Carolina Lotus Club

[talon]

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com

Not anywhere near as in-depth as this site, but a good place for the locals to arrange events and meetings.

[talon]

I think it's safe to say that the first Carolina Lotus Owners Community meeting was an unqualified success. Despite the threat of torrential rain and severe thunderstorms, we managed to get 16 cars and 26 or so people to show up. Lunch was great, but the drive was even better.

We ended up with

5 Elises
5 Esprits
Ferrari Testerossa
Acura NSX
MG
350z
A real Mini
and well, a Saab (sorry Carolina!)


Pics are located here http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;cat=3

[WayneB]

I'm afraid the link for the pics isn't working.

[talon]

Oops - fixed it. Thanks for the heads up

[GregWO]

Wow, What a great turnout! Looks like fun.:thumbup:

[Martin]

That is great even if the weather had been good.
Thanks for the pics!

...did you tell anyone about Lotus Buzz?

[talon]

I believe most of the people that showed up are members already, but I did mention it to a couple folks!

[Martin]

Excellent! Couldn't ask for more! :thumbup:

[Martin]

I love those wheels.


http://www.shand.us/carolinacarclubs/forum/gallery/1_16_03_08_6_48_15.jpg

[talon]

Don't forget The Gathering is next week, the 19th. Details, links to registration, and convoy times / routes can be found here:

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php/topic,82.0.html

[Martin]

Sorry but we already have something that weekend here in Georgia.

http://www.lotusbuzz.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7897#post7897

[Brian Skeoch]

Great pics too...great turn out indeed. good job.

[talon]

Wait till you see the pics from the upcoming weekend :) I managed to get our own judging class created - and since we are all arriving at once, I imagine we will be the loudest group of cars in the joint :)

[Martin]

Especially if you are up against some Boxsters. :corkysm43:

[talon]

It's nothing but british cars, so we've got it in the bag :)

[Martin]

Don't forget The Gathering is next week, the 19th. Details, links to registration, and convoy times / routes can be found here:

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php/topic,82.0.html

Talon, do you have any pictures of the event that you could share?

[talon]

http://i29.tinypic.com/1692451.jpg
http://i29.tinypic.com/21kjb80.jpg
http://i29.tinypic.com/2wefhio.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/2w6c9hg.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/mlm6q1.jpg
http://i26.tinypic.com/sevj0w.jpg
http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG1.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG2.jpg

[talon]

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG3.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG4.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG5.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG6.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG7.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG8.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG9.jpg

http://triadcorvetteclub.com/Burple_X/Photos/Lotus/TG10.jpg

[Brian Skeoch]

my gosh..... what great pictures....

thanks for sharing.

[Martin]

That is a great location!
How many Loti did you have?

Is that blue classic a Healey?

[talon]

I believe I managed to get 15 cars there all told. It was a great turnout.

[Martin]

Is that you with the California car duster?

[Brian Skeoch]

You have a bigger turn out than the GA Lotus club get togethers. we used to get a bunch of people but now days it just doesnt happen that way.

we need to stimulate attendance to the GA gatherings.

[Martin]

Brian, I'm working on it! :icon18:

[Autocross7]

At least you guys have some other owners. Here I am the only Esprit that i am aware of. There is an Elise, but the guy that owns it never turns up anyplace and I have heard that he almost never drives it. Mostly our group is very small and a mixed lot of (actually fun and cool) Ferrari drivers, Porsche, DeLorean, and a Noble...

Cameron

[Brian Skeoch]

Cameron. The Alabama Lotus club is pretty significant. Mike Pierce owns a M100 and leads the Alabama club. Louis Wasson owns a G type Esprit and Phil Harbison owns 2 Esprit's.

Brian

[Autocross7]

I am fairly sure that most if not all of them are Birmingham or Huntzville area owners... I usually see a good number of Lotus cars grouped up together at Barber when I go to the race there (far more than ALMS last year)... but I have never seen another one in my part of the state.

Cameron

[Brian Skeoch]

" nobody, I mean nobody makes Sheriff Buford T Justice look like a monkey's butt "

[Brian Skeoch]

I am looking forward to British car day.. I am hoping somehow I can get away for that. My mom will be in town and its my anniversary so I pretty much know I am screwed but I may get a waive through if I am nice ..

