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770-207-9570

JP’s Muscle Cars
Investment Quality Vehicles
Restoration – Parts

jpmusclecars.com
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706-367-7107

NuTech Refinishing
Jefferson, Georgia

NuTechSodaBlasting.com
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December 26, 2019 Swap Meet Coordinator

The Eckler’s NE GA Swap Meet Version 2.0 is Saturday, January 11th at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA!

I wanted to get this out earlier in the week, but the weather forecast was a bit sketchy so I waited: Weather for Saturday is going to be PERFECT! So come on out!!! Everyone driving a vintage or enthusiast Truck gets a $10 Eckler’s Gift Certificate this month.Priority Vendor Set-up is 6-7am, and is $30 for all the space you want. Vendor General Admission is 7am and is $20 for all the space you want. Spectator entry is 7am, and is just six bucks.Inside Parking Please park all enthusiast vehicles BEHIND THE GRAND STAND. It’s a constant battle to get the enthusiast vehicles all parked together in a single, condensed space. People DO come to the swap meet specifically to look at the cruise-in cars, so let’s please treat it as a car show and park all the cool stuff together. For those who pay the vendor entry fee and park your vehicles inside, please do NOT park them among the show cars. I’d really like to get the cruise-in thick with cool cars, so please park your new SUV or stock pick-up truck somewhere OTHER than between the bathrooms.Snack Shack! The Pit Stop Café has been the bane of my existence since moving the swap meet to the Atlanta Dragway. The last two managers were a lot better to work with than the previous three, so that’s been good, but the prices they were forced to charge were painful to one and all.But FINALLY, the crew in charge there now is on the same page! Every month they’ve got a special for the swap meet, and it’s reasonably priced. And by “reasonable,” I actually mean exactly that. I don’t know all the prices, but for instance I DO know they’ve knocked the price of a bottle of water down to something we’ll happily pay. A lot of you will remember they used to charge more for one bottle than an entire flat of 24 bottles of water could be had at the gas station just up the street. No more! So please show your appreciation by swinging through and getting a snack or a drink. Dates for Next Year We’ll announced them next month, but it’s pretty much the same it always is: First Saturday of the month, couple 2nd Saturday exceptions to accommodate races at the track, yadda yadda. Always Cool Stuff at Lamar Walden Automotive! I’ve got a pile of stuff I need to take down to Rob and the guys at Lamar Walden Automotive… a ’57 283 block to see if it’ll go .125-over for a 4.00-inch bore/301 ci combo… almost for no other reason than I have a set of NOS Venolia pistons, that block, a forged crank, and a set of double-hump heads I’m tired of tripping over… I’d rather trip once over a complete engine, than thirteen times over all the parts. I’ve also got a ’62-’63 409 block and pair of low-horse heads I need to have checked for cracks: if they’re good, I’ll stash ‘em in the stash, but if they’re not I don’t need the door stops. This month, Rob swapped stack injection for the 2×4 intake on his 409-powered ’33 Willys gasser, and really picked up some power on what was already an incredibly strong 409 drag engine. Shop projects include a front disc conversion on a ’61 Bel-Air, and an LS build in a 2002 Trans Am that included cam and ported heads. A bunch of cars made their way to the chassis dyno this month, including a road-race Corvette. Engine builds were about as all-over-the-board as I’ve ever seen come out of their shop: there was a full-resto 283 for an early Corvette, a stroked 408 LS, an aluminum-headed Pontiac 350, they wrapped up a 350 Olds build, a high-horse Duramax street engine went together with Carillo rods, forged pistons and ported heads, and the 572-inch 409 finally went on the dyno, making 1,050 normally-aspirated horsepower. In between all that, they CNC-ported a bunch of cylinder heads, and restored several intake manifolds. When I called, Rob was finishing recreating the big round ear for a pipe plug on a big block chevy—“Everyone over-tightens it and breaks off the casting” Rob told us. We’ve seen a bunch of intakes go in cracked and broken, and watched as Rob created something from nothing, blended it in to what was there before, and when finished it looked like nothing ever happened. Heck, I’ve had them do it on one of my intakes! 