|
|
   
Location: NE Ohio | You get there an hour & half early thinking you have a chance at a good parking space...but NO they had me back down a side street...then tell me don't worry there will not be anyone parking in front or back of you & will have easy access should you want to leave? Ha, returning from registration line I find some new Lingenfelter 427 Corvette in front of me and some jacked up big azz 4x4 Furd behind me...go figure.
Later on some dude parked diagonally in front of the Corvette & blocked the whole main street. Of course no one saw him as he didn't register and took his keys with him....
 (East Palestine Show 081713 -03 R.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
 East Palestine Show 081713 -03 R.jpg (247KB - 159 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: NE Ohio | Besides that some Squealer (Steeler) fan observed my car...Gawd help me...LOL |
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7828
 
Location: Williams California | I've had this happen many times, but it's usually on account of arriving late. Lots of people will arrive an hour early to park in the prime spaces, hoping to win awards.
---John |
|
| |
|
Location: NE Ohio | You're correct John...only people that win anything are the locals & I was not a local ... who cares anyways? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Unless you're winning a suitcase full of gold bars or cash, who the fxck cares ? I see car show
trophy chasers as nothing short of losers with nothing but time on their hands BECAUSE they're
losers to piss away whole weekends getting sunburned or rained on with their hood up. WTF ?
Look at it this way .... imagine ALL that goes into a car show, ... the prep, the travel, the entry
fee, the registration, the standing around, the hope for a cheesy ribbon or trophy, the large blocks
of time you'll never get back. Now imagine doing it, except there is no car involved. You just do
all that sh!t .... doesn't it become apparent what a waste of time it is ?
If you go to SEE the cars, or you go there to socialize with others, then sure, why not ? But if it's
just to spend a block of days (productive SUMMER days !) that you could otherwise be making money,
spending time with family, working on the house, yard, or just simply going for a ride, ... chasing a
two-buck plastic trophy ? Really ..... this is a GOOD IDEA ?
No comprende, Mr. Obviouso !
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 314
| At least you had a nice shaded spot to relax in! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2312
Location: Arizona | Life's too short to worry about why other people do what they do. If it makes em happy it's fine with me as long as it's not making me unhappy, unfairly. |
|
| |
|
Location: NE Ohio | I really don't worry about it all...just the attention whures that want that stupid plastic trophy (made in China). I thought I would post this thread for a laugh and I did when I returned to my car.....Oh! BTW there where parking places on the main street right in front the the DJ but I forgot my ear protection....most left because of the annoying loud music |
|
| |
|
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | I call it : Getting "Homered" by the Home Boys.
That happened to me at the last WPC national meet I ever attended, in 1998(?) at Portland OR.
Altho, my first experience with the 'Home-ering' thing was at the Lake Tahoe WPC meet, in 1983, where a nice
lady, from somewhere, complimented me on Horrie's appearance, but said that she could not vote for him,
in the member-attendants' judging, because H. would "get all of the CA votes".
That comment floored me, as I'd never heard of such a jingoistic bias, in/for a car show judging.
H. got his first, of three, 1st in Class national meet awards in '83, but I've never seen that bias in practice, until the
Portland meet, where Horrie was in his best condition, since I've owned him, with a perfectly detailed undercarriage
and with mirrors on the ground to see it...3rd place went to an OR 59 Sport Fury with 58 Buckskin paint, and cross-rams.
But, I'm over with showing H., thanks in part to that meet.
Quit the WPC after Chrysler (very profitable with tons of cash reserves) sold out to Deadler (which was the beginning of the
end of the Chrysler Corporation)....when the Club wouldn't publish my 'open' letter of protest about that buy-out, which
saw the CHRY big-boys (led by Pres. Bobby Eaton) getting huge individual buy-out payments.
But, that's all water under the sewer.
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 398
Location: Watertown South Dakota | First show I took my F**D Sedan Delivery to..long ago..I was still working on it, trying to get it finished while the other cars were lining up. It was an indoors show. People had to pay to get in and each paying person got 1 ballot (vote). It took me 27 years (23 thinking about it, 4 actually working on the car) to get it finished and I won People's Choice. It was like I had won the Super Bowl. After that, judged shows didn't mean that much. Anymore, I don't really even want to be entered to be judged and very seldom go to shows at all other than as a spectator. But, I shamefully admit, that first one was a big deal. Since then, I have 35K+ miles on it, rock chips in the paint, chipped windshield, some scratches, and some rust bubbles showing up, but have had a blast with it. Lapped Kansas Speedway, generally take it on family vacations and just drive it a lot. It still looks great from a few feet, but not a show winner at all. Old saying "A thumbs up on the highway is a lot better than a trophy on a shelf". When I get my FL done,,,I want to win "that first one" again, hopefully. Just to kinda get that old feeling one more time. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | How's Bobby Eaton doing now ? I hope he's OK. 