[talon]

Yep, thats me in the green Lotus hat using the duster. So far, our turnouts have been great. At every event we have drawn people from as far away as Raleigh or Columbia, SC. Our May event is open to all makes, so I expect many more cars or both the Lotus and 'other' variety

[talon]

The groups around here seem to 'cross pollinate' pretty well...

http://www.shand.us/images/lotus/curtisparty042608/IMAG0071.jpg

In deference to all the fezbo's and lambo's aI thought I would make it a point to show up with the most horsepower. Hence the boat in the background :)

http://www.shand.us/images/lotus/curtisparty042608/IMAG0068.jpg

[Mark B.]

Nice pics Talon :). You wouldn't want to select the wrong gear!

[talon]

We actually ended up using chocks on one of the Testarossa's as the handbrake failed while it was being parked :)

[Martin]

Wow, that is an amazing GTG. That does look a little precarious so close to the water but it also makes the pic that much more stunning.
Only 1 lotus? :crying:

[talon]

I brought the boat, which had more horsepower and more crowd appeal anyway :)

Actually - it was an event primarily organized by the local Ferrari group, so everything else was pretty much a (welcome) party crasher.

[Kylie]

Really nice pics Talon. How big is that Lake I wonder if its like our Lake Taupo. Its massive and got its own fresh water boating community so be interesting. :)

[Martin]

I recognize the 348 with all of the race gear. He shows up for a lot of events down here in the Atlanta area.

[talon]

Really nice pics Talon. How big is that Lake I wonder if its like our Lake Taupo. Its massive and got its own fresh water boating community so be interesting. :)


The lake is 32,000 acres with about 550 miles of shoreline. there is a large community of boaters. In fact Lake Norman holds the Guiness world record for most boats rafted (tied) together at one time - well over 1400.

http://www.boatinglife.com/article_content.jsp?ID=44459

[talon]

I recognize the 348 with all of the race gear. He shows up for a lot of events down here in the Atlanta area.



You've probably seen quite a few of those cars down there. I know several of them went down for Mitty...

[talon]

Pics from our latest fundraiser (up in Raleigh). My Lotus took first place in the judging.

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;cat=7

[Brian Skeoch]

Nice.

[talon]

Thanks. This one is my favorite. My license plate makes the shot :)

http://www.shand.us/carolinacarclubs/forum/gallery/0/1_20_05_08_9_33_31_4.jpg

[GregWO]

Priceless!!! Nice Shot :thumbup:

[Martin]

Awesome!!!
Looks like you guys are good at getting together and enjoying your cars.
I hope everyone starts to post their events like you do.

[talon]

I am currently organizing at least once get together a month usually more. We set them up so that we cover different areas in North and South Carolina. I've got a little surprise planned for next month :)

[Brian Skeoch]

Brilliant work... good job.

[talon]

If anybody is interested, we are taking about 15 cars up to the mountains this weekend for a drive and lunch. Either PM me or check this thread

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php/topic,195.0.html

[Martin]

Would love to but I'm doing a BBQ at the house, you guys want to swing by ;)

[talon]

I'm not sure you would want this bunch of cavepeople invading your house ;-)

[Martin]

Hey, if you guys are willing to make the drive....the least I could do is feed you and provide some beer :)

[talon]

and provide some beer :)


We'll be right over...


http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa296/bonnieg33/drunks.jpg

[Kylie]

The groups around here seem to 'cross pollinate' pretty well...



Regarding your car groups, that is great to see. The Ferrari/Astin/Lambo/Porsche Clubs here are so up their own @#&* its not funny. You will always get twits and genuine enthsiasts in every club, but
there is a feeling of compeitiion to have the newest and latest model out. We have had several Ferrari & Lambo owners quit to join the Lotus Club to get away from this kind of scene. It is a shame but good news for Lotus Clubs.

[Martin]

We'll be right over...

It's not his fault, the chair is clearly defective. :)

Regarding your car groups, that is great to see. The Ferrari/Astin/Lambo/Porsche Clubs here are so up their own @#&* its not funny. You will always get twits and genuine enthsiasts in every club, but
there is a feeling of compeitiion to have the newest and latest model out. We have had several Ferrari & Lambo owners quit to join the Lotus Club to get away from this kind of scene. It is a shame but good news for Lotus Clubs.

