DV, by DV

[Double Venom]

Nice to know you're not forgotten.

First things first, my apology's for taking so long to respond. I finally got a "dial-up" service this week. Actually three days ago. They (Verizon) have promised me at least a DSL line for months.

Since the IV, the Mrs. and I are totally moved, my new toy store has been built and is 99% complete. No heat yet, but I have been told my boiler arrived today. Final inspections are still to be had before I get the OK. Randy has since moved and has been computerless for over a month now.

I was under the understanding that Ron-Computerworks, posted some updated information awhile ago, right after he called me, as well as Shana from CF. Going through the search engine though I could find very little.

Updating for what I can, but first the comments that I keep everything close to my chest about the Flings. Guys do you have any idea how many times our schedule and information on each Fling changes? Almost daily! Especially when you have less than 87 days to put it together.

How about this just for a few samples; "WE" were supposed to be on the "Hot Rod Power Tour" last year, the Fling was also being scheduled to be on the Hot Rod TV show. The Fling was supposed to be at one of the most prestigious private airports in the country. The Fling was going to have a fully sanctioned autocross within blocks of the hotels. The Fling had a local but national restaurant chain, (not The Lube) backing us, providing us with a Saturday night that would have been very memorable for years to come.

One after one these events were cancelled for numerous reasons. Mostly legal, H.R.P.T. couldn't get permission from every States Attorney Generals office for us, thus ending any further involvement on their part for the year. The restaurant chain that was involved, not only got behind the Fling 100%, they also had WG (?) Grinders get on board. These people were on board and ready. Tents were ordered, extra help was being hired and trained. A really high-end band was being brought in, and on and on. The problem is, neither Randy nor I realized that the property where these two restaurants are located are owned by the Nationwide Ins. Inv. Group. When the powers to be found out about the event they refused the parking lot to the restaurants, and certainly didn't want a "rowdy car club" (their words, not ours) to take over a 5 +/- acre parking lot for the night.

This was all dropped on us within 3 weeks of the Fling. Talk about scrambling! DV JR., Randy, haven't talked to you or seen you enough this summer, but in my opinion you did one hell of a job fella and I thank you.

Rick Dorman, butted heads with Jr. more than once, but they both came out looking prettier than they went in. (My opinion of course) The Poker Run was Rick’s idea, organized by Rick and basically run by Rick. I have never been in a Poker Run, and frankly didn't think it would be nearly the hit it was. Half way during the day of the Poker Run, I was getting reports from my brothers in blue about the RUN. Can you believe my fellow Officers were keeping track of what cruiser spotted the most Cobras! You know "they " don't wager on anything, especially in an official capacity...I'd like to know what the winner got though!

Rick, get that cam fixed and PLEASE change your mind about another Run! You surely don't want me to organize that!

DVSF- "V"
Is there to be...absolutely. People relax, sit back, take your fall runs, get together, have fun, and enjoy the Fling videos over the winter. (I see where Mid-O has taken over that task- yes?)

Meanwhile I assure you the plans for DVSF V are well underway. I was in Ohio last week and had a meeting with our beloved Police Chief. The biggest and most repeated question I get from the City of London is, "Do you want to separate from the Strawberry Festival?"

My question to "YOU" is, do "WE" want to separate from the Festival and take over the entire downtown? A lot of planning and co-operation among the sponsors will have to be made before hand. They will be allowed to take up the entire area that the Festival now takes.

DV...temporarily gone but certainly not forgotten. I hope that's a good thing.
For those that want to know. E-mail: doublevenom@netzero.net
New Cell # 231-425-6823 (I dropped my old cell in a bucket of paint!)

PS..just realized I incorrectly typed my new e-mail. Correct e-mail is now listed

[clayfoushee]

DV....good to hear from you.

[BMK]

DV

Thanks for the "Post"

Bernie

[relaxinrob]

DV,

I had a great time at the Fling and can't wait for the next one. If there is anything that we can do to help you, don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks again.

[LwCwb]

DV, Thanks for the update, good to hear from you again! Hope I can make it out to a fling sometime.

[computerworks]

Originally posted by Double Venom


I was under the understanding that Ron-Computerworks, posted some updated information awhile ago, right after he called me, as well as Shana from CF. Going through the search engine though I could find very little.

