a central point. I think that an additional cruise to some other location is a little redundant.

The meets that we have had before that had good turnout were in the afternoon and ended about dark. Some went on to other destinations afterward...but that depended on their schedules and where they came from.

I think that if you want to get the most 3rd gens in one place we should pick a central spot and do our thing there.

If you want to GTG at a some bigger meet, then we should go directly there or at least GTG near by then go there.