I'm gonna 'sound' like it, but, as I wrote last year, if anyone can
'spare' the time, (next year)
I highly recommend that you consider spending a few days in phoenix,
during the "Barrett- Jackson" auction week.
As I hate 'blazing' my own trail, in a "foreign"
environment, here's what YOU can do, to take full advantage of the
Phoenix 'logistics' (the 'perimeter' freeways are convenient, but
getting around, 'in-town', can be Hell; stop-and-go, for MILES).
1: get a COMPLETE road map (east & west sections) from the AAA, of
P-town area.
2: I fly Southwest airlines; very easy to schedule/fly with them.
3: Reserve a car thru Dollar (specialize in MoPars) rent-a-car, @ the
airport; very easy to get a car, & they've got a shuttle to their
car-lot.
Cheap rates & unlimited-mileage. Get an econo model car--it's all you'll
need, to get around--I got a Neon "SXT"(!) for about $40/day.
4: reserve a room @ Motel 6 (hey, nothing's too good for me!) @
"Scottsdale" location (about $60.00/nite)--it's the closest one to the
B-J & the Indian Bend Rd. "Pavillions Shopping Center "cruise-in",
relatively close to the Biltmore (hi-bux car-auction). THIS Motel-six
is NICE (believe it, or not!) AND within short walking-distance to
upscale mall/restaurants.
5: I arrived EARLY on Thursday, & spent the day @ B-J ($25.00 per
person; with the price going UP to $50/guy, on FRI/SAT!). Left @ around
6-7 & ate @ Earl's Roadhouse, close by. One (long) day @ the B-J, is
enough, to see all the cars, & shop @ the copious misc-vendors, & see
the Chrysler CONCEPT cars, & new-models---altho THIS year, there were
only the current-production models (DARN!), except for the Concept Viper
Coupe (which has a very-controversial shape---too conservative,
according to the Viper website chatroom)---inside the "Chrysler"
main-entry tent.
6: Go to the Biltmore (dress nicely!!) & enjoy FREE entry, while peering
up-close @ big-buck
classic-type cars. Joe Bortz had his '53 Chrysler Thomas-Special
there--said he wanted to (try to) get 400 very-large for it--didn't
stick around, for it to cross the block. The auctioneer is VERY polite,
dignified,and sounds like Robin Leach; not @ all like the 'clowns' @ the
B-J.
I did get to see the '34 Deusy 2-dr "Convertible-Roadster", which had
belonged to E.L. Cord, sell for 2.5 very-very-very large, with the
opening bid @ 1-mil . Nice car, but doubt it'll be driven very much.
Tour the Frank Lloyd Wright designed hotel, & eat @ the "Grille", there.
Also visited Bo Malefors, whose shop is close by. Bo just acquired a 90K
1 (or 2-) owner '57 IMP convertible, black with GREEN leather, and black
(vinyl, natch) top. It is in #4 condition, but complete and DRIVEABLE;
last registered in CA, in '97). Needs a pass-door (he's got 1) and 10
hrs repair time to rt 1/4 panel ---but, & here's the 'good' part; he
bought it for $15K(!!), & is gonna sell it for $25K, & ship it to
Sweden, where, @ least, it'll be restored correctly. Bo's also
shipping-over a 58 Dodge Sierra(?) S/W, a 63 Impala convie, and a
mid-60's Dart convie--all of which need varying-extents of 'work'. Bo is
able to use a (big) fork-lift and install 4 cars, stacked onto
each-other, with 2x6" framework supporting the upper-cars, inside a
(tractor-)trailer, and ship the entire ensemble, via-sea, to SWE, where,
the import-authorities give the consignee 1-hr to offload the cars, via
fork-lift, before they impose 'surcharges', on the "extra" time to
inspect the shipment.
Bo is also buying insurance-totalled Dodge Ram pick-ups, and is
"re-assembling" them, & sending them on to SWE, too.
Instead of visiting BO, you can track-down, & visit w/the West-Coast 300
club, which has a regional-meet close-by.
7: On Saturday, you can visit Phoenix 'Disneyland' aka: the 2 old car
wrecking yards: Desert Valley, & Hidden Valley---Desert Valley just
moved their 50's-60's cars to a site (relatively)very-close to hidden
Valley's site, so the PROBLEM is seeing BOTH yards before they close, @
3PM !!
Then, you can end the day, @ the "Pavillions"
shopping-center cruise-in (you'll be tired, by 9PM on SAT.)
8: OOPS, I also failed to mention that there's a THIRD auction, close
by, that week-end; "Russo & (who?)", which advertises itself as an
intimate 'auction-in-the-round', for muscle/performane/sports cars---I
never made it to THAT one!!
OK, thanx for getting this far!
And, I'm really NOT on the Phoenix C of C payroll!!
Neil Vedder
*************************************************************
To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to
http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1
|
|
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network