helrazr70

Hotel in Pigeon Forge, TN | Econo Lodge® Official Site | Econo Lodge Pigeon Forge Riverside

It's been a while since I've darkened this doorway! I just wanted to drop a reminder in here to check out the Meet Planner section to see the details about this year's "all new" PF meet. We changed the date and location of the meet to better suit member's financial and comfort needs. Same meet, different hotel, better amenities! You can also follow along on the SQ Facebook groups where there will be multiple posts with details and discussion. The first post in the Enthusiasts group has blown up and there are some older names saying they are coming or have already booked their rooms. I really need to get back in here more often. Kinda feels like home. 🙂 Chris

2025 Starion and Conquest meet July 25-27 in Pigeon Forge, TN NO STARION OR CONQUEST REQUIRED TO ATTEND. Hosted at the Econo Lodge Pigeon Forge Riverside. Hotel link with the best price is in the comments. You don't have to stay at the host hotel. You can stay at any of the hundreds of hotels, motels, or vacation rentals in the area, but the gatherings will be at this Econo Lodge. This is the oldest, longest running annual Starion and Conquest meet in the USA--and likely longest running SQ meet the world! Since 1999, StarQuest enthusiasts have flocked to Pigeon Forge, TN every July for this meet. These people come to show off their cars and to see cars like theirs in the wild (rather than their modern habitat in garages and/or on jackstands) They also come to take in the numerous family friendly local attractions in the area effectively making the trip a mini vacation for the whole family. This meet was once mighty and hosted 50+ Starions and Conquests as well as 100+ people but attendance has dwindled over the years as the cars have gotten older and less reliable. Also, the decline in visitation of the "Meet Planner" section here at starquestclub.com in favor of Facebook has made it harder to advertise this meet with any consistency. We have not publicly advertised the meet in several years. Those who know, just show up. This year we decided to advertise it and will try to keep it bumped up on the Facebook groups and on starquestclub.com to see if we can regrow the meet rather than let it fade away. We didn't come this far--to only come this far! In recent years we have had as many as 10 SQ's and as few as 3 SQ's. There is a core group of about 20 us that make it every year with or without a StarQuest. This meet has elevated to more of a StarQuest family reunion with a few SQs rather than being solely about the cars. The cars brought us together, but the friendships became the focus. Every year we have new and old faces. As stated boldly above, you don't have to bring a Starion or Conquest to attend. If you have a SQ that you can push, pull, or drag, we would love to see it! If driving or towing your SQ just isn't in the cards, just come hang out with us and BS about our shared interest in these cars or anything else that comes to mind. Our group is friendly and made up of a perfect balance of young/old and introverts/extroverts to keep it fun and exciting! There are usually cruises to the infamous “Tail of the Dragon” which is an 11 mile stretch with 318 curves as well as what we like to call “Area 32” which is just as curvy as the Dragon. Drive it in your SQ or daily driver. They are a great experience no matter what car you drive! Since this is as much of a people meet as it is a car meet, you will find the most fun occurs in the evenings when we all come back together after the group dinner/s to hang out until the wee hours talking and enjoying some adult beverages. If you are not careful, you will walk away with lifelong friends! If we see growth this year, we may bring back the car show, door prizes, etc. for PF26. If you have read this far, that means you must have some curiosity or interest in joining us this year! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, drop them in the comments of one of these posts in any of the groups they are posted in. There are multiple live threads about this meet running on the Starion and Conquest groups on Facebook as well. Let's rekindle this meet to keep it alive for current and future enthusiasts!

When I get a chance I will look at my tan carpet and see if it's salvageable. If not, I will be in touch and see about coming to see you again.

Is this an ST sway bar?

