E-Bodies.org Cuda Challenger Forum

We have been attending the Nationals since 87 and Carlisle since 92.  Each show has it's on merits and faults.  Carlisle seems to hold pretty steady on the number of participants.  It is no secret that the Nats is in a decline like most shows that we attend.  As a vendor at both shows, I cannot really speak any longer on the show field for either show, but from hearing from our customers, the Nats is also declining in that arena as well.  It would be nice to be able to turn back the clock when Brice Road was filled with people hanging out and enjoying the cars.  However, we are all getting older and less likely to be willing to deal with the craziness associated with Brice Road today.  There were people who went to the Nats not for the show, but for the life around Brice Road.
It amazes me that even during the height of the Mopar Nats, that people generally did not hit both shows when they were equal distance to the two.  It is much like, do you prefer your burger from McDonald's or Burger King?  Everyone has a preference. 
From a manufacture and vendor of reproduction parts, I have to say that the Carlisle attendees are looking for good used and NOS pieces.  The Nats crowd is more into the aftermarket and reproduction pieces.  The same with the cars, The Nats is more into the drag racing and street rod mentality while Carlisle lends itself to the more OE level of restorations.
These are only my views and beliefs and I truly wish that the Nats could enjoy a rebirth.  We have just got back from Carlisle and had the best year ever.  Our sales for the weekend approached the numbers that we were doing at the Nats back in it's glory years.  Still on average, our sales at Columbus typically is approximately 22% higher than that at Carlisle with the same product.  It is just the fact that the Nats crowd is more in tune with purchasing reproduction pieces vs the NOS and good used pieces that people go to Carlisle to find.
For those attending the Nats this year, we will be under the large circus style big top tent.  Our position will be rows P and Q in spots 19 through 32.  We will be featuring a 71 Road Runner and a 68 Dart under our tent this year.  We always have a hospitality area set up for people to take a break from the walking and enjoy a cold water.  For Carlisle, we were getting request for parts delivery up till the day that we left.  Please let me know by this Monday, July 31st if there should be any special request for AMD sheetmetal, special color headliners and package trays and the list goes on.  We are limited on what space we have available and have to pack accordingly.
Everyone have a safe trip and no matter what your views are on attending shows, please support the events that are important to you.  We all need to be supportive of the event organizers to the local cruise ins to the major marquee events.  If not, then they will only continue to decline.

Does Carlisle have an OE judging program?  One of my favorite parts of the Nats is looking through the OE tent.  To me, the Nats has always been about the OE correct cars....simply because actual judges score the cars.  It's not participant judging.

I was pretty bummed that I wasn't able to go to Carlisle this year.  However, I'm starting to get excited about the Nats already.  I started making my list of parts to look for.

I'm still on the bubble. I'm watching weather and my bank account up until the last minute. It costs so much just in fuel to make a journey with truck and enclosed trailer. I went in 2014 looking for parts at the swap meet. Found everything I was looking for. I thought the swap meet was pretty good  but I do agree that the cars scattered all over make it tough for me to wonder around and look at them. But honestly I just love looking through the swap meet better than looking at the cars. I think it's interesting just to see what all is still out there and what people are wanting for them. 

Carlisle did not offer a OE level of judging this year.  It seems that last year, they took a tremendous amount of time to get the judging results back to the participants, something like nine months.  That left a sour taste for many of those involved in this level of restorations.  The problem is that fewer and fewer of these cars are being done as the cost has gotten so outrageous to bring one to that level.  On top of that, many do not feel that the judging still is to the level that it needs to be.  It is tremendously difficult to get together a team even to judge at the local level.  So it is even tougher to find the qualified judges for that level of restorations.
I do not know even if the Nats will be having any cars being judged this year at the OE level.  If they do so, I have no ideal on what judges that they will assemble that can give the restorations the scrutiny that this level has advanced to.  In my opinion, the only show that reaches a somewhat higher level of judging is the MCACN  show in Chicago in November.  Even at the MCACN show, they have different levels of judging.

As a purchaser of large volumes of reproduction parts.....I can only assume that your sales on average are 22% higher in Columbus mainly due to the fact of less competition ??  At Carlisle you were right be side MegaParts.....Things I could have bought from you were just grouped into some fairly large purchases I made at Mega parts throughout the weekend. Also I buy enough from Jamie he gives me 15%-20% off everything.

