Car Show Gripe/Rant

[RR Fan Dan]

especially dozens and dozens of these newer Corvettes at car shows.

Yeah, what’s up with this? I see it more and more. Hey look at me, I got a corvette.

 

[fesser]

I've never had a show car and likely never will (due to cost). Years ago I had a very nice 70 Chevelle convertible that looked like it could be show quality until you were actually right up next to it. Drove it to the Peggy Sue car show in Windsor, CA. As we got near the venue there was a ton of traffic and obvious parking limitations. There were a couple of people manning a gate off the roadway. When we got near they opened the gate and flagged me in to a large parking area adjacent to the showgrounds. I told them I wasn't participating in the show. They told me that this separate parking area was for "hot rods" as judged by the gatekeepers. We parked in there. I know it sounds like b.s. but I enjoyed walking up and down the rows looking at the "drivers" that had been flagged into that lot, more than I did walking through the actual show. I am not ragging on show cars at all. Would love to have one. But, I still like going to the "cars and coffee" type of events at least as much as I do real car shows.

 

[Black_Sheep]

I have to somewhat agree. My time is better spent making a good wage than trying to restore a car that's way outside of my skill set and capabilities/tools/resources. If I had half the skills of the average FBBO member I'd try the building route myself. "A man has to know his limitations" and I know that I can turn a wrench, but fabrication, welding, painting, and heavy line drive line skills are not in me. So, I can do the 60 hour work week and build the funds for a driver quality car (maybe the prices are increasing faster than my take home pay). I'd still like to compete at a car show and perhaps win a award.

What's wrong with pride in ownership and maintaining the antique car?

Nothing wrong with pride in ownership. A lot of guys don’t have the time, facilities or the skill set necessary to build a car. They still have every right to enjoy the hobby, even if all they can do is write a check.

My biggest peeve is guys that lobby for votes at the local shows, I swear they would sell their soul for a $3 trophy. It seems so pathetic!

Conversely, one of my most gratifying experiences was at a show hosted by the Brotherhood of Street Racers. A group from a west coast chapter flew in to help with the show, they walked the show field and picked the winners without any outside influence or favoritism. I was shocked when the GTX won best of show. After the awards I had a great conversation with the ringleader, he was a genuine gear head from SoCal and a very cool guy…

 

[RR Fan Dan]

A lot of guys don’t have the time, facilities or the skill set necessary to build a car. They still have every right to enjoy the hobby, even if all they can do is write a check.

I agree. There is a difference between doing a heads cam swap and restoring an entire car. Just because you didn’t restore the car yourself doesn’t mean you are not a gear head. Did you build your house yourself too?

 

[Nutso]

I’m definitely in the camp that has to write more checks than I have skills. I am an operating engineer so I can figure out most of the mechanical aspects but paint and bodywork are not something I have the skills or space to perform. I have found that after ruining a headliner most aspects of interior installation are something I would be happier paying someone to do. That said I usually hire friends in those trades to work on my car so when I talk about building the car I can give credit where it is due for those things. During the build of my old roadrunner I did a lot of the installation and found out how frustrating some of those things can be…and how junky some of the factory parts were to save money and weight (like those little sheet metal nuts in the doors). I understand the pride people have who have done an entire restoration themselves…and I am suitably impressed: it’s really cool! I also respect people that are passionate about their cars but don’t have the time or ability to do all aspects of a restoration.

I see ‘built not bought’ stickers on some pretty rough looking cars and think to myself “I can tell!.”

I admit that I would liked to have won a trophy after spending years finishing my car and showing it. I was super proud and excited about my car. That being said, when I’ve walked the grounds and looked at the other B-bodies I see they are cleaner, more correct, and have all the small details that help catch a judge’s eye.

 

[jimbosride]

I like to put my cars in community or town shows. That way you get to look at a lot of different cars.
We have a once a year all Mopar show, but some years ago the Modern Mopar's were included. I don't care to win a trophy, I like talking to
the street driving and budget Mopar guys. It brings back memory's. We also have some the same cars that are at every local show all summer long.

 

[Unkle Krusty]

I took my 37 Ford to a car show many years ago. Heard a girl telling her friend that the show cars never got driven anywhere. I explained I had just driven a few hundred miles to get there, and showed her the sand blasting the fenders
were receiving from regular driving.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I coordinate and run two local shows, both attract about 130-150 cars but are completely different. One is at my church with no registration, judging, or fees. Everyone can bring whatever car you want, stay as long as you want, pick up information on the church or not, grab some food from one of the food trucks, let your kiddos jump in the bounce house and just have a good time. This is easy, fun and no stress on me. The other is in a small town where we block off Mainstreet and helps raise money for a local food/clothing bank that also helps people find jobs. Local businesses make donations to sponsor the show, participants register and make a donation, we have specific parking and sponsor locations along Mainstreet, we give out top 10 plaques in no order or classes and the judge is a guy from out of town that no one knows and does classic car restorations for a living and turns out 100 pt cars. This show takes a lot of my time working with the town, sponsors, donation center, is very stressful and there are always unhappy people at the end of the day.

