SAAB Owners Convention 2008

[Geoff]

So who is coming to the SOC this year?
Its over two months away and registration started a few weeks ago. They're limiting registrations to 450. They'll be doing day passes but they won't go on sale until after they stop selling the full registrations (don't know when that will be).

It's always a good time to just hang out with SAAB folk from around the country.

[Jordan]

I'd like to go , especially if I have a finished car, it is kind of my goal. At $170 for registration I might just do a day pass.. or crash as usual

[max]

For heaven's sake, what in the world does it need to be $170 for?

[saab90089]

I won't be there this year. The cost of an SOC is just flat out too expensive.

Ian

[Geoff]

I was trying to refrain from commenting on cost like ever other message board :-P The Festival in Sweden was free!

Anyway. Its in my old backyard so I'm going.

[Jordan]

Well it's not like its unusual for this year, IIRC it was like $150 a few years back, no? It would be sweet to hang with the rest of the crew and if Luke gets the car ready for RWV , it would be available to bring to SOC since it is 2 weeks after. My girlfriend even wants to go , but doesn't want to take off more work... plus that many days of saabs would be a bit overkill for her I'm sure. Probably for me too. Geoff , are you planning on doing the full event? Do you have a place to stay

[DeLorean]

I will be going for sure. I do the day-pass cause IMO, the cost of a registration is stupid for what you get. Last few years I did not even get a day-pass except for the 1 day (so I could get into the parts tent). Hanging out in the parking lot looking at all the saabs and talking with people is what I come for, not the fancy food or tech sessions which is the main expense.

[Geoff]

I'm planning on being there for the full event. Jon Dennis is driving his 96 up from KY too! Kelly is getting a full ticket but will probably only be there part of the time, the rest of the time she'll be off to visit friends/family who all live 3-15 mins away. I'd just get a day pass but, eh... why not full?

[max]

I was trying to refrain from commenting on cost like ever other message board :-P The Festival in Sweden was free!

Anyway. Its in my old backyard so I'm going.

They probably paid for it by taxed government subsidies. Yay socialism!

[Jordan]

Do you know what the day pass costs? Hmm free t-shirt with $175 admission....well that makes it all worth it!

IIRC, the food really isn't that good either. I think we'd have a better time all going out to a diner or something so we don't have to listen to boring speeches.

[DeLorean]

usually it's around $20

[Geoff]

I already bought my full pass so I'll be getting my $s worth by going to the dinners. Besides I grew up with all those local restaurants :-P

[Geoff]

I've been at the SOC since Thursday night. Jordan came up last night and was here for the day. The parts "tent" was pretty limited but there were a good amount of wheels but they're all for later cars with 5 bolt hubs. I picked up some new bougicord wires for $4 that are labeled as being for '79-'80 900Ts but they should be good for 99s as well, some fluids/greases, headlight bulbs, and a trailer hits for my mom's 9-5 Wagon. DeLorean and PaulH picked up swoosh stripe kits, a 2dr 99 and 3dr 99. The 3dr version came with huge ultra '70's font "EMS" and "TURBO" logos. They're planning on using them to get reproductions made so keep an eye out for those! I also picked up a set of NOS SPG springs from a guy who was selling some C900 parts. There aren't a lot of parts vendors or at least there aren't a lot of parts at the vendors (I should have brought some stuff to unload but was too busy getting the '80 99 on the road).

The location is interesting because its an old army base-turned industrial 'town'. Some events are at the hotel and some are at the 'show field' a half mile or so away. That has provided time to cruise around but keeps cars and people spread apart. It also gave me the opportunity to drive Jon Dennis' 96 and I almost went pa taket!

[Jordan]

Yeah it was pretty fun if a little slow. I think today it will be a little more organized, but I figured now I'd have to get some extra motivation to work on my own car today.
A funny thing happened on the way out to the BBQ. I look down and there is a white square piece of paper and it was a ticket for the Friday night dinner! but then I figured I might as well just eat outside since it was getting late and I didn't want to wait for people to do all of their speeches and the bbq food was ready and not bad!

On the way home a dark silver viggen trailed me for a while who I'm sure was from the convention.

[DeLorean]

It was a good time. Always fun talking to people, seeing everyones cars & the late-light Direct-ignition potato gun in action.

The Venue with the separate resort and snowfield plus the SCNA's overall handling of the event... Well I won't comment on exactly what I thought of that, but it would not take much to make that better!

Anyway, I think the score was the EMS stripes. Though I doubt they will be useful in a car as I think they have lost all their stickyness they will be handy for future reproduction!

Speaking of which, I still need to get my $$ in for those fender flairs...