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4th annual BA-DA BA-DA BING BANG RALLY 5/19/18 Atlantic, IA

392
5
18
Location
Atlantic, IA
Here we go, again!

It is time to start planning for the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] annual BA-DA BA-DA BING BANG RALLY.

This year’s rally will be held on the 19[SUP]th[/SUP] of May (Saturday). All other things will be the same as last year with a few exceptions.

First and the most important note with the Rally this year is the special occasion. This year is Atlantic’s Sesquicentennial. That’s right Atlantic is 150 years old this year. There are many activities occurring throughout the city this year and the BA-DA BA-DA BING BANG RALLY is participating in the festivities. My goal is to have 150 tires at this year’s Rally. If you have a Jeep – and know of 29 other Jeeps available – bring them and that will meet the goal. Heavier cargo trucks are even better. Don’t forget your spare tire! If it gets really close, I might have to count road wheels on tracked vehicles. When you let me know you are coming, please give me a count of the total tires (or road wheels) and I will see how close we are going to get to the goal. If we only get to 145, I might have to go out and buy another Jeep. (Please don’t tell Marie I said that.)

Additionally, just because you don’t get to see this very often, there will be a US military weapons collection on display. This collection will include battle rifles, sniper rifles, .22 caliber trainer rifles, shotguns, and handguns. The oldest one will be an 1816 Type II musket and there will be 44 weapons on display (unless I add a few more to the collection before the Rally). If I really get bored, I might even dig out some STANO stuff for display. If you don’t know what that is, come and find out. Hint: more stuff you don’t see very often.

I thought while I am getting the weapons out of the vault I just as well sort out some “High Explosives” from the military collection. At last count that will be more than 150 items. Everything from bombs, artillery projectiles, grenades, fuzes, rockets, anti-tank weapons, related items, and other really odd stuff you don’t see very often. I am sure that count is way off since I added a couple more items just last weekend at the gun show.

The cruise and the “Ice Cream Social” stop will be the same. It is not really necessary to let me know you are going on the cruise. When we leave, if you are in line, you must be going – right? I will take a headcount at the stop and get the ice cream bars then.

We are confirmed on the noon meal. I will feed you – ummmmm – “something”, so a headcount for your “crew” would be really handy.

Speaking of headcount; a confirmation of your attendance as early as possible would be greatly appreciated. It causes less stress in my life and makes advertising more effective.

The “participation gifts” for the Owner/Operators have not been ordered, yet. I have one thing picked out and a sample in hand. I want to give an additional item, but I have not figured out what that is.

I have some door prizes already, but will most likely get some more – based on the anticipated attendance. Don’t forget to register your vehicle(s), when you arrive. Each vehicle gets a chance at the door prizes.

Because of the weapons and “High Explosives” displays the Registration Table will be inside the building this year. When you arrive, come on inside. If you told me you were coming – and I have all of your information, registration should go quickly. That will be the place to pick up your “participation gift”, welcome bag, etc. I will most likely personally present you with your trophy during the day, because . . . you know, they are really special and all. (Even more so this year.) I do have the trophies and will get them labeled just as soon as I get a chance to run the labels through my printer. (They aren’t really “nice” trophies, but everybody gets one.)

Please don’t use the Fareway parking lot to unload your vehicle. I hope to arrange the use of the Atlantic Bottling Companies lot north of the Armory. It is less congested, a great place to park your transport vehicle, and a safer place to unload your vehicle. Watch for more information on this.

This is the first of the emails I will send out for this year. When I have more information, I will send out another. Of course, if you have something you want me to know, just reply to this post.

Steve
 
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392
5
18
Location
Atlantic, IA
Time for an update on the BA-DA BA-DA BING BANG Rally. As of now, I have eleven vehicles scheduled to attend and a whole bunch of folks not saying anything – yet. I probably would worry about that, but I don’t have time. I am pretty busy getting all of the “extra” things ready.

The participation trophies are in. I actually ordered two different styles – one for this year and one for next year. Of course, they are keeping with the usual high class level of trophies awarded in previous years.