Thats the truth, you get all kinds but it does seem that some car clubs get more of one kind than the other. At least from my experience, Lotus does a good job of getting level headed enthusiasts into the club. I would have to guess that a big part of it is that people who buy Lotus cars buy them due to passion of the marque and/or performance for dollar. This generally weeds out people highly focused on image or "one-up-manship".

[talon]

We've been really lucky. The club I run is not marque centric, although it is predominately Lotus at this point. We have everything from Lambo's and Bentley's to MG's. We focus more on driving the cars, showing the cars, and participating in charity events than one-up-manship. I attend several of the other local marque specific clubs events, and they are usually just as happy to have me as I am to have them. Case in point - check out this pic of the Esprit at an All Italia event. They didn't place the Lotus in the show, but put me right at the enterance.

http://www.shand.us/images/lotus/motariitaliani/DSC02128.JPG

[Autocross7]

Regarding your car groups, that is great to see. The Ferrari/Astin/Lambo/Porsche Clubs here are so up their own @#&* its not funny. You will always get twits and genuine enthsiasts in every club, but
there is a feeling of compeitiion to have the newest and latest model out. We have had several Ferrari & Lambo owners quit to join the Lotus Club to get away from this kind of scene. It is a shame but good news for Lotus Clubs.

We are the same way here... a good mix. There is a small group here, but a fun group, that mixes really well and we really do not get into the attitudes that seem to fly around in some of the other car clubs and groups. Most of us really like our cars, but we like the others as well. it is all in good fun. Besides, I like getting out and seeing the Porsches, Ferraris, and Nobles too...

Cameron

[talon]

http://www.shand.us/carolinacarclubs/forum/gallery/0/45_01_06_08_6_53_55_4.jpg

More pics here (we'll be adding throughout the day)

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/inde...n=gallery;cat=8 (http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;cat=8)

Squirrel Spur was simply incredible.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f6dPD9_iHl8

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-IJAgl7EB3c (my favorite!)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E3ZwxZv-cWg

[Martin]

You guys certainly know how to live it up!!!!

Squirrel Spur...I thought at first it was a video of a squirrel getting hit by a Lotus....weird, I know. :confused:

[talon]

JUNE EVENT DETAILS!!!

When - June 21 2008 12:00 Noon
Where - Velocity Auto Couture
2905 Westinghouse Blvd Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28273

We are still working out details, but Velocity has very generously agreed to open their doors to us on the 21st for a BBQ and a drive. This is already looking like it will be our best event yet as we will get to tour their facility, eat, AND take a drive, so please block the date off in your calendar - it promises to be a great time. A special thanks goes out to the Velocity crew for all their support in pulling this together.

Hopefully their location in south Charlotte will be geographically centered to allow our SC crew and NC crew to mingle a bit.

*update*
OK, we will meet at noon to tour the shop and eat. We'll then go on a drive - probably towards Crowders Mountain. I'll need everybody to RSVP so I can plan on the amount of food we need to buy. Burgers, dogs, chips and drinks will be provided. We are going to ask everybody to bring a side dish (last name begins with A-M) or dessert (last name N-Z) if at all possible. Thanks!!!

Please RSVP in this thread
http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php/topic,259.0.html

[talon]

Just a reminder to try and get out this weekend. We have 12 confirmed cars and expect several more late additions. It promises to be a great time!

[Brian Skeoch]

great work Talon. I wished you were just a tad bit closer...

you guys have great events. Congrats ..

Brian

[talon]

awww schucks... yer gonna make me blush :)

[talon]

Pictures are up! What a great turnout...

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;cat=9


I should probably point out this incredible shot depicting a new use for the spoiler on a V8 :)

http://www.carolinacarclubs.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=218

[Kylie]

Nice one Talon! Ive been using my tea tray as well they come in handy for outings to put things on. You must remember to bring the white table cloth next time. :thumbup:

[Martin]

Looks great, we certainly have to find a time for the GA club to meet the SC club. Soon....very soon.:)

[talon]

Yep. we had about 13 cars show up.


We definitely need to get something planned.