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By
Ron Conlon
We
came on June 24th from all across America and Canada to Fiat Freakout, the
annual Fiat/Lancia Unlimited gathering of members. This year the host chapter was the Roamin' Chariots of the
Midwest, that's us, and it was held at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. This
event stretches well beyond the weekend, as the drive for some is over 1000
miles from driveway to show field and most displayed what they drove. It is telling that not one driver saw
another Fiat or Lancia traveling the roads until the last few minutes of their
respective journeys when the 80 or so visiting Italian cars seemed everywhere
in the small resort community.
Some assembly required
The event showed that Freakout can be anywhere and folks will come in large numbers. About 30 percent of attendees were first timers and I know many these will go again in the future. So many new faces were a welcome sight but difficult to sort out.
Wash stations are always important.
We saw and showed such a fine array and quality of automobiles as could only be found among passionate enthusiasts with a love of the beauty of the coachbuilders, Bertone, Zagato and Pininfarina or the utilitarian design of the Fiat sedans, so practical yet with the soul of Fangio. As the technical sessions on a twin cam engine and a top installation progressed it was discussed how the term "exotic" hangs on Italian cars and not just the very expensive makes. A top was installed by Mike Greer and a twin cam got timing belt service as well as valve shims by Pete Angel and Csaba Vandor of Vick Autosport.
Rooms Delmer's Scorpion getting the royal treatment
Arrivals Fiat variety
The cars were displayed on the golf course parking lot in very hot and humid weather. This is an in-house club event and the emphasis was on rewarding many for the hard work put into the best cars. Nevertheless, the winning cars were deserving and of the highest quality. The 124 Spider was the most common model in every color, wheel and trim combination conceivable. Well represented were the X1/9, Fiat Coupe, Lancia Scorpion and Lancia Beta Zagato as well some rare cars like a Ghia, Dino and a Fiat 500 that not surprisingly arrived late. The local Alfa Romeo club also joined the show with some fine offerings. Not one car had to be repaired in the parking lot – these guys and gals are getting good.
Fiat 500 Spiders hate to line up
Alfa Romeo Dino
Ghia The tour
On Sunday some left for home while many stayed on for an Italian buffet. The afternoon had its moments. I was wondering about looking for company when I noticed a heavy sky on the build. I walked to the parking and started to put up tops and tie down the canopies when a big wind and rainstorm blew up. The canopies ended in the bushes and Jim and Trent Wagner and I sat on the porch sipping a cold one which was saved from the deluge. We had 80 plus mph gusts and some hail but no damage to cars from many falling branches that littered the roads.
So what do I learn from FFO-05. Despite being the common Fiat in America, the 124 Spider is truly a pretty car and it will show well in any car show. It is also a modern design that can handle highway speeds. My appreciation for this model has grown. Would I go to another Freak-out? YES!
We encourage all the Roamin' Chariots to become members of Fiat Lancia Unlimited http://flu.org/ .
More pictures by:
Trent Wagner
http://www.sickchilly.com/gallery/ffo05Chris Layton
http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/ffo05
From Jerry Lee Philips in Texas:
Dear
Roamin' Chariots-
It has
been a great pleasure getting to know you all. Ron asked me what me what's new
with ItalianCarFest and the
answer is 'Plenty'. So here is a recap of what has rapidly become a 3 1/2 day
celebration of Italian machines:
ICF Friday Evening
Reception- To kick off ItalianCarFest weekend join
us at Mission Plaza in the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. Friday,
Sept. 9, 2005, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer and soft drinks. Host:
Platinum Sponsor, Texas Driver Magazine. The reception was a big hit
last year and we expect the same this year.
Saturday's
Outstanding Cars & Two-Wheelers- Bring enough film for 150 vehicles
on display on the manicured turf at Cross Timbers Winery in Grapevine 10:30
a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Sept. 10, 2005. Live music will set the mood during the
show.
There is
quite a bit new about the show itself. For one
thing it is bigger. We have incorporated an additional two acres into the show. The new blacktop that was used for
parking adjacent to the show last year is now our sponsor area. And the land
beyond that has been graded, seeded, landscaped and made ready for cars. To make room for a bigger crowd (expect
12,000+ visitors) we are spacing cars farther apart. With the new area
included, the show grounds will be almost a third bigger which also provides
space for more vehicles. This is
exciting.
Oh, and
visitor parking will now be off-site. The city has dedicated parking at nearby
facility for ICF visitor parking only.
This is not very exciting unless you've been somewhere and found parking
difficult.
And here's more that's new about this year: a
Drive-Up Awards Ceremony. Fourteen winners will individually
idle across the lawn to the gazebo to pick up their awards. As many of you
know, too much blah blah is, well, too much blah blah. So the goal- ready for this?- is to do
it in 30-minutes. In fact, we have named it the '100 KPH Awards Ceremony'.
We will continue to offer
Saturday's Private Lounge for entrants during the show. So
when you and your guest want to relax, visit the large air-conditioned Lounge
on the second floor of the Party Barn.
Complimentary wine, soft drinks and snacks available to entrants.
Once again we will have the
'The Winners Circle',
a magnificent display of Best of Class winners from 2004 competing for the title 'Best of the
Best'.
And the venue and breadth of events
that are scheduled that evening is greatly expanded.
We are calling it ICF Saturday Evening at Gaylord. It is in the opulent Yellow Rose
Ballroom. There will be a Mixer, Silent Auction, Dinner & Live Band. And all
auction proceeds go to charity. And our door prizes will have minimum value of
$100.
Allen and Lynette Lofland moving party.
We will miss these two original members of the Roamin' Chariots. Some of us gathered in Wichita at the Gary Blessing home to say "see you soon".
The Lofland team
New Executive members:
Starting January 06 Jim Wagner of Wichita and Steve Wood of St. Louis will start three year terms. Ron Conlon will complete the last year of his term.
Events:
Italian CarFest September 10-11-12, 2005
Fall run in early November to Arkansas and a car museum is being planned.