50 years as one of the top engine builders in the South Lamar Walden Automotive is in Doraville, Georgia; (770) 449-0315, lwarob@gmail.comlamarwaldenautomotive.com JPs Muscle CarParts The guys at JP’s Muscle Cars have been busy this month! They’re putting the finishing touches on 57 belair convertible in one bay, and have started a ’64 Chevelle convertible in another, slating it for an LS1, auto trans and lots of goodies. Over there, they’re finishing up a resto-mod ’69 Camaro with an LS and 4L80, backed by a 4-link and coil overs, rack and pinion up front, and a custom interior. And over here, they’re working on one of their own projects: a ’71 Camaro RS with Detroit Speed and Engineering front and rear suspension, 416-cubic inch LS with a T56 6-speed behind it. The interior has the dash and console from a 2019, so it should look pretty cool when it’s all finished. They’ve got a freshly-purchased ’69 Firebird that’s mostly complete, but less running gear, still have a ’65 Impala parts car, and a ’71 Chevelle roller. “Rusty and needing lots of love” and “Rusty but restorable” are the descriptions he included. JP’s Muscle Cars is at 113 Hammond Drive in Monroe, GA: Call (770) 207-9570 or visit their website at www.jpmusclecars.com, or stop by and see them at the swap meet. Mopar A-Body 8 ¾ for sale Anybody need a Mopar A-Body 8 ¾ rear end housing? I’ve got one… It’s a factory housing—I’ve also got a set of backing plates and drums to go with it. Being the narrowest factory rear end, it’d be good to put in a hot rod or even another Altered drag car, but rather than warehouse it for “some day… maybe…” I’d rather see it go to a Mopar guy with an A-Body. Give me a call or shoot me a text at (706) 424-5035 and I’ll deliver it to the swap meet. NuTech I cruised up to NuTech this month and FINALLY picked up the hood, roll bar and rear bumper for Andrew’s ’76 Dodge Power Wagon. I think they’ve only been up there for three or four months… While I was up there, I spied a ’67 or ’68 Firebird body on a rotisserie ready to get blasted, a full set of 8-lug aluminum wheels, another early Bronco frame, and several vintage ‘50s/’60s metal lawn furniture. Later this month I’ll be dropping the factory aluminum wheels from my ’06 Dodge Magnum up there, to have the silver blasted off them prior to being powder coated black. I really don’t like the factory silver wheels on this car, but the black steel cop-car wheels don’t do it for me either… and aftermarket wheels are just ridiculously expensive. But blasting and powder-coating the stock aluminum wheels should strike the perfect compromise for a lot less than new wheels. If you’ve got blasting needs, big or small, car, house or anything else, give them a call. NuTech Soda Blasting, Jefferson, Georgia; (706) 367-8107, or check out their website at www.nutechsodablasting.com Bud’s Garage Coming shows About once a month, Yours Truly gets invited to sit in on Bud’s Garage, and it’s probably one of the funnest things I get to do every month that’s related to the swap meet. Bud and Tim are a blast to hang around. This month, they’ll be talking about Tesla behind the scenes, Kelly Blue Book fall rides (don’t know what that means… guess I’ll have to tune in!), the pros and cons of the new 2020 Z06 Corvette, the 12 best driver cars with Randy Probst, Gear Head Gift Ideas (I wear a size 409 Long, if anybody is curious),  Crate Motors for anything… Electric motors, that is!, and they’ll be Live at the SEMA Show with Colorworks. Tune in every Saturday for insights on the factory offerings, racing, the aftermarket and other good-time nonsense. The Fastest Car-Guy Talk on the Radio! Saturdays, noon-1pm, AM 550/FM 102.9 Last Dates for 2019! Nov 2nd Dec 7th


August 2, 2019 Swap Meet Coordinator

The Eckler’s NE GA Swap Meet is NEXT Saturday, November 2 at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA!

