GMTruckGuy74

I find that "car" guys tend to like monochromatic paint styling on trucks, and "truck" guys like the big rig chrome look. Of course that's quite the generalization, but in my dealings with truck people they tend to add as much chrome (aftermarket) as possible. I'm one for the factory/stock chrome look, especially when it comes to the bumpers (one of my major dislikes with the current GMT-900 SUVs is that they have car-like painted bumper covers - makes them too soft looking). Leave the painted bumper covers for CUVs and minivans, please! Put chromed steel bumpers back on the next GM full-size SUVs Here's what the standard All-Terrain models look like in the US (in Mocha Steel Metallic): I think you made the right decision with the All-Terrain over the SLE1 (however, I love the Sonoma Red over the Steel Gray Metallic - that would have been a tough choice for me). The All-Terrain is giving you more bang for your buck, and if your wife says you don't treat yourself that much you deserve such a truck as this one. All the best with it, and please keep us updated on how it's working out for you. Oh, and soon as that rain stops, more pics please

plead the 5th

Always glad to share It is definitely a great show to attend. I was surprised at the amount of show cars there, given the weather that occured that week. No damage at the track, and all roads in that area were open. With the classic iron in the side lot (car show) and all of the muscle lined up in the pit area, this is one show not to miss. I hate having to pay $15 to enter the raceway, but Englishtown/Old Bridge Raceway is the same and is a lot further from where I live (Atco is about a 25-30 minute ride, whereas Englishtown is an hour + from where I live). I suggest anyone that can attend next year's show should. I'll make sure to post about it prior to the day of show,

Thanks, ocnblu!!! You are a wealth of information tonight

I'm curious about the '67 Chevy pickup in this picture: It appears to be a Bill Mitchell special project. It has many design/styling features that were not on the production model. Does anyone have any information about it, or additional pictures? Thanks!

You can just make out the Riv here: and here:

No Toronados, one Riviera (sorry, didn't get a picture as there were people always around it), and I'm a full-size fan and what you see is what was there. The show is run by the Delaware Valley GTO club, hence why you see so many GTOs there. Years past there were a lot of Firebirds of all years, this year was lacking.

hotels

I get what you're saying, dfelt. The early '90s Philly Auto Show had glitz, I guess by the late '90s they went to a generic set-up. The NYIAS that I started attending in 1995 had the real glitz. Raised displays, two-tier viewing areas, fancy walk-on platforms to view concept cars... you could see the money was going into the show side of marketing. By 2008/2009, many cars were on a separate turn table but the two-tier, raiser platforms (I'm speaking of GM here) were gone. The plus side to this was that show cars and trucks were now closer to the viewing audience, but the waterfall effects, large screen displays, and WOW! factors were gone. However, GM has definitely made a comeback at the NYIAS with the new separation from the other show in the North Pavilion. Brand specific displays and style are definitely making a comeback. It's nice to be a GM fan again!

If anyone has an interest in any particular car, I most likely have additional views (side, rear) if you want them posted - just ask. The drag strip lineup was lacking compared to years past, and I attribute that to Hurricane Sandy. As soon as we paid at the gate and drove in, we immediately noticed a lack of cars in the pit area. We were happy to see on the other side of the stadium cars lined up for the show portion. My friend took my son to watch several of the drag races, while I concentrated my time in the car show area. I spoke to some of the show people that said more owners paid that didn't show up, and he attributed the non-attendees to the storm and not being able to travel. My friend's brother, a way upstate north NJ resident, was suppose to bring one of his 6 Pontiacs to the show, but the devestation and power loss in his area prevented him from getting down South Jersey for this show. On a side note, I found out that one of my friend's brother's 6 Pontiac's is a converted '12 Camaro-Firebird!! I asked him why he didn't tell me about this earlier?!? He wasn't sure if this was the Pontiac he was bringing, but I told him a trip to his brother's house in the near future to see his Pontiac collection is in order!

(Of course I saved the best for last )

I attended the very last car show of 2012, as far as the shows I'm aware of at least. It was the BOP-APALOOZA (Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac) show held at the Atco Raceway in Atco, NJ last Saturday, November 5. Prior years this was a Pontiac-only show, this year it was opened to Buick and Oldsmobiles (however, a majority of the cars in the show were Pontiacs with an almost even split between BOP on the drag strip). I present approximately 60 pictures that I took:

