My thoughts of the International meet in SB.

[Phil Harris]

I liked the shorter meet, something going all the time, not like before with Monday and Friday being wasted days.

I’m amazed at the people who said you shouldn’t say anything unless it is good. I’m a vendor and I want to know when something is not right with the parts I sell. We should be willing to listen to all sides maybe we can continue to get better. SDC has done several surveys, did they just want us to say all is well? Criticism should not be personal!


Remember an event like this can be very good for some and very bad for others. A spectator, someone having their car judged or just displaying a car and someone vending have their own set of circumstances and (meet) people they are interacting or dealing with.

The argument about when to have the meet boils down to this, if you want to reach the most people you still need to have it from mid-June to mid-August, thats the best chance for good weather. Summer is still vacation time and year round schools have some time off in the summer.

I know its a lot of work to put on an event this size and I appreciate all of the volunteers.

[tim333]

Critiques are good and necessary. I take exception when someone calls the whole meet a "flop" because of a few things he didn't like.

[trap442w30]

Being my first meet, I don't have much to compare with (I had the more-less unrestored 1917 touring from OH, titled as a 1918). There are three things I'd like to see different...1) metal dash plaques. 2)better weather and 3)my car making it through the whole parade.

[tim333]

There were metal dash plaques in the registration packet

[trap442w30]

That's what they told me, but mine was a flexible magnet. I saw the ones for the open car show and they looked nice.

[tim333]

Trap, if yours is the rubbery stick-on-anything type, I'll trade you the metal one.

[4jc8z]

My car show plaque received was a rubbery magnetic one too.

[57studechampion]

I don't know if those who are making negative comments have ever tried to plan an event or sit back and watch and then attend the event and make comments.

I do a local show for my church, (working on #7) and there is always some things that could be done better given optimum conditions and personnel to do them with.

That being said: This was my FIRST but definitely not LAST event that I have done with Studebaker. There is not a local Chapter near me, closest is 2hrs away.

My friend and I came from Louisville KY and had a Great time overall. Yes some things could have been better but being a New person to these events I really did have the "Excitement of being there" with a LOT of knowledgeable and friendly owners and vendors.

My only suggestion is that for someone like myself that had never been to an event and had no clue as to what to expect if there could be an information sheet with not just vendor information but other important facts. Like other I chose not to stay at the Host Hotel, partially because of the cost, so I did not get to meet with the others there or the hospitality room.

If anyone would like more insight from a newbie to the scene please pm or call me.

Remember I am VERY excited that I went and I will go to another meet.

[57studechampion]

One other thing I forgot to mention is I thought the Host chapter did a FANTASTIC job. Everyone I spoke with was polite. informative and just a friendly as can be.

I wish there was a chapter closer to me to belong to, as I would.

No I don't want to start one.

[trap442w30]

My criticism was intended to show that of my three complaints, one was my car and one was the weather which no organizer could have changed and a nice looking magnetic dash plaque for my car with the interior made primarily of wood. And even though they couldn't change the first two, they helped me cope with those by graciously offering me the use of one of the buildings to pull it in at night. (and didn't even make me bring it out on Thursday, the nastiest day). I loved the event...Washington is too far for next year, but I'm looking forward to Mansfield the year after. Years ago when restoring an Oldsmobile, I thought the people were very helpful in that group....but the help and information that I have received from the Studebaker people I have met, has just been overwhelming. Without their help I would have never got this "barn find" running, let alone at a meet.....all in a period of under 6 months.
Thanks to all.

[Avantidon]

Tim, if you want a metal dash plaque please PM me and I'll be more than happy to swap my metal one for your magnetic one.

[JoeHall]

I don't know if those who are making negative comments have ever tried to plan an event or sit back and watch and then attend the event and make comments.

I do a local show for my church, (working on #7) and there is always some things that could be done better given optimum conditions and personnel to do them with.

That being said: This was my FIRST but definitely not LAST event that I have done with Studebaker. There is not a local Chapter near me, closest is 2hrs away.

My friend and I came from Louisville KY and had a Great time overall. Yes some things could have been better but being a New person to these events I really did have the "Excitement of being there" with a LOT of knowledgeable and friendly owners and vendors.

My only suggestion is that for someone like myself that had never been to an event and had no clue as to what to expect if there could be an information sheet with not just vendor information but other important facts. Like other I chose not to stay at the Host Hotel, partially because of the cost, so I did not get to meet with the others there or the hospitality room.

If anyone would like more insight from a newbie to the scene please pm or call me.

Remember I am VERY excited that I went and I will go to another meet.

