Summertime is show time, that happy intersection of good weather, time off from work, and a sweet-running piece of Chevy muscle rarin' to hit the road. On the other hand, you've all heard the saying that two out of three ain't bad, right? East Coast weather during the weekend of June 25-26 was wet, to say the least, a precursor to the flood-inducing downpours that followed. On the other hand, those who braved the elements to travel to the Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Fairgrounds were rewarded with not one, but two shows: the All-GM Nationals and the American Camaro Association's Camaro Nationals.
The two shows, which are run separately even as they share the Carlisle venue, make for a varied experience. The All-GM Nationals, now in its sixth year, was marked by a greater GM presence, including an appearance by Chevrolet's Scott Settlemire. Scott was on hand to answer questions about all things GM, though the vast majority of the questions were about another GM attendee, namely the concept Camaro. The most astute questioner, in our book, wanted to know about the aerodynamics of the concept car, which Scott quickly compares to a brick. Tantalizingly, he says this area will need work before production, while never officially confirming that the car will see production.
Put baldly, the American Camaro Association's Camaro Nationals is the biggest gathering of F-bodies on the planet, pulling in more than 500 entries. The ACA runs everything from People's Choice awards to concourse judging; accordingly, the rides run the gamut, from delivery-day perfect restos to restomodded drivers to rough-and-ready hot rods. The showgoers were as varied as the Camaros, coming in from 23 states and Canada. In fact, Dean Babin from Welland, Ontario, drove his '69 Camaro to the show-with his wife and two small children in car seats-for the second year in a row. If that's not Camaro commitment, we don't know what is.
As it turned out, this commitment showed itself throughout both events. Rain, shine, or three-dollar-a-gallon gas, you can't keep a good gearhead home on the couch. They came, they saw, they brought lots of cool Chevys. Check it out
It wouldn't be an All-GM show...
It wouldn't be an All-GM show if a few G-bodies didn't make the scene. Robert Williams' '86 Monte Carlo SS is a nice example of the breed.