HiYa Ed...glad to see you 'connected' again.

Just closing the loop on this...

We spoke on 8/2/04 and I posted this...

Posted by computerworks on 08-02-2004 09:35 AM:
Update from DV

I spoke with Ed, DV, this a.m.

Tracked him down in the woods of N. Michigan....
...no computer set up yet and a lousy dial-up being fixed by the phone company.

Here is the snapshot..

"....very happy that the event went off as well as it did, considering the short time we had when it was finally decided to run with it.

... Kit Car Magazine counted 307 cars attended the event.

...there will be pics available of the raffle winner accepting the keys.

...the Sunday event seemed to be a winner.

...plans for DVSF V are underway, with the state park having a bigger role on the Sunday.

...net, net donation to CF was approx 12K, after all expenses"

Ed relayed thanks to all who came and promised to answer these posts when he gets his system online.


I have e-mailed the fellow who took the pics of the winner... I'll post when I get them.

That was posted on this thread...

Further, on 8/19/04, I uploaded and posted the winner's photos for you right here...

The last (and only) post from Cystic Fibrosis of Central Ohio was made on 11-17-2003 ... thanking us for DVSF-3....(yes, three)

Other than our internal mutual appreciation, I don't believe our Club received any recognition from the recipients of the donations.

We did recently have a post from one of 'London's finest', saying they love us and want us back. Sadly, I think that post has been lost in the recent data incident.

Ed, keep in touch with us.

[Dwight]

DV
GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE FLING THIS YEAR AND "WE" ( THE ALABAMA BUNCH) WANT TO ATTEND SPRING FLING V.

WE GOING TO RAISE SOME MONEY FOR TEAM JENNY THIS SAT IN MADISON, ALABAMA. WHERE DO I SENT THE CHECK??????

[rdorman]

Good to hear you are alive and well!

Funny about the police during the poker run. I always said the part of the idea was to let everyone know we are here.

Great to hear about V. You know I will be there!

Rick

[MidOHasp]

Ed,

Good to hear from you. Yes, I'm taking on the video, although have received very limited footage from attendees. Different story, though.

Glad to see you are alive and well. I want to make a point that some people may be afraid of making for fear of offending you. I think you know me and know better.

That being said...

There are tons and tons of really talented and resourceful Cobra people gracing this forum. So many would love so much to pool their collective resources to make DVSF V as good as or better than previous Flings and to feel like it is even more of a family effort.

I think that there are some out there who have been put off or offended that DVSF IV was such a big secret to everyone until the day we showed up.

Ed, you know how incredibly much you are appreciated. But while we appreciate you, we also want to help you. It's a big waste of resources (IMO) to have a handful of people plan events for 300 attendees.

If I'm organizing a foliage cruise at Mohican or a few people are organizing a weekend for the CACC, that makes sense. I don't need any help with this weekend. But there are some amazingly helpful people here.

We talk so much about this being a family event, but for it to continue to grow and be better, it truly has to be a FAMILY venture. Family meaning Cobra family, not just Combs family.

Ed, we WANT to help you and we WANT to be a part of it all. The fact that Jack, et al, had things all but ready to rock in Cleveland when you decided to cancel DVSF IV should tell you that people out here are ready to make things happen. I was under the impression that there was also a fling ready to rock in Kansas City at the time, too.

Let us in on it, friend. If we want it twice the size and twice as good, maybe we don't have it in London. Maybe we get a few additional people into the main planning circle. Maybe it's in KC or Detroit or there are 2 flings, who knows.

I just don't want you to feel like it is ALL on you and I don't want every other Cobra person feeling like they have nothing to do but show up. We don't mind getting dirty, we are Cobra owners.

Let's open this up, get some more people involved, and eliminate the "mystery" and "secrets" of the Fling.

Ed, you are very much appreciated here, but let us do more than say "Thanks" - Let us do this with you. Let this be a group effort. It will be easier on you and it will be more fun for everyone.

Best...
JP

[LateApex]

Were the fish biting in Mexico or Costa Rica a month ago? I am always a season early or too late. I need to learn how to take off.

[Dominik]

Hi!

Dominik

[clayfoushee]

VERY WELL EXPRESSED JP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The mystery is NOT GOOD, and the help would make it even better. The lack of any feedback from the CF Foundation didn't make many feel very warm and fuzzy after this last go around.