I see you are from Louisville, so wanna mention the Indi Chapter is only about 100 miles north of you. They are great folks, and WELL worth the drive

[swvalcon]

I keep hearing about the cost of the host hotel. I stayed at the host hotel and I'am as big of a CASO as anyone.It cost $700 for two people for 5 nights and we where right down town close to everything and the fairground where not that far away. If I happened to be doing nothing I could always go to the hospitality room or down to the bar for the Studebaker special beer. This was my vacation for the year and I had fun. Steve

[Hallabutt]

At the risk of rankling some folks on the forum I'll get these things off my chest. Mary and I had planned to go to SB all along, which we did. At age 73 I realize full well that it might be my last chance. It's not as inexpensive or as easy for us on the west coast to make the trip as it is for most of you. I checked the GPS in the driveway before we got in the Taxi to get to the airport, Matilda (GPS) indicated that it was 2211 miles. So it's important that each hour needs to be worthwhile to make the meet worth attending. Unfortunately the shorter meet made it seem hard to appreciate the value for the expenditure. Don't misunderstand we enjoyed all of it, but it was too short.

I would like to have driven a Studebaker but for several reasons it didn't happen. While I've remained an outspoken advocate, for years, for moving the meet away from the heat of the summer, I didn't expect the first week in May! Hello, anybody back there realize that we have multiple mountain ranges to cross! Selfishly I would have preferred a September meet. Two of my favorite meets were Rapid City and Lancaster, and much of the reason for that was the weather.

We spent most of our time at the ASC hotel, where we stayed. I have nothing against the downtown location, but I've always felt more comfortable in cozy and less expensive ASC location. We also find that we know far more ASC people. It has always seemed that it was a bit difficult to break into the established geographical and limited interest clicks in the SDC. This is not in any way a condemnation of establishment. It's the problem of being the outsider. We also didn't register with the SDC, because by the time we were assuredly coming, the Building 84 tour and the banquet were both sold out. Not much left but the auction.

The reason that we came was to see old friends, make new friends and enjoy seeing the cars that we love. We did that and savored every minute. Thanks to all who made it possible!-Bill

[Bob Henning]

If you know anything about the Michiana Chapter, you know that they have a strong group. Its a mix of veterans, and new members and we value each and every one. That Chapter has more experience putting on International Conventions more than any other because of its location. However, even that strong of a group cannot possibly do an International and a May Meet in a close time frame. Remember, our May Meet each year is often larger than non-South Bend International Conventions. We tried in 2012, and it burned people out. Add to this the fact that vendors didn't want to travel to South Bend twice in one year (I certainly see their point) it hurt our May Meet, resulting in lost revenue. There are just too many moving parts, and let's face it, we are all volunteers. If we give up the date in May, even for one year to do an International, there are 3 organizations that are on a waiting list if we cancel. We won't have the Meet that has been going for 36 years in South Bend. We can't do it in June as the Fairgrounds dates are completely booked, along with hotels for other colleges and universities. After that there is a black out for the assembling of the July Fair. After the Fair is over, the dates are filled, or blacked out, and that puts us into August, when no one wanted a Convention, its too hot. After Labor Day, assuming we would have one that late in South Bend, there is a small Catholic University in town that has a football team most have heard of, and hotels and rooms are booked years in advance even on the weeks of away games in preparation for home games.

There are no other venues in the immediate South Bend area that can handle 2,500+ people coming from the public on any given day, as well as the unique needs that we have for vendors and participants, as well as camping which is a whole dynamic in and of itself. To do it any further away would result in even more complaints from people because of the distance between the host hotel, and the other venue. In a recent survey the vast majority of members did not want to have an International Convention in the Summer. I hope all of you participated in that Survey. It had a huge amount of members participating as many have pointed out.

It is also interesting to note that after the International held in South Bend in 2012, as the Co-Chair of that event, I took a huge amount of emails from people, and way too many phone calls and letters, complaining that we shouldn't have done the Meet in the heat of Summer. So, rock and hard place.

As a perfect example, I ran a half marathon in Arizona in February. Does it rain there in February? Not usually. It's beautiful and the desert is green. I was looking forward to running in the sunshine in the desert and not have to wear a jacket. If you think it was cold at our recent event, try running outside in February. What happened? It rained the entire race day, and not just a sprinkle, a downpour for both days we were there. I wore a jacket the entire time, but still had a great time! Mother Nature can be inhospitable no matter what the time of the year, and locale.

As we tweak and fine tune this new format, please remember, it is designed for current members to have fun/save money, recruit new members, and make it easier for a chapter to host a Convention in a non-South Bend year. It is also designed to not lose money like many recent ones did. Like others who have posted, I would urge you to participate in the upcoming survey, especially if you came to this one. Remember, only 1 day was taken out of the Convention, and it was pretty much a dead day. No offense here, but if you usually come to a May Meet in South Bend and didn't come to the International Convention because it was in May, I simply don't understand. You missed a tremendous 4 days of teamwork, special events, and a superior promotion of this Club, and Studebaker in a town that a couple of generations ago didn't embrace Studebaker at all.

Wow, that was long. Thanks for reading this far...