The door prizes are boxed and ready for distribution. When I say “boxed”, I mean I actually made some very unique boxes for some of them. I will have to remember to post some photos.

The “gifts” for the owner/operators have been selected, but I am looking for another additional “something”. I need to get that selected and get that order sent.

I have already done one radio interview and distributed I don’t know how many posters. If you need a copy of the poster, let me know and I can email you one.

A big thing this year is the display of my military weapons collection. It doesn’t get out very often and when it does it is a sight to see. There will be 44 US weapons dating from 1816 and up – snipers, shotguns, handguns, .22 trainers, a little bit of everything.

I will also be displaying over 200 “high explosive” items from my military collection – 250 pound bomb to Lazy Dogs, howitzers and hand grenades, mortars and mines, fuzes, tools, and rockets. I am building the world’s first nuclear hand grenade. It is BIG! I don’t think it will fit inside a 55 gallon drum. (Dear Homeland Security, I am not building a real nuclear hand grenade. You can even come and see it, if you want; and thanks for listening in.)

Yes, it looks like I will be living at the Armory the week before the Rally. Call me on my cell, if you need to talk to me.

Milk crates, yellow plastic chain, 105 mm howitzer projectiles, burlap, parachutes, and nuclear hand grenades – you don’t want to miss the Rally this year.

I don’t want to forget the 150 tires (or wheels) we need to help Atlantic celebrate its sesquicentennial this year. I will let you know as the pre-registrations come in, if you need to throw some extra tires in the back of your vehicle.
 

Karl kostman

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,308
893
113
Location
Fargo ND
Hey Gunnut so we would have an escorted cruise through town will there be any other rough terrain driving available, like a gravel pit or something to have some fun actually doing what our vehicles were built to do???

Let us know please
Karl
 
392
5
18
Location
Atlantic, IA
Hey Gunnut so we would have an escorted cruise through town will there be any other rough terrain driving available, like a gravel pit or something to have some fun actually doing what our vehicles were built to do???

Let us know please
Karl
"Rough terrain driving" . . . well there is a pretty bad pothole at the intersection of 7th and Olive (most people just drive around it), but they might have it fixed by May. :D

Seriously, I expect I could find someplace for you to do that sort of thing. I have noticed a bunch of pickups driving around town that look to me like they have been out "mudding". They have "mud drags" 15 minutes East of here in Anita. I can check with them also.

What would you be driving? This would probably have to be done on Sunday. The Bing Bang Rally is one day only - Saturday and is actually a pretty busy day for me. If you are serious and want me to check out the possibilities, let me know.
 
392
5
18
Location
Atlantic, IA
Count me in. I'll get there earlier this year with 5 tires and a M998 humvee.

Robert
No M-1009 this year - or are my records incorrect? That is not a problem. I think the public likes the HMMWVs just as much as they like the CUCVs.

That puts the count at 23 vehicles and a whole bunch of owner / operators not responding yet. I know they will be here. I just guess they like to see me sweat.

Funny thing about the tires. One of the owner / operators asked me about that. I explained to them my goal was one tire for each year since it is Atlantic's 150th birthday this year. They said they were going to bring their jeep with only 5 tires, but would also throw a tail wheel in from a P-51 Mustang. I thought that was pretty cool. It will probably be the only airplane part we have here, if you discount the bombs I will have on display for my "High Explosives" display.

mq9mlZE.jpg

See you next month.
 
392
5
18
Location
Atlantic, IA
Oh . . . I did get the nuclear hand grenade built I spoke about in an earlier post.

It will be at the rally too (mostly because it is too big to be anywhere else). :lol:

xAUfqMm.jpg
 

Bobert

Member
472
9
18
Location
Des Moines/ Iowa
No M-1009 this year - or are my records incorrect? That is not a problem. I think the public likes the HMMWVs just as much as they like the CUCVs.
I'll leave the cucv at home this year. Herman said he is going to try hard to make it this year.

I look forward to seeing your bombs, it will give me some decorating ideas.
 

