Ford Motor Company makes a trip to Carlisle each June for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost, the annual Carlisle Ford Nationals car show presented by eBay Motors offers them their greatest “all in one” platform to speak to their core customer base.  In addition, the sheer size of the event, 3,200+ show cars, vendors, and nearly 60,000 guests, means that they can showcase their latest and greatest rides in front of THE people who will buy them as quickly as Ford can produce them.  This will once again be the case June 2-4, 2023 as Ford will bring its all-new Ranger Raptor to the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds.

Rumored and talked about for some time, but officially announced on May 10, the Ranger Raptor will be one of the many great new vehicles showcased by Ford at this year’s event.  In fact, it will be showcased and discussed at an enthusiast event/car show for the first time ever when Ford Performance Chief Engineer Carl Widmann takes hold of the microphone on Friday, June 2, and starts breaking down the ins and outs of the truck.  Forget about reading about it online or browsing a gallery of photos, Widmann will show guests first-hand the revolutionary elements of Ford’s latest performance-based ride, all while onlookers snap photos to show their friends just exactly what they saw first. 

“Ranger Raptor is the high-performance off-road truck so many customers have been begging for, said Widmann as part of Ford’s announcement on the 10^th.  “It’s right-sized for tight trails and daily life, can carry lots of gear, and is a blast to drive. Ranger Raptor is fast, comfortable, and packed with top-shelf, purposeful technology that’s designed to perform. This is the baddest Ranger we’ve ever made,” concluded Widmann.

“We are very fortunate to have a great partner in Ford who not only comes to the Carlisle Ford Nationals each June, but does so with some of their finest creations and amazing team members,” noted event manager Ken Appell.  “While this truck has been seen privately, our Ford event is the first car show in the world where consumers who will no doubt want to buy it, can see it in person,” continued Appell.  “Not only will they see it, but they can hear directly from the man who helped bring it from concept to build in Carl Widmann.”

The Ranger Raptor isn’t the only unveiling planned for Ford weekend at Carlisle, but it’s the one that’s officially confirmed at this time.  As more details from the Carlisle Ford Nationals emerge, details will be shared online by way of the event’s web page and through the Carlisle Ford Nationals’ social media channels.  In the meanwhile, there is still time to register for the National Parts Depot Showfield, sign up to be a vendor, or purchase discounted spectator admission tickets.  Call 717-243-7855 or visit CarlisleEvents.com to learn more. 

Read the Official Announcement from Ford - Learn More

At Carlisle, we just wrapped up our annual Import & Performance Nationals Car show.  The event showcased just as much elegance and luxury as it did performance and style.  While this car wasn't at Carlisle, it has played a prominent role in automotive circles...more so as part one of Hollywood's most iconic film franchises.  Recently, a Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R that was attached to Paul Walker's Bryan O'Conner character in Fast and Furious 4 sold at auction for a record price point.

In this week's All About Cars, and because Fast 10 is coming out soon, let's talk a look at this piece crafted by Ryan Erik King from Jalopnik.  

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Corvettes are some of the most respected and sought-after cars on the road. Their price tags reflect that because they can run anywhere from $65,000 to over $200,000. If you own a Corvette, you will want to keep it in mint or near-mint condition for as long as possible. This not only means preventing any scratches, dents, or chips, but it also entails keeping unnecessary mileage and deprecation off your Corvette.

That is why shipping your Corvette can be helpful if you are heading to a car show in Carlisle, which could be several hundred or more miles away from your home.  You keep the mileage and depreciation off the car, but you also keep it off the road, which makes chips and scratches much less likely. You also spare yourself having to drive several plus hours and will be able to travel to the event in comfort on a train or plane.

Car Shipping Options That Give Your Corvette the Highest Level of Protection

Whether you are showcasing your Vette on the Fun Field or trying to sell it at the Car Corral, you will not want to skimp on the protection you provide for your Corvette as it ships. You can choose from three main protection levels when you ship a car: open-air shipping, top-loading, and enclosed shipping.

Open-air vehicle shipping is the cheapest and most common type of auto transport. When you ship your Corvette using open-air transport, it will be placed on a car carrier with two decks with no walls or roof, leaving your Vette exposed to outside elements. It does offer your car 100% protection from unnecessary mileage and depreciation. It also puts your car several feet up off the road, which helps lower the chance of scratches or chips from things like small rocks being kicked up off the road during transport. However, it does not eliminate that possibility, nor does it do anything to protect your Corvette and its paint from inclement weather elements like rain or powerful UV rays while it is being shipped.

Top-loading is an upgrade option available with all reputable auto transport companies. Top-loading is when your car is placed on the upper deck of an open-air car carrier. By choosing to top-load your Corvette, you are completely eliminating the possibility of any road debris making contact with your car during transport. You are also eliminating the possibility of oil or another automotive fluid from a vehicle on the deck above leaking onto your Corvette because your car will be on the upper-most deck of the carrier. Unfortunately, top-loading has three main drawbacks:

It offers no protection from weather or UV rays.

