Vette Fest - July 07-08 (Bayfield ON)

[Neils]

Got an invite to drive down for this show. I will likely only make the long drive to ON once for a car show (twice incl Ottawa Driven show). Wanted to know if this is one of the bigger shows to attend ? Any of you attending so that it becomes a forum meet & greet too ?

 

[MKinOntario]

Just up the road from me, and I've never heard of it.
Bayfield is an example of quaint, small town Ontario, nestled on the lake. It has an LCBO, if that helps?
Doesn't mean it's not worth the drive, I just have no anecdotal experience.
We have a weekly Thursday evening (unofficial?) "cruise night" here in Sarnia, at Canatara Park, but I'm similarly uninvolved with it, having no classic or performance autos worth sharing at this time.

 

[DenisC8]

Got an invite to drive down for this show. I will likely only make the long drive to ON once for a car show (twice incl Ottawa Driven show). Wanted to know if this is one of the bigger shows to attend ? Any of you attending so that it becomes a forum meet & greet too ?

it is not, not even close. The only big corvette show I know of is Kingston Corvette Invasion

 

[Neils]

it is not, not even close. The only big corvette show I know of is Kingston Corvette Invasion

so quaint town and smaller car show display. Curious to know more about the Kingston show (when).

Just for comparison the Aug indoor Driven show (Ottawa) I entered (pre-judged & accepted) has several hundred cars on display and over 15k in attendance. So that one is worth the drive (and right next door too).

 

[DenisC8]

so quaint town and smaller car show display. Curious to know more about the Kingston show (when).

Just for comparison the Aug indoor Driven show (Ottawa) I entered (pre-judged & accepted) has several hundred cars on display and over 15k in attendance. So that one is worth the drive (and right next door too).

Kingston Corvette Invasion for 2023 has not been announced yet as far as I know. But, I don't know much about car shows as I believe nice cars should be driven not parked on the grass. I could care less about how many spectators show up. I really enjoyed the few "cars and coffee" events in Burlington last summer for the "like minded individuals and exotic cars" feel.

 

[Neils]

I guess for me I am asking just because if I am going to drive 5-8 hours for a show, I don’t want to just park on the grass with 20 other cars in a small park. Has to be worth my while hence why I am picky.

Agreed with you if local it is fun to attend any hangout or cars & coffee. Will keep my eyes open for that Kingston one thanks !!

 

[DenisC8]

I guess for me I am asking just because if I am going to drive 5-8 hours for a show, I don’t want to just park on the grass with 20 other cars in a small park. Has to be worth my while hence why I am picky.

Agreed with you if local it is fun to attend any hangout or cars & coffee. Will keep my eyes open for that Kingston one thanks !!

can you define what you get out of car shows and what about them makes it worth your while?

you should consider making a trip to Niagara Falls at the end of Oct to coincide with my season finally cruise that will be a culmination of all the summer cruises and will be about 6hrs long.

 

[Neils]

can you define what you get out of car shows and what about them makes it worth your while?

you should consider making a trip to Niagara Falls at the end of Oct to coincide with my season finally cruise that will be a culmination of all the summer cruises and will be about 6hrs long.

Keep us posted on that cruise in Oct and will see if I can free myself up for that weekend to end off the driving season.

Keep in mind I am probably a different car beast than many on here. Spent a good part of my early years devoted to customizing my cars in the JDM scene and attending everything from smaller sponsored events to stadium and arena size car shows. It was all about building something original for the world to see (and chasing the trophies at the same time).

Hence why I was cruising & parked downtown for F1 weekend, for people to see the car and take pics of it.

Now that the custom C8 is built, it is going to attend many shows and I love it !! It makes me happy and people love it too

 

[DenisC8]

Keep us posted on that cruise in Oct and will see if I can free myself up for that weekend to end off the driving season.

Keep in mind I am probably a different car beast than many on here. Spent a good part of my early years devoted to customizing my cars in the JDM scene and attending everything from smaller sponsored events to stadium and arena size car shows. It was all about building something original for the world to see (and chasing the trophies at the same time).

Hence why I was cruising & parked downtown for F1 weekend, for people to see the car and take pics of it.

Now that the custom C8 is built, it is going to attend many shows and I love it !! It makes me happy and people love it too

the C8, even completely factory stock, is already more unique than 99% of cars on the road.

 

[Neils]

the C8, even completely factory stock, is already more unique than 99% of cars on the road.