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I can get that "first trophy" gig, although it isn't something I ever cared about. But the over and
over and over, whole summers of weekends shot, only waiting for next summer to piss it away too ?
Make-a no sense to me. 
I saw a guy eat his own turd once. Others will slump over in a heap after injecting, while others
will molest little children. I guess there is no telling what people will do. This seems pretty tame by
comparison. 
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2013-08-20 12:19 AM
|
|
| |
|
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | It was his own turd, though.
Not quite the same thing as having someone hand you some of their own sh!t, to consume.
In that regard, there was an interesting show, last night, on the Discovery channel, where Mr. Dirty Jobs,
Mike Rowe, was the host of his own personally-experimental "World's Dirtiest Man" show, exposing himself to misc.
bacterias, germs and other creepy-crawlies.
Speaking of creepy-crawlies, B. Eaton didn't send me an Xmas card last year.
Hope he still loves me.
Edited by d500neil 2013-08-19 5:18 PM
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1497
Location: Fairfax, Minnesota | ...could be worse. Back to the Fifties in St. Paul; cars start lining up at the gates around 4 am. |
|
| |
|
Location: NE Ohio | Anything could be worse...almost |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Ray - 2013-08-20 5:43 PM
...could be worse. Back to the Fifties in St. Paul; cars start lining up at the gates around 4 am.
==================================================
Let me try and get my head around this ...
Guys fuss and fight to get their cars all purty and runnin' good and rise at some graveyard shift hour
on their day off to form a line at a gate, so they can gain early access to get a "choice location" to park
and sit around on the hot tarmac all day, in hopes of MAYBE getting a cheesy plastic trophy before going
home to wait for next weekend to do it all over again ? Man, that sure sounds like a good time to me ! 
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1290
| Lads --
I like going to car shows that generate spectator traffic beyond the entrants. This weekend, I hit two, both of which were sponsored by "Good Ol' Boys" car clubs. Of course, my Big-Tailed Beast didn't get an award; in fact, on Sunday it was in the "1949 to 1960 Class" in which some eight plaques were given -- one to a '56 T-Bird, one to a '60 Impala with a PowerGlide 283, and the rest to the "triple nickle" Chebbies. They even had a class for GM products other than the BowTies.
However, I must say that of the 400 or so cars there, the BTB was one of the most photographed. The usual sequence of events is that people walk by, give the ram engine a slight glance, then do a double take after which they climb all over the car. I have a framed info board with data about performance, a Hot Rod Magazine article about the ram induction engine, the MSRP of the car with its various options, the build record, and some propaganda about magazines in which it was featured. Surprisingly, about 75% of those who stop, look at that info.
The guys with the "belly button" cars hate it. I was at a Good Guys show once and parked between a '65 Goat, a '71 Chevelle 454 SS, and a '64 Vette. Towards mid-afternoon, I overheard the Chevelle SS guy say to his compadres, "I can't understand why that old piece of MoPar c### get all that attention and no one looks at our cars!" The Beast has gotten its share of awards, but I still get a kick out of watching and talking to people who have no concept of early MoPar muscle.
Joe Godec |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Boy, ... I can understand that. And a ram car is the perfect "WTF ?" car to do it with too !
I am betting you have a hard time sleeping at night, just knowing that you're stealing all
the thunder from the Look-at-ME ! bellybutton guys, eh ?
THAT would be worth the price of admission. 
I certainly enjoy the educational aspect of it when you find someone who is genuinely
interested. I have lost all desire to be an "ambassador" of old cars, finned Mopars, etc. ...
going to cars shows and having the fancy info board, but I used to do it and I still enjoy
sharing what I know if someone asks. The DeSoto got lots of attention wherever I took
it, but it lacks the exotic induction system and badges to really compare. My gas pump
and small town diner one-car car shows still produced a lot of people asking about the
car.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2121
Location: atlanta | Ya want trophies? get a 69 Camaro, a paper bag with two eye holes to put over your head while diriving it (IMHO), and join one of the gazillion local chevy car clubs. Great thread and great reading, just shows our noggins ain't the same. |
|
| |
|
Location: NE Ohio | Corvette owners are snooty... |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 320
Location: lakeview, ny 14085 | Doctor DeSoto - 2013-08-19 1:10 PM
Unless you're winning a suitcase full of gold bars or cash, who the fxck cares ? I see car show
trophy chasers as nothing short of losers with nothing but time on their hands BECAUSE they're
losers to piss away whole weekends getting sunburned or rained on with their hood up. WTF ?