I wanted to get this out earlier in the week, but the weather forecast was a bit sketchy so I waited: Weather for Saturday is going to be PERFECT! So come on out!!! Everyone driving a vintage or enthusiast Ford or Mercury car or truck gets a $10 Eckler’s Gift Certificate this month. Priority Vendor Set-up is 6-7am, and is $30 for all the space you want. Vendor General Admission is 7am and is $20 for all the space you want. Spectator entry is 7am, and is just six bucks. Inside Parking Please park all enthusiast vehicles BEHIND THE GRAND STAND. It’s a constant battle to get the enthusiast vehicles all parked together in a single, condensed space. People DO come to the swap meet specifically to look at the cruise-in cars, so let’s please treat it as a car show and park all the cool stuff together. For those who pay the vendor entry fee and park your vehicles inside, please do NOT park them among the show cars. I’d really like to get the cruise-in thick with cool cars, so please park your new SUV or stock pick-up truck somewhere OTHER than between the bathrooms. Snack Shack! The Pit Stop Café has been the bane of my existence since moving the swap meet to the Atlanta Dragway. The last two managers were a lot better to work with than the previous three, so that’s been good, but the prices they were forced to charge were painful to one and all. But FINALLY, the crew in charge there now is on the same page! Every month they’ve got a special for the swap meet, and it’s reasonably priced. And by “reasonable,” I actually mean exactly that. I don’t know all the prices, but for instance I DO know they’ve knocked the price of a bottle of water down to something we’ll happily pay. A lot of you will remember they used to charge more for one bottle than an entire flat of 24 bottles of water could be had at the gas station just up the street. No more! So please show your appreciation by swinging through and getting a snack or a drink. Dates for Next Year We’ll announced them next month, but it’s pretty much the same it always is: First Saturday of the month, couple 2nd Saturday exceptions to accommodate races at the track, yadda yadda. Always Cool Stuff at Lamar Walden Automotive! I’ve got a pile of stuff I need to take down to Rob and the guys at Lamar Walden Automotive… a ’57 283 block to see if it’ll go .125-over for a 4.00-inch bore/301 ci combo… almost for no other reason than I have a set of NOS Venolia pistons, that block, a forged crank, and a set of double-hump heads I’m tired of tripping over… I’d rather trip once over a complete engine, than thirteen times over all the parts. I’ve also got a ’62-’63 409 block and pair of low-horse heads I need to have checked for cracks: if they’re good, I’ll stash ‘em in the stash, but if they’re not I don’t need the door stops. This month, Rob swapped stack injection for the 2×4 intake on his 409-powered ’33 Willys gasser, and really picked up some power on what was already an incredibly strong 409 drag engine. Shop projects include a front disc conversion on a ’61 Bel-Air, and an LS build in a 2002 Trans Am that included cam and ported heads. A bunch of cars made their way to the chassis dyno this month, including a road-race Corvette. Engine builds were about as all-over-the-board as I’ve ever seen come out of their shop: there was a full-resto 283 for an early Corvette, a stroked 408 LS, an aluminum-headed Pontiac 350, they wrapped up a 350 Olds build, a high-horse Duramax street engine went together with Carillo rods, forged pistons and ported heads, and the 572-inch 409 finally went on the dyno, making 1,050 normally-aspirated horsepower. In between all that, they CNC-ported a bunch of cylinder heads, and restored several intake manifolds. When I called, Rob was finishing recreating the big round ear for a pipe plug on a big block chevy—“Everyone over-tightens it and breaks off the casting” Rob told us. We’ve seen a bunch of intakes go in cracked and broken, and watched as Rob created something from nothing, blended it in to what was there before, and when finished it looked like nothing ever happened. Heck, I’ve had them do it on one of my intakes! 