AMC Eagle Den Forum

Eagle Gallery => Meet and Show Eagles => Topic started by: El Matador on February 20, 2012, 11:42:04 PM

Title: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: El Matador on February 20, 2012, 11:42:04 PM
This past weekend was the 46th annual World of Wheels show in Calgary, Alberta.  I originally had no intentions of entering my Eagle into this show, but a few months ago the decision was taken out of my hands when my fellow AMCA club members insisted upon it.

So, in the weeks leading up to the show, my car underwent "Extreme Makeover: Eagle Edition" in three weekends in January and February.  Well, maybe not all that extreme, but the paint got a much needed wet sanding and polishing, and the plastic areas down low were all resprayed with custom mixed paint for an exact color match.  The black parts of the headlight doors and grille were redone, and the emblems were removed and retouched.  I gave the interior and engine bay a good cleaning as well.

The big weekend finally arrived, and here is how my car looked on the show floor:

(http://www3.telus.net/reitand/eagle/WOW1201.jpg)
(http://www3.telus.net/reitand/eagle/WOW1202.jpg)
(http://www3.telus.net/reitand/eagle/WOW1203.jpg)

It cleaned up pretty well for a car that gets driven year round, has been through 26 Alberta winters, still sports 90% of its original paint, and has over 359,000 km (223,000 miles) on the odometer.

So how did I do?  Well, I got second place in my class and a plaque to show for it!  :hello2:  Of course, that feat becomes a whole lot less impressive upon realizing there were only two cars in my class.  :-[  The other car was a 1991 Camaro Z28, which also looked like an unrestored car but was obviously a fairweather driver and probably had 1/4 the mileage of my car.

The big downside of this show is that it provides no recognition whatsoever for anything that would be considered original, survivor, or unrestored.  The Camaro and my Eagle were both in the "Restored 1985-1992" class.  Huh?

Shows like this are definitely a rich man's game.  There were several cars in there that easily had $100,000 sunk into them.  In five years of ownership, I'm probably into my Eagle for less than $3,000 and that includes the original purchase price.  I don't know what the actual attendance of the show was over three days, but I'd guess that about 20,000 sets of eyes saw our AMCA display.  I was amazed at how much attention my car got, and how many people stopped to take a picture of it.

The American Motors Club of Alberta was well represented with 10 vehicles this year:

1961 Classic
1964 Classic
1966 Marlin
1967 American
1968 Rebel
1969 AMX
1974 Matador
1979 J10
1980 J10
1986 Eagle

There was also a 1968 American and 1974 Javelin not affiliated with our club.

Here are a couple more pictures, on the final day as we were taking the display down:

(http://www3.telus.net/reitand/eagle/WOW1204.jpg)
(http://www3.telus.net/reitand/eagle/WOW1205.jpg)

At the end of it all, I just got in and drove mine home while those big dollar guys were loading up their trailer queens.  I'd say I'm getting the far better bang for my buck as far as enjoyment of the hobby goes.
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: Prafeston on February 21, 2012, 12:19:07 AM
Your Eagle looks immaculate man. You did a great job prepping for this show. Way to represent all of us at World of Wheels! :)

Alice looks great too. Look forward to seeing more pics of her!
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: El Matador on February 21, 2012, 01:22:59 AM
would that be "alice" the frost pink j10 i see next to you?? if so, wasnt she drove there and back also??

Most of us AMC guys drove there and back, but I believe Alice was trailered due to not being fully legal yet.
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: Sunny on February 21, 2012, 03:37:20 AM
Thats one of the reasons I stopped going.
I had a show where my car was up against several 100,000$ car's.. and I was put into the 'modified' class, for something stupid I can't remember.

It's still fun to go though and a lot of the people are nice [sometimes]

That said your car looks GREAT for that many miles!
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: shanebo on February 21, 2012, 04:04:13 AM
That car could pass as a 23000 mile car!! Very nice.
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: Prafeston on February 21, 2012, 10:55:49 AM
That car could pass as a 23000 mile car!! Very nice.

I know right? It looks better than my car which only has 37,900!!
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: **Jeepgyrl13** on February 21, 2012, 11:34:24 AM
Good Morning yes that is Alice, she was trailered as she just come out of the paint shop a month ago (did not want to chip her paint driving her on the highway. She is "Fully" legal..... She runs and drives just have to tweak the timing a bit and bleed the brakes a little more, she is still to soft in that area.

More Pictures will come tonight....will be creating a new thread, Watch for it ;)
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: eaglefreek on February 21, 2012, 12:57:55 PM
Looking good!
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: Pat on February 21, 2012, 02:09:04 PM
Nice!! Good to see an Eagle at a show. Alice also looks good.
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: **Jeepgyrl13** on February 21, 2012, 04:06:27 PM
The Eagle attracted major attention.....He cleaned up really great and for an "Unrestored" Eagle, El matador has a beauty.

I am not an Eagle fan, but that car really caught my attention and changed my mind, they are beautiful....congrats on your placement, but you should of won over the  :censored: that took best in class.....next year :)

Cheers



Nice!! Good to see an Eagle at a show. Alice also looks good.
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: Prafeston on February 21, 2012, 04:12:25 PM
Any pics of the stupid '91 Camaro that beat you out?
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: El Matador on February 21, 2012, 05:06:09 PM
Any pics of the stupid '91 Camaro that beat you out?

I do have one, but on my home computer.  It was a Z28, blue with white stripes and heavily tinted windows (actually illegally tinted by Alberta law).  Other than that, I think your mind can fill in the blanks as to what a third generation Camaro looks like.  :P
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: Prafeston on February 21, 2012, 05:10:26 PM
I think your mind can fill in the blanks as to what a third generation Camaro looks like.  :P

Yeah, lame!
Title: Re: World of Wheels 2012
Post by: Sunny on February 21, 2012, 06:49:28 PM
I think your mind can fill in the blanks as to what a third generation Camaro looks like.  :P

Yeah, lame!

I actually drove an 86 Camaro in highschool and it was a super fun car to drive.
The only complaint is that it didn't make a ton of power.. something most 80s car owners are painfully aware of..but it was something easily fixed.
I ended up lending it to my uncle because he needed a car for work.. and he wrote it off during a DUI..
I still miss it  :(. I had tons and tons of work into it.

It's another one of those "Hate it because it's 80s" cars that are slowly starting to gain appreciation.. Although I actually prefer them over fourth gen Camaro's for looks. Obviously I'd take an LS1/T-56 combo though.