Look at it this way .... imagine ALL that goes into a car show, ... the prep, the travel, the entry
fee, the registration, the standing around, the hope for a cheesy ribbon or trophy, the large blocks
of time you'll never get back. Now imagine doing it, except there is no car involved. You just do
all that sh!t .... doesn't it become apparent what a waste of time it is ?
If you go to SEE the cars, or you go there to socialize with others, then sure, why not ? But if it's
just to spend a block of days (productive SUMMER days !) that you could otherwise be making money,
spending time with family, working on the house, yard, or just simply going for a ride, ... chasing a
two-buck plastic trophy ? Really ..... this is a GOOD IDEA ?
No comprende, Mr. Obviouso !
oh doc aint that the truth. i'll go to one occasionally to see the cars, my own cars I enjoy by driving and working on them and by buying and selling them not by parking them and listening to people saying their father had one just like it" but it was a four door and I think it was a chevy but it was the same color" |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 398
Location: Watertown South Dakota | When I used to show my Sedan Delivery,,it was the most fun when I was at a show where nobody had seen it before. Then I had people stopping asking questions, commenting and just having a good conversation. That was the fun part of being there. My car has been done since 99 and we had a local show here a month ago. It was a dealership and they personally invited me, so I went. Everyone there had seen my ride hundreds of times and hardly anyone stopped to visit. Terrible boring time. I do remember back when (most of you can relate) someone would comment..."I used to have one just like that,,,except it had windows in the sides,,,and had 4 doors, and maybe it was a C***y,,,but other than that, it was exactly like yours". One true story...I had a guy and his wife just really going over my car at a show,,,turns out that it was his Grandpa's car. I bought it out of a tree grove in 1972 and it ran...just pumped up the tires, poured in some gas, put in a battery and backed it out of the trees. The grandkids had used it for a fort and this particular one was there the day I bought it and he was upset at Gramps for selling the fort. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2121
Location: atlanta | There's a guy that comes by the house sometimes, a real religious guy, he has a 57 F**d 4 door that he has fixed up, I asked him once if he took it to any shows, he said he didn't really want to "show it off', I guess he thought it was being boastful or prideful and I assumed it was because of his religious beliefs, I told him if I had a car to take to the show's, it would be to let folks enjoy it also, to reminisce and relive hopefully better times, not to say, "Hey, look at me and my nice shiney car", so I guess everyone has their reasons and I respect that. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2244
Location: Yorba Linda, Ca | With most of the above posts, particularly Doc, If I went to a show , this is the LAST PLACE, i would post it!!!!!!
I'm sure this kind of rhetoric helps this web-site to grow, Ya thinks??
Gary |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Well, Gary .... how does your garden grow ? If we want to cultivate a higher level of
thinking car guys than those who park their butts in a legless lawn chair for a weekend
in a parking lot, well then I guess this conversation might at least plant the seeds of such
"growth".
Or we can just go with the mindless status quo .... fat, old fux in stupid car T-shirts and
the aforementioned lawn chairs growing absolutely nothing except fatter and older. Is that
the kind of "growth" you have in mind, or perhaps you have a secret you're not telling us ? 
When I was in high school, a kegger, or otherwise party, where it was just a bunch of dudes
hanging out became known as a "Dudefest". Dudefests sucked then, they suck now. 95% of
car shows are nothing but fat old dudes sitting around like they did at high school keggers,
talking about cars they dream will make them young again so they can go on believing that
their "hot car" will make them a babe magnet.
You go on with that dream there, Amigo. Enjoy every minute of those dudefests. I just
think that car culture *should* be a little deeper than tarmac and meaningless plastic trophies,
and THAT concept should be grown rather than the same old same old.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2905
Location: little rock, AR |
Just as the Doctor said: Old guys sitting around waiting on their PLASTIC trophy. I towed the '58 Chrysler that I have for sale to a car show a couple of weeks ago and I didn't like what the Doctor has described. The Corvette guys take the cake with their noses in the air. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2524
Location: Houston | Like most public events, I despise car shows. With car shows, let me get this straight - I drive my car there, pay to enter, and they make money off the admissions? I don't get it.
Can you imagine going to a football game where you pay to get in to watch the players who paid to play?
If you only got there 90 minutes early, that's nothing. It's common now for jamokes to show up at noon to get 'good spots' for a show that starts at 6PM. That's what life is all about isn't it? Bending the rules to get ahead of the other guy.
