Million Dollar Cars

Hi DOES200,
I couldn't find Matt Stone in the POCA Membership Directory 2005. He was indeed the TLC's Comentator, and TLC is the same TV Network that produces "Rides." I didn't know he was 'one of our own,' but you did. Maybe you can ask for his help in a project I'm spearheading to get "Rides" to film the 2005 PCNC Track Event. I don't know why I'm the one spearheading this project, but I can tell you I've received the blessings and encouragement from both POCA and Pantera International.

So, I'm thinking, maybe I'll just ask DOES200 to forward a copy of the exact 'pitch' I proposed to Discovery Channel, corporate parent of The Learning Channel, TLC. If you'll just post a reply in the next few days, with your e-mail address, in this Topic, I'll forward an exact copy of the letter and I'll follow up within 24 hours with the attachments I afixed to the letter. Then you can forward it to Matt Stone, or whoever he suggests. The beauty is, this e-mail stuff copies real easily, so they can forward to the right folks with the greatest of ease. It'll take very little effort to get at least twice the statistical odds to get the "Rides" film cameras rolling at 2005 PCNC Track Event "Vegas" and shown on TV next season. That will be a hit. A big hit! And you can help increase the odd 100%, DOES200.

I'll maybe see you there, I registered with POCA/PCNC and have reservations at The Orleans Hotel and Casino, like everybody going so far.

Hey, since it's Vegas, maybe someone should ask the folks at The Orleans Hotel and Casino to Make-Book on whether "Rides" will show up. I'll bet $50 they will. And if you follow up with Matt Stone, DOES200, you should place a few dollars on the bet at The Orleans Hotel and Casino, too! Now that's funny, betting on whether it gets on TV! Great odds in the beginning!
VFI

In a nutshell, Matt Stone got his editorial start as the editor of POCA Profiles. He used to own a Pantera and a Longchamps, which is why he's described as being "one of ours". He had to give up the Profiles job when he was hired by Motor Trend, but he's our mole in the Automotive world!

Thanks for the background info. Mike Drew sent me an e-mail with his contact info. I'll forward the 'pitch' for the "Rides" program this evening. Everybody thinks its a great idea, and I wish Ford Corporate would send out a new Ford GT to go around the track with us, too. VFI

Charlie is right. Only us old timers know the old days of Matt Stone...where's my cane & walker?

Matt Stone got back to me and I relayed the 'pitch' to him for fowarding to the producer of "Rides" which he agreed to do. I think there's shot at this happening. Of course, why else would I do this effort, and other must believe so too, or else why did they make efforts? It'll happen, and we'll all remember it, or if we get old and forgetful, we can pop in our VCR tapes and get a visual reminder!

Either way, I have to go fast around a road course pretty soon. I had to get bifocals this year, humblimg thing....

Thanks for the help, to all, and DOES200, hope to see that burgandy show Pantera at Vegas, even if you trailer it in. I'm driving my Pantera, so I hope it's smooth running, with no tickets!

See you there, hopefully, hate to appear by telephone from an automotive repair shop in a remote town somewhere....

VFI, thanks for being proactive and making the effort. I hope your efforts pay off. Some of us are just too old and tired to really get into promotion, publicity and marketing. This is why we have adrenalin cars. If Rides happens to be interested in some filming pre Vegas I am avaliable & maybe Dave would have interest too with PI and all.

If "Rides" goes for it, I'm sure I'll remember it for a lifetime, and I'm sure a lot more people will get there. It's a little effort to prep up the car while it's still cold, plus 10 or so hours each way. Being there will be an adrenaline rush, without a trip to jail in handcuffs for seeing what my car will do. If "Rides" goes for it, I'm sure they'll shoot footage from other locations as well, it's all out of my control. I'm just trying to do the pitch better, like how many millions of others want to turn on their TV and see the same thing. So, I'm just saying it, out loud.

No one has to 'pitch' this idea. Hey, I'm tired too, but I went to a funeral last Thursday, and the guy was only five years older than me. This happened and it shocked me again, as it sometimes does. So I say, I'm going to look at this as the glass is half full, right? I say, I'm going to live the best life I can, and my adrenaline car is an outlet for fun in my life. When my time comes, at my funeral, I want them to show an hour video of "Rides" and watch me have fun, really live life, and say, he really made an effort to get that show produced, exercised all his influential talents, and there he is, on TV, hauling a.., right there in his Pantera on TV, because he wanted it to happen. Then, my life was about making effort and rewarding myself for the achievement. So, I said to myself: Go for it, live life the way you want to, the best way you can. You'll be surprised how things can happen, if you make the effort. I am not going to be depressed about some bifocals, or a cane and walker. I'll watch the video, and do something else that's cool to do. That's the way it has to be.

And if Bud wants to do an Episode on "Overhaulin'" and likes Pantera's because they get great viewership, then I'll slip a hint to do my Pantera and if it should havebodywork, then do the bodywork like jvs@mig.cc did his. (See page 11, Pantera pics [1], red. I know De Tomaso wasn't making GT5S's in 1972, s/n 2200.) But I am not into bodywork, I'm into tricked out technology, handling, top speed, braking, lateral G-force, acceleration and performance. I'll be surprised, and that's a fact, if that happens.

Nobody's got to get into the project with me, I'm just doing it for fun, because I'm bored, because I want to have some fun, and because this is a different thing to do.

