C8 BASH Just 185 Days Away

[John]

For those who have never been the National Corvette Museum BASH, it is held annually near the end of April, and in 2019 specifically on April 25th through 27th, and who wish to learn more about next year’s new Corvettes, I can recommend no event higher except perhaps the ME’s reveal, and even then for those who are eventually purchasing the mid engine, I think the BASH would be your # 1 event at least for those ordering the next year’s Corvette.

While neither GM nor the National Corvette Museum (NCM) officially acknowledge that the 2020 mid engine C8 is even coming, we at MECF sure do!

What is the BASH? It is a three day event, to which GM sends and average of 75 staff (from Michigan and from Bowling Green Assembly Plant) to help you learn about the next year’s model. From major presentations with group Q&A’s following, to the other extreme of individual Q&A’s (more about this below), to walk-arounds the car presented by the very top Corvette staff, to 50 seminars about the Corvette,to great short Kentucky road tours to such places as the “Makers Mark” bourbon making facility, to time to hang with current Corvette friends, and time to make brand new ones — the BASH is my wife and my annual reason for driving from 2,500 away and going to the event annually.

Additionally, there are “help” walk-in events for those who are having a C4-C7 issues, special other Corvette events and seminars. Here is the 2018 BASH Agenda:

http://www.corvettemuseum.org/wp-con...018NCMBash.pdf

But to me, the single best thing about the event is that everyone who is there, and I truly mean everyone, gets an opportunity to individually walk up to Tadge, Harlan, Kai and Kirk and ask them, 1-to-1, your questions about that Corvette that will be spoon coming for sale, hopefully to your garage, within months to a year afterwards. However as always, they will not answer a single question about “potential future product,” so please do not waste your time nor their’s next April asking about the 2021 model. But conversely, they will take as much as time you wish answering details questions about the 2020 Corvette.

As a for-instance, in April 2014, when we were getting ready to soon order our 2015 Z06, my wife and I spent about 15 minutes each, again 1-to-1, talking with Sr. Chassis Engineer Alex MacDonald about the suspension differences on the Z06 stage 2 versus the Z06 with the Z07 package, and which one, for our type of usage, would be best. Having resolved that question, we next talked with Ryan Vaughan, then Chief Interior Designer, about interior color combinations. He bought out actual leather samples and we three together made our interior color choice. The day before, I had found Harlan, and again for a moderate length of time, we talked about the details of the aero components available, and right then made those ordering decisions.

The cost of attending all the seminars and other 8:00 AM to 5:00 AM events, other than the specially selected “special activities and side tours, is no more than $50 couple for the three days, less for those who are NCM members.

Typically, you can separately purchase for around $10/person, BGA Plant Tours — thought as of yet, GM has not confirmed when those tours will resume. Will they be available for BASH attendees? Not known.

More in the next below post, for already I have made arraignments for our MidEngineCorvetteForum Bash Breakfast!

[John]

I have already arraigned with Wild Eggs Restaurant, where we eat, for our MECF BASH Breakfast to be held at 6:29 AM, Friday, April 27, 2019. For those who have never been, why do we start so early? It is so all can meet, greet, eat and still get back to the Museum (10 minutes away) before the first of the NCM BASH activities that day.

We will have a separate sign up thread for the MECF Breakfast event!

We have earlier learned, thank you, that the registration for the 2019 BASH will start at the beginning of 2019, and we will similarly have a separate sign up thread.

As so many wonderful members of Stingrayforums are our friends and many already members of this forum, we will be inviting them to join us at our BASH breakfast! There is always room for nice people, and as we do annually, the breakfast invite is for family, friends, and those who do not yet own a Corvette.

[brad66]

I'll be there and plan to make the 500 mile drive in my 66.

It would be great if the factory tours are back by then.

[John]

Always really good to see you Brad at the BASH!

We got so excited thinking about the event this weekend, that we even made our first motel reservation (the only motel within many miles and often sold out if one waits too long). And when one averages 830 miles/day on our way home, a place to sleep when and where needed, is a very good thing.

[Shadow]

As noted above, the BASH is a super place to learn for those ordering a new model, very important for the greatly-changed mid engine. Seeing Corvette friends is always a very special highlight, especially for those who live far away from BG.

[Frenzy36]

Sounds like something interesting I would love to go to. It's only 13 hours away . However my plan is to also go to the reveal whenever and wherever it may be. I'm hoping Chicago as my hometown but Detroit would be a pita. Thanks for the info John.

[AbqVic]

Good idea to make Bowling Green hotel reservations early too. A friend, who is also going said the Hilton is already sold out for those days.

[John]

Good advice AbqVic. Thank you. It is quite probable that whereas the BASH attendance is often 1,500-1,750, it could be double next year due to the excitement about the mid year.

The good news is that with the Caravan coming into town in August, 2019 there are two new motels being build right now and one will definitively be open before the BASH.

There will be rooms for the BASH, but the rooms for the Caravan (estimated 8,500-10,000 arrivals), are sold out, as are some in Franklin (about 30 miles away).

Here’s a BG hotel link for those who are going for the first time. IMO, I would look farther away than the closest one (though it is probably already booked by now anyway), unless you are a person who loves somewhat loud and near continuous partying.

https://www.visitbgky.com/hotels/hotels-motels/