It puts your Vette at a height where tree branches could possibly scratch it during transit.

It puts your Corvette at an optimal height to get pollen, tree-sap or bird droppings on it.

Top-loading typically adds about $100 to the cost of shipping a car.

The option that offers the most protection when shipping a Corvette or any other type of car will be enclosed transport. During enclosed car transport, a vehicle is placed on a car carrier with walls and a roof. Thus, cars shipped in enclosed car carriers are completely protected from all outside elements for the duration of the shipment. In most cases, shipping in an enclosed carrier will add at least $500 to the Corvette’s shipping cost.

What Else Can You Do to Protect Your Corvette as it Ships to  Carlisle?

Whenever you entrust your Corvette to someone else, such as a car shipper, you will want the peace of mind knowing that there is nothing more you could have done to protect it. If you are shipping your Corvette to a Carlisle event and have not already had a top-of-the-line anti-theft system with GPS tracking installed, do so prior to shipping. In rare cases, car shipments can be targets for car theft.

You can also consider getting a paint protection film before you ship your car to a Carlisle event. Paint protection film will protect your Vette’s paint from UV rays, rain, tree sap, and more. Now, if you are shipping in an enclosed carrier, you will not have to worry about these things, regardless of a paint protection film or not. However, once your car arrives at a Carlisle event, you will display your Corvette outside for quite a bit whether you are showcasing it or selling it. That is where the value of a paint protection film could really come in for you.

Finally, you should also prepare yourself for the rare possibility that damage occurs during your shipment. You will want to ensure that the car shipping insurance will not have any qualms about any damage claims you must make. You can easily do this by taking several pictures of your Corvette and its condition before the start of shipping. These should be digital photos with time stamps to prove there was no damage to the car before shipping.

In closing, don't let THIS happen to your Corvette.  Reach out to Matt and his team today for a safe and secure transport to Carlisle and beyond!   

A gorgeous weather week made Spring Carlisle 2023 an overwhelming success.  From Wednesday to Sunday and every day in between, Carlisle was bustling with automotive excitement.  Event highlights included a two-day classic and collector car auction presented by Carlisle Auctions, the automotive flea market, car corral, Manufactures Midway, AACA Car Club display, and the ARMO Hot Products Showcase.  In total, the 8,100 spaces onsite were filled, including most spaces within the car corral.  Best of all, everyone who came to Carlisle left with something, either a much-needed part, must have collectible, collector car, or great memories. 

Gates opened bright and early on Wednesday, with the crowds steadily picking up into the afternoon. Thursday’s turnout was even more impressive, with the beautiful weather surely enticing the guests. Thursday was also the first day of the auction, where 450+ lots were up for grabs.  While the auction happened a few blocks west of the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, onsite excitement between Thursday and Saturday mid-day really helped solidify Spring Carlisle as one of the premier events of its type in the world.  Aisles were packed shoulder to shoulder with guests who spent every available show hour picking, purchasing and mingling along the way.  Vendor sales were also reported to be brisk and despite some wet weather, spirits remained high all around.

Car parts, merchandise, memorabilia, collectibles, and more were coming and going all day, every day.  Cars and trucks were even finding new garages to call home as business was booming in all corners of the 82-acre facility.  2023 continues the upward trend for Carlisle Events, as vendor sales, spectator admission tickets, and overall attendance were up year over year from 2022.

The stage area was actually a popular spot for guests throughout Spring Carlisle.  On it were members of the AACA Car Club.  They returned to Carlisle to showcase cool cars from the club, solicit for new members, and promote their upcoming fall meet in Hershey.  While the AACA was on the stage, the ARMO Hot Products Showcase was in front of it.  ARMO brought some of the hottest NEW products on the market to the masses at Carlisle.  ARMO is a council of SEMA, which is a private industry trade event held each fall in November.  For most guests, this ARMO display gives them a first-hand/in-person look at ways to better their prized ride.

Spring Carlisle had a charitable angle too, as representatives from area Lions Clubs were staffing the gates and accepting donations for their own Lions International Disaster Relief Fund.  By working three days, the Lions secured just over $2,000 in generous donations.  They’ll return to Carlisle for a few more events this season, including the upcoming Carlisle Ford Nationals in June.

Another great element of Spring Carlisle was the two-day classic and collector car auction hosted by Carlisle Auctions.  The auction tallied $6 million in sales (including fees) and can boast a 68% sell-through rate.  The auction showcased the Robert Metzgar Collection, an All-Truck Hour where 72% of the trucks sold, and hit the $324,000 mark by way of selling Serial #100, a 1953 Corvette.

While Spring Carlisle is a wrap for 2023, Carlisle Events sets its sights on the next event, plus next year’s spring show.  Up next at the fairgrounds is the annual international showcase of cars and trucks as part of the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals (May 12-13).  As Spring Carlisle 2024 goes, the event is planned for April 17-23, with the auction happening April 18-19.  Complete details on all things car show related, including the ability to buy spectator tickets in advance at a discounted rate can be found at CarlisleEvents.com.