Super time in Las Vegas!!!!!

[mr.turbota]

Hi all!
Got back from the SEMA Show 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada. What a blast! I met Emerson Fittipaldi in person! What a super guy!!!!! After talking with him for almost an half hour, he signed autographs for me! So now my 1989 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am Indy Pace Car Replica #231 is autographed personally by Emerson Fittipaldi!!!!!!!!!! He signed my dash map pocket in gold !!!! He even signed one of my parade Indy/20th TTA jackets for me!! Along with my owner's manual, trading cards, and my book: Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 1969-1999 Photo Album that I wrote! Ha! He even laughed at the picture of Bobby Unser in the 20th TTA! He had some 8x10 pictures of him that he signed for me! He gave me some extras, but not autographed (bummer)! I bet his arm was tired after just signing for me!! It was great! He jumped up at seeing that I owned a 20th TTA! He told me he still has both of the 20th TTAs! The one he won, and the one he bought new! One is in Florida, the other is in Brazil! He loves them!!!! He also told me that he just drove one last week! His bodyguards (friends maybe) verified it! He got excited looking at my book. He said that he had never seen it before! He asked if I had an extra copy. So, I gave him one! He told me that it was going to sit in the passenger seat of his 20th TTA! I'm stoked!!! Ha! Maybe I should have signed it for him! Ha! I got lots of photos, but I just can't post them! He had a very beautiful model next to him, handing him the 8x10 pictures to sign for people. So what would any guy from sunny Southern California do? You got it! I got a picture of her with her arm around me!!!! Afterwards, Emerson stood taking pictures with me, shaking my hand!!! This guy is by far one of the best!!!!!! I gave him my email address, hoping that he'll contact me, because he doesn't know his car numbers! He had asked mine (I told him #231). Man, did I say that I had a great time???? Oh ya, I even won $200 on the dollar machines! Now, I can't wait for SEMA 2002!

Just thought that I'd share with you all,

George

 

[Rob]

Sounds like you had a blast. Nice to see he still has his also.

Congrats.

 

[ChrisK]

Whats up George?
Long time no see or hear.
But what i just read explains it all...
Im jealous. Sounds like you had more fun then you can even explain...

So what else is new with you?

Nothin new here, just busy with work and all.

Got the Chat Room Up again, but it seems no one cares.
Let me know the times you are on and we can chat...
If you want me to post the pics for you we can try to figure somethin out.

Talk to ya

Chris

 

[mr.turbota]

Hi Chris!!!
Ya, SEMA was a blast!!! Met lots of other great people too, including the guy in charge of engineering the Grand Prix. Talked for about an hour about Pontiac and the Grand Prix. He even remembered me from last years show. That was cool. We can look for some cool concepts from GM soon with Lutz in there now! I just wish the bird would come back! I really think that both Chevy and Pontiac will lose quite a bit of people (buyers). GM now wants to convert the youth into their Sunfire/Cavaler line of cars (to compete with the rice). Gee, with just a couple of years left for these cars, seems alittle late! GM/Pontiac seems to think that the Vibe will be a huge sucess. GM really thinks that the SUV/Trucks are the ticket. GM also blames us (the buyers) for the lack of sales of the F-body. Gee, I live in Los Angeles, and going to my dealer(s) here, they have no Firebird/Formula/Trans Am on the lot. Let alone any brouchures! At SEMA in Las Vegas, I go to the nations largest Firebird dealer, and they got about 50 total! Ha! The bad part is that every one has a $1200 "Desert Protection", whatever that is. On top of that, they all have a $4995. dealer markup! Wow! That's $6200 markup! Hell, for that price, I'll take two!!!! And sales for the Firebird are partly my fualt???? Wake up Pontiac/GM! We're not that stupid! Why would we pay almost 40 grand for a 32 grand car! Well, enough ranting!
Anyway, not much going on here except work! Man, I am getting way to old for construction! Maybe just way to old! Ha! Now that I'm working, I don't get alot of time with computers! But I can try Sat. around 4:30 in the afternoon pacific time for the chat room! I don't know if that time will work for you!

Well, take care!

Later,

George

 

[DaveGershon]

George,
I just do not understand Pontiac!!! How can they say it is consumer? When was the last time you saw a Trans Am/Firebird ad, let alone an original one????? The last ads they made were back in 1998 when the bird got a make over and the snub nose version came out.....

I was at Reliable Pontiac (Roseville, Ca)the other day talking with the owner. He said he is sold out of birds. Combination of last year and 0% financing. He is being aloted 2 a week at this point. He needs more to build up his inventory! That sounds like an issue with Pontiac not the consumer.

SEMA sound like a blast. I will give serious thought to hook up with you for next year.

Dave

 

[mr.turbota]

Dave,
I agree with you! Last year I was talking to a Firebird Brand exec, who was about 24 years old. Mr. Big Shot was bragging about the death of the bird. I asked him if he owned/let alone ever drove a Firebird. He said no. On top of that, he drove rice! Lutz is right, GM needs more car guys, not college grads who know nothing about cars!
As to SEMA next year, you had better plan on it!!!! It is really worth going!!!! Although there won't be any birds there! Big bummer!!!
Hey, did I tell anybody that I also met Dennis Mecham? Yep, he's a cool guy! Gave me a press kit on his Mecham Corvette, as well as his personnal business card! He is also bothered about the death of the F-body! It was great to chat with him about all the Trans Ams (Macho TAs, Motor Sport Editions, Mecham TAs) he has done over the years! Told me that I can write or call to chat about them! Ha! Sounds like another book! Now if I can just get Iconographix to do color!!!!

Later all,

George