Monster jam @ ford field. Who's going?

mrvids said:
Jim Kohler will be there with his Avenger. Detroit Gearbox, are you still building his transmissions? What's the toughest part about making one of those last?
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Yes, Ive supplied Jim(avenger/wrecking crew) & Chris (brutus/spike) with transmission for more years than I can count (20?) They travel the country and and partisapate in shows some 48 out of 52 weekends a year...and some are multible shows a day or friday saturday sunday events.
Toughest part of making one last is getting them to last is getting them cough up the monies required for the parts. Some years they break one every other week/some years they go all year with no breakage. I have other customers that I supply for the same application. One guy in particular I cannot keep from destroying everything I assemble for him.... another customer is on his 7th year without even a freshen up.... both partisapate in events almost every weekend.
 
Detroit Gearbox said:
Yes, Ive supplied Jim(avenger/wrecking crew) & Chris (brutus/spike) with transmission for more years than I can count (20?) They travel the country and and partisapate in shows some 48 out of 52 weekends a year...and some are multible shows a day or friday saturday sunday events.
Toughest part of making one last is getting them to last is getting them cough up the monies required for the parts. Some years they break one every other week/some years they go all year with no breakage. I have other customers that I supply for the same application. One guy in particular I cannot keep from destroying everything I assemble for him.... another customer is on his 7th year without even a freshen up.... both partisapate in events almost every weekend.
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Thats pretty cool. I remember seeing you post last year saying you did the tranmissions. I like all the behind the scene type stuff as weird as it sounds. Have you seen their haulers? Pretty tight fit getting those trucks in there. My question is how do they manage to get a truck in those trailers after they have just destroyed it. Like seeing them tear an axle off it or bend something in the steering or suspension pretty good. Thats got to be a job itself and fixing all that shit on the road has to be easier said then done sometimes.

The picture i posted on the first page. Think about all that goes into setting up. plastic, then plywood then a zillion truck loads of dirt etc. Then getting all the dirt out of there and scraping it off plywood. Deff a lot of work and it takes a week to setup and seriously less then 24 hrs to take down.
 
Went last year, and was amazed at all the empty suites that were there. I would love to get a list of teh suite holders and try to get the suite for the event, it's gotta be better than letting them sit empty. wish i would have thought to make a list while i was there last year to make some phone calls before this event.
 
1BadSn95 said:
I like all the behind the scene type stuff as weird as it sounds.
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You first need to follow the money. All of the monster jam events are copyrights from clear channel or live nation, what every they are calling themselves this week. They work off what seems like several hundred LLC's. Most of the money comes from cable tv revenues, but toys and other novelties also give them some revenue. Live Nation owns most of the trucks you see and the rights to their names (grave digger/superman/Medusa and so on) They hire several outside companies like Jim's to participate in the events. They (Jim & Chris) work strictly off their own dime. While they have sponsors, the money they spend comes from participation in the shows. The promoter (in this weeks case live nation) rents ford Field, and takes in most revenue from the event. The have equipment on site like front end loaders to move disabled trucks around. What more interesting is what they do once it loaded. It has to be fixed & running by the following weekend in most cases. Sometimes they are across the country or even in Canada, and need a place to work on the trucks. Many of the drivers will buddy up and share their home/shop with other drivers while they frantically fix the trucks. While they carry spare parts, many times they have to cut weld bend the trucks back together.
 
Detroit Gearbox said:
You first need to follow the money. All of the monster jam events are copyrights from clear channel or live nation, what every they are calling themselves this week. They work off what seems like several hundred LLC's. Most of the money comes from cable tv revenues, but toys and other novelties also give them some revenue. Live Nation owns most of the trucks you see and the rights to their names (grave digger/superman/Medusa and so on) They hire several outside companies like Jim's to participate in the events. They (Jim & Chris) work strictly off their own dime. While they have sponsors, the money they spend comes from participation in the shows. The promoter (in this weeks case live nation) rents ford Field, and takes in most revenue from the event. The have equipment on site like front end loaders to move disabled trucks around. What more interesting is what they do once it loaded. It has to be fixed & running by the following weekend in most cases. Sometimes they are across the country or even in Canada, and need a place to work on the trucks. Many of the drivers will buddy up and share their home/shop with other drivers while they frantically fix the trucks. While they carry spare parts, many times they have to cut weld bend the trucks back together.
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Yeah I knew about live nation/cce owning most of the trucks. Ive always wondered why guys like Avenger dont jump on the bandwagon? I know its got its ups and downs but seems like they get some good funding towards they trucks and what not. I cant imagine Jim is doing it to get rich being an independent. You can tell he loves the sport and everything in it. I give him credit for making it as far as he has on his own in this economy. I just wonder what the main reason why guys like him havent been bought or sold out. Most of the other trucks they are private like Jim suck if you look at them. Avenger/brutas/wrecking ball deff have their program together for being on their own. Id like to wonder around their shop or just pick his brain.
 
About 5 or 6 years ago a guy around the corner from me hired Jim to bring out his truck for his kids 10th birthday.
It's probably about an hour haul from Jim's place to my neighborhood.
I'm sure the kid will never forget that birthday..but how do you ever top something like that?
 
Detroit Gearbox said:
I have 2 tickets that were just returned to me this morning... lower level section 124 row 24 with pit passes 20ea
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PM sent Rich,
Does anyone know if my son who isnt 2yrs old till Jan 19 will need a ticket or pit pass? I think he will love the pit passes and seeing all the trucks he plays with in person. He loves going to the dragstrip when we go racing
 
We take the kids every year. We get a suite on the 6th floor 50 yard line. Can't beat having your own bathroom and bar. Not dealing with all the bullshit is def. worth it.
 
YLWFVR said:
So how was monster mullet Jam? :)
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Im gonna go out on a limb and say it was your typical hick fest. Here we have a 300lb pasty white monster, watch as she regurgitates hot dogs, beer, and nachos to her eagerly awaiting offspring.
 
Tin said:
Im gonna go out on a limb and say it was your typical hick fest. Here we have a 300lb pasty white monster, watch as she regurgitates hot dogs, beer, and nachos to her eagerly awaiting offspring.
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LOL Tin. What a picture. hahaha
 
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