I like to think ahead to the day I am lying in some hospital bed, dying. As I lie there, do I want to look back on my life and think, "I wasted a total of 4 weeks, 3 days, and 12 hours sitting on my arse at car shows."? Nope.
|
|
| |
|
Location: NE Ohio | Some never move from that chair ...or sit with there so called "Clicks" |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2121
Location: atlanta | K, looks like we gonna find out who the induns is and who the cowboys is and choose sides, hey Doc, what exactly are You cultivating anyway, think I'll stick to the local homegrown and not venture out that way, from your tone you've become kinda preachy, divisive, obtuse, and intolerant of anyone that ventures a different view other than yours.
PS: Dudefest at my house, it's BYOLC (bring your own lawn chair), being fat is optional, but preferred, and the damm car T-shirt better your wearing better be old and faded, and check your egos at the door. I will have RSS pod to jam anyone trying to check their stocks trends while we guzzle cheap beer eat cheap ass Gaultry chicken hot dogs and talk the endless talk about the one's that got away and the chicks we almost did. Dude's and Dudette's this is about our affection for and our choice of cars and interests, not some seminar on some higher level of car consciousness, whatever that is. I love'um to death to, but, IT'S A FRIGGIN' CAR, get it?, not the end all be all signature of your whole life. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1505
Location: New Castle PA | I guess I might as well join in so you all can hate me. I enjoy a nice car show, or really, a car "cruise" where there are no trophies awarded. I have a wall shelf full of trophies from the early days when they meant something to me, but now, I don't have my cars even judged. I go because it's a chance to be a history teacher -- a chance to TALK with people who otherwise might see me drive by and wonder what IS that car? At a cruise, people who want to know and see more of the car than from a passing glimpse get a chance. I have lots of friends that I only see a few times each year, some with cars, and some as attendees. I don't mind paying an entry fee if it's reasonable, and sometimes getting a t-shirt is a nice bonus. With no trophy at stake, I can enjoy things more than worrying about getting that last bug out of the radiator, or polishing the radio dial with a toothbrush.
There is no reason to be so venomous toward car lovers of any kind, whether or not they show their cars at events like these. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1290
| Ed --
Well put. It's really rather pointless to have a collector car of some sort and not show it or take it to cruises (or even Sunday "spins"), especially if it bugs the Bowtie and Blue Oval guys. As to looking at other cars at such soirees, I generally take a few strolls around, but most of the time I get pretty tired at looking at '55 Chebbies or Goats after the first pass.
BTW, I do have a Resale Red '65 fuel-injected Corvette (327 CID/375 HP) which was the car I wanted when I graduated from college (but couldn't afford until 24 years later - I had to settle for a lousy Sport Fury with the 426S and 4-speed). It's not in bad shape, but not a true show car as I love to flog it and virtually every Vette that is shown is a trailer queen. If I do take it to cruises or an occasional show (dash plaques are great for insurance purposes), I have found that I can really bug other Vette guys by quoting John Heinrici (a chief test driver for GM): "All Corvettes are red; the rest are just mistakes!"
Joe Godec
PS, And I really don't think I'm snooty (maybe a bit of a snob, but not not snooty).
'57 Chrysler 300C, '60 Plymouth SonoRamic Commando, '65 Fuelie
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY | 
I've spent a lifetime attending every car-related event/show/museum/race/rally/display/competition that I could, and that was long before I finally got my own, old car in 2011. As a spectator, I so appreciated all of the time, work, and money that the owners invested into their cars, and I've made an effort to tell them so at evey opportunity. I was so grateful that they had made these experiences possible for me. I learned a lot, met many great people, and had a lot of fun. I've been inspired and encouraged by these "car folks" and by these events since I was a child. Many of us have expressed concern that the old car hobby may fade away if it cannot attract the interest of the younger generations. If nothing else, I think that car-related events are one way of introducing the younger generations to the old car hobby.
As you can likely tell, I'm a fan of car shows. I love the diversity among the cars and the people. I love the way that the smell of gas and musty interiors mix with that of suntan lotion. I admit that I'm addicted to the aroma of car wax. I love the heat that pours off the blacktop, the questionable vendor food, and the cheesy doo-wop bands. For years, I used to envy the car owners who got to fuss over their beautiful, old cars. And now that I finally have one, I love to fuss over my old car too, toothbrush and all. (I'm just sick that way. ) It's a long-time dream come true for me. I have many other hobbies, but the car shows are my favourite way to escape my life's many other concerns and responsibilities. I get to meet with old friends, and to make new ones. I get to "talk cars" with fellow car lovers for as long as I want. I get a lot of exercise detailing my car, and walking for hours in my attempts to see every darn car there. I get to travel. I get to drive my old car and receive those ever so welcomed thumbs up on my way to the shows. This is the stuff that's important to me when it comes to car shows. I'll never be cavalier nor take it all for granted. I'm finally getting to do what I've always wanted to do. And I know I'm not alone.