50 years as one of the top engine builders in the South Lamar Walden Automotive is in Doraville, Georgia; (770) 449-0315, lwarob@gmail.comlamarwaldenautomotive.com JPs Muscle CarParts The guys at JP’s Muscle Cars have been busy this month! They’re putting the finishing touches on 57 belair convertible in one bay, and have started a ’64 Chevelle convertible in another, slating it for an LS1, auto trans and lots of goodies. Over there, they’re finishing up a resto-mod ’69 Camaro with an LS and 4L80, backed by a 4-link and coil overs, rack and pinion up front, and a custom interior. And over here, they’re working on one of their own projects: a ’71 Camaro RS with Detroit Speed and Engineering front and rear suspension, 416-cubic inch LS with a T56 6-speed behind it. The interior has the dash and console from a 2019, so it should look pretty cool when it’s all finished. They’ve got a freshly-purchased ’69 Firebird that’s mostly complete, but less running gear, still have a ’65 Impala parts car, and a ’71 Chevelle roller. “Rusty and needing lots of love” and “Rusty but restorable” are the descriptions he included. JP’s Muscle Cars is at 113 Hammond Drive in Monroe, GA: Call (770) 207-9570 or visit their website at www.jpmusclecars.com, or stop by and see them at the swap meet. Mopar A-Body 8 ¾ for sale Anybody need a Mopar A-Body 8 ¾ rear end housing? I’ve got one… It’s a factory housing—I’ve also got a set of backing plates and drums to go with it. Being the narrowest factory rear end, it’d be good to put in a hot rod or even another Altered drag car, but rather than warehouse it for “some day… maybe…” I’d rather see it go to a Mopar guy with an A-Body. Give me a call or shoot me a text at (706) 424-5035 and I’ll deliver it to the swap meet. NuTech I cruised up to NuTech this month and FINALLY picked up the hood, roll bar and rear bumper for Andrew’s ’76 Dodge Power Wagon. I think they’ve only been up there for three or four months… While I was up there, I spied a ’67 or ’68 Firebird body on a rotisserie ready to get blasted, a full set of 8-lug aluminum wheels, another early Bronco frame, and several vintage ‘50s/’60s metal lawn furniture. Later this month I’ll be dropping the factory aluminum wheels from my ’06 Dodge Magnum up there, to have the silver blasted off them prior to being powder coated black. I really don’t like the factory silver wheels on this car, but the black steel cop-car wheels don’t do it for me either… and aftermarket wheels are just ridiculously expensive. But blasting and powder-coating the stock aluminum wheels should strike the perfect compromise for a lot less than new wheels. If you’ve got blasting needs, big or small, car, house or anything else, give them a call. NuTech Soda Blasting, Jefferson, Georgia; (706) 367-8107, or check out their website at www.nutechsodablasting.com Bud’s Garage Coming shows About once a month, Yours Truly gets invited to sit in on Bud’s Garage, and it’s probably one of the funnest things I get to do every month that’s related to the swap meet. Bud and Tim are a blast to hang around. This month, they’ll be talking about Tesla behind the scenes, Kelly Blue Book fall rides (don’t know what that means… guess I’ll have to tune in!), the pros and cons of the new 2020 Z06 Corvette, the 12 best driver cars with Randy Probst, Gear Head Gift Ideas (I wear a size 409 Long, if anybody is curious),  Crate Motors for anything… Electric motors, that is!, and they’ll be Live at the SEMA Show with Colorworks. Tune in every Saturday for insights on the factory offerings, racing, the aftermarket and other good-time nonsense. The Fastest Car-Guy Talk on the Radio! Saturdays, noon-1pm, AM 550/FM 102.9 Last Dates for 2019! Nov 2nd Dec 7th


July 31, 2019 Swap Meet Coordinator
Next Eckler’s NE GA Swap Meet is Saturday, October 12th at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA!
This newsletter is a bit later than I wanted (my truck and car trailer got a lot of work the last week, and it ate into more important things, like this!), but with the holiday and tomorrow, you’ve still got a day and a half to load up your trailer. Weather.com is calling for 40-percent chance of rain, which historically means we’re not going to see any during the show: I don’t want to say “40-percent is always dry”… so I’ll say “40-percent is almost always dry.”  Just two days ago, their 3-day forecast for this weekend was 60-percent Friday, 50-percent Saturday, 60-percent Sunday. Now it’s 40/40/20. So we’re gonna be fine. Priority gate opens from 6-7am and is $30 for all the space you want; Vendor General Admission is from 7am and is $20 for all the space you want, spectator admission is just $6. Vendors get one helper in for free (because lifting engine blocks and transmissions alone sucks). Extra helpers are $6. There’s no addition charge to park your vintage or enthusiast vehicle in the cruise-in area behind the grandstands, but we ask that you don’t put For Sale signs in the windows—everything for sale is on the aisles and is $30 or $20 to sell. Driving in as a spectator and selling your car isn’t fair to the rest of the vendors. Drive a vintage or enthusiast Ford/Mercury into the Cruise-In this month, and receive a $10 Eckler’s gift certificate! Stone Stock To Full-Race At Lamar Walden Automotive This month, the guys at Lamar Walden Automotive covered the full spectrum of Chevy performance. They started