What's your funniest story, sitting at a show.......

[trimacar]

Yes, on the old airplane comment. The magneto or ignition switch turned to off position, pull the prop through a couple of times to prime cylinders, switch on, hands on prop, a quick pull down and step back. If you watch someone do it who knows what they're doing, you'll see one foot far back and with little weight on it, so that when they pull through, they naturally step back away from propeller. If you don't step back, that propeller can leave a mark.

On cranking and airplanes, I have a friend who restored a Ryan, similar model to the Spirit of St. Louis. Beautiful plane, made up in air mail markings. The extent of my involvement was to make the leather pad that went around the cowl.

He flew into Winchester one day, and as he was leaving, he asked me to "crank" the engine while he sat in pilot seat. This was an inertia starter, so you put a crank in the side of the cowling, start spinning the flywheel (and let me tell you, it's work), until it's spinning fast enough, then you pull crank out and pilot hits "starter" to engage. I had to do this three times before it started, and it just about wore me out, words can't describe how hard it is to get that wheel moving fast enough. And, if you don't disengage the crank quickly enough, it's all for naught.

[Guest Skyking]

Thanks Dave, I remember watching old movies where they cranked the airplane..........

[Guest AlK]

I love the ones that come by with kids, wives, bimbos etc. and try to impress them with their copious amounts of knowledge. Case in point. After having all of the fun we could get out of my wifes 1971 DODGE Demon 340 clone we took it to the Turkey Rod Run to sell. After several hundred clowns coming by and telling how they would buy it if it was 4 spd, this one person came by with his son and loudly proclaimed to his son "yes son that thar is a Duster Demon". My wife and I just hung our head.

Edited July 24, 2010 by AlK (see edit history)

[Guest Robin Coleman]

I have never had a classic or antique car (except for my '66 GTO and new '72 Formula 400 Firebird), but instead concentrated on motorcycles. My last one (about five years ago) was a '71 Norton Commando. I can't tell you how many times I was asked if Honda made it, and like the others on this post heard more than once a guy state with no uncertainty to his kid/girlfriend/wife that his father or someone else had one just like it and went to Germany/Japan/Milwaukee where they purchased it from the factory. Still others asked why I removed the electric starter from it, why I put "skinny tires" on it and why did the front disc brake look like that!

[Steve S]

I have loads of them, but I thought this was pretty funny at the time.

Driving through a parking lot one night in our 1958 MGA Roadster, we passed a group of people. One was heard to say, "Wow! I didn't know Porsche ever made one like that!"

Never mind the huge chrome M.G. emblem on the trunk lid, the grill badge or the three MGA badges on the car.

[ted sweet]

my wife was sitting next to our chrysler 300 at a cruise night, girl about 10 was touching the qtr panel. my wife told her not tp touch because the paint is very old. girl and mother walk to other side of car, girl is know touching the boot covering the lower top. mother replys thats not painted.

[Guest windjamer]

This didnt happen at a show, but its a true story you might laugh at. I wont give the mans real name,ill just call him Mr. Smith. It took place in 1996, I had just started looking for parts for my Buick. My cousin drew a map for me and gave me the mans name. I followed the directions as best I could and wound up at a dead end in a mans driveway. A farmboy ( looked like ) bib overalls and all was standing in a garage door with a plate of chicken and beans. He looked at me kind of funny,so I walked up gave him my name and what I was doing.

Me- Im looking for a famaly name Smith, have you ever heard of them? Him-yep. Me-Do you know them? Him-yep. Me, do you know where they live? Him,yep.Me, could you tell me how to get there? Him,your there.Me,Im looking for Buick parts,do you have any Buicks? Him,dont think so but your welcome to look. Me,I didnt find any Buicks, but there must be 15 Mustangs back there,I bet a man could take 2 or 3 and make one nice one. Him,maby. Me maby somebody allready made a nice one. Him maby. I thanked him and started to leave when I heard ,Hey, I turned and he crocked a finger and motioned me to come back. By now the wife is in the car with the doors locked and windows up tight. I walked back and he said, I might could let you have a little peak. He motioned and I followed him down a path full of junk and old vechs. I thought this guys got a still hid out here:eek: he took me to a bildg. opened the door and showed me about 30 just beautaful cars. Every thing from a 56 Ford convertable to an old Checker. As I left he hollered at me again, Your welcome to come back he said and I just thanked him. Bottom line, dont judge a farm boy by his coveralls.

Edited July 26, 2010 by windjamer
corect year (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

Delivering a '28 Cadillac to the Port of Atlanta (yes Atlanta is a port, go figure). Had a flat on the truck so stopped at Sonny's Gulf Station out in the country. Typical old school gas station complete with old guy sitting out front on a bench solving the problems of the world. Sonny worked at changing the tire between tending the cash register. Didn't take long to realize that Sonny had a dry sense of humor. Kid pulls up to the pumps and puts 87 cents worth of gas in his car and proceeds inside to pay. I eagerly anticipated Sonny's response and was not disappointed. Kid hands Sonny his 87 cents. Sonny rings it into the cash register, looks at the kid and says "Guess you don't need any road maps do ya?"