Edited by FIN ME 2013-08-21 12:48 PM
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 398
Location: Watertown South Dakota | I went to a Goodguys show once years ago. I built my car from junk and am proud of that at least. There was a car next to me with one of those "changing color depending on the angle" paint jobs. Probably a six figure build. I saw some guys unload if from an enclosed trailer, park it, polish it and then leave. Then a 30 something rich couple showed up and sat behind it fanning themselves. Occasionally they would walk around it with a duster. I was being hospitable and asked him about the car,,,what engine, etc. He said he had no clue,,he just wrote a check and I figured then that he was waiting around for his trophy. I'm sure he had never started it, drove it or anything,,,just wanted to show off I guess. I was embarrassed to be beside him after that. |
|
| |
|
| I have never entered a show with the idea of winning.(back when I had a car to enter) Going to a show is more of a social thing. Just getting together with others who share the love of cars!
I go to shows looking for the unusual! I love the muscle cars like everyone else. But I have always been drawn to the less than perfect and most of all to the grocery getters!
I love seeing the old 4 doors and wagons that I remember as a kid! I will take them any day over the hot rods and muscle cars!
A real treat has always been the old Chrysler Corp. cars! You just never see that many, even at our local "Mopar" shows! But anything FL, before and after catch my eye quicker than any Blue Oval or Bowtie will!
That is why I loved it when the kid bought his 55 Belvedere!
Edited by Phils55 2013-08-21 12:53 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | 57desoto - 2013-08-22 5:15 AM
I guess I might as well join in so you all can hate me. I enjoy a nice car show, or really, a car "cruise" where there are no trophies awarded. I have a wall shelf full of trophies from the early days when they meant something to me, but now, I don't have my cars even judged. I go because it's a chance to be a history teacher -- a chance to TALK with people who otherwise might see me drive by and wonder what IS that car? At a cruise, people who want to know and see more of the car than from a passing glimpse get a chance. I have lots of friends that I only see a few times each year, some with cars, and some as attendees. I don't mind paying an entry fee if it's reasonable, and sometimes getting a t-shirt is a nice bonus. With no trophy at stake, I can enjoy things more than worrying about getting that last bug out of the radiator, or polishing the radio dial with a toothbrush.
There is no reason to be so venomous toward car lovers of any kind, whether or not they show their cars at events like these.
==============================================================
I guess my time with straight talking military men and women has made me grow accustomed to
being able to just have a blunt conversation and not get my delicate little feelings hurt. In other
words, nothing I am saying here is venomous or untrue. It is simple observations of reality.
That said, I see NO end or even minor "threat" to the sit-on-your-ass-in-a-parking-lot-all-weekend
car culture, so what's the problem with perhaps thinking a little wider in our paradigm about cars
and how we interact with others of similar interest ? Do we ALL have to be clones, fakes, contrived
dreamers, or snooty douchebags ? I can see by the comments here that others think it is time for
a little "breaking out" from the static, over and over again, car show scene. Even pizza sucks if you
eat it for every meal, you know ?
Let me be straight on this ... I like checking out car shows. I bore easily with rows of samo-samo
Mustangs and Roadrunners. Heck, I bore easily with a row of Forward Look cars ! But I about soil
myself when I see one just out driving around ! And cars I never dreamed I'd think were cool ...
Ramblers and cheapo Studebakers and old bathtub Cadillacs have come to be "exotic" and different
because SO MANY people all want the same fifteen bright colored cars. This isn't about the car show.
It's about sheeple and attitude and did I say "attitude" ? The car show (can be) great. The "I live for
the next trophy"car show guy turns a fun social event into a competition that any bonehead can see
is just a farce ... "Ooh boy ! ... I might WIN ! ... and when I do, I get an INCREDIBLE plastic trophy !!!"
And the whole car scene buys off on this .... that this is what old cars are all about ? Really ?
Do we really like OUR hobby being represented by a farcical plastic trophy culture of old men in bad
car T-shirts ???
There ARE good points to car shows. There is also a lot of "clutter". Why NOT talk about it ? Do
we want to promote the hobby with younger minds ? Do we really think mind numbing weekends spent
in legless lawnchairs on the hot tarmac with fat old dudes in tacky car T-shirts is attractive to teenagers
these days ? If you think so, time to check our pulse !