with a stone-stock restoration build on a 348 W-motor, and followed it with a 409 street engine stroked to 482 cubic inches. After that, they worked on a small block Gasser engine for one of the cars on the SE Gasser Association circuit, and then a 383 Chevy to be installed with a 5-speed and A/C in a ’55 Chevy. Rounding it out was an LS7 427 build. They also did several intake manifold restorations, including a vintage Edelbrock big block Cross Ram. I’ve mentioned their intake restoration here a lot, and it’s still one of the best processes I’ve seen for any kind of restoration. I’ve had them repair and restore several intakes for me over the years, as well as an rare Edmunds finned aluminum head for a Plymouth Flat 6, all coming out concours-quality. I’ve got a pair of Weiand 322 Nailhead intakes I need to have restored, and one of the Corvette finned valve covers I picked up at the swap meet last month needs a little repair done to it as well, so I’ll be making a trip up there one of these days. It’s 50th year in business, Lamar Walden Automotive is in Doraville, Georgia; (770) 449-0315, lwarob@gmail.comlamarwaldenautomotive.com STOP LEAVING TIRES! We’ve been over this countless times, and I still have to deal with it a few times a year—most recently last month. So I’m instituting a new policy:  If I catch you leaving tires, I’m going to follow you home with them, stack them up in your driveway, and set them on fire. At 3am. On a Wednesday. OR, you can save me, you and the fire department a whole bunch of hassle and just take your tires back home with you and stick them out behind your shop to start a mosquito farm like the rest of us. If you happen to notice any fellow vendors looking like they might have “forgotten” to load all their tires before trying to slide out at the end of the day, I’d appreciate it if you’d point out the error of their ways. Or throw a cylinder head through their windshield for me. Either/Or, I’m flexible. Blast Capital USA NuTech blasted a couple Corvettes this month, and at the other end of the spectrum soda-blasted some vintage Ford Bronco bodies, and media-blasted the frames and suspensions. One of the bodies had a steel hood with a fiberglass scoop bonded to it: these are the square-body Broncos from the ‘60s and ‘70s, with that common era-correct Bronco scoop. Blasting with soda meant the scoop didn’t have to be separated from the hood. I found a vintage bolt-in roll bar for the ’76 Power Wagon project, along with a good hood and dropped them off, along with a correct rear step bumper. I’d found another hood, but blasting revealed a couple rust holes in it: I found a third hood and did the “Repair versus Solid Original Metal” cost/benefit, and opted for solid original. The cost of stripping the original paint and surface rust off the roll bar versus doing it by hand with sand paper landed the bar at NuTech as well. After hunting for over a year for a good rear step bumper, we found one, had them blast it and prime it, then we did a couple repairs and decided to have them knock the gray primer back off and are having it shot with self-etching black primer, which will hold up better under the black top-coat. Besides in-shop stuff, they’ve done several remote blasting jobs, including finishing the vintage caboose on display by the town of Auburn. But the big news is NuTech is now a manufacturer and international dealer for soda blasting machines and equipment! “I liked it so much I bought the company!” the old commercials said. That’s pretty much the deal down at NuTech now. So if you’re a restoration shop and would like to cut out the middle-man on blasting—as well as expand your business—or are a building restoration company or want to get into building restoration, fire damage restoration, mold remediation, etc., NuTech is your source for equipment and blasting soda. With the growth of their company, NuTech is looking for some employees too. They’re looking for soda blasters for in-house and remote-site, as well as someone to help manufacture and assemble the blasting equipment. If you’re looking for a job (and are the kind of employee YOU’D hire if you owned a business and needed someone!), give them a call. NuTech Soda Blasting, Jefferson, Georgia; (706) 367-8107, or check out their website at www.nutechsodablasting.com Dress For Success In this case, it means wear shorts, sandals, a hat, a light-colored T-shirt, and drink lots and lots of water on Saturday I’ve had guys get into trouble with the heat at my show, and I regularly get sick from the heat by the end of my summer shows, too. It’s miserable, and I’d like to spare everyone the suffering. Speaking of sparing suffering, the NE GA Swap Meet is a dog-friendly show for friendly dogs, but please, when it’s this