AMC Eagle Den Forum
General => AMC Eagles Den Meets => 2013 AMC Eagle Meets => Topic started by: captspillane on August 09, 2012, 09:32:12 PM
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I plan on hosting a Meet at my Perkiomen Eagle Sanctuary twice each year for the next several decades. I've decided to label these the "Perkiomen Solstice Meets." They will be held at or around December 21st and June 21st each year. The zip code is 18074. It is located in the country about an hour north of Philadelphia.
The December 21st meet will be a Saturday only because I realize that it is a busy time of year. My birthday happens to be December 17th and several times over the years I celebrated my birthday by having my immediate family drive to Red Lobster in all of my available roadworthy Eagles. My father would drive one, I would drive one, and so forth in order to take a picture of several Eagles lined up in the parking lot. This year I hope several other Eagles besides all the ones I own are also present. Even if you don't have an Eagle available to drive you're welcome to drive one of mine.
The June meet will be a full weekend, on either the third or fourth weekend of June each year. That is the one to attend if you live at distance.
-Dave Spillane-
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The December Solstice Meet will be informal and will simply consist of a tour of my home Saturday afternoon and the drive to a seafood restaurant with all available Eagles and project cars. Dinner will be free to anyone who chooses to participate in a work block Saturday evening or Sunday morning. Sleep arrangements are available.
The June Solstice Meet will be formal and have more people in attendance. I personally love meeting people with a shared enthusiasm for AMC vehicles. It’s nice to attach a real name and face to an internet alias. At the same time I don’t often enjoy the typical “party” atmosphere. I like some degree of direction and sense of purpose along with the relaxation and social interaction. As the host to this meet each June I will establish a flexible schedule broken into “blocks” of time.
My idea so far for June 2013 is to welcome people Friday night but generally expect Saturday morning to still be travel time for most people. At around 10 AM on Sat I’ll take the early arrivals to a campfire lunch slightly offroad. Noon to 2 pm Sat will be a tour of my fleet and my garages. 2 to 3 pm will be a work block, as well as 3 pm to 6 pm. Around 6 pm will be a dinner free to those who worked with me and $10 for those who choose not to. A picture of all attendees driving my Eagles or their own will be taken late Saturday evening. One picture will be taken with just AMC Passenger cars, and another will be taken to include any AMC designed or assisted Vehicle (including International Scouts since some have AMC engines, CJs, J trucks, XJs, YJs, TJs, H1 Humvees, etc). The late evening will include one brainstorming session among the group in ways to improve the Nest and available AMC Eagle repair resources.
Sunday morning will begin with a light offroading session and a breakfast outdoors. My garage, tools, and knowledge will be available to anyone sticking around late Sunday to work on their own Eagle and I will encourage everyone to stay until dinner time on Sunday if they’re able to. I’ll be closing the garage to clean up from the weekend Sunday evening.
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I've mentioned several blocks of time devoted to work. For an example, if 9 of us attend the Saturday work blocks this year I will start with a body work block exactly an hour long. An Eagle Station Wagon will be suspended about three feet off the ground with its drivetrain and wheels removed. I will have that ready as well as all the tools and supplies on hand for everyone to use. Imagine if nine of us attack a station wagon with degreasing rags and sanding blocks all at once? In one hour we'd accomplish more than I could in a week doing it myself.
After one hour of tedious body work we'd stop, clean up, hoist the project Eagle up into the air out of the way, and enjoy 15 minutes of food and drink. A second work block would then begin. I'd have three engines on stands ready to roll into place along with three sets of tools on three different tables. We'd break the group of 9 into three groups, each with one experienced person working with one helper as a third person actively takes pictures and videos. I would have a 4.2, a 4.0, a 2.5, and a V8 engine available to rebuild. I would provide all the tools and necessary parts as well as the engines themselves. At the end of several hours we'd compile all the pictures and videos to be posted on the Nest for educational purposes.
Another year could be a transmission session, or an IFS rebuild session, axle rebuild session, etc. I'd finish myself whatever doesn't get done in the block in order to maintain a diverse and fast-paced schedule.
The goal is to provide a sense of accomplishment, a learning experience, and sense of mechanical confidence to all attendees. The engines and cars that benefit from the group's labor will be my own, but those who choose to participate in the work blocks will have their food for the weekend provided for free. Everything we accomplish will have a further goal of providing education materials through the Nest to members who could not attend in person.
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Hmm sounds interesting, I may be able to attend December. If it were to fall on one of my weekends off.
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Saturday, December 15th 2012.
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I have been thinking....we really don't have any big meets up here in the north east.
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Great work again man. Awesome ideas!
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I would sure love to be a part of the festivities, but I am a little far away being on the Left coast.
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I would sure love to be a part of the festivities, but I am a little far away being on the Left coast.
Move! Problem Solved! ;)
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Move! Problem Solved! ;)
Moving is not an option. Besides, it is hard to beat So.Cal. weather!
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Very cool ideas captspillane, if all goes well I'd be down for the June gig. :occasion14:
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Interesting...just goggle mapped it and you're about 300 miles north of me...would be a good weekend away and productive. Depending on the weather, I think Im shooting for this in Dec....
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You're less than two hours from where I am. I'd love to be able to make it to one of these meets here and meet some eaglenest members. :)
I have been thinking....we really don't have any big meets up here in the north east.
I have noticed that myself as well.
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Its the Winter Solstice so you're all welcome to visit my garage today or anytime this week, except for Christmas and Christmas Eve. I've set aside this week to work with other people and with other people's Eagles instead of my own. Private message me for further details.
In the future I will continue to set aside time before or after Dec 21st each year for other people to come and drive my Eagles and to visit the shop, including the use of my garage with my help for their Eagles. Next year I hope to also include a drive to a restruant with all of my roadworthy Eagles.
Merry Christmas!
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Wish we could have done this a little sooner. Just got a new job so its been tough to get a day off. hope next year will be better.
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It will be a pleasure to meet you when it works out eventually. Obviously the Solstice meets are the best times that I've set aside each year, but realize too that I'm flexible and able to make time throughout the year for those that want to visit or need some Eagle help. Don't hesitate to contact me if you're passing through my area or in special need of assistance.
The June Spring Solstice weekend events will be bigger and better than the Winter Solstice events, so if you can only make one go to the June one. I'll keep them both going for a long time, so no worries if a year or two pass before it works out for you.
-Dave-
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Very interesting. As I have kinfolk back in the hills in Pa., I could visit them at the same time. One of these years ...... Like the idea & would love to make it sometime.