[Guest 53Nailhead]

Delivering a '28 Cadillac to the Port of Atlanta (yes Atlanta is a port, go figure). Had a flat on the truck so stopped at Sonny's Gulf Station out in the country. Typical old school gas station complete with old guy sitting out front on a bench solving the problems of the world. Sonny worked at changing the tire between tending the cash register. Didn't take long to realize that Sonny had a dry sense of humor. Kid pulls up to the pumps and puts 87 cents worth of gas in his car and proceeds inside to pay. I eagerly anticipated Sonny's response and was not disappointed. Kid hands Sonny his 87 cents. Sonny rings it into the cash register, looks at the kid and says "Guess you don't need any road maps do ya?"

^

That's funny!!!:D

[JohnD1956]

Our Buick Club ran a Cruise-In a few weeks ago. We have a sponsor Buick dealer and the show was on his lot. We ran the event from 4 PM to 9 PM. I got there a bit early and parked my GS, top down, on the small strip of grass between the parking lot and the road. The dealer has a 92 Dodge Viper Prototype ( with only 7K on it, and he parked it out there too.

Around 7 PM or so, suddenly there is a lot of commotion and yelling, and I heard my name being called. I expected the worst, like someone had left the main road and crashed into my car, but instead, I see the automatic lawn sprinklers had come on and the GS and the Viper were getting soaked. Several participants jumped on the sprinkler heads to stem the flow but that just sent the water wider and higher and hardly helped. Sure wish I got a picture of that one.

[john2dameron]

Was at a show Saturday taking photos and neared a '65 Corvair convertible with the top down. As I got close to the car I met a boy about 5. I spoke to him and he started chattering. "That car doesn't have a roof. If it rains they are going to get wet." I thought that was a sharp observation for a 5-year old. Wish I had taken the time to show him where the top was and explain that it was made that way. However, I assume the lady with him was his mother and she should have explained it to him.

[john2dameron]

In 1968 when I was 28 one of my best friends was a 3-year old nephew that I worshipped. One day I was reading the automotive classified ads in the Roanoke (VA) Times and as usual he was at my side. One of the dealers in Roanoke was Zeller Lincoln-Mercury and their ad showed a sign like a street sign that said Zeller Lincoln-Mercury and was shown mounted on a pole. Sitting on the sign was a Cougar; a cat and not the car. Johnny said, "Uncle John, I know what that sign says. It says a pound of cat food." About that time I traded my '65 Cadillac convertible for a new '68 Chrysler convertible. One day my sister asked me to take Johnny and his sister to White Sulphur Springs, WV to get their photos made so I loaded them up and left. As we drove up Main Street in WSS we met a Cadillac. Johnny then said, "Uncle John, is that a car like you had and gave away for this car." Unfortunately, that is what you do when you trade cars; you give them your car and buy theirs. Can a 3-year old identify a Cadillac today?

[Restorer32]

My beloved but sometimes confused Mother told everyone in the family and all the neighbors that I was doing so well that I had bought my wife a Ferrari. Boy were they disappointed when I told them I had actually bought her a Volare.

[Ron Green]

I am asked many, many times if my car is the one that goes in the water. I answer, only in the rain. Then I get, well it looks just like the car that goes in the water..................Do the first two photos resemble the third?

I didn't think so.................

Don't feel bad: I was drying my Amphicar off at the boat ramp and somebody came over and asked me if I ever take it in the water, and it was absolutely water spotted clear up to the top of the windshield.

For some reason Metropolitan's and Crosley's are confused with amphi's. They all float for a little bit, some longer than others.

[Marty Roth]

I'm not yet 68 years old - born late in 1942.

As you can see from my signature below, all but the newest 4 of my cars are OLDER than me

At almost every display, show, cruise night, or traffic light - I get the same questions:

What year is it ?

WOW, are you the ORIGINAL OWNER ?

Again, these cars were built before I was born, ... and no, I don't look that old, do I ?

It sure is difficult to be the original owner of a car which was built before you were born !

[DAVE A]

[quote name=

For some reason Metropolitan's and Crosley's are confused with amphi's. They all float for a little bit' date=' some longer than others.

Trust me when I say NOTHING floats on a Crosley...not even the tires!!! Every Crosley I have has enough holes in it that it drains of ALL fluids that may accumulate in any area. We usually say "Crosleys leak....get used to it"!!

By the way, are you coming down my way on Sept 11, for the Amphi being sold at auction??? Camp Hill isn't that far away. If so, be sure to introduce yourself. Always pleased to talk to a fellow small car owner!!! There will be a lot of us there. Between the Amphi, Crosleys, King Midgets, and Freeways, it should be a very unusual crowd!!!

[Ron Green]

Dave: Didn't know about the auction. Please sent me the info.

So Crosley's won't float for a second or too? Love weird stuff that's small. Here's the wife's Citicar.

