East Coast Rally, Only 2 M37 This Year

[w30bob]

Good points Charles.....I forgot about the scrapping that went on a few years back.........seems all the junkyards here got cleaned out too.

Ed.....sorry I missed you! I looked for you at the MTA meet in Sussex, but didn't see you there either. That was about the same as last year, not much M37 stuff but the same crowd. Probably more military vehicles there than at Aberdeen this year!

regards,
bob

[MSeriesRebuild]

Honestly, it's darn few things these days that are run as well as they could be or used to be. Lack of electrical hook ups and showers will only become bigger issues as time goes on, simply because later generations feel they can't survive a day or 2 without all the conveniences. I'm not at all saying these things wouldn't be great; but common sense tells you that with more luxury comes more expense, and someone must cover the cost. More expense means higher cost for vendor's goods, as their spots will cost them more, per vehicle charges for owners that bring trucks, possibly could result in an admission charge for attendees, and so on it goes. Nothing is free, it takes lots of $$ and lots of hard work from individuals to put on such an event. I wonder how these folks feel when all they hear is this, that, and the other complaint from many? I've come to realize that "bargain" is a word that should almost be banned from the dictionary; what a shame that is. The way everything is geared in small business these days, business just can't be conducted in a profitable fashion going on the play books of years ago. I don't like the forced changes any better than the rest of you do; many times I sit down and think back to business practices and the lifestyle of the 60's. I find myself wishing my kids could have experienced those days. They think I'm nuts when I tell them how things "used to be".

This conversation takes my mind back to the days of the White Owl Rallies that were held each year the first weekend in November at Kinston, NC. That one has been gone for 15 or more years now also. Used to be a great 2-day event, catered barbecue on Sat., all provided by White Owl owners. The reason for its demise, fewer and fewer attendees every year, people didn't buy, even though they ran some great parts specials throughout the entire weekend. What I was told, it simply got to be a huge loss for White Owl; what else were they to do but stop sponsoring and holding the event.

The same thing was discussed a few years back about the VPW event held each year in June. Some others stepped up to help in an effort to keep it going. Hope it continues.

As business and individuals become more strapped for cash flow, hard to say where it all will lead.

This is really just a common sense "eye opener."

[rickv100]

I went to White Owl once in the 90's. That was another vendor that used to have M37 parts.Are they still around?

Rick

[MSeriesRebuild]

I went to White Owl once in the 90's. That was another vendor that used to have M37 parts.Are they still around?

Rick

Yes they are still there. I think Terry may have retired, he talked about it for years, so I'm guessing George is the main man now, although I have not inquired specifically about that. They are associated more with commercial businesses customers now rather than individuals as far as I know. They have very little M37 stuff anymore, they used to make buying trips to Europe, but as M37 interest dried up gradually, they like most others were forced to look in another direction for business. Theirs lies now more with 2 1/2 and 5-ton trucks, generators, and other specialty equipment that pulls in commercial interest.

[Cal_Gary]

Wow! I appreciate the passionate responses, guys-all very "sound" responses. I'm going to the Fruitland Idaho meet next month for the first time and I hope it's a full-blown event and not watered down as Aberdeen appears to be, at least for this year.

I hope some of our western-domiciled forum members are going-it's 50 miles west of Boise and runs June 4th thru 7th. My wife and I will be there on Saturday the 7th which is the last day but it's the only available day I have to attend, making the 400 mile trip from Salt Lake on Friday the 6th. Please reach out if you're going-it would be a pleasure to meet some forum friends there!
Thanks,
Gary

[Carter]

This turned into an interesting read, as usual much information has been shared by all responders. I have been taking the business side of shows, parts and service company operations at face value and all who posted here have educated me as to the many reasons our hobby seems to be in decline. One side of this I have been thinking about is the "graying' of the collecting, buying and selling parts of it. I look around at shows like Aberdeen and see almost no new young faces entering the hobby and the "old guys" seem to be getting out at a rate greater than new folks are entering. Some of the regulars are leaving due to business trouble, loosing interest or passing away and from what I have been able to learn new people are turned off by the increasing high costs of almost everything associated with entering on the ground floor. Parts and service costs are up along with actually buying almost any collectors vehicles with the exception of the more modern trucks offered and sold by GL. Then there are the MV collector shows which increasingly have venders almost offering everything but vehicles and parts. Beef jerky, military uniforms, Native American jewelry, Chinese import crap by the banana box load and a host load of non MV related things. These venders are showing up at an increasing rate while folks offering actual truck parts and related things are on the decline which leads to lowered attendance decreasing sales of venders that offer items closely related to MV trade. So it seems to me that everything stated here in these threads explain why our hobby seems to be in decline across the board and despite our fearless leader in Washington claims that the economy is improving, our side of it is not.

[MSeriesRebuild]

Fearless is right, roaring ahead at full steam with no resistance that amounts to anything from anybody it seems.

The only side of the economy that seems to be moving right along without issue is the entitlement sector.

The MV hobby interest very few young people; mostly only those who think how awesome it would be to get out in the mud and trash it. Once that is accomplished, the fun is over, interest is over also.

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

So I think this thread has captured the apparent decline in MV interest, for a whole host of reasons, but we're talking Aberdeen specifically. Is it the same at the MV meets across the country that most of East Coasters can't get to? Is everyone seeing the M37 parts vanishing, meet participation declining, ect, etc......or is it just around here. I'd like to hear from you guys in the rest of the country (world). Are we going to be the next Model T club or is it just a lull?

thanks,
bob

[Cal_Gary]

I'll post an update after I attend this next swap meet in Idaho. I know the Tower Park meets in Lodi are always jam-packed with good stuff; perhaps I can make their Fall meet this year to see if it's still the "best in the west".
Gary

[sturmtyger380]

A friend of mine Toby goes to Aberdeen each year. I go too and went this year but he had another commitment.

