To refer to Caffeine & Octane as a car show doesn’t begin to do it justice.
It’d be like comparing the Apollo 11 trip to the moon to packing the Griswold family into the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and heading to Walley World.
Yes, you could make the comparison, but that doesn’t make it right.
On the surface, the juggernaut, which is C&O, easily remains North America’s largest monthly car show. The enthusiastic crowds can number north of 25,000, with over 3,000 cars taking up space at the Perimeter Mall.
But, it’s when you look beyond the mass of humanity and shiny fenders that the subtle nuances begin to emerge. While most eyes are on the central lot, there are three massive parking lots for the main event, each with its distinctive vibe and energy.
Imagine admiring a dozen ultra-high-end exotics, then walking a few minutes, and being surrounded by classics from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Then, venture a little further and be immersed in the Japanese tuner culture.
Look a little deeper still, and you will see various Atlanta clubs displaying their beloved brands. Local fiberglass-loving clubs like Classic Glass Corvette of Marietta and Amazing Corvettes club of Atlanta are often there before the rooster crows.
We hit the main central lot early, and we still can’t get around to all the Corvette drivers that show up. Such is always the case at the best block party in the nation.
Motul Petite Le Mans
Few racing events in the southeast carry the rich history and cache of the annual Motul Petite LeMans. For the past 20 years, it has been a must-attend event for the region’s Corvette faithful.
As Atlanta race fans recall, the race was founded by Road Atlanta owner Don Panoz and first run on October 10th, 1998. In 1999, it was one of the original events of the American Le Mans Series.
Historically, the Corvette Corral parking area has been a sold-out event with Corvette banners flying proudly and local club tents dotting the hillside area.
This year the IMSA Weather Tech Championship wraps up four days worth of racing on Saturday, November 13th.
The finale being a 10-hour grueling test of man and machine over the historic Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta course.
Brilliance On Display
C&O is the perfect proving ground for designers to show off their latest creations and gauge the response. One of our favorites is Clifton Downie’s designs, the owner of Full Effects Auto Techniques in Snellville, Ga.
Clif always has a smile and a kind word for fellow Corvette enthusiasts. But, it’s his superb designs and acute attention to detail that keep his Snellville design studio busy.
Today, he showcased his latest Phase One C8 ground effects package that will soon go into total production. Advanced engineering allows the splitter and rocker panels to bolt into existing holes.
As a result, you can do the complete installation yourself. Finally, we pried Clifton away from the crowd of onlookers just long enough to ask him about his latest creation.
Clifton can be reached by email at: [email protected]. The entire interview, along with photos of his shop and design studio will be coming soon.
Here is the edited transcript of that conversation.
New C8 Ground Effects Option
Rod Worley – Editor – Clifton, your 2021 C8 convertible in Zeus Bronze with Morello Red interior never fails to attract a crowd at Caffeine & Octane. But what has everyone talking at the show today is the phase one ground effects package you’ve designed.
Can you tell us more about it?
Clifton Downie – Owner – Full Effects Auto Techniques – Well, Rod, we thought the 5VM – ground effects package that came from GM was a little too aggressive for the mid-engine convertible. So, what we did was design and build our own custom package.
Since General Motors is not going to do a C8 Grand Sport model, we decided to design a Grand Sport style ground effects package for the C8. The inspiration is from the seventh-generation Grand Sport.
So basically, you get a new side rocker panel that is vented to match the factory vent on the side of the C8. This functional vent is positioned to actually cool the tires.
From there, you get a new front splitter, which gives the car an additional two-inch lowered appearance. It does this without actually lowering the car.
In addition to looking great, this new front splitter allows air to flow over the front splitter and under the car.
Rod Worley – Editor – Thanks for sharing a few minutes to show us your latest C8 design. The intricate attention to detail is fantastic on these new designs, Clifton.
Let’s take a deeper look into your product line after SEMA and Carlisle this year.
Vicari Auctions
Caffeine & Octane has such strong name recognition that it pulls in vendors from across the southeast. One new vendor that we ran across this month was Vicari Auctions and their Vice President of Sales, Ben Gunter.
From its home office in Harvey, LA, Vicari Auction Company conducts Classic & Muscle Car Auctions across the southern United States. They have venues in New Orleans, LA; Biloxi, MS; and Nocona, TX.
The company was born out of Pete Vicari’s passion for Corvette’s and muscle cars. Pete got into the Classic & Muscle Car Auction Arena in Biloxi, MS, over 20 years ago.
His pastime hobby has ultimately grown into a successful auction business. Routinely their auctions attract hundreds of cars, with sales reaching into the millions of dollars.
One of Vicari Auction’s longest-running events is the Biloxi MS Auction. This annual event takes place during Cruisin’ The Coast each year in early October.
From October 7th through the 9th in Biloxi, MS, Vicari will be celebrating their 25th anniversary. In addition to cars, they also sell vintage automotive signs and memorabilia.
A Party For All
Before we let you go, we’ve got to dispel an urban myth that we hear at Corvette club meetings about C&O being a “guys event.” That couldn’t be further from the truth, especially among the Corvette devotees.
There are ladies and smiling couples everywhere.
For us, one of the perks of attending this car-loving neighborhood party? You don’t have to bring a covered dish.
For that reason alone, and many others, Caffeine & Octane is the best block party in the nation.
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