No, I'm really doing it because I hope to do a report on the G-Tech meter and want to do a comparison test in three cars with three drivers to compare and show everybody. This means each of us gets to drive two other cars besides their own, we compare the printout graphs on the computer, and thus, I've tricked them into letting me drive a new Ford GT, a 750 horsepower Pantera, and my stock Pantera. Just because it would be fun. And it will be fun, but I'll have fun anyway, even if only the usual crowd shows up. Maybe see you there DOES200, eh? I'm going to try and hook up with some folks coming thru from Georgia, to do the last leg of the journey with them. Four Pantera's, and that'll be fun, too. That's what it's all about....

Am I too pumped up about it? You're supposed to laugh and watch and see, that's all.... Don't worry if it doesn't happen, then they can all laugh at me at Vegas 2005 and I'll be laughing the hardest of all. And I'd like to have a video of that on my VCR, too. Either way!
VFI

See you there, hopefully, hate to appear by telephone from an automotive repair shop in a remote town somewhere....[/QUOTE]

I'd bring you what you need in a heartbeat. I had a friend once that did that for me. Drove a 250+ miles round trip to do it. You might know him.
Great job on the effort VFI.

Thanks, I think everybody knows everybody, or will one day. See everybody there.

quote:

really get into promotion, publicity and marketing

On this subject, can some one call the local Las Vegas TV channels, ask for the news desk and tell them there's going to be some cool footage and cars at the track and they might want to go shoot film, show their viewers, and get the viewers attention. Wow! How do I haul a VCR recorder in my Pantera to record the local TV evening news?

It would be cool if someone sent an e-mail to ESPN and Speed Channel with a picture and links to the event. Promotion, marketing and shooting the bull....

If there's no camera crews at the event, I'll laugh and say it was all a hoax, and and ask them, you didn't fall for all that did you? Everybody getting their car ready?

Two things I'm not going to do at Vegas 2005: hit a wall or blow an engine.

GREAT work, VFI. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Thank you.

Thanks Kevin. There's lots of unsung heroes in our two Pantera clubs. Jack DeRyke has been writing technical articles for many years, answering questions on this BB, and explaining almost everything Pantera to us. Mark, Loyd Butfoy, Dave Adler, Jerry, these guys moderate and sponsor this BB, spending time and money. There's also the POCA people, who put out terrific monthly issues and quarterly magazines, and they never get enough recognition, they too are volunteering time and effort. I'd like to thank John Taphorn POCA President and Bob Benson, PCNC (POCA) President, because these guys never get enough mention and they have volunteered hundreds of times more hours for us than I have. Gary Hall, Steve Wilkinson, Jerry at PI Motorsports, the Byars brothers, these guys and all their staff are always there to answer questions and help us obtain parts, they go through the ups and downs of business cycles, and still maintain inventories of parts year after year so when we need them, they are ready to help. Many of these people were the originators of the two Pantera clubs, that really keep our Pantera's viable as vehicles that can be driven, maintained, serviced and even bought or sold when the time comes. Without this concerted effort by all these folks and many others I neglected to include, it would be nearly impossible for me to own and drive my Pantera, and for us to share our common interest. Am I right when I say that it's fun to talk with each other on this BB about our cars, and that we enjoy each others company when we get together? It's only because of everybody's efforts, and I just wanted to volunteer some effort in a way that I felt comfortable doing and it was just something I was able to do, nothing very complicated about it. Special thanks also go to Does200 and Charlie McCall for sticking around long enough to remember Matt Stone was a POCA reporter, and mention it. Very special thanks also go to Mike L. Drew for contacting me with Matt Stone's e-mail contact info and to Matt Stone for relaying the 'pitch' to Bud Brutsman. We don't know what's going to happen, but we know that we're all making efforts, forming friendships, and having some fun, don't we. Many of us have wanted Pantera's for 34 years, or have had Pantera's for that long. So, we know we will all be around for a while. And that's good to know too. So, like it's always been, when one of us needs some help, and another of us sees he can help, the two just come together naturally and get it done. Lot's of people pitched in to help me deliver a proposal to the folks at "Rides" TV program on TLC, a subsidiary of the Discovery Channel.

There were lots of reasons to do this too. It motivates us to get our Pantera's up to the next level for this event and and other events nationwide, and worldwide, or just for spring and summer cruising around. It delivers a message that there is a place you can go to really hang it all out there with your Italian supercar, hot rod, or whatever you drive, that's sanctioned and legal. It promotes the idea of forming or joining car clubs, and there's lots of reasons to do that, including socializing and learning. There's lots of reasons I decided to go through with the effort, and just do it. And one of the reasons was to just say thanks to all the unsung heroes in our clubs.

I'd like to influence events such that your efforts were finally recognized, and surprise you in a fun way. It's not all up to me, I just made an effort to accomplish a project I had in mind. And Mark Charlton encouraged me, so I though you other guys were being shy, but probably agreed with him, so, thus encouraged, a 'pitch' was delivered. Maybe the 'pitch' was a little more than "suggesting it to them" as Mark mentioned.

Thanks right back to you all, guys. Let's keep doing this and showing others how we do it, and good things will happen. And I think we will all get a big kick out of seeing ourselves on the tube at night, on our couch, and only we will know what really went into it, and it was not just me, by a long shot. It's sort of a mystery to me why it hasn't happened already. Why does everybody always ask: "What kind of car is that?" It's time to tell them, I think!

It's worth it, all the effort of owning and maintaining a Pantera. Get you cars ready for Vegas 2005, and I'll see you there! VFI