I'm sorry I missed III, heard nothing but good things about it, and that's why I went to IV. I had a great time and your efforts were greatly appreciated (yes we remember the Columbus-area sniper), but I think it's time for others to contribute, because we like what you started, Ed.

[Hotfingrs]

Thanks for posting DV, glad to know that you're still alive and well. I don't know how the Fling can get any better, but I'm sure with a whole year to plan, this time, you'll think of something......

[mrmustang]

DV,

As usual, any assistance we can provide, just ask.


Sincerely,

Bill S. & Family

[CobraDan]

I don't care if you tie it into the Strawberries or not as they never seem to have any Strawberries anyway. I've been to all four Spring Flings and just needed your input to see if I was headed for Ohio come June as I don't need Ohio come winter. Do you have the actual dates so I can fill in my 2005 calandar? Thanks for responding Ed.
Dan

[Double Venom]

Mid-O,
Absolutely no offense taken. How ever "the Combs' family" has more help and support than I can ever thank. I have posted this many, many times. We have had help from California to Florida and we use what we can.

The Fling is the Fling. If someone else wants to come forward and hold their own Cobra get together somewhere else in the country, I'm all for it! The bottom line is people can't come to London/Columbus to help organize, meet with all the restaurant owners, the businessmen involved, let alone all the City entities that are involved. Even you, as relatively close to us as you are couldn't take two or three days off of work every other week or so to attend all the meetings. Well, maybe you could.

What we do need are people coast to coast to coast to talk about the event, contact potential sponsors, knock on doors, and have their own fundraisers of whatever type they can think of. Contact their own kit manufacturer, insist they come to the Fling and be represented.

The most active and fortunately local guys that are with us almost at every step are Frank and Rick. Even they have a hard time keeping up with their work schedule.

I have very seriously thought about having a "diary" if you will concerning the Fling so everyone can keep up to date on a true daily/weekly basis. The reason I haven't done it is because guys wont read the whole thing, they will pick out excerpts and go with it, only to have it changed the same day or within days. I know of no other event where this is done. Car events, Carlisle, SEMA, etc. only give you a date and place to show up.

Along with the huge amount of time it would require to do this, I'm afraid it would simply cause utter confusion among the masses. Just for example, we worked over three weeks on the above mentioned airport event. Meetings were held, countless phone conversations, food vendors were in place, safety crews were recruited, parking and transportation services were notified, only to get a phone call late on a Friday afternoon that 'The Corporation', (not the General Manager of the facility) came into play and cancelled everything.

However I don't have to be told that "we" are a very special group! As always I will do what the majority of our Cobra Family wants to do. Period. This IS NOT my event it is yours.

Questions that I ask every year--do we open this special event up to different groups of cars? The Viper clubs have shown more than a basic interest in joining us. The MG club of America wants to do the same. Should we open it up for others to join us? If we do, they will of course have their own section(s). Much to debate here and organization will be paramount.

The wonderful vendors that have come on board, almost all Cobra related, are in a quandary. Do we turn the event into a combined event? Open it up to all kinds of Cobra people, from CobraDan to guys that build and sell trailers? The City of London surely wants us to! But think about the problems for these guys. They only get one true day to show off their wares. Off course they are with us all three days, but they no sooner get set up and it's time to move on!

Do we change the Fling in such a way that we make our home port of London a full three day event, with everything based from there? All the events would still take place as usual.

A picnic...who would have thought "WE” would be where we're at in only four short years?

Back to the part about accepting more help...JP or anyone else come on down! Right now we need someone to track down a really great area for a great autocross event.

The questions that I have now are,
Do we keep our Picnic at the hotels under the tent, or should we go back to a Hall/Lodge?

Do we open it up to other car clubs? If so, how many and which ones? Ford, Vipers, Vettes, whatever?

Do we take over the entire downtown of London, forgoing the Strawberry festival?

Do we combine the Fling as a huge "Vendor" show as well as our Cobra picnic?

ANY other suggestions?

DV...

[OhBuoy]

DV,

Here are my thoughts on your questions (and only my thoughts).

