So... anybody going this year?

I've never been due to my work schedule but this year (like last), this pandemic may alter work events to allow me to attend (weird world huh, a bad thing offering a good thing).

Having never attended, if I'm mainly interested in trucks, muscle cars and the flea market plus meeting some of you guys, what is the best day(s) to be there? And where? Which gate/parking area? Can I see the trucks and flea market in one day or what's the minimum I should plan for? Or am I over planning this?

What about hotels?

I assume this is beyond huge and I hate crowds (more that 5 people) and big cities (more than 5 stop lights) so I'd rather not waste my time walking miles to get where I want or wandering around to find it (although I'm sure everything will be tempting). I realize that this is part of it all, just once I reach my limit I have to leave so I'd just like to maximize if possible and focus on my interests.

Many thanks,

 

The area they hold the Carlisle show on is 100 acres FULL of cool stuff. It would be hard to see it all in two days. IIRC before the pandemic the # of show cars in the field was about 3000 rigs!
Sat is the most packed day with people there. Sunday turns into a ghost town by about noon with everybody heading back home for work on Monday.
I like to show up by Thursday latest. This way I can see people rolling in with their show cars. Most sound awesome, if you like the sound of big block engines with big cams, headers and dual exhaust. It also makes it so we can walk the cars for sale in the car corral and some of the swap meet area earlier than the hordes of people there to check them out on Sat.

If I was to pick two days to be there it would be fri. and sat..

There are lots of hotels in the area and it is pretty close to the highway, so the drive in to the show grounds is not that bad.

I am hoping to be down for the show this year, after missing my first Carlisle show with my daughter in 10 years last summer. We will pick which rig we will take as we get closer, but we should have something 12V powered in the showfield.

 

It is the place to be if you like the smell of race gas, the sound of large displacement cammed up V8s, looking at miles of chrome and awesome paint and old iron, and walking through acres of Mopars during the hottest weekend in Pennsyltucky (I'm not kidding, bring plenty of beverages or a wad of money for such beverages).

I plan to be there again this year, probably with the FireWagon. Friday for sure, maybe Saturday if I feel like driving back down or the girlfriend wants to hang out for an evening in a hotel.

If you need a hotel, book one soon as they fill up quick. Mechanicsburg, Gettysburg, and other small towns are close with decent hotels.

I think its Gate 3 off Cavalry Road is the easiest to access the grounds.

Be prepared to sit in traffic for a while unless you get there super early. Carlisle isn't a big town but its congested like a city during these shows.

Good shoes are a must, as Oliver said, its about 100 acres full of stuff to see and do.

Hope to see you there in July!

 

At 57, my heart may not be able to stand all that excitement!

So I assume the show, swap meet etc. is continuous then and there is nothing just scheduled for one day. Their website is pretty busy and hard for me to navigate. Looks like maybe lots of smaller events or group gatherings too but I'm not real interested in those I don't think.

Are the trucks all in one spot or scattered? And cars grouped by year or model or mixed too?

I like to camp but the idea of camping in a parking lot just doesn't seem appealing to me... So a hotel/motel is probably in order. When we travel we try and shy away from the chains and stay in the quirky little mom & pop places - if they look safe and clean.

I'd feel guilty going without my dad but at 81 and with all those acres to cover it sounds like it may be too much for him. He's active for his age but not very steady on his feet anymore. I may have to sneak off...

Oliver - So your truck will be in the show right? Are you a vendor too? Both? Charlotte be there? Would be great to meet her too!
BHD - If I make it I guess I'll get to experience the northern half of Pennsyltucky again huh? Last time I saw it was in the 80's out the window of a semi. Youall got indoor toilets yet? Lectric? Actually, from what I recall, it looked a lot like just more of the rolling semi-wooded hills of the southern half so I should feel at home.

Shows like this are just like farm conferences I attend - I get inspired and excited by the presentations then get back home, look around... and think...geez...

 

I've been so far out of the Mopar stuff for quite a while. Never been to the Nats, or Carlisle. Been to the St.Louis show. I need a Clifford intake with the bosses to drill for injectors. I had one and sold it during hard times. I need to research the show for parts. They used to do a slant race south of Lexington KY every year.

 

I was wondering how Carlisle compares to the Nats. Not been to that either but it is a bit closer.

Rug Tucker, You talking about the Clay City Drag Strip? It's still there. Dad used to take us down there when we were kids. But that's an hour or two from that city towards the mountains.

There used to be a drag strip just south and outside Lexington on the way to Nicholasville. That one disappeared about 30-40 years ago when the great metropolis of Lexington sprawled all over it...

 

Yep, Clay City!

 

I wouldn't describe Carlisle as being in the northern half of PA. Its referred to as "flatland" from those of us in the western part of the state.

'Lectric is still a semi-new contraption 'round these parts, but it's catchin' cuz the millennial generation needs a place to plug in their fruit phones.

I understand what you mean about the farm show conferences: with fancy GPS, autosteer, self parking, auto unloading, hybrid stuff. None of it has a hand clutch.

 

I moved from Alaska to PA in part due to the Carlisle show, I just fell in love with this area.

And...... I have no excuse to miss a show, easy 10 minute drive from the house. :-)

The Carlisle Mopar show is the best in the world, it puts the Nats in Ohio to shame.

The trucks are grouped together in separate classes, so it is well organized and easy to meet others with similar models.

The swap meet is HUGE.

Comfortable walking shoes are a must!

Lots of hotels in the area, but look a bit outside of Carlisle for better rates. Mechanicsburg, Chambersburg or Harrisburg as just a few possibles.

 

There are some activities that happen at a certain time or day...Things like the Daisy Duke contest, which is basically cute chicks in SHORT shorts and half un buttoned flannel shirts. Or the burn out contest. A few years back they had Richard Petty there signing autographs. One dude was in line with his Superbird rear wing in hand, another had his big orange 6 pack air cleaner waiting for Richard to sign it.
Most of the show is more loosely organized.

I know the Dodge thrill rides where you can get a free ride in a Hellcat or Viper is pretty fun. That goes on Fri.-Sun almost all day.

All the cars and trucks are organized in groups. Ramchargers are their own little group. '72-'80 trucks are split into modified and un modified. The '81-'93 truck are also split into two groups. A, B, C and E body muscle cars are all broken down into those two groups of modified or not as well. That way if you want to check out just the Dodge Omnis, Vipers, or the Little Red Express trucks, you just head to that section, which is marked on the map they give you at the gate.

They do rent out mobility scooters at one of the gates to help people get around the whole show easier. They seems to rent them all out on the big days like Sat.

I will have a Cummins powered rig of some sort in the showfield. I may bring a spare part or two down to the show for people, if we have discussed what they need in advance and I have room in the rig I am taking. Otherwise I don't bring any parts to sell. I am there to have a good time, meet up with friends I only see once a year at the show and spend some quality time with my daughter checking out all the cool Mopar stuff. I would certainly think Charlotte would be going with me again this year, but now that she is 18 I will let her make the final call as we get closer.