To me it seems there were maybe a few more folks selling than last year when it was rainier.

This year Toby went to Tower Park and he reported it was much better than Aberdeen. He looks for original parts and said there was more selection there. He got a set of Dodge WWII combat rims for a really great price and then spent $300 shipping them back to Va. Beach. I asked him what made it better and he said that just more folks brought stuff to sell.

He said the atmosphere was really great with everyone hanging out and trading stories. Camping on site and driving around in their Jeeps and such.

Aberdeen this year like last had big open spaces you had to walk across to get to the next vendors. They really could have used half the parking lot that they used. If that’s the case why spend the money on that huge parking lot at the stadium. Have it in a smaller more user friendly space. Maybe away from the I-95 corridor?

I am in SC and I towed a trailer to pick up parts and probably spent $300 in fuel. I had arranged to pick up parts but if I had not I would have wasted money towing the trailer as the other stuff I bought could have been crammed in a car. In years past we picked up so much stuff we thought we would have blown the tires on the trailer.

My group of MV guys down here in SC could have a local rally but we are too busy hording our parts cause we think we might not be able to find more in the years to come.

People just don’t have the spending money. I know a few folks that have old MV’s that are just sitting. They would love to fix them and can’t let them go either.

I plan on going to Louisville we will see how that is

Alan

[majorhitt]

As noted earlier there was a large amount of open spaces at Aberdeen this year and last year also. It is my understanding that for the most part it was a sell out vendor space wise, However a good number of the empty spaces were people that wanted to park next to their spot and of course, some no shows.
Providing a few goodies such electrical hook ups and showers makes for happy campers.The more people that return are people that are buying either vendor spots or buying from vendors or both. When I talk to people about the events that they attended the topic of the services always arises. I have camped in the middle of nowhere, and I don't mind it, but when I attend an event like Aberdeen, showers and flush toilets would be expected. I'll give credit where credit is due, The port a potties were very clean.

There were complaints about the high cost of the near by hotel and their more than lousy service. Should I have to spend money on a hotel room, when I would much rather spend it on M37 parts? Again, Happy campers will be more likely to return, and spend their money at a vendor table.

I've been attending this event from the time it was at the Middletown airport.

[w30bob]

Alan,

I think you've provided the info for the perfect solution for us East Coasters.............forget Aberdeen.......we need a ROADTRIP!!!! Somebody around here must either have an old restored military bus or know someone who has one. We all meet at some convenient place on the East Coast.....Virginia or Maryland or Jersey.....we pile in the bus....and head west to this Tower Park thingy. Those big buses held lots of people, so if 10 or 15 of us go we can use the rest of the space in the bus to bring back all the M37 parts we find!

I got as buddy in the Los Angeles area who can probably put us up for a night or two.......I'm not sure how close LA is to Tower Park.....but how big of a state can California be?? At my buddy's place it never rains, so we can sleep under the stars in his backyard overlooking the ocean. He's an MV guy and will probably let us play with his halftracks in the desert if we get bored. Oh yeah......we should probably bring a flat tow bar and make sure the bus has a hitch.........just in case one of us just has to bring a vehicle back with them.

Now let's find the guy with the bus!!

Hi Ed,

Hard to believe all those empty spaces were accounted for. Every year the flyer for Aberdeen says the vendor spaces sell out. That's just not true. The first couple of rows were pretty good, but from about the midpoint to the back rows there was a desert between vendors. Personally, for me as an attendee and not a vendor I've got no issue with the porta-potties or electrical hookups, but I can see why the vendors would complain. As for hotels.....I checked the prices of the ones right around the stadium back in January.....and they were ridiculous. I booked a hotel room Wednesday night before the Thursday start of the meet about 7 or 8 miles away on Rt 40 for $50. Not the nicest place if you're bringing your spouse, but I only need a TV, bed and shower......which I got. Place was clean and quiet....so I'm satisfied. But like you said.....I wasn't going to spend $150 for a nice hotel when I could have spent that on parts. Although this year I didn't spend a third of the money I brought because there just wasn't much to buy.

Seems like there are lots of MV owners in the Virginia, Carolinas area......but they don't have any meets. Maybe there aren't many MV clubs in that area......I don't know. But it would be cool if those guys could put together something. Hey, just a thought.

later,
bob

[jim lee]

LA to Tower Park?!? Kinda' like Florida to.. Virginia?

Used to go to Performance boat meets at Tower Park. Its a fun place. If you happen to have a Jet-boat, bring it!

-jim lee

[Cal_Gary]

LA to Lodi is about a 9 hour ride. I can vouch for the Tower Park meets-it's a huge campground with cabins, hook ups, large trees, abundant space (they even landed a Huey there once), and a marina. The comraderie is also great-the MVCC sponsors the event. I'd say 75% of my M37 parts came from those meets.
Gary

[Rich]

w30 bob,
There is the MV Rally at Denton Farm Park. It is Sponsored by Jim Henry and Bob Jeffreys. It is
located on the grounds of The Old Threshers Reunion. It is a small show but it is getting bigger.
There is camping, reenactors, some vendors, and trucks, shade, and Cabels cooking!
Rich Szklany