Iola car show 2023

[64BEL]

From my understanding Eddie owns the Dragula and the Coffin car. I don't think he drives either but his estate has ownership? I might be wrong. Buddy at work said he was there this year with the Coffin Car and his custom bike. Eddie is a real cool dude and just shows up and walks around a lot to visit. Super approachable and willing to answer questions about the hollywood cars, without getting in a line to see him.

I read that the original Dragula was stolen and the one he has is a replica. I think I read that at the show on a placard with the car.

Exactly what I’ve thought after all the years I attended. Didn’t think I ever quite walked the entire swap meet; but might be I did a few times. After several hours traipsing around getting swamp butt, I’d find out I walked down this or that aisle before!

Yeah, I don't think I've ever covered all of the swap, either. After awhile (sweating your *** off), you find yourself just hammering through - barely even looking anymore. Just to be able to tell yourself you walked each aisle....before finally saying, I'm not going to make it. I've had enough - I'm done. LOL

 

[Garceau]

My father built street rods through the 70s and early 80s, as a kid in Wisconsin was dragged to a car show every weekend - but they were good times then with all the different car games, which are all but gone now for liability reasons. He and his buddies started a car club in Green Bay in the early 80s and that was a ton of fun. A bunch of them all knew each other and travelled together anyways.....

We visited Iola regularly as a kid, I went back maybe early 90s and not sure I have been back since. Ironically I was golfing in Iola Saturday and close enough to hear the loud speakers, I thought about going and walking through the weather was great but the line to get in was pretty long and I just kept on going.

I like the smaller shows, when I take my 66 to one. Locally I just moved to a new area and trying to find a few peeps with similar interests so the local shows offer that. But even at 48 years old, I am much younger than most anymore......

 

[ESOXER]

I remember having to drag a wagon around in the blasting sun every summer as kid there for my grandfather, he's 95 and finally getting out of the used car business as of this Friday. I hated that place as a kid, couldn't look at cars and all I got for dragging the wagon all day was a burger and a Pepsi.

 

[alsant]

Derek is there from VGG working on his firebird.

 

[1969 Dodge Coronet]

Thanks for the photos. I didn't go to Iola this year as I was also going to the National De Soto Convention in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, and I couldn't afford to pay for both. One car owner brought over his 1959 De Soto Fireflite to the Canadian show that I remembered seeing at Iola in 2019. It's a very nicely done car with a 354 ci early Hemi as its engine. The 4 shots of the car I took at Iola, WI in July 2019 and the last shot of one of his signs I took at the Canadian De Soto show this year July 29, 2023. Good to see that he is still using the car and enjoying the hell out of it.

I first went to Iola in 1978 and continued to go every year as long as I lived in Wisconsin. I had a few cars in the show as well (1957 Chrysler, 1958 De Soto Firesweep, and 1959 Dodge Coronet) in the 1980s. Age is catching up with me though and I probably won't go to Iola anymore as walking a long distance is just too hard for me now.

 

[Ron H]

Age is catching up with me though and I probably won't go to Iola anymore

Wow, what a FANTASTIC car. Always liked the finned mopars of the era. Thanks to Chrysler for making that era and later, SO much to fondly remember. Always thought the PB trans was cool, I have one in my ’63, only thing that would ever keep me from a 4-speed. Get a kick out of the number of people looking at my car at shows who still remember them, showing the 'buttons' to their kids and grandkids. Have had some fun with people sitting in it asking “Where the heck is the shifter thingy”. One gorgeous gal who took the driver’s seat asked; told her transmissions were only an option back then. Let her get all confused for a minute – before explaining the buttons.

I have gone to Iola for decades, but I’ve also skipped it more the past few years. Nice memories with friends and relatives who are no longer with us, including my dad. The trek through the grounds is daunting with the hills and often, the heat. Bought a lot of stuff there before the net made finding stuff easier.

About a two-hour ride from me, ahh don’t ask about the time I took my dad all the way there – on the WRONG weekend, lol.

 

[Bee1971]

It was Awesome having Iola and Chrysler Carlisle on separate weekends the past few years . Just the way it worked out with July

Exhausting , man the miles I walked , but both great events in such different ways
I can drive my BEE to Iola every day , or just leave it there

Not next year , both events on the same weekend in July

Sounds like Iola 2024 will bee themed "Muscle Cars"

Choices

 

[Bee1971]

Great link

I must have talked with this guy for an hour on Friday AM , loves his Mopars

2023 Iola - KO Photography