Un Lavoro d'Amore: Pt Otto

Benvenuti amici!

The FIAT 500 has held a special place in hearts of Italians since 1936 and captivated the imaginations of designers, the world over, since its iconic 1957 update. Bryan Thompson, an automotive & freelance designer of more than a decade, is no exception.

When FIAT S.p.A. released their latest update to their famous lil' mascot, in 2007, and relaunched the ABARTH & Co. version in 2008 it sparked something in Bryan he could not shake. He had to have a Scorpione of his own… and he would put his personal (Re: whimsical) stamp on it. Whimsy is Bryan's calling card. In the FIAT 500 ABARTH, he found a perfect playing field for his aesthetic leanings… and play he did.

It's been some time since we last checked in with Bryan Thompson and his (very much) one-of-a-kind FIAT 500c ABARTH. We've been with Bryan through this entire exciting process and, now, we finally get to see the finishing touch. If you regularly visit this blog, you know that touch is the W-H-E-E-L-S. 

I know Bryan pushed and pushed and, then, pushed some more to get every detail of this build just right. His vision was clear and his standards high. It is evident in the final product. Check it out…

But this brilliant slice of La Dolce Vita isn't the only work of art Bryan is sharing with us. As you are aware, Bryan is a contestant on Motor City Masters. Here is an original piece he sent me to celebrate USAmerican Independence Day… also the birthday of the FIAT 500 and CC5C. Thank you (so much) for sharing your journey with us, sir. I trust you'll post some shots of your first picnic with friends on the CC5C Facebook page.

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

FFO14: Rear Mirror View

Benvenuti amici!

We attended the 31st annual FIAT FreakOut, hosted by FIAT Club America, last week. For the uninitiated, the FreakOut is a gathering of Italian coach aficionados from all over the country (primarily East Coast mainstays). The group gathers for cruises and other activities, culminating with a field show… a 'Concorso'. These events provide fans of Italian motoring with the opportunity to celebrate their automotive passion and FIAT S.p.A. loyalists the chance to show off their favorite runabout or touring vehicle. 

The event is sponsored with a combination of dues paid by FIAT Club America membership and event-specific admission/participation along with other sponsorship (like that of FIAT USA and Bridgestone). 

The very day I learned of FIAT FreakOut I knew I, and the missus, would find a way to attend sooner than later. My passion for all things FIAT ignited immediately… and the annual gathering seemed to be the natural evolution and ultimate act of fanaticism.

For the entire year since proposing the Milwaukee-based FIAT club, called Cream City Cinquecento Club or Cream City 500 Club, I have promoted FIAT Club America membership, RICAMBI readership and FIAT FreakOut attendance. If you regularly follow this blog and/or the club Facebook page, you no doubt periodically read about both. My belief has always been the national club, East Coast-based, and its West Coast counterpart, FIAT America, are theoretically the best examples of North American FIAT fandom. I see a value in cooperation with those organizations. I see an even greater value in meeting with fans outside one's immediate community and experiencing how they celebrate in their daily lives.

A year to the month after launching this blog and proposing a local club, we found a small group of people equally interested in attending the FreakOut. One drove out the day the event began and, on day two, two met us at our Local Studio a/k/a LS in order to attend a 'Midnight Run'. Sean Kane led us down to the Saint Charles IL area. His route avoided major highways, in favor of backroads that allowed for a leisurely drive and kept the tiny group together. Along the way, Ron & Lisa Miller joined the CC5Caravan… bringing our count to four. We were aware of at least three more arriving when they could find a convenient time. Fantastic! 

I originally intended this entry to be a review of my impressions, after attending my first FreakOut. Instead, I've decided to make this a 'How-To' prepare for participation in a future FreakOut or any other FIAT-related gathering. This five-point key to FIAT FUN came to me as a result of my CC5C & FFO14 experiences.

I. Register Early

One thing I've learned in my time organizing our local gatherings is; the earlier people make firm commitments to attend, the better I am able to plan routes and activities. I have no idea why we procrastinate when it comes to RSVPing, but we do it all the time. This causes participant and organizer stress. 