hot, leave Fido at home—that blacktop gets scorching hot, and unless you’ve got booties on their paws, they’re gonna go home with burned feet. Would YOU want to walk around on that parking lot with bare feet at 11am? Then don’t make your pooch do it. As much as I love having Remi The Airedale at my shows, I’m leaving her home Saturday. JP’s Muscle Cars Parts and Restorations Soooo glad I’m out of room for projects, because Johnny just got a suede-black ’67 Impala station wagon in… big block, overdrive, air, bucket seats and factory console. That’d make such a cool tow rig for the Altered! But, I’m out of space, so one of you needs to buy it. He also just got an original-paint ’71 Camaro in too: “It was an old street racer from the ‘70s… I’ve never had one this close to how it left the showroom.” Customer builds this month include a ’71 Blazer with LS3 swap and all the goodies, a ’70 C10 with big block, air, Dakota Digital RDX cluster, retro-sound radio, Concept One pully system, and dropped suspension, and a ’68 Camaro convertible with small block, overdrive, air, Dakota Digital dash, Nu-Relics power windows, and houndstooth Deluxe interior. If you’re in the market for a new ride, or need to have your current vehicle upgraded, give Johnny a call and book an appointment. JP’s Muscle Cars is at 113 Hammond Drive in Monroe, GA: Call (770) 207-9570 or visit their website at www.jpmusclecars.com. Gear Jam Rain Date July 20-21 Outlaw and Heads-up 4-speed gassers—including The Night Stalker ’55 Chevy, Southern Slingshots, Altereds, Muscle Cars and Nostalgia Super Stocks. Swap Meet, and an all-makes/All Models car show. For more info, go to www.gearjamvintagedrags.com Truck Month and Georgia C-10 Club in August For August, we’re giving away Eckler’s gift certificates to everyone who drives a vintage or enthusiast truck into the Cruise-in. We’re also hosting the Georgia C-10 club, so if you’ve got truck parts, plan on being there. We’re also going to put the word out on Facebook for any other truck clubs. If you’re a member of a truck club, give me a call and we’ll work it out so your club gets in free as vendors and spectators. 2019 Dates Sept 1 Swap/ Gear Jam Oct 13- 14th  Swap/ Gear Jam Nov 2nd  Featuring Pedal To The Metal vintage bicycle swap Dec 7thTruer Words Were Never Spoken The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers – Dave Barry Shop and House for Sale in Jefferson. I’m selling my place in Jefferson: 32×40 shop with 12-foot ceilings, multiple 220v outlets on three walls, 10×10 office and two storage lofts. Oh, it comes with a nice 3-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom house with office, on a full basement that’s stubbed for a full bathroom. New energy-efficient roof on house and shop. Nice neighborhood within the Jefferson City Schools district;  NO Home Owners’ Association to get all up in your business, and I’ve broken the neighbors in for you. (They’re used to cars, parts and engines firing at 11pm). On a 1 acre lot with hardwood trees, it also comes with an extra 1 acre wooded lot next to it. Also comes with a free vendor spot for life at the NE GA Swap Meet! Give me a call if you’re interested.

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Due to weather forecasts, we are postponing this weekend’s Gear Jam Vintage Drags. The rain-date will be July 20-21, at the Atlanta Dragway. All pre-registered entries will be honored at the July event, and we have re-opened pre-registration until July 1. We MAY do the NE GA Swap Meet this coming weekend, though: I will watch the hourly forecast on weather.com over the next 24 hours, and if they’re calling for decent weather in the morning, with the predicted thunderstorms rolling in during the afternoon, we will run the swap meet at the regular swap meet entry and vendor fees in the morning (since it’s always over by noon anyway). I hate to fill up your email box, but I’ll send a follow-up email tomorrow afternoon letting everyone know if we’re going to do the swap meet on Saturday morning, or just scrap the month. Weather.com has been far and away the most accurate forecast I’ve found, and that’s who I’ll use to make my final decision tomorrow. Thanks, Brad Ocock NE GA Swap Meet Gear Jam Vintage Drags (706) 424-5035


April 18, 2019 Swap Meet Coordinator