Congrats, sir! I'm jealous!! The current Steel Gray Metallic seems to have a little more "brown" in it than I prefer. I loved the way Steel Gray Metallic looked on the '04-'07 GMC Sierra body style. You got the Body Colored All Terrain Sierra, of course there's the chrome version still (standard All Terrain model). I prefer the chrome look on trucks, monochromatic paint appearances try to make them more car-like to the consumer who is not a "truck guy". Yours looks great, and I've been tempted by this '12 Sierra All Terrain (body color package) at my GMC dealership: Of course I would really need a crew cab for my family hauling needs, so that's stick one against this Extend Cab All Terrain. Strike two comes down to the price, it's a loaded truck to begin with and I'd need the financing deal, not the cash rebate so that makes the price still too high (even with my GMC Supplier discount applied). Third comes to the fact I have a white Envoy now and the next vehicle I get must be a color other than white! Again, many happy motoring miles with your new GMC Sierra and post more pictures when you can. I'm looking forward to the 2014 model reveal coming up on December 13. If I'm not thrilled with the new '14 Sierra model, I'm hoping I can find a way to get a '13 model when the incentives start next spring/summer to clear them out for the '14s. *Note: I notice the Canadian window sticker states the body colored grille & bumpers are standards on the All-Terrain package, whereas the US packages offer a standard All-Terrain with chrome grille and bumpers and then the upgrade package that offers the body colored All-Terrain with painted grille and bumpers - limited to certain exterior colors too.

Well, until the last of the 'boomers leave, the aftermarket will keep providing them with the crap they want

Yeah, but they were better back then if you're a GM fan. I started attending the Philadelphia Auto Show in January, 1990 (15 years old). There was Chevrolet/Geo, GMC Trucks, Buick, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac, and the newly introduced Saturn brands. Geo disappeared, Hummer was added, and then Oldsmobile went away. It was that way up to 2009; for 2010, Saturn, Hummer, and Pontiac were no longer brands sold by GM. Now us GM fans are left with just four brands to see - Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC. I could spend all day just in the GM brands areas of these older shows, now a couple of hours are all that is needed. I'm glad to still have a GM to look forward to, but GM's presence is a shadow of it's former self nowadays. I also miss the lavish display areas and stands that the shows used to have; now they're as generic as Toyota's and Honda's displays.

Too bad the frameless doors, a'la Aurora, were not part of the production model Intrigue. I was lucky to see this Olds in 1995 at the New York International Auto Show, my first time there. I was treated to the Antares, the Pontiac 300 GPX (Grand Prix), and the Buick XP2000 (Regal, though the show car was Holden based). Those were the good ol' days of car shows!!

I attended a Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac car show over the weekend (this was formerly a Pontiac-only show). I will be posting pictures in the lounge section soon. By the way, though this show became a B-O-P combined show this year, a majority of the cars there were Pontiacs and my pics will reflect that.

board

Wow.. $338XX for the Buick sign, $228xx for the Chevy. I'd hate to part with my Pontiac sign, but at least I know it's worth a couple hundred bucks if I can find the right buyer. Maybe I'll consider selling the Terex one if I need some cash, though I'd like to hold onto it (and not sure there are Terex fans out there like with the Buick crowd). Does not give me hope for finding an affordable GMC Trucks sign.

This is one car I really do like. My wife is so-so on it, even after test driving one last February. She's more interested in the upcoming Buick Encore than the Verano. If I were to buy or lease a car today, the Verano would be it. Thanks for the write-up Reg!!

I worked for Coleman B-P-G from February '99 to July '00. That was owned by Dick Coleman, and his cousins Bruce & Gary Coleman owned the Oldsmobile/Jeep dealership. They were just starting to build the new GM Auto Mall on Route 1 when I left. Colonial Cadillac was owned by Jeff Feldman and he was a shady guy. GM tried for years to buy back the franchise but he fought them (even in court!). The original plan for the GM Auto Mall was B-P-G and Chevy on Route 1 front property, Cadillac/Hummer in the back with Saturn squeezed in there. Bob Maguire (Chevrolet & Saturn dealership owner in Bordentown) had the Saturn franchise for Lawrenceville but refused to be put in the back. He pulled Saturn out of the Auto Mall; Feldman refused to have Cadillac in the back too and refused to move his Caddy dealership there. Coleman B-P-G went ahead and the former Ed Cahill Chevy dealer (forget their last name) moved to the Auto Mall and was now called Princeton Chevrolet (that's where I got my '04 Malibu at in Nov '03). Soon after "Princeton" was changed to "Superior" Chevrolet. SInce the back parcel was not being built for a GM brand, and Coleman B-P-G also had a Suzuki dealership, they were offered the lot and a Suzuki dealer was added. A couple of years later Suzuki was dumped and it was a used car showroom; somehow, Feldman parted with Cadillac (GM finally won!) and Coleman B-G was offered the franchise. The former Suzuki dealership is now a Cadillac dealer. Hummer never materialized beyond the "on paper" stage, and Saturn was to open nearby Greenfield Dodge/Isuszu on Business Route 1 (but the ground was never broken). So the GM Auto Mall in Lawrenceville has all of GM's current brands in one place - Buick, GMC, Cadillac on one side, Chevrolet on the other.