Just an FYI ... while car shows might be the single reliable venue to meeting car enthusiasts - just
like going to bars is a sure fire way to meet up with other looking singles, the most enthusiastic, follow-
through car guys I have ever "brought into the hobby" approached me while I was out driving my
car/s, NOT sitting at some car show. I think this is too obvious. They see someone out DOING something
and enjoying their car. They think "this is how I want to enjoy my own old car"
It is all a balance. Too much of one thing is not healthy. Let's look at ourselves and perhaps think
of new ways to show those cars without all the fake competition and incumbent attitude.
As you were.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2121
Location: atlanta | WTF "As You were"?, sonny boy, my day's of "poppin' tall" are long over!
With that said, everyone stand easy.
I guess most people have heard the story of the bank robber Willie Sutton, when they finally caught him the inevitable question was asked, "Willie why do Ya rob banks?" His reply in typical Yogi Berra(ish) obvious and simplistic fashion was, "cause that's where the money is".
The point of that well worn story is this, If I wanna hob nob with car people, where am I gonna go? a damm car show or cruise in, a car club meeting, a hot rod shop, a buddies' garage,right? Now if I'm at a car show, how I dress, how I sit, and what I sit on are MY choice as long as My fat arse and lilly white legs sitting in a legless lawn chair with a worn out car t-shirt doesn't legally offend anyone, I would say I've earned that after 67 years on this earth. If the younger crowd wants to learn, well they know where to find me. I'm sure not gonna be sitting there with earphones on staring at a damm Android with my Jordan's loose, hat turned sideway's, and pants around my knees showing some plaid boxers and my Grand Canyon butt crack just so I make them feel comfortable cause if they're there to style, profyle and cop a tude, better move along, if they wanna talk I'm Your guy and I'll talk and explain as long as their interested and paying attention.
I have encountered lots of people at gas station's, toolin' down the road or coming outta stores and walking to my car, never have i said, or thought, "I ain't got time", unless I truly didn't, but I always told them when and where to come if they wanna see an amazing group of cars and people, but then again, maybe some people feel I might be obligated to do more than that, if so, (not that it's gonna happen) WHY?
By the way, there's a big difference in observations of reality and observations of perceived reality, sure helps out to know the difference so people get along with each other.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1290
| Doc --
Speaking of driving, aren't you the guy who castigated me for hitting 140+ in my Vette and 300C and pegging the 120 MPH speedometer in my Fury?
Come now, Doc, it's rather hard to talk about cars even waiting for a light to change, much less at even 25-30 mph -- to say nothing at highway speeds. However, I do know that when I took the Big-Tailed Beast around the oval at a speed a bit more than the prescribed 70 MPH during a show at Pikes Peak International Raceway, a couple of Blue Oval guys told me they couldn't "believe that big old car could be that fast." There was also the time I blue away a "tuner" at a Stop Light Grand Prix and after he turned off on a side street guys on both sides laughed and gave me the thumbs up.
There are all kinds of ways to enjoy automobiles and I can't see how any particular means is better than all the rest. It's simply a matter of preference and those who practice one rather than another are not necessarily paradigms of virtue in contrast to the rest who are "clones, fakes, contrived dreamers, or snooty douchebags."
As to "straight talking military men and women," I call your attention to the Chief of Chaplains of Patton's Third Army, Msgr. James H. O'Neill (who composed the famed "Grant us fair weather for battle" prayer). When he first met Georgie, the latter was his usual profane self, but COL (later BG) O'Neill said, "General, any darn fool can cuss." Patton immediately apologized and was quite respectful thereafter. In my 21 years of dealing with these straight talkers, I found that generally the lower the rank, the fouler the mouth. As Kipling said, "Barracks rooms don't make for plaster saints," but officers' messes and wardrooms are a bit more gentile and just straightforward.
Take it easy on us old guys, Doc; after all, chances are fair that you'll be old someday, too -- if someone doesn't take more offense at your particular brand of "straightforwardness."
Joe |
|
| |
|
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Joe said, above: " The guys with the "belly button" cars hate it. I was at a Good Guys show once and parked between a '65 Goat, a '71 Chevelle 454 SS, and a '64 Vette. Towards mid-afternoon, I overheard the Chevelle SS guy say to his compadres, "I can't understand why that old piece of MoPar c### get all that attention and no one looks at our cars!
And: "I have found that I can really bug other Vette guys by quoting John Heinrici (a chief test driver for GM): "All Corvettes are red; the rest are just mistakes!".
I say: "Better dead than (Belly-button-painted) red; "Friends don't let friends drive Chubbies".
The F-words actually probably favored all-red even more than the Chubsters; recall their Mega-red interiors
and red carpeting?
