Moldy's Blog
The Personal Garbage and Ramblings of Moldy Freakin' Marvin
RF.Party.... Back in the Saddle!
New Venue L.A.C.R. Plamdale New Date July 9th Be there!
To find out what happened go to the bottom of the page and work your way up.
We thank all of you for your patience and support..... Moldy
06/25/05
First of all the fone has been ringing off the hook this morning,... Wow ! I went down to the venue earlier and it seems that we did a pretty good job of informing those of you that would normally be entering your vehicle. Most likely that is because of our mailing blitz and the street team which has done a pretty good job of hitting all the shows that are out there with the new venue and date information.
I do have to apologize to all of you Spectators that went to the Saugus Speedway today expecting the show to be on. But we really have done our best to try to inform everyone about the Show Date and Venue change. I really want to thank all of you that have called in the last week and especially those of you that called in today. You have all been so supportive and understanding. It's seems like no matter how far you came or how long it took you all of you still seem willing to come out on July 9th. I will guarantee, it will be worth all of your trouble.
Thank you all again.. love.. Moldy
06/14/05
Saugus didn't like our Element, Wot the heck is that supposed to mean?
So check this out On Monday 05/30/05 I was givin' a call by a friend that lives in Santa Clarita. He's come to the show every year. Anyway, so he knows some folks that work over at Saugus Speedway and he says to me that "Saugus Speedway has no problem with the show being held at their venue" and wants me to change it again? Ha.. I says, "They must have some kind of problem cuz they canceled the show and they sent my deposit back even offered them more money". I also said that "They must be out of their mind to think I would even entertain the idea of bringing the show back to that venue, especially after putting me through all the BS that I have had to go though to change the Venue and the date and to "Forget it". "L.A.C.R. stepped up to bat and that is where the show is going to be period!"
So then I get a call from another friend on Saturday 06/04/05. He also lives down that way and he said the he over heard a conversation at a local cruz in. The conversation was between 3 guys that had some real nice completely restored rides. I guess one of them is some kind of official for the City of Santa Clarita. And what was said is that the City got involved and pressured Saugus Speedway into canceling the contract because the City of Santa Clarita didn't like the "Element".
Now you tell me what in the heck do they mean by the "Element"? The Rat Fink.Party has always been a family oriented event. We are in our 6th year! We are well established and we are all adults! Does it have to do with the fact that some of us drive primered vehicles? Some of us are into Raw Core Hot rodding, Some of us have a few Tattoos? Heck this show is one of the most diversified shows I have ever been to. We got everything from Old hot rods to completely restored classics, Kustoms, muscle cars and even VW's. Jeepers don't they know that even Grand daddies bring their grand children to this here event.
Wot the heck do they mean by the "Element". Obviously these folks have never experienced the true love and sport of hot rodding and it's to darned bad that these folks will never experience the life and times that Ed "Big Daddy" Roth had to share. Oh yeah and don't forget the term "Rat Rods" is a new term, brought on by the same kind folks that have no clue.
The "Element".. Give me a break!
Well for you folks that don't mind the "Element" or better yet, if you are part if the "Element", or if ya want to become part of the "Element" then come on out July 9th to L.A.C.R. for the time of your life!
http://www.ratfink.org/rfparty2k5
Love ya,
05/16/05
Well we found a new home for the show. Unfortunately we also had to change the date but we are back on line.
The new date is July 9th 2005 and the new Venue is L.A.C.R. in Palmdale, Ca.. Special thanx goes to Bernie and Almighty Tim at the track, they saved my patute on this one... I really feel that this venue is going to be a much better home for the event. All Vehicles will be able to run their ride down the track for time slips and heads up grudge matches. So it should be a real gasser! And now the folks with rubber to burn can burn out in the box on the track!
I also have to send out a special thanx the folks at Obvio ! In Rio and the Auto America Group, they have pledged to commit to a generous sponsorship to help out with all of the set backs.
So anyway I spent the weekend burning the midnite oil up dating the web site along with all of the forms and flyers for the show. For more information all ya got to do is to go to the website.
http://www.ratfink.org/rfparty2k5
Thank you all for your patients and support, you have all been great! Hope to see you all there...
Love ya the Moldy one
05/13/05
After several days of searching and a million fone calls, I have been coming up with a bunch of dead ends. Either the venues are completely booked, they want way too much $$$, they can't get a permit or they are to far out of our sponsors territory. It looks like if we do find a venue that there might also be a date change. Currently I am talking to the College of the Canyons and L.A.C.R.
I hope to have something by the end of today or the beginning of this next week. Friday the 13th has always been a good day for me. So stay tuned for further developments.
05/10/05 3:04pm
This morning I received a call from one of the gang that was willing to run over the cash to cover the rest of the deposit. Well I called the speedway, I told them I could run down and give them the balance this afternoon and Well they aren't budging. So now we look for another place. Moldy
05/09/05
So what the heck happened?
Here's the scoop....
I didn't know if I could pull off this years show. Especially after a the separation from my better half last August, she was my rock and foundation that gives one the confidence of taking on such a task. Not only that she did all the paper work, the hiring, insurance contracts, more than I can think, the show flyers and the show program along with overseeing the Vendors the day of the show.
Now that I have had a taste of trying to do everything myself, I have come to the conclusion that she pretty much put on the show. All I did was to promote the show and wear a Stupid Hat!
