Looking back on Bates 2017

SPOOLFOOL2

Fiberglass bumper filler dude. (949) 433-1257
Staff member
Joined
Apr 4, 2002
I'm not sure if you guys realize this. I just found out myself. Our Bates Nut Farm show is now the second largest Turbo Buick gathering in the nation. This is very humbling to me. As when just a few years ago, Eric and I decided to combine our two little car shows and see if we could get one "nice" sized show.
Most of you have figured it out by now. This isn't about Eric or Mike. This is about the South Western Section.

I have personally traveled across the nation to most of the Turbo Buick shows. Many of the other people spend more money than we do on their cars and many have faster cars than we do. But no one takes as much pride in what they do as us in the So Western Section. This is our strength and our family bond.

This year, the largest Turbo Buick gathering in the nation was in Chicago with 110-115 Turbo Buicks.
We had a new West Coast record of 72. Next year, if no one bought a single raffle ticket and we took the title of the largest Turbo Buick gathering in the nation, it would be one of the single greatest days of my life.

Here's a great write up that PJ and Rick at GM-EFI did on our little get together.
http://www.gm-efi.com/events/show-n-shine/buicks-at-bates-2017-turbos-galore/

Next year, Let's bring the title of "The biggest and best gathering of Turbo Buicks in the nation" to the West Coast.

We are inked for next year. Be part of destiny. "June 3rd, Buicks at Bates Nut Farm 2018".:)
 
We are closer than I thought.
I just found out that there were 110 cars "total" at the Chicago show. Of these, they had "about" 90 Turbo Buicks. Four of these may have been Sy-Tys.
If these numbers are true, we were only about 15 Turbo Buicks away from having the record of the largest Turbo Buick gathering in the nation.

Any of you guys down with this? We've got just under a year to get some cars running. :)
 
There's a big group of guys that own Turbo Buick's, but they go to Pomona swap meet for their local "club" thing. While we were at Bates, there was probably about 10 TB's at Pomona. Through social media maybe we can get them to skip a Sunday and join us. (y)
This year, a lot of people came out by being invited on Instagram. Marios son did a good job spreading the word, as well as a few of us other guys including Pete. The art work was bad ass
So maybe by reaching out on social media you can fulfill the cars needed to be the biggest ever, I'll be there! If my son brings his MCSS, nobody would know it's not a Buick. It would blend right in...:D
 
I'll do what ever it takes to get Turbo Troy out there next June. That's one more.......:D

Racin' season is January to April in AZ. Then it gets too hot until late October, and my car has really seen a lot of abuse since Lou put her together back in '10.

One HELL of a lot of abuse, all inflicted by me and part of the very program she was intended and built for. Aside from an early hiccup, cured quickly, she has performed consistently and flawlessly. Easy 10.5's all day long without stressing her.

Lots & lots left in her, but no roll bar. We all know how that goes.

If, for some reason, I decide to mistakenly blow her up around Bates time, she will be out that way and in Lou's shop anyway.

Heck, I'll trailer my broken little princess to Bates, if I have to, dammit. I ain't scurred one bit!

I ain't gonna miss out on this event. o_O:):)
 
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man it was a good time for sure, it was awesome seeing the caravan of bricks pull in would be even cooler if we could all get on the road at the same time i'm sure thats never been done before.
 
If I hadn't found myself in the middle of buying a house, I would have made it this year.
As far as excuses go, I thought it was a pretty good one, as my Buicks and parts have been needing a place to live which wasn't my friends garages and shops.
Turbo T Guy, if ya blow yours up before Bates next year, I'll gladly loan ya one of mine:cool:
 
It was four of us driving down from the Bakersfield area, there are at least 3 more that couldn't make it this year, hopefully all of us will make it down next year.
 
I'm going to borrow a car from Ralph's fleet so I can bring a Turbo Buick next year. It's too far to push my car from San Diego to Valley Center. ;)

Neal

Sorry to hear about all the troubles you're having with your motor. Seems like every year I see you at Bates its a different story with your ride. I'm glad to see you're still sticking with the V6, although I wouldn't blame you if you said fock it and go with a turbo LS.:p:eek:
 
Sorry to hear about all the troubles you're having with your motor. Seems like every year I see you at Bates its a different story with your ride. I'm glad to see you're still sticking with the V6, although I wouldn't blame you if you said fock it and go with a turbo LS.:p:eek:

Rodney,

Great seeing you at Bates. Congrats on the 10.44 in your sig. When did you run that?

Mike B.
 
Sorry to hear about all the troubles you're having with your motor. Seems like every year I see you at Bates its a different story with your ride. I'm glad to see you're still sticking with the V6, although I wouldn't blame you if you said fock it and go with a turbo LS.:p:eek:

Owning this particular car has been a sad story since it started. :( I would never contemplate anything other than a Buick V6 under the hood of a GN or T-type. If I can't get some kind of reliability out of the current engine it's time to move on to something else. I'll be calling Beto and telling him to bring cash for the car and a truck for all the parts.

Neal
 
Rodney,

Great seeing you at Bates. Congrats on the 10.44 in your sig. When did you run that?

Mike B.

Great seeing you too, props to you and Eric for a great show as always. I ran that in 2014 at Fontana. I could've gone faster but I couldn't turn up the boost because of spark blowout. And then they wouldn't let me run anymore for no roll bar.:(
 
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