We are in 2001 (if you have not notice it yet) and, nobody has mentioned anything about the Mercedes Shop "gathering" for the Benzmac's MB Autowerks Grand Opening in June 2001. It is only 5 months away. Is it still a GO? Comments, anybody??????

I think I speak for most Canadian Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts when I say, ROAD TRIP!!!

Somehow, I think I missed something. I remember a few months back a long thread and there was mention of a the grand opening in April. Is it June now? Is there an exact date set yet? Will there be any oil change wars, if so I insist that all guns are unloaded and on the table, or taken by the sheriff at the door.

I'm really looking forward to it. My worry is that it seems like every time there is something that I really want to attend, something comes up.

Looking for that exact date,

Larry:

The page http://www.peachparts.com/mbautowerks/mbautowerks.htm shows an opening date in June. I would like to see the team that does this site, but it would be a looong drive alone. We will have to see how much interest is out there.

JCE -

Might not be a bad idea to pair up here in California, scoot to Dallas to pick up Larry and head to Georgia from there....

Sounds good to me. Now, I have to decide what to drive. You know sort of like my wife trying to figure out what to wear.

I would expect that since this is the day of the cellular phone, we could manage to synchronize our schedules well enough for me to take the 240D assuming it is back together by then. Here's the need for the phone. Call ahead so I can make it to the entrance ramp about fifteen minutes before you get to that point. Then call about six minutes before your passing that entrance ramp. That gives me the six minutes I'll need to get it up to speed so that you don't just blow right by me. After that, you can throw me a tow line if I can't keep up.

Seriously though I'm looking forward to it. If you get Mike Tangas to escort you, that'll give you the visa you need to make it across Texas with California plates without finding yourself in Judge Roy Beans jail. I would imagine that Mike's Aggie status would work for the purpose. Being a lawman, he might have some pull with Judge Bean as well.

I'm looking forward to June.

Georgia or bust,

David:

That would work for me - more civilized to do the Race Across America in an MB instead of on an 18 lb. road bike! :D From the Santa Monica Pier to Atlanta in 30 hours :eek: ! Maybe just a leeetle bit more leisurely than that.

We were held up a little with land permits, but they are out there digging! It WILL be in Early june or late MAY. I hope May. Thanks for asking! I can't wait for this!

We may have to rent the lot next door to fit all of the Mercedes!

We are building a 10 bay, 9,100sq ft shop with alignment, dyno (later, when we have the money),full A/C, and full detail bay. Bill and I have been working on this non stop forever.........Now it is under way.

Would be a hell of an advertisement, a shot of MB Autowerks in the background, with hundreds of benzes from all over the country, parts of canada, mexico, etc. hehe

What an ad.

"People come from all over to get the service you have just around the corner!"

A Great local ad if ya ask me. :)

If I can make it I'll come. If not for a great time, just to have benzmac give the car a good thorough service. :) hehe

Alon

This is cracking me up. My wife was just wondering why I was laughing like a hyena in here. This thing is taking on a life of its own.

JCE - Just so you know, I'm old enough that the steel between my legs weighs a sedate 23 pounds (the only titanium or aluminum on my ride is right underneath my prostate) and doesn't spend much time in excess of that number in miles per hour on average. I might be able to do a RAAM, but only as part of a team.

Anyway, I think the whole thing would be too hysterical to soon forget.

I sure look forward to meeting all of you. My ride should be less stressful than most, as I'm only 45 minutes away. Benzmac, I leave you with this line from Field of Dreams-" If you build it, they will come. They may have a hard time deciding what to drive, but, they will come.

Ken Yancey

Grand Opening & Mercedes Meet
 

the idea of some kind of special event or gathering really sounds GREAT!! bill & donnie please keep us informed.

i think there would [will] be a large turnout. like one member was saying it would maybe be one hell of a living, breathing,walking,talking,car-kissing ADVERTISEMENT!!

whatever you decide to do, i'm sure will be a BIG success!!

THANK YOU for this web-site, and all the help & care & concern, and regard for all of us.

mercedes shop [for me]is a most addicting website!

looking forward to a party in your town...

Larry, don't forget to bring oil & filter!
 

Either by the time you get there, or on the way back, you will have logged 3000 miles! :D
That, or there will be one helluva long line for the Oilchange bay!!! :D Geeez, I'd like to get a pic of that! Imagine a long line of MB's around the block, just waiting to get in...what a headturner that would be. People will probably think its a car show, and wonder where the band is. :D

-Larry (who will probably be ready for an oil change too! :))

David:

Glad to hear about the slow avg. speed! We can occupy the time not spent talking about MBs by swapping lies about the '4 hour centuries' we used to do twice a week on our Columbus or Reynolds tubed machines back in the '60s and '70s, and how it is only maturity and the knowledge that we have nothing left to prove that has slowed us down. (Hope you have a BIG shovel in your travel kit!)

BTW, about the only time my road bike goes over 20mph any more is down hill, where I can capitalize on my unfortunately increased potential energy (PE=mass*gravity*height), or with a stiff tail wind where my superior "sail area" gives me an advantage!
I figure if we don't drive non-stop :eek: , it will be 4 or 5 days each way. My brain thinks it is 20, and can do non-stop. My body admits to about 35 more years than the brain, and has reservations about this. The two usually work out some sort of compromise, mediated by coffee and advil.

Maybe Ashman will want to ride/drive too. If he wants to convoy instead of ride, we can tell long jokes over Motorola handsets, or complain to each other about our cell services not forwarding text messages in roam areas! Of course, we could always just ship the cars to Atlanta, fly there in one day, then brag about our 90 MPH average speed through 7 states with no tickets! Only downside, we wouldn't be able to link up with Larry Bible in Dallas and the story would fall apart.

This is going to be Fun!





[Edited by JCE on 01-10-2001 at 01:22 AM]

Larry B,

I'd be glad to escort all the Californios across the the Great State of Texas, as long as I can use one of these...

http://www.pe.net/~mktangas/w210pd.jpg

Color scheme is just about correct, stripe should be a little narrower, but it'll do (but do I hafta use the "Euro siren?).

Unfortunately, I have to schedule my leave by Jan 1, so I've kind of spread it around. Hopefully the opening event will fall somewhere in the general vicinity of at least one of my scheduled leave periods. A little more catch up on the maintenance that had been neglected for so long, and I'd have no qualms about a cross country run.
There should even be enough time for Larry to take possession of a car carrier (MB tractor of course), that way he can bring the entire fleet :D.