2000 Midwest Imperial Meet

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Announcement Hi Gang: Last year I attended a wonderful meeting of Imperialists, hosted by Bob Hoffmiester at Bob's Imperial Heaven in NE. Unfortunately, Bob won't be able to host us at his yard this year, so after discussions with Bob and Jeff Ingrahm, we are offering the following: Midwestern Imperial Meet When: June 10-11 Where: Cedar Rapids, Iowa What: We will be eating lunch at the park at about noon. We will start to gather at the park from about 10 AM on June 10. Tour Duffy's Collectible Car Museum / Sales Drive-by tour of a neighborhood of Lusterlon Homes. Evening trip to Cedar Rock. Cedar Rock is in nearby Quasqueton, Iowa and is a museum home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. In celebration of the homes 50th year, a special program is planned, including music, tours of areas not generally open to the public, and a candlelight tour of the home itself. Cost of the tour is FREE. Sunday morning, June 11, we indulge in our Imperial Fantasies, and invade the small town car show in Washington, Iowa, and display our Imperials en masse! Report - Midwest Meet 2000 Many thanks to Jay, Wayne and Brad (does he really exist? :oD) for setting up the weekend's activities. Jay really did alot of the work for the meet - he did all the maps - lead the caravans - etc. Unfortunately, I arrived just as Brad was leaving for work--did anyone get pictures of him or his car while he was at Thomas Park? The weekend went by too quickly! It was great fun having a small enough group to be able to get acquainted with everyone, and many of us had fun doing the "car swap" routine. Saturday we had a very nice lunch at the pavilion at the park, and got a chance to do some "mingling". From, there, we had our first excuse to go driving, to Duffy's Collector Museum. I can honestly say that our Imperials were all nicer than theirs. :) Here are the cars/owners I recall seeing--please help me with the ones I've missed! Sorry, Dietmar, neither of the 60's that were hoping to come were able to make it last weekend: 56--Mike Trettin, wife Christine, and six little Imperialists, from Newton, Iowa. 57--Rolland Rahr. Gorgeous car with original interior. I forgot to get any interior pictures! 62--Buck and Belinda Rind, from the Quad Cities area. "Das Boot" was a later arrival on Sunday, and a most welcome one--the only example of the 60-63 styling this weekend. 64--Larry Dunne...unfortunately, I didn't get much of a chance to see him or his car. 65--Carl (my brother-in-law) and Cathy Salmons, of Des Moines. 66--Brad Smith. Thanks for helping with the itinerary, Brad--sorry I missed you! 67--Robb Newton, from Chicago. Even more fun in person than he is on Chat! Yes, rumors of him stashing my boys in car trunks are true...trouble is, they LIKED it. 68--Dale Anderson, from Minneapolis. It was great to see him again--enjoyed seeing his Imperial, as well as pictures of his 60 New Yorker. 68--Barbara and Ralph Seidl, from Nebraska 71--Wayne Jorgensen, from Chicago. I got a chance to drive his car on Sunday, and it rides like a dream! Safer than a bank vault. 75--D.K, from Manitoba, Canada. I really enjoyed meeting him and seeing his example of the last of the Imperials. Talk about comfy seats! In addition, Jay Van "Ican'tspellhislastname" was there with his 63 Dart wagon, and later his 61 Plymouth Fury. Also at the park on Saturday was Brad Hogg, aka "Green Giant", with his friend Kathy. A super nice guy with the good taste to take my 56 out for a spin. Saturday evening we were off touring again, this time about 40 miles to Cedar Rock, a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and donated by the family to the state of Iowa. At the urging of my boys, I passed the caravan of Imperials in front of me on the highway...only to have them all zoom past again a few moments later! :).  After we arrived, I heard visitors to the museum remark "I didn't know they were having a car show here tonight, too." Sunday morning we regrouped at the hotel, and prepared to caravan another 40 miles to Washington, Iowa, a picturesque little town with an old-fashioned town square, site of the car show. As Barbara Seidl mentioned, we made quite a sight at the gas station before setting off. I got the privilege of swapping cars with Robb (his 67 for my 56), and I have to admit it was a smooth-running car. I was especially enjoying the lumbar support of the leather seats, only to find out from Robb that it was not supposed to be "bulged out" like that. :) This trip we all cruised at 70-75....other motorists were wise to yield to our caravan. The weather cooperated nicely all weekend, and didn't rain until late Sunday afternoon. After spending the weekend with 10 other Imperials, I looked at a 65 Mustang at the show and thought it was a 3/4 scale model! Thanks to all my fellow IML'ers for making this a memorable weekend, and to all of you who were so friendly and fun to my boys--they really had a great time. So where should we do this next year? Hey, why wait 'til next year...maybe a fall show in September? Mike "Moron" Trettin 1956 Sedan, Turquoise

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