Do yourself a favor and commit as early as you possibly can. It will no doubt help you properly prepare for the gathering.

Example 1: FIAT Club America and its partners were pushing the event for all of one year. Promotion begins almost immediately after the current event ends. Why? Turnout is important and big numbers help draw local media as well as potential sponsorship.

Example 2: I began planning 2014 gatherings of La Famiglia in 2013. I posted my ideas on this blog, on our FB page, I sent emails to local members and I called a club planning session in early 2014. Why? I want to get an idea for how many members will be at every outing. I want to know what other people want to do. I want to make our meets as simply enjoyable as possible.

II. Have an Agenda

No one knows you better than you. Know what you want to do & see before you hit the road. Little is worse than arriving at an event/place and learning, after the fact, you missed an opportunity to do or see something that is very important to you.

Example 1: There were a few people it was very important, for me, to meet at FFO14. I had no idea whether or not they'd be there, but I definitely wanted to speak with them, if they were. Well, I had such a great time snapping photos and meeting people, I missed two opportunities to speak with three of the people on my wish list.

Example 2: There are quite a few Italian coaches we dig… some are sentimentally (and historically) more important to us than others. We have our favorite Lancias, our favorite Alfas, our favorite Maseratis, our favorite Ferraris and our favorite FIATs. What I, personally, did not have at FFO14 is my wish list written. What did that do for me? 

I was like crazed child in a candy or toy store when we pulled into the parking of the selected resort. When I arrived at home I discovered there were a handful of coaches missing from my photos. That is not life ending, but it caused me to realize I had no plan for immortalizing my 'picks'.

III. Plan for the Worst

One mantra I often chant is "Plan the picnic, but remember to pack an umbrella." I am certain some regions of your country enjoy predictable weather, but there is always the off chance the unexpected will happen. Packing rain-friendly clothes/shoes and more than one umbrella is a must (for endless fun).

Example 1: It poured during FFO14. Thad Kirk said it is the first time he can recall rain during this 31 years aged event. Bad weather is no one's fault. Mother Nature will always have her way. Be prepared when it happens.

That is a literal example of 'planning your picnic for rain'. It works figuratively too. 

Example 2: Cruises are an essential part of car club activities. No matter what you have planned, the club will likely need to drive some distance to get there. Along that drive, no matter the size of your group, you are likely to lose someone. 'Pack your umbrella'. Plan a rendezvous point for stragglers. No one person/car on a cruise is more important than any other. A good rendezvous point underscores that crucial fact. Two-way radios aren't a bad idea either.

IV. Remain Flexible

This point is an extension of #3. The best laid plan has a 50% of ending in complete failure. If you are not flexible, you will no doubt fall to disappointment… to the peril of enjoying yourself. Bruce Lee said, "Flowing water never grows stale, so you gotta just keep on flowing. Be water, my friend." I think those are words upon which to base your entire life. Look for ways to have fun, despite things not going exactly as you thought or planned and you will find yourself in a constant state of positive engagement. It is okay to feel/get down, but do not allow yourself to stay down.

V. Lock Aim on Having Fun

Event planners and Cruise Captains are not mind readers. They have no idea what you like to do with your time or what kind of routes and/or tempos you prefer when you are out on the road. What they do know is enough to offer you something… big or small… to get excited about. 

Register/RVSP/commit early, have an agenda, plan for the worst and be flexible to increase your chances of having a F-U-N. This month we celebrate; The observed birth of FIAT S.p.A. (11 July), the observed birth of the Cinquecento (4 July) and the observed birth of the Città Crema Cinquecento Club. Celebrate with us this Saturday, 9am at our LS. You can find details here.

See you soon…

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: FIAT FreakOut!

Benvenuti amici!