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I have not been on here in a while since so many of us are on Facebook and it's just easier to communicate there. The drawback is that you can't categorize or archive information on Facebook so everything just fades to the bottom and vanishes unless you do a deep dive search--and that's if you remember which page/group what you are searching for was in. At least here it's organized and searchable. It sucks that all the SQC data was lost since 2015 but it is what it is I suppose. Based on my 2000+ post count reduction, I'm guessing more was lost than just the last 8-9 years. I do miss the days when this site was the hotspot for all of us. Good times... Now, it looks like only a small group of oldheads frequents the site with a few random new folks. Anyway, I just dropped in to say "Hi". 🙂

My winter project has been my winter project for like 5 years! 😅 (2JZGTE/CD009 swap into Jimmy Ainsworth's old Black/Tan '88 that was badly abused and neglected by the person who Jimmy sold it to before I bought it) I do a little to it here and there but no major progress since like March of 2022 when I did the poly bushings and Wilwood big brake kit. I had the engine started and running back in June of 2019 but tore the fuel system, wiring, and other assembles out/apart and just have not gotten back to it due to lack of money and back surgeries. (I also hate working in the cold so winter projects suck!) On a positive note, last month I installed a bleeder valve in the upper heater core hose and a radiator hose filler neck to hopefully avoid air pockets. Last week I bought some Deutsch wiring connectors to start wiring in my Autometer Cobalt gauges to be disconnected with two plugs at the cluster rather than having to disconnect all 5 from behind the printed circuit. I also got a banjo fitting for my Toyota intake to brake booster vacuum and some grommets for gauge wiring to go through the firewall. It's not tangible progress but it's a step in the right direction. Hopefully over the next 2 weeks I will get the motivation to get out to the garage, crank up the propane heater, and tackle my next items on the list: *Install the ATEMU and resistors/heatsink *Wire up the gauge cluster to be easily removable *Wire in the Toyota brake light switch *Reinstall the dashboard and remount the Toyota ECU/fuse boxes/relays/switches in the glovebox *Install the radiator fan controller and relay kit *Trim more metal from around the shifter hole or create a relief for transmission to be raised higher

You have built the car that I have envisioned building someday with those Work wheels and the LMS kit! I'm jealous! 😍 One day I will finally finish up this 2JZGTE/CD009 swap and be able to think about body mods.

One of 174? :lol: :lol: :lol: Which bodily orfice do people pull these numbers from?

We took my daughter last month. She loved it too. She made a "Pony Purple" and a "Hannah Banana".

Delaware is probably less than 11hrs. It took me 9hrs from PA.

I had a great time this year as usual. Of my 13 years of Pigeon Forge meets, I must say that PF15 was probably the most enjoyable. It was very relaxed and there was a lot more socializing this year between groups than in previous years. It was less "clique'y". (less small groups keeping to themselves) I have been guilty of it myself in the recent past. This year I think everybody got acquainted with somebody new whether it was their first meet or they were long-time attendes. Next year I plan to branch out some more and spend time with other people whether they are new or veteran attendees like myself. That just proves once again that this meet isn't just about the cars. It's about friendship and fun. For me, many of you guys have gone beyond "friend zone" and are what I consider family. I have been in/at SQC members weddings and I had SQ members in and at my wedding. I have not brought a car in several years and don't feel guilty about it at all. I don't come to show off a car or to see what anyone else brought. Seeing the cars is an awesome bonus but not a motivation for going. I come to see and hang out with my FRIENDS. I think many others feel the same way I do--and that is why the PF meet is so successful every year. Think about it: This meet has ZERO planning except setting the date, yet 50-ish people and 25-ish cars show up at the same place every year for a great weekend. It's not coincidence... This meet is driven by friendship, not the cars. Since Tom wasn't there to organize the Go Karts we didn't go. Actually the weather was pretty sketchy and unpredictable so I think most people decided to stay dry and BS in the parking lot instead. Next year I am sure the karting will resume. For you facebook users: You will see this again. I will post this on the "SQ's at PF" group page and possibly one or two of the of the other SQ group pages. Feel free to friend request me if you feel so inclined. Even though I totally left the SQ game a few years ago (except the PF meets) and have only dabbled here and there by helping others with theirs and the occasional buy/sell flip for profit, I am seriously considering buying another one--except keeping it this time. If the right car, at the right price, and at the right time comes along--who knows? I am already looking forward to next year lol!

Nope. No prizes or awards. Oddly enough some people just like each other and show up to connect with people rather rhan see what they can get. Sometimes it's not all about the cars. Go figure...

Did you ever book a room?