Edited by d500neil 2013-08-21 3:58 PM
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2244
Location: Yorba Linda, Ca | I'm not for "Stereo Typing" the folks that take their cars to car shows.
Last Sunday being a perfect example. A very nicely dressed elderly couple brought thier
1954 Chrysler New Yorker Convertible to a show I was at. It was fun to not only see such
a rare car, but to talk to them about it. The car belonged to his parents, and the car looks
brand new, and in fact won the 1949-1959 Open car class, (Beating my 1958 New Yorker Convertible).
I did not go to the show to win trophys. I went to look at cars and chat with the folks that own them.
I ran into a guy that has a large Imperial Collection. He was asking where He could get good
information on the cars, and perhaps chat or read posts about the cars.
I did tell him about this web-site, I hope I didn't screw up!!!!
He was also nicely dressed, and of course was thrilled to have a chance
to talk to "Other Mopar Guys"!
My self, I dress nice for the shows, even bought a hat and shirt to match the green convertible
(Oh OH Here it comes now)----Oh well I can take it, I'm old, but not fat and I don't sit all the time!!!
Gary
Edited by 1959Dodge 2013-08-21 5:44 PM
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7828
Location: Williams California | People that enter a car show just to win trophies are typically not 'car people' just attention hounds. I, personally enjoy going to certain car shows to see what others have done in their restorations, and to also meet people that were around when these were just average daily drivers, not collectors items. If you happen to win an award, that's just icing on the cake.
Often, the trip to the show is as much fun or more fun than entering, as it seems people off the street appreciate someone still driving their 'classic', and usually have many questions regarding it.
---John |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1290
| Neil --
My '65 Sport Fury was "Medium Red Metallic" with the matching interior. If you see a '65 Fury catalogue with a drop top on the cover, you can see what that car looked like. My '65 Vette vert has a black interior, but is not a "numbers matching" car: it's really should be "Glen Green" but as I said earlier, "All Corvettes are red; the rest are just mistakes." I just corrected a mistake. I have seen a few red Vettes with red interiors, but none look as good as that '65 Sport Fury.
John --
You might find it of interest that I am an "Ace" (not "Ass," Doc) as I have FIVE "Kills." Twice, a car rearended another while the one driver was gawking at a car of mine at a stop light -- that's two at each or four total. Another time, a guy tripped into the right fin of the BTB and broke a couple of ribs. My cars seem to be dangerous to others even standing still. And, you're doggone right that some of us are attention hounds -- one of the reasons why I don't drive a Honda and why I played football; the latter reason worked; I married a cheerleader! I sure as heck wouldn't want an old car that gets 7MPG in town (as do each of my three "real" cars) as a daily driver, but they sure are fun on the weekends.
Joe
Edited by Sonoramic60 2013-08-21 8:43 PM
|
|
| |
|
Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 10257
Location: So. Cal | Doc, I agree with a lot of what you said in your post, but the thing that bothers me is that you offer no better alternatives. I don't like sitting around in a parking lot anymore than you do, but what do you think we should do instead?
I tried something different last weekend. I went camping with a bunch of people that enjoy vintage camping trailers (and vintage vehicles to pull them). I had a blast. We sang songs together, ate pot-luck together, went hiking, got wet and talked about vintage cars, trucks, and trailers of course. These were total strangers the day before I arrived, but I made friends with most of them very quickly. I would much rather do that again than go to a car show with a bunch of car people that are often not very friendly. And I do agree that creating a competition out of it is rather absurd and only hurts the hobby on the whole.
Here is my tear-drop:
 (TrailerSide.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
TrailerSide.jpg (56KB - 165 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Powerflite - 2013-08-22 5:57 PM
Doc, I agree with a lot of what you said in your post, but the thing that bothers me is that you offer no better alternatives.
I don't like sitting around in a parking lot anymore than you do, but what do you think we should do instead?
I tried something different last weekend. I went camping with a bunch of people that enjoy vintage camping trailers (and
vintage vehicles to pull them). I had a blast. We sang songs together, ate pot-luck together, went hiking, got wet and talked
about vintage cars, trucks, and trailers of course. These were total strangers the day before I arrived, but I made friends
with most of them very quickly. I would much rather do that again than go to a car show with a bunch of car people that are
often not very friendly. And I do agree that creating a competition out of it is rather absurd and only hurts the hobby on the
whole.
========================================================
Hmmm .... better ideas ? I am afraid my "better ideas" are going to be a whole lot more
ethereal than concrete.
