Boy, some incentive to get my Acadian done in time....

Send POCI an E-mail at their website and ask 'em.... no demand recognition!!! I've never been to a convention, so they may already have a Canadian Poncho section. So i'm likely stirring an empty pot.

That is the same weekend as The Can Am Chevelle and Beaumont Club show in Grand Island, NY. 
 
 
 

I've been to 6 POCI conventions, displaying my 2+2's in the 2+2 class in Popular Vote at 5 of them.  I've been fortunate enough to win 3rd place in my class in Minnesota 2001, 2nd place in St. Louis 2002, 1st place in California 2006 & South Dakota 2008.  (If I would have been thinking, I would have grabbed cdn2plus2's ballot in St. Louis as he left before the big show day.  Maybe I could have taken 1st place then).  Full size Canadian Pontiacs (Laurentians, Parisienne's, etc) would go into their year class, Beaumonts would likely be put in with the Tempest's and LeMans'.  Not sure where they'd put Acadian's.  Station Wagons go in the Station Wagon class.  All of the above info is for "Popular Vote" category.  If you go "Points Judged", there are no classes, your car is judged against the score sheet.  Fortunatly, the "Points Judged" judges don't know much about Canadian Pontiac's, so they don't know what's right and what's wrong.

I really encourage those of you out east (especially those in the golden horseshoe area, it's only an 8 hour drive) to go, you'll see some fantastic cars, and meet some good folks.  And you can proudly display your cars to a new group of people who have never seen a "Canadian Pontiac", built by GM of Canada, not the Pontiac Motor Division of GM.

The 2008 show in Spearfish SD was smaller than usual, and to be honest the convention wasn't up to POCI's usual standard.  The convention was originally to be in the Detroit area to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Oakland (the predecessor to Pontiac), but the host committee had to pull out.  So a convention was set up, and while they did the best they could, it was missing the little things.  I expect Dayton to be very well organized, and likely to see up to 500 cars.

For 2006 in California, We had 5 cars make the trip down from Alberta (4 Calgary, 1 Edmonton), we all won trophies.  Fortunately we were all in different classes, so we all voted for each other.

My first POCI show was Grand Rapids Michigan in 2000, I had no idea what it would be like.  I had previously talked to Astro Jet on the phone, and I thought he might be there.  I drove my low mileage 70 350 2+2 hardtop across the prairies, and took the ferry across Lake Michigan.  I met a 65 2+2 owner at the ferry terminal, and we've been pals since.  Astro Jet spotted my car in the parking lot (which is like a car show in itself for a few days prior to the actual show), and I also parked beside Cdn2Pls2 in the lot one day (the day I had my protect-o-plate on the dash, and the raised lettering on the dymo tape sunk back down because of the heat - it tooke me a while to figure out how to get that replaced).  I attended some of the seminars, but it was tough being inside watching slides as there were so many nice cars in the parking lot.

For show day, there were 9 cars in the 2+2 class, including the dentists 69 427 4 speed, Cdn2Pls2's 69 350, and Big John's loaded 70 454.  I thought I would never win a trophy, as the other cars were gorgeous.  The next year, with the field reduced to 5 cars, I was fortunate enough to win a trophy.  I don't go just to win a trophy, but it's an nice bonus. 

The Grand Rapids show had lots of cars, with good representation in most classes.  It was also the last time the "Points Judged" judging was the same day as "Popular Vote".  They now do the "Points Judged" cars the day before.  I think Dayton will be a bigger show than Grand Rapids, and again good representation in most classes.

And yes, for those who know me, I got a speeding ticket in Saskatchewan on my way back from Grand Rapids 2000, and one in N Dakota on the way to Minnesota 2001. 

If you go, to avoid any confusion about semi-modified, etc, take a copy of your build sheet from Oshawa.  We're fortunate to have that service at our fingertips.

-- Edited by seventy2plus2 at 20:14, 2008-10-31

For you western guys, one of the shortest routes would be through here on your way there. Better than going south and going through the US. That is one boring drive down there...

Hmmm, a mini Canadian Poncho gathering at Carl's next summer?????

That would be like a 2 week vacation for me, LOL, not that I couldn't use it but it would be a lot of drivin. Especially in a unfinished part Canadian and part US car, LOL. They wouldn't like it down there. Would be neat to go though.