100% agree Denis, stock it is sensational and a great canvas to start with for those who wish to customize further. Thing looks like a McLaren 650/765 and Ferrari 458/488, both of which I have been in and gives you the same exotic look and feel. GM has a winner on their hands no doubt !!

 

[DenisC8]

100% agree Denis, stock it is sensational and a great canvas to start with for those who wish to customize further. Thing looks like a McLaren 650/765 and Ferrari 458/488, both of which I have been in and gives you the same exotic look and feel. GM has a winner on their hands no doubt !!

if being top 1% of unique is not enough, then next logical move is Z06/E-Ray to get you to top 0.1% unique

 

[Neils]

if being top 1% of unique is not enough, then next logical move is Z06/E-Ray to get you to top 0.1% unique

not for me, I get more of a thrill customizing the Stingray to look unique instead of driving a stock more expensive Z06 / eRay for which extra power is not needed, as I am more of a boulevard cruiser, drive slow for others to see it (and snap a pic if desired).

I had many general public / tourists during GP weekend yelling out, asking or commenting if it was the Z06 so I guess to the untrained eye it looks like one. Only the Vette guys can tell the diff based on the wider back end and boomerang

 

[MKinOntario]

Keep us posted on that cruise in Oct and will see if I can free myself up for that weekend to end off the driving season.

Keep in mind I am probably a different car beast than many on here. Spent a good part of my early years devoted to customizing my cars in the JDM scene and attending everything from smaller sponsored events to stadium and arena size car shows. It was all about building something original for the world to see (and chasing the trophies at the same time).

Hence why I was cruising & parked downtown for F1 weekend, for people to see the car and take pics of it.

Now that the custom C8 is built, it is going to attend many shows and I love it !! It makes me happy and people love it too

Had to look up "JDM". Was not familiar with that acronym. I know/knew them as "rice burners".

 

[MKinOntario]

not for me, I get more of a thrill customizing the Stingray to look unique instead of driving a stock more expensive Z06 / eRay for which extra power is not needed, as I am more of a boulevard cruiser, drive slow for others to see it (and snap a pic if desired).

I had many general public / tourists during GP weekend yelling out, asking or commenting if it was the Z06 so I guess to the untrained eye it looks like one. Only the Vette guys can tell the diff based on the wider back end and boomerang

Exhaust configuration, too?

 

[MKinOntario]

the C8, even completely factory stock, is already more unique than 99% of cars on the road.

Including the rice burners.

 

[Neils]

Had to look up "JDM". Was not familiar with that acronym. I know/knew them as "rice burners".

includes both ends of the spectrum. On the top end you have the R35/GTR (Nissan), LC500/LFA (Lexus), NSX (Acura), Supra GR/Mk4 (Toyota) just to name a few. Many will say these cars have nothing on the C8 but they are staples in their respective categories and the R35 is a track rat built for speed. It’s a car culture that attracts the largest crowds to the biggest car shows. I am glad they often open up the JDM shows to customized cars of any brand.

 

[Jack Raccoon!]

I believe Gilles27 is doing Bayfest and CTMP on the way home...

 

[Neils]

I believe Gilles27 is doing Bayfest and CTMP on the way home...

how about you Jack ? Seeing you and Gilles (and a couple other forum members) might be reason enough to get me down there !! Who knows, was a long drive down and back home, the thought of doing it all again so soon, especially that TO traffic, is enough to think twice

 

[Jack Raccoon!]

I'm committed to CTMP, not sure about Bayfest...

 

[MKinOntario]

includes both ends of the spectrum. On the top end you have the R35/GTR (Nissan), LC500/LFA (Lexus), NSX (Acura), Supra GR/Mk4 (Toyota) just to name a few. Many will say these cars have nothing on the C8 but they are staples in their respective categories and the R35 is a track rat built for speed. It’s a car culture that attracts the largest crowds to the biggest car shows. I am glad they often open up the JDM shows to customized cars of any brand.

Sorry, that all means nowt to me. I owned a '72 310 Datsun wagon briefly in 1982, when I was between vehicles, and it wasn't a pleasant experience.
There must be a local JDM community out here, because I hear them at all hours of the day/night, with their most notable modifications on display.
Extremely noisy exhaust systems, and regular "stunt driving", which are both illegal, and annoying, but our local constabulary looks the other way on them, and those pickup trucks with the tires perched outside the fender wells, and similar exhaust systems, and stunt driving which is still illegal.
In Ontario. Maybe not in other provinces.
I believe the lack of enforcement is due to some sort of local police/neighbor nepotism. I will get around to pursuing it eventually, when we're ready to move on.