Golden??

 

[3sloppydogs]

I take the charger or the coronet to shows and expect nothing. They are drivers and I am not spending thousands for that.
But I have ranted about this before with my CJ-5 at shows. I did a frame off on a vehicle that I have had since almost new in 77. It has beautiful paint and the original wheels painted the original color. The drive line and most interior are original also. So I enter it in the vintage class and usually lose to a heavily modified nothing original model. It drives me crazy they should be in a/the modified class.

 

[1STMP]

"When a car club that hosts the show also has their member's cars there AND they use participant judging, you'll get collusion and the winners will often be the club members even when nicer cars are in competition with them."

Well stated, KD

I've entered my old beat up truck in
two shows to date. Won 3rd in the very
first in the hot rod category. Not even
a mention in the 2nd as it was a Chey
oriented club. The bias was blatant.
I entered expecting to not win anything.
There were cars/trucks entered that I
thought far outshined the award
winners.

 

[Runner 68]

I do allot of shows. I hate the late model stuff too but I have learned it's all a part of the game these days. Some pretty cool late model stuff and some of these guys and gals are doing some awesome things with them. It's the next evolution of our hobby. Get used to it.
I talk to allot of the late model folks and am refreshed to see their enthusiasm and passion for their cars. Isn't that what it's all about?

Not all of us are lucky enough to own a classic Mopar these days. Consider yourself royalty at these shows because you own one. That's how I am treated by the younger generations and late model people. They want what we have but they are difficult to obtain.

Don't go into a show expecting to win anything. If you happen to win a plastic trophy or plaque, it's just the icing on the cake.
I like to show to be able talk to people with a passion for the machines. Both spectators and owners. Late model or classic.

 

[RR Fan Dan]

There should be a cutoff for late model. 25 years or older. As cool as they may be, a 2024 Corvette or a 2020 Hellcat don’t qualify. I don’t care what you did to it. Take it to SEMA.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

There should be a cutoff for late model. 25 years or older. As cool as they may be, a 2024 Corvette or a 2020 Hellcat don’t qualify. I don’t care what you did to it. Take it to SEMA.

Give all the trophies to the young guys... You've got enough crap cluttering your shelves.. Remember when you'd never had a trophy & it seemed important? Well lots of younger guys probably want a trophy as much as you did back then.. Let them have it...

Go to the show to enjoy the drive there & home, enjoy spending time with friends... Honestly these days I focus on one show every year, Spring Fling... The drive down with friends, the little adventures we take while in the LA area, going out to dinner with friends... I enjoy all that... Friday we do the Malibu Cruise... Dinner with friends again...The show? I walk the swap then walk through the show, check out the cars, visit friends that I've known for years... Another evening with friends... & drive 300 miles home... Which is also something I enjoy...

Trophies?? Who cares... Let the young guys have them, better yet let the guys who put all the effort into putting the show together have them...

 

[dfrazz]

Golden??

Parker, CO

 

[torredcuda]

I understand there is pride in simply owning a nice car and with prices these days most had to work hard to afford it, they may be just as passionate about the hobby and there is obviously a place for them in the car community. I also understand not everyone has the time, place, skills or desire to do it themselves but it`s still just not the same as a car built partially of fully by the owner.

 

[Unkle Krusty]

I may have said this already. My story at the shows.
I worked on my 77 camper van all winter.
George worked on his Austin Healey all winter.
As a test I drove my van to the Arctic Ocean and back with no problems.
As a test, George drove his Healey from the bottom of our Island to the top, and the car show, and had several problems.

 

[33 IMP]

My 33 has won a few shows, but not ever again. I'm too lazy and old to bother doing the prep to take a "show car" to a car show.
I do enjoy going to car shows now, cause I can walk through the show, look at cars, and talk to people, and leave when I want. But it seems I talk to more people at car shows about my deaf shepherd that I bring to the shows, than I do about cars, lol.
If I never take another car to a car show, it won't bother me a bit.

I may change my mind if I put a gen3 hemi in my 33 sedan.......

 

[33 IMP]

The biggest show I know of here in the tri-state az area, keeps getting smaller and smaller. The nicest show, put on by a church in Havasu for a good cause, keeps getting bigger.
I honestly don't know if either is a judged show. I just go to look at cars. (And entertain my dog.)

 

[6PKRTSE]

We have a local guy who truly gets upset when he doesn't win a trophy or best of show every time. Keep in mind that he spent 30 years restoring it and it is probably worth over 300K. The car is beautiful and does win best of show alot. Now, I have beaten him at 3 different shows that I know of with 2 of my cars by winning a people's choice award or best hot rods etc and have heard him cry and say "that his car is way nicer then that".
I don't ever go to shows for trophies or awards and couldn't care less. It's the people that made the votes count.

 

[YY1]

That person has "problems".