I also didn't have the bucks and to tell you the truth, I or we had done nothing but lose money on this venture for the past five years. Hey, It's not that I have to make money on this event, after all this event is a labor of love but at the same time I can't continue to take a bath on it either.
A lot of folks suggested that I should at least give it one more shot, just to prove that I could do something like this on my own. Not only that, after 5 years of establishing an event like this there seems to be a lot of folks that rely on the show as something that is a part of them, something that is installed, something that they look forward to and something that they love. And then there was my love and dedication to Ed Roth and his fans.
So with the moral support of my friends I came up with a game plan. At first I analyzed the financial situation of how one could either make some $$ or at least brake even. The answered was to move the event into a larger facility in order to bring in more revenue to pay the bills. IE. Vendors, and Vehicle entries.
So last October I hooked up with Saugus Speedway and started negotiations. Saugus Speedway is a big bucks operation and the only way to pay for the place was to allow them to charge an admission at the gate and also take the proceeds from the food and beverage sales. They even told me that if they hit a certain nut they'd possibly give me a piece-o-the pie to help pay for junk on my end. We chose a date for the show but there was still a big problem, I needed $ 5,000.00 for the deposit on the venue. I talked to our sponsor but they were only willing to support the show with the original agreed amount of $ 2,000.00 this was reassuring but I still needed 3 grand.
Heck in the years before when the show was located at the Elks the final total came in somewhere around $ 12,000.00 to $ 14,000.00 before all is said and done. So needing another 3 grand can be a lot when you start with nothing.
Anyway I himmed and hawed for the next couple of months trying to figure out how I could raise the cash. Oh yeah there was also another small snafu, all the vendors would now have to have a special event permit issued by the State Board of Equalization. So looked into a couple more venues but every where you go these dayz there is so much red tape and so many rules for a decent facility, it's overwhelming.
After awhile I pretty much got cold feet about the whole thing. I figured that maybe I should blow the whole thing off for a year. Then back in February someone on the ratfink e-group asked about this years show. I told the gang what my dilemma was, then one of the members stepped up to bat and pledged that they would loan me the money for the rest of the deposit as long as it was refundable. So with that I negotiated the rest of the contract with the Speedway.
The contract was finalized on March 18th. In the contract it stated that the deposit was due at contract signing. I couldn't pay the deposit because in order for me to submit the documents for the personal loan and the invoice to the sponsor I needed the contract as proof to receive the coin needed for the deposit. Catch 22 or wot!
The Speedway management verbally agreed to allow me until May first (a Sunday) to get them the bucks. So I immediately submitted my documents to the parties that were to get me cash and go on to other things.
In the mean time I figured that the best thing to do would to be to get a Home Equity Line of Credit that would allow me to pay for all of the other things that would be needed to put on the show and then pay it back as the renew came in. I figured if I did that then everything would be taken care in advance of instead of waiting till the last minuet. You wouldn't believe all the stuff that needs to be taken care, of.. liability insurance, porta potties, dumpsters, printing, show program, sound, canopies, tables, chairs, the list just goes on and on.
I try to get a hold of the Speedways manager during the last week of April and they are on vacation. I wanted to tell them that things were running a little behind but they would get their cash. the receptionist tells me that the manager would be back on the 5th.
Well..... May First rolls around, No Money! the sponsors check comes in on May 3rd, I throw that in the bank cut a check for 2 grand to the speedway, wait a day or so for it to show before I send it out on the 5th. I also had been keeping in touch for the past few weeks with the guy who pledged the other 3K and he kept telling me he was sending it etc. Except the last two calls one on the 29th of April and the 3rd of may the dude hangs up on me. FLAKE!
So anyway I got real busy on the 5th got back home around 5:00pm there is a voice message on my fone from the management from the Speedway I return the call but the office is closed.
On May 6th I get an e-mail from the Speedway saying that they are canceling the contract because they haven't received their money yet. I then e-mail them back telling them that the money is on the way. I also told them about the Flake but I could give them the rest of the cash this week as soon as my Home Equity Loan Check cleared. (the only thing is that 3K is going to take a big bite out of paying a bunch of other stuff)
This was their response:
Dear Moldy,
I am guessing that perhaps you are misunderstanding me. Your contract, with payment due from the original signing date
of March 18, 2005, was given a verbal payment extension to May 1, 2005, and entered into default at the close of
business May 1, 2005. As of May 6, 2005, we officially notified you of the payment default and the contract cancellation.
There will be no Rat Fink/Kustom Kulture event at Saugus Speedway on June 25, 2005.
Again, we wish you success with your event at another location.
Sincerely,
The thing that is killer... is that the show is still a month and a half away and they will get their money. The only thing that I can think of is that the Speedway has been burned in the past and they just don't have any tolerance left to give. So I guess ya can't blame them.
As of today May 9th we have an ally that personally knows the owner and he is supposed to talk to the Speedway owner and management tomorrow.
If that don't work I along with the help of others are looking into two other venues and we hope to have this thing figured out by the end of this week.
If none of this stuff comes to fruition then all of the entries, vendor registration and sponsor cash will be refunded.
Thank God I haven't touched it.
To the Street Team: Please Do Not hand out any more flyers.
To The Bands: Please keep the original Date open for the show. I'll get back to ya A.S.A.P.
So there ya have it, keep yer fingers crossed and hopefully we will be back in business.
Love,
Moldy jeffrey
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Rat Fink™ name and device and Ed "Big Daddy"
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