The Gear Jam Vintage Drags, Car Show and Eckler’s NE GA Swap Meet is Saturday and Sunday, May 11-12 at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA. Southern Slingshots, Southeast Nostalgia Drag Racers, a 4-speed gasser group out of the Carolinas and several Southern Outlaw Gassers have all committed to coming, so it promises to be a great race! Time trials and a Gambler’s Race on Saturday, Eliminations on Sunday. Check website for schedule and times. It took some time, but pre-registration is available on our website. Pre-register by May 5 and receive discounts on racer entry, midway spaces and T-shirts. Racer entry is $100 for both days pre-registered, $120 day-of-show at the gate. Racer Test-And-Tune only is $50 per day pre-registered, $60 at the gate. Gambler’s Race (Dial-in bracket-style race) is $40 payable at the tower day-of-race. We will also have a “Run For The Money” open to everyone—closest to the index/dial wins, reaction time decides in case of a tie. Class Additions and Rule Changes New for 2019 is a Heads Up 4-speed Gasser Class! Rules are pretty straight-forward, and are posted on the site. No nitrous, CID/Weight class breaks, etc. Nothing crazy. One thing to note is we are running the same blower rule that NHRA had in the early ‘60s before the dedicated Supercharged classes: Addition of a blower will bump the car up one class—D/G with a blower will run in C/G, C/G with a blower will run in A/G, no blowers allowed on A/G cars. All cars in this class will be weighed, and we have a pump and aren’t afraid to use it. This is in addition to the Outlaw Gasser class, so we’ll have two Gasser classes at the Gear Jam. At the beginning of the year, we made a couple of minor changes to a couple of class rules, and posted them on the site. Altered now allows wings, left-hand steer roadsters, and for this year we are allowing blowers up to 14:71. In the Muscle Car class, we are allowing Vegas, Monzas, Pintos and Mavericks, ignoring the 1974 cut-off date for those cars (and ONLY those cars) because Vegas, Monzas, Pintos and Mavericks make GREAT looking race cars, and who wouldn’t want to see them making passes?? We are also allowing tube chassis cars in the “Hot Rod/Muscle Car” class. Tree and track length (1/4 or 1/8) is different for each class, so check on the website. Race format is Indexes. Each class has its own Index format, and can be found on the website. If you have a car that runs slower than what is listed on our Index pages for each class, let us know, and we’ll get you entered in the computer with an index slot for your car, so you won’t just be trailer fodder for the faster classes. (That will be an “index” like the other classes, and not a “dial-in.”) Midway And Eckler’s NE GA Swap Meet Spaces Midway spaces are for manufacturers and businesses, groups/organizations, artists, collectibles, etc. and will be on the pavement behind the grandstands, running between the car show and the starting line. Spaces are $50 pre-registered. Swap meet spaces are for parts and cars for sale, and will be in the grass rows at the end of the paved pit area. Spaces are $30 for all the space you want for the weekend. We’re expecting over 200 swap meet vendors. Set-up from 12-5pm on Friday (If you can’t make it by 5, give me a call and we’ll leave the light on for you), gates open Saturday at 7am. As always, we will have overnight security guards for The Gear Jam, so you can set up and your stuff will be safe. Camping Camping is welcome and encouraged! Camping is included for racers and vendors, and is just $10 per night for spectators and car show participants. Above-ground fire “holders” are allowed. Car Show Car Show entry is $25, and includes Test-and-Tune passes for entries. All cars making passes on the track must go through Tech. (This won’t be “Competition Tech,” it’ll be to make sure you have seat belts, there aren’t big holes in the floor, and that the vehicles are safe) $5 of every entry will go to the GSRA, to support them and their efforts at the State Capital on our behalf. Car Show is Saturday, awards Saturday Afternoon, and entry in the show gets you back in on Sunday for the swap meet and race Eliminations. Spectator entry is just $10 each day, kids 12-under are free, and gets you full access to the car show, the swap meet, the pits and the racing. Bracket Race We also have a limited-field bracket race, sponsored by LGM Racing and Development: 32 door cars, 32 dragsters; this is pre-registration only. Two races: one Saturday, one Sunday. Nostalgia cars are welcome to enter the bracket race as well as the Gear Jam Nostalgia race. Bracket cars are welcome to enter the Gear Jam Nostalgia race if their car fits the Gear Jam class rules. (We have several racers enter both each year) Check out LGM’s website at www.lgmrnd.com, LGM Racing and Development on Facebook, or call (256-279-8000 Attention Business Owners!!! We are putting together 400 Goody Bags. If you’d like to throw something in them, give me a call at (706) 424-5035 T-Shirts are available on the website, along with pre-registration: gearjamvintagedrags.com If you have any questions, or need more information, write me at brad56@windstream.net, or call (706) 424-5035 See you May 11! -Brad