In only a few hours hundreds of FIATs, from various decades, will begin descending on the state of Illinois. Hosted by FIAT Club America a/k/a FCA, the largest group of FIAT enthusiasts made up of smaller clubs from all over North America, the FIAT Freakout a/k/a FFO is in its 31st year. We covered FCA several times on this blog and we are very excited to include our club among the ranks of FIATisti converging in Chicagoland for this event. 

CC5C will have small groups meeting at/leaving from Bergstrom FIAT of MKE. This means we also have contacts for those interested in joining a CC5Cruise to the Pheasant Run Resort.

Confirmed CC5Cruise Captains:

Bryan Reiners: 
Grigio ABARTH 500

2pm at Bergstrom FIAT of MKE

Sean Kane: 
Grigio FIAT X1/9

6pm at Bergstrom FIAT of MKE

These CC5Caravans are leaving promptly, in order to make it to the FIAT Fun area in good time. The goal for Group One is to arrive at the Pheasant Run Resort in time to take part in the GoKart Racing activity. The goal for Group Two is to arrive at the resort early enough for drivers to catch-up with friends/family and take a much deserved break prior to the Midnight Run.

One very special FFO14-related announcement CC5C would like to share is the arrival of our CC5C FFO14 t-shirts. Designed by CC5C, and sponsored by Bergstrom FIAT of MKE, these are in an extremely limited supply and available to CC5Cers in attendance on a first-come-first-served basis.

Do not fret, if you are a CC5Cer and will not attend this event. This is only the first in a line of CC5Clothing we have planned. If you will be in attendance, please make sure you find me there and ask about the shirt.

We look forward to meeting our FCA friends soon. More than that, we look forward to meeting, face-to-face, our CC5C Famiglia from all over the US & Canada. Until our runabouts of choice take over Land of the Skywalkers... 

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Buon Compleanno, CC5C!

Benvenuti amici!

I will do my best to keep this celebratory entry short & sweet, because it is partially self-celebratory. If you follow this blog, you know FIAT fanatici have a lot to rejoice during the month of July. For those new to this blog, allow me to take a moment and shed a little light on the subject.

26 June 2014 marked one year since our soft launch of this blog. 11 July marks the foundation of FIAT S.p.A.. Tomorrow, 4 July 2014, marks the observed birthday of the FIAT 500 and Cream City 500 Club. In the year since proposing this club, I have; posted nearly 70 entries to this blog (with nearly 15000 visits), been blessed with a multi-state roster of over 30 CC5C FIATisti (crossing national borders with official members of La Famiglia in Canada) and launched a Facebook page with 130 official followers (reading in 10 different detected languages) to date. CC5C enjoys blog & Facebook readership from the Americas, Europe (West & East), Africa, Asia and even Oceania. 

It is due to the massive support of the greater FIAT community I continue to strive to bring you the best FIAT life enthusiast experience I can muster on a daily basis, on the Facebook page, and 3-5 times a month on this blog. I also work to increase the enjoyment level in the time spent with CC5C by forging relationships with other FIAT fan organizations I believe will benefit our loyal readers/followers/supporters, CC5C Famiglia members and everything FIAT Chrysler Automobiles. Recently, two pieces I wrote for RICAMBI magazine were published. One of said pieces is a how-to on starting your very own local FIAT Club. We have much more in store for you.

It is very likely many people do not understand why I… and we… carve so much time out of an already hectic life to freak over small, Italian runabouts. Those people are not FIATisti… yet.

Thank you; don Giovanni Agnelli for being a visionary, don Dante Giacosa for being a genius, don Karl 'Carlo' Abarth for your beautiful madness, don Roberto Giolito for being a brilliant student of the past and a bright creator of the future, John & Lapo Elkann for honoring your family legacy with bold and innovative business as well as marketing style, don Sergio Marchionne for your shrewd modern business sense, every Italian design house for the work involved with supporting FIAT in creating something special in the runabout category and, most of all, my thanks goes to all my FIAT PEOPLE… PAST AND PRESENT… for taking part in the effort of showing the world what FIAT life enthusiasm is all about…

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Grazie Mille!

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