CHIEFSONN

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Hello,I am planing on making it on Saturday with my wife and son, can someone tell me what the coast is for admission, This will be my first time here, last year I was able to go to the event up north in NEW JERSEY but since then I moved to South Carolina so I hope to see some of you and and what you have to sell along with seeing some green and tan steel. If any one is interested I will be towing my m105 e trailer with 7 Michelin X G-20 pilot XL 15.5/ 80 R20 tires
 
392
5
18
Location
Atlantic, IA
Hello,I am planing on making it on Saturday with my wife and son, can someone tell me what the coast is for admission, This will be my first time here, last year I was able to go to the event up north in NEW JERSEY but since then I moved to South Carolina so I hope to see some of you and and what you have to sell along with seeing some green and tan steel. If any one is interested I will be towing my m105 e trailer with 7 Michelin X G-20 pilot XL 15.5/ 80 R20 tires
I appreciate your interest. There is no cost for admission to the BA-DA BA-DA BING BANG Rally.

If you really are planning on attending, please PM me and I will send you more information.

Please note the Rally is held in Atlantic, Iowa.
 

98G

Former SSG
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,072
4,442
113
Location
AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
Looks like I may be within driving distance of this thing come May 19th ...

Having never been, what do we do at these things? Do we sell ammo cans and other things? Do we shanghai extra hands for installing an LWS on an M925? (You never know what some people consider recreation....)

I just stumbled across this. I went back to page 1 and discovered it was from several years ago and then the new one appended on.

Is it too late to register? Big truck or small? Is dragging a generator trailer along considered a good thing?

20180505_200135.jpg

20180430_151538.jpg
 
392
5
18
Location
Atlantic, IA
Looks like I may be within driving distance of this thing come May 19th ...

Having never been, what do we do at these things? Do we sell ammo cans and other things? Do we shanghai extra hands for installing an LWS on an M925? (You never know what some people consider recreation....)

I just stumbled across this. I went back to page 1 and discovered it was from several years ago and then the new one appended on.

Is it too late to register? Big truck or small? Is dragging a generator trailer along considered a good thing?

View attachment 727602

View attachment 727601

The schedule is probably one of the most unique things about the Rally. It starts at 8:00 AM and is over by 4:00 PM - or so (depending on whether you go on the Cruise or not).

We had a vendor last year. I don't know how he did on sales. He was the only one we ever had. He had a scheduling conflict this year. I really do think that the folks attending (both as Owner/Operators and the general public) would be interested in buying "stuff".

I have been toying with the idea of "events" to do, but our schedule is short and our space is limited. It seems most of the Owner/Operators want to spend time showing their vehicles to the public - and the public wants to see the vehicles. I usually show "something" from my personal collection that is not related to military vehicles. Last year there was a display of "stoves". I know . . . how exciting can "stoves" be? All I can say about that is I have things in my collection that most people have never seen. ;-) This year's special display will be my gun collection (over 42 weapons from an 1816 flint-lock musket to the new modern stuff including snipers, shotguns, .22 trainers, hand guns, etc). Just for good measure I am also showing my "High Explosives". That will be 213 items (at last count). Those items are everything from a fragment of a 500 pound General Purpose bomb to a "flechette" artillery projectile - and everything in between including mortars, artillery projectiles, automatic cannon ammunition, hand grenades, anti-tank weapons, . . . and anything else that you can think of that makes you go "BOOM". I think I might have promised something about STANO (Surveillance - Target Acquisition - and Night Observation), so I will have to dig that stuff out too.

It is not too late to register. In fact, some folks just show up that morning. That makes advertising and planning (I provide free food.) difficult, but they do it anyway. Space is limited but I will find a place for you. A generator trailer would be a good thing, as we haven't had one yet - even better, if it works so the public can see it run. I can provide you a light bulb. :smile:

A quick look at the database for this year shows: 3 - Five ton cargo trucks, 6 - CUCVs (various types), 2 - 2 1/2 ton cargo trucks, 8 - "Jeeps", 2 - HMMWVs (various types), and 13 other "things".

The best bet is to PM me with your email and I will send you more information than you ever thought possible.

Thanks for your interest.
 
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