I like your idea of networking like minds, be it just for the "community garage" action, or a
camping group. The more the car is used in an actual practice like it was intended, the better,
in my opinion. It is my intention to finish my shop and network other likeminded schlubs to
help them work on their cars, etc. here in the shop. I used to keep friends like that before I
left Seattle and it was a hoot. It also attracted positive attention in having those cars always
coming and going, as well as became an established place where those seeking out people
with finned cars knew they could find us.
My story of creating the NW Chapter of the NDC has been told here many times. That car
club was created around my perverse ideas of making a club about how-to seminars, resto
and service shop tours, road tours and more upscale (than burger joints) dining destinations.
My mantra was LESS club minutes and dull bullshat and MORE getting out there doing fun stuff
that supported the members and put the cars in the public view being used as CARS instead of
weights holding down parking lots. We had tours of a shop that rebuilt generators and starters,
an auto paint store, chrome shop, did seminars on window track replacement, stainless polishing,
body panel fabrication and rust repair, painting, wet sanding, and probably more that I am forgetting.
A lot of times we coordinated driving tours TO car shows in the summer, and focused the tours
and seminars for the bad winter months.
Look at what the local WPC Club just did in my area. Someone organized a road trip destination
to a relaxed, backwater venue. Not sure what all they did, as I could only get away for a day,
but the drive was terrific and the location for two-lane driving and scenery was top notch. They
DID have a sit-around-the-parking-lot car show on one day, but it was much more than just that.
All this takes energy and commitment, and I am convinced from observations and my own
experience that people talk a good game, but most are just lazy and fall back into the easy
route of doing the same old parking lot car show scene.
At our peak, we had over 100 members. After I left and it went back to the meeting minutes
and quorum votes, people dropped out hard. As I understand it, they currently have less than
25 members.
When likeminded people come over to a guy's place to help him get his car running, do the brakes,
or share skills, it is about fun and sharing. A real different "attitude" than the parking lot scene.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY |
Isn't it a wonderful thing when we take our FL cars to an event, expecting that it will be the ONLY Forward Look era car there (yet again), and someone wanders up to you and casually says, "Oh, I just saw another car with fins over there."!
Am I the only one who then drops everything, runs over to find the car, and who experiences that "special moment" when two FL owners first meet?
(...here's Loretta and me - "You've got a '57?! I've got a '60!")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsXAcx2CI28
That reminds me; I need to get a better sports bra.
Edited by FIN ME 2013-08-22 9:58 AM
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY | Powerflite - 2013-08-21 8:57 PM
...I tried something different last weekend. I went camping with a bunch of people that enjoy vintage camping trailers (and vintage vehicles to pull them)...
...Here is my tear-drop:
--------------------------------------
Powerflite, those vintage trailer trips look like a ton of fun! I've seen several designs of tear-drop trailers such as yours before; great design, reasonably priced, lightweight, and equipped with everything you need for a great weekend!
Edited by FIN ME 2013-08-22 9:57 AM
|
|
| |
|
Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 10257
Location: So. Cal | They really are a lot of fun. I have been enjoying it, but probably the best part about it is that the women really get into it as well. Before the trailer, my wife couldn't care less about my old cars. Now she is pushing me to get A/C & hitches installed so we can use the old cars for camping. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1172
Location: Georgia | Here's one for the Doctor. I stopped by a car show Saturday and saw a local DeSoto there (I always enjoy seeing this one
around town) and immediately thought of Doc when I saw the "statue". I tried to get my boy to pose a little closer to her,
but I think he was a bit frightened.
Pete
 (Sept21,2013a.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
Sept21,2013a.jpg (187KB - 167 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: NE Ohio | Betty Boop is hot........
Like your Savoy in the background |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 988
Location: Kansas City, Kansas | Another good reason to go to car shows: To expose my 4 and 6 year old kids to all the cool cars they otherwise would never see. Gotta get the next generation interested in these old hulks.
I went to a Pick-n-pull this weekend for a few items for my daily driver and my son was dissappointed I didn't take photos of all the old cars. I had to explain that "old cars" at a pick-n-pull are '95 Camrys. Not exactly photo-worthy.
Edited by slimwhitman 2013-09-23 12:28 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I saw this one just going down the road .... never saw it before !
The owner is into the car show gig, but I got to see it just being driven and breaking
up the 95 Camry and 2006 Lexus road scene. It was terrific.
I think simply driving them will expose a lot more kids to old cars than going to shows.
Anyone at a show already has an interest, or they would not be there. Seeing an oldie
at the gas station, hardware store, or grocery is going to expose it to everyone who might
happen by.
 (57 Savoy.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
57 Savoy.jpg (54KB - 147 downloads)
|
|
| |
Ever been to a downtown car show where....