1) I did not make the lodge for III, so am only going by what I heard. I do not know that the Lodge is large enough, however, I think a lot was lost on the tents. I do not know that there was ample opportunity to see the items that were up for auction. I do not think the group was contained to get interest in the auction. I think the poker games were being rounded up. Compared to the previous year, I got a steal on the quilt that I won. I really wanted the print that I was bidding on, but it was obvious that the other bidder and I were just bidding it up, and I was going to see a near death experience if I won any higher than where I stopped. It was okay for me to spend that on the quilt, but not on a Cobra print, go figure. I think the picnic gave the kids an opportunity to work off some steam, but I think we need to get an idea of the kids and age groups so that we can do something more structured. My wife kind of took over the kids at the picnic. They wung it, but it was not easy. There were other kids there that could have been playing, but I think when I approached them or their parents, there was some hesitancy. This is a family event.

I vote no for other car clubs. Cobras, GT40s and Daytonas are my vote. Maybe other cars of the era, but I think there are enough other shows for kit cars (Carlisle, Run and Gun), and regular cars.

I think that the Strawberry Festival gives the wives and children something to do. If it is not there, I think we need food vendors, some amusements and maybe some small vendors.

I think the City of London has shown hospitality that we would not find elsewhere. It is my fist choice for this event.

The Cobra family is a large part of this event, along with the fund raising. I think we all want to see vendors. I do not think we want to be dominated by vendors, but we certainly want to see their wares and probably make some purchases. Bring in the manufacturers (I am going to put a huge push on B&B), bring in the parts guys, bring in some engine guys, bring in the small vendors, bring in some trailer guys (Serpant Express, Trailex, the other aluminum trailer guy that was there). Get us some "SHow Specials", but do not center it on vendors. Center it on poker runs, picnics, putting new ashpalt on main street, a long parade to the state park. (What are the logisitics of staging at the WalMart as opposed to the Speedway, as there seems to be two seperate gatherings and waitings on the morning of the parades). In addition to the runs down main street, can we bring back the "Normal rides" in town for those that do not feel comfortable doing drags (yeah, there are a few). Besides, I enjoyed the rides I gave at the State Park (PS, someone please remind me next year that I need to give my wife and son a ride as well!, the dog house is not so comfortable these days).

I think opening our hearts to Charity is key as well. We may not raise as much as in the past, but whatever we raise, it is for a good cause. And there is that ultimate show of support as well!

We need to get news coverage!!! Those groups that are heading out together from far away, how about getting the local channels to show your cars leaving on the morning news? "Expect delays on I-80 this morning because there will be plenty of gawkers looking at this fine group of cars heading for London, Ohio"

We need other venues of advertisement as well. Beleive it or not, there are Cobra owners out there that have not heard of either of the two major forums. Yes, they are few and far between, but they are out there. How do we get them to Ohio without spending alot of cash? Let's get the vendors to send post cards to their customers and potential customers. Maybe they can give a discount on the registration.

If you want any more input, let me know,
Tom

[Turk]

Since most help available is scatterred all over the country, bulk of the footwork that needs to be done still falls on the shoulders of Ed. Since Ed no longer lives in the area, why not take the Fling to Ed's new home.
Let's go yo Minnesota, and make it a true International event. This way all the Canadians can attend also.

The event has gotten so big, Jenny is now only a footnote. If the intent is to grow it bigger and bigger, why limit it to MG and Vipers.

I would open it to Ford, Chrysler and Chevrolet. That way it would be so big, all three networks would cover it. I had a hand in bringing ERA to one of these events. I may set my goals higher for such an event in the future if it was only big enough. I am thinking asking Shelby folks and possibly General Motors next time.

This would take a lot more planning, and lot more resources. It would be big enough you could have many raffles, and many bands playing. Picnic would be nice too. Wether has to be a consideration if we are going to go that far North.

We could probably do some ice fishing and hunting also. How about a ferris wheel for the kids?

TURK

[Hotfingrs]

The Fling is the Fling.....keep it as is and what it was meant for. Cobras, Daytonas and GT40s only. Bring on the vendors, or anyone with a decent product. If other clubs are so interested, then let them organize their own event. I personally liked the lodge, but also feel we have probably outgrown it, or damn close. I've got no problem posting a date and saying show up, I know there will be events for the three days....who really cares what they are....I think most are there for the comraderie and the partying in the parking lots. DV you know what kind of schedule I work, so any help you need, say the word.

[MidOHasp]

Turk...