I think there's so many vendors selling the same products at Carlisle, that shopping around can always save you a few bucks......and regardless of which show you shop at, it's most often in your best interest to buy in bulk from one vendor if they will give a break on the price :alan2cents:

I'm very thankful for the endless amount of effort all the vendors that spend countless hours just to get the parts into the hands of the people that need them :worship: I hope Columbus is very successful for you and have a safe trip too ! :cheers:

We have all through the years averaged at least 18% more in sales at Columbus than we do at Carlisle.  We track each day's sales and I keep inventory records for each show so that we know the product levels.  Jamie and I have been neighbors at Carlisle for more years than I can remember.  After all of these years, we know what each other sells and do not overlap as much as one would think.  He carries more hard items where we carry more of the weatherstripping and gasket pieces.  We are constantly referring customers back and forth to each other, so we both benefit.  Years ago, there was much more competition at the Nats than at Carlisle for the reproduction pieces.  Mega Parts, RT Specialties and Felwock are the three main vendors who are not doing the Nats, otherwise it is the same group plus you pick up some smaller vendors out of the Midwest that do not attend the Carlisle show.
No matter who you should purchase from, please support the vendors who are supporting the shows.  I always hear from customers that I can purchase any given product for considerably less off of the internet.  That may be true, but do you really know what you are buying.  We have a fortune tied up in inventory so as to have the items available when someone calls for the piece.  We are actively involved in the manufacturing of many of the items that others are selling, so we still are able to enjoy some the residuals off of those sales which benefits us as well.
I had a customer come to me at Carlisle and ask how I could charge $145 for a battery cable he purchased for $40 from another vendor.  I showed and explained him the differences, both cables will function as planned, but the details in ours and the life expectancy  are far greater and that is the reason for the $100 plus difference.  An online picture or catalog description will never replace the ability to hold any given part in your own hands and examine it.  That is the one reason that I so strongly voice my opinion that true car people should support the grass root vendors who are out the manufacturing and selling the pieces for our cars that we all so love.

AMEN Brother :worship: very well said :drinkingbud:

I really like buying at shows. You see the part, you pay the money and it's in your hands. For me shipping charges are a big part of parts cost too.

very good point Sheldon, shipping charges for anything that has to go oversize is just crazy.  I always stress to customers to purchase items like seat dividers, package trays and molded hood pads at the shows.  The shipping for these items can easily exceed the cost of the item. 

I'll be there but i'm flying so no car. This will be my third time attending the " Nats " ( 2003 and 2016 ) and tho i've never been to Carlisle i can say i LOVE the fact that in Columbus having drag racing is AWESOME ! i don't worry too much about the show side, i mean it's nice to see the different levels of restorations, but just going to a MOPAR gathering with racing there is f n cool  :ohyeah: you can't miss me, just look for my carbon fiber left leg with MOPAR stickers on it   :haha:

I'm probably going. leaning real hard in that direction. I was going to take my Road Runner so we could all pile in and cruise around.  But everyone say's I need to take the Cuda since it's a fresh build. Won't be any piling in it! 2 people only.

I think the drag racing is one of the major draws....not too many shows around with Mopar only drag racing. :burnout:

I am going to the show.  I am new to the mopar world so I never got to see things in their
Hey day.  I have never been to Carlisle because it's a 9 hour drive.  The nationals is only
3 hours away and I love it.  This will be 3 years in a row for me.   I see more mopars in
One day than in 5 years of local show around here.  The people are very friendly and
Want to talk mopars. 

I will be going and have not missed a year since 1985. I would love to go back to the glory days when the place was packed with nice Mopar cars and Brice Road was the place to hang out. After driving 12 hours to Carlisle the last 3 years I have to say if I only did one of big Mopar show it would be Carlisle even though it is a 5 hour longer drive going right through Columbus to get there.

I guess I'm not going. I have to many projects I need to get caught up on. That seven hour drive with truck and trailer is just not sounding appealing to me either.

It's not the drive out that bothers me.  I actually enjoy that.  It's the drive home that sucks!

Mopar Nationals
Columbus, Ohio

If anyone is interested in purchasing my book, I will be bringing some with me to the NATS. $20
I will dedicate and sign it for you.

If you have purchased a copy from a different source, I will be happy to sign your copy at the show.

Heading out early in the morning!  :woohoo:

So that's it two maybe three members going ?
Be sure to give us a full report and pictures when you get back  :needphotos:

I am heading out in the morning.  Will be searching the swap meet first thing Friday.  Always enjoy the show.  Have been going since the first year they had it in Indy.