Dockweiler Meet 2025

[Chilezen]

Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025

Location: Dockweiler State Beach

12001 Vista Del Mar, Playa del Rey, CA

LOT 2. PARKING LOT NUMBER TWO. THE SECOND PARKING LOT. LOT 2.

Time: 10am till 2pm~ish

Additional Info: Parking is like $9 or so.


You read that right, we're back home this year, and we are going to keep this one quiet. In fact, we're going to give you reasons not to come. So don't, okay? The park staff might kick us out again. It might rain. Your 30+ year old car might not even start that morning.

This is for the guys who like things a little slower, y'know? We're going to meet up at the beach, enjoy the January sun, talk stupid shit, and grill some hot dogs. We come in the cars, but we stay for the faces. This is the E30 community, and that's what we do.


This year we're meeting up at 10am. If you do decide to come, please bring something to our potluck. It's tradition for us, as the community comes together for tasty treats out on the beach. This can range from anything like pizza, chicken wings, brownies, cookies, bottled water, soda, or anything far more interesting than those generic suggestions.


We don't expect everyone to bring some food, as not everyone can afford to. That's okay. Just come and enjoy the company. Warm clothing is recommended, and lawn/beach chairs wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Raffle

We will be hosting a simple lottery; there will be one cash prize coupled with a donation to a fire relief fund. The prize amount will be based on the number of tickets sold. Tickets will be sold for $5. The winner will be announced at 1pm, and will be chosen based on the classic hand-in-bucket type of drawing.
50% of sales will be donated to a fundraiser for fire relief (TBD), 40% of the sales will be awarded to the raffle winner, and 10% of sales will be collected by us for firewood/supplies of the meet.
We wish you the best of luck, and we appreciate your donation to a good cause!



I can't stress how influential this community has been for me, personally. I remember my first Dockweiler from 9 years ago. It’s meets like this where you get to know the people that you'll know for years to come, people that may be in your life forever, long after the e30 is gone. So, invest some time in this community. I promise you won't regret it.


And remember...


It's not a show, not an event. It's a meet. Feel free to bring anything from your garage queen to your shitbox daily. It's all good. Just don't be an asshat; nobody needs to know how small your penis is. Arrive gracefully and leave with dignity.

[Chilezen]

Since this is r3v, I want to throw up extra details. I like that this is a place to discuss things, so feel free to help with the ideas.

My name is Kevan, by the way, and as some of you may know, Edwin and I have been running this for the past... 7 or 8 years now. Leo was also in the picture but lately he's been a tough cookie to work with, and we don't need that kind of management around here. He had a vision of turning the meet into a large-scale profitable event, and, well, I disagree. This is a cool beach meet. Let it be cool, man.

So that leads me into the "money making" aspect of the meet; the raffle. I honestly don't want to draw much attention to a potential raffle, for a couple reasons. First, I haven't gotten in touch with anyone yet, but mainly, because I don't want the meet to be driven by prizes and ads. It's people-centric, and in this age of endless transactions, I don't need this to be another one of "those" events. On the other hand, I appreciate that companies/people out there are supporting our cars, and I want that kind of community connection to remain intact. Especially with the smaller businesses with cool ideas, they ought to be shown in the light too.
Now to balance this out, between big and small biz, and between the wealthy and broke raffle ticket holders, I will offer everyone only one ticket per person.
This, in my mind, will leverage out any businesses who want a lot of attention, because I'm not here to do all that extra work to promote them. They're pared down with everyone else, who wants to be a part of the community. And this gives people a fair chance of actually winning something. I don't care if you want to throw your money at me to win a good prize. Go buy the damn thing with all your money and support that business directly. /rant

Few other raffle points:
No pre-sale. On site only.
Sponsors will not be on the flyer.
Raffle items do not have a minimum value. However, absolutely no gift certificates will be accepted.
Sponsors will be notified of minimal advertising, and the possibility of a canceled event. Because that might happen again.
Vendors are discouraged from setting up tents. Strictly no tents on the parking lot; any tables that look branded will be on the sand.


No trucks with trailers; no cars will be allowed to be towed in (Again, it's a meet, not a show). I don't want to draw an *extra* attention from the park staff.

Which leads me to my next topic: The location.
To sum up the last few years, we have explored new locations for various reasons, but none could retain the charm of being at the beach. Go anywhere else, any other parking lot just isn't the same. However, we have had issues with the park staff, which is why I'm trying to run with the idea that earlier in the morning + not inviting a large crowd should help ease the park into accepting our event. It's risky, but I'm not shy in admitting that. I can't take away the single most obvious aspect about this event, though: it's in the freakin' name! This is our home, and I'm going to try again.
This ties back to how I don't want to draw attention with a big raffle. And I don't want cars to be trailered in. And no food vendors. I want people to go to a meet at the beach for the fact that it's at the beach, which honestly should speak for itself.


I will need vacant tables needed for potluck food/drinks. Empty coolers with ice for potential drinks. Firewood needed as well for a pit.
This isn't a team effort, it's a community effort. I do what I can because I know damn well that even a small event like this can have a lasting impact on any individual. It did with me.


And like last year, we might have donations for the local animal shelters again. I'll see if that kid wants to do that again.

That's all I have for now. It's the middle of September, and with the meet in January, we have time to set up something special.

[OSAH racing]

Very well said/ written. Myself and the Unwanted ginger will be there with a food dish, some raffle money and I will refrain from laying down 6" of black tire rubber when I leave.
Glad to see that a sensible approach to making this work is the planed route.

[reelizmpro]

I really disliked how we were treated the last time it was there. I felt like we couldn't really enjoy ourselves without looking over to see if the cops/security was coming. I'd like to see the meet back at the beach as well but the genie is out of the bottle. How do you expect it to be the small community meet it was like in the early 2000's? You'd almost have to keep the date a secret and keep it E30's only. Anyway, I share your vision but just don't see how we can keep it quiet especially this day and age.

[Chilezen]

just don't see how we can keep it quiet

Well at the moment, this is the only place it's posted. I have the Instagram page in my pocket to use at my discretion, and I want to be careful with how word is spread. I can't only post it here, because, *looks around* well you know.
But yeah, maybe keeping it only E30's is a good start. I can't realistically enforce that, though, once we're down at the beach. My options for exclusivity at a public space are fairly limited.

I want "new" people to have the chance to experience it, as we all had our own "first" time, but I also have to set the stage where this event doesn't appeal to a large spectrum of people.

Can't do invite-only at a public beach, for an event that has momentum like it does, and it can't be kept a secret because it didn't suddenly turn into a club. Additionally, in a backwards way, sometimes secrets will draw more attention. So that wouldn't help, that's a tricky card to play.

That's where I'm leaning on the morning crowd, the potluck credentials, and the community driven atmosphere. Yeah, the staff will probably raise an eyebrow once the number of cars becomes apparent. Can anything I do or suggest really make a difference? I don't think so. If we're behaved, and using the beach as intended, as I intend we do, then maybe we're safe. That's my pitch anyway. It's a meet for decent human beings with cool cars who like sandy toes.

For this meet, with the crux of social media, it's my job to set the tone; one which has a target audience, and make it clear it's not for everyone.

[strickland]

I wonder if there is a bigger parking lot/venue that’s also beach-adjacent?

[MrBurgundy]

There's a brewery in San Pedro. They got this insane lot where they hosted a Porsche event I went to years ago. Might be something to look into? It was years ago tho.

https://www.brouwerijwest.com/home

[Chilezen]

There's a brewery in San Pedro.

I am familiar; we had the '22 Meet at the lot adjacent to there. R3v post. It didn't occur to me that we could have a meet within their lot, that's a good idea.

I wonder if there is a bigger parking lot/venue that’s also beach-adjacent?

The next lot I know of is in Long Beach; Junipero Beach parking lot. There's a meet called Shore Shifters, hosted on the last Sunday or something. I haven't been, but would like to one day.

Below that is Sunset Beach, again not one I've been to, but have driven next to. I don't know enough about the area to make a call on it, but I don't lean towards it because it leaves the LA county line.

Going up the coast, Edwin had done some research, he looked into Point Mugu/Sycamore Cove Beach. They are very small lots, so the most realistic scenario is to rent out the lot for the day. The lady on the phone quoted him $4000 up front. We would have to sell vendor/booth spaces to make a dent in that kind of investment, because entry tickets wouldn't cover it. But, the park also charges a 60% cut from the booth permits.

Virtually any beach at which we seek out a permit to lock down the location, we're looking at fees and tickets and commercialization, which isn't the vibe I want here.


I want to give Dockweiler at least one more chance. The last 4 years have been awkward, but there needs to be a pivotal reason to forego the namesake in order to find a new home.

[DatUtahGuy]

I salute the effort and thought that is being put into this meet to keep it grassroots. The truth is inflation is going to make it hard to keep something "realistically affordable", unless you have an "in" with someone. People want a lot of money to rent out a venue/parking lot/whatevs, and for the most part, the type of people that have bought into E30s in the last 6 years and may show up to a meet like this are no longer enthusiasts, the scene has shifted towards "influencers" and whatnot that only seek attention and validation, usually trying to stick out instead of laying low.

But what do I know, I'm not even in the same county anymore and don't own an e30.

I guess if I'm saying anything, is just good job Kevan and Ed for trying to stay real to the e30 and car community in general, we are the last of a breed.

[Chilezen]

Thanks Rafael. Long time no see!

The flyer is posted

[Blackout]

I dig this thread and the flyer man.
Hard to believe that this pic was taken maybe 10 years ago? But I remember it like it was yesterday. Need not to say that I miss going to this meet every year.

Photo credit: fourseven.

[2mAn]

I should be there WITH an E30!

[DatUtahGuy]

It's a very long shot but if I somehow manage to make it out there, I'll be in the e38

[Chilezen]

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

[Chilezen]

Updated the first post, and this is the bump for the meet less than one week away!