[Guest GRANNYS70SKYLARK]

I was waiting in line for food at a show, wearing a shirt with a likeness of my El Camino on it and the person in line behind me asked me if I had a car at the show and what kind it was. I said it was an El Camino and he asked me if it was the hard top or convertible one he saw?

[Paul Dobbin]

Marty Roth wrote: Again, these cars were built before I was born, ... and no, I don't look that old, do I ?

It sure is difficult to be the original owner of a car which was built before you were born !<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

No Marty, you don't look that old, but that original owner question is so common that I often introduce my car friends as the cars original owners

of whatever they are driving. It's especially fun with Model T's.

Example 1915 Model T would have to have been purchased new by someone at least 20 years old. That means born in 1895 or before. And here you stand

looking good at 115 years and still going to car shows, AMAZING!! I then tell them the hobby keeps us young.

If the car isn't older than I am, it's not an antique. I'm certainly not either, but pulling the gullible folks legs is entertainment.

[oldcarfudd]

Ah, the joys of steam cars!

I told my (retired) former boss, a really bright guy, that I'd bought a Stanley steamer. He said: "It runs on water? We should go back to that!" I said: "But you have to heat the water." He said: "Oh. There's always a catch, isn't there?"

I was firing the critter up in a parking lot when this exchange occurred.

Spectator: Why are you using a blow torch on your car?

Me: It's powered by a steam engine, like an old-time choo-choo train.

Spectator: Where do you get the steam?

Me: At Wal-Mart, in five-gallon cans. It's cheaper by the case.

[DAVE A]

So Crosley's won't float for a second or too? Love weird stuff that's small. Here's the wife's Citicar.

Ron;

Did you ever take a colander (the thing you use to strain spaghetti) and put it in a sink full of water???? That's how much a Crosley floats!!! I sent you a private e-mail on the auction. If anyone else is interested send me an e-mail to tmkldwwj@yahoo.com. 10 Crosleys, 10 King Midgets, an Amphicar, 2 Freeways, parts etc.

[bhambulldog]

....and answering questions or talking to the passers-by?

Mine would have to be the time that I had the '37 Cord in a tour in South Louisiana, this would have been mid-1980's. We parked in a lot to go eat lunch.

A "local yokel" (let's just call him LY for short) came up and asked, "What kind of car is that?"

Me: It's a 1937 Cord.

LY: A Ford? Ford never made a car like that!

Me: No, no, a CORD, made by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg company.

LY: Duesenberg? Oh, it's a German car.....

Me: No, it was made in Indiana, it's front wheel drive.

LY: Oh, front wheel drive, then it's a new kit car, they just came out with that....

I just shook my head.....

I was at a show admiring the Lycoming of a very nicely restored Cord. A man and his son stepped up beside me. The man told his son, "See son this one has a Ford flathead, too".:confused:

A different show, A different man and son. This time the car was my 1955 Roadmaster. The son looking , not realizing the sparkplugs were under the factory supplied covers, asked his father, "Why, this old Buick doesn't have sparkplugs?". His father's reply, " It's a Diesel engine, son".

[bhambulldog]

Another time when I had my 55 Buick, I was getting ready to leave a show and a bunch of people were standing by my car. I turned on the key, put both hands out the window and yelled "CAR START". you wouldn't believe the looks on their faces when it started. One guy said to another, "wow, that's high-tech"....................:D:D

LOL !!! I've done that one myself with our 55 buick:cool:

[Ron Green]

Somewhat related:

Here is an interesting link to a car show we were at with friends 2 years ago. Amazing what remote control can do. It has since been refined to blow the horn, etc. Works up to 100' away. We ended up giving the kid a free shirt.

[rlnash]

This happened at Hershey in the flea market a couple of years ago. I saw a guy buy a beautiful old headlight. I asked him what it fit. He replied " I don't know but I am going to find a car that fits it".

[Shop Rat]

Somewhat related:

Here is an interesting link to a car show we were at with friends 2 years ago. Amazing what remote control can do. It has since been refined to blow the horn, etc. Works up to 100' away. We ended up giving the kid a free shirt.

Ron, what is kind of cute about that video is the the one smaller boy, you can tell he is kind of disappointed it won't squirt him.

Our friend Doy Maston had one of those squirters hooked up on his 1923 T so that it was aimed into the crowd along parade routes.

[Guest dokks6t9]

I was at a car show, discussing tools with a few friends.Everyone was commenting on their favorite, from snap-on to craftsman. Being a smart-aleck, I mentioned the Binford line of tools.My one buddy said he SAW that line of tools at Sears!!! Need I explain further??

[Rusty_OToole]

Ha ha ha Sears doesn't sell Binford, they sell Craftsman ha ha ha.

[DAVE A]

I use exclusively Binford tools on my 54 Crosley.

[Steve Braverman]

My dad rolled into the Sears Auto Center once with his 1910 Sears, and sternly said, "I expect you guys have parts for this thing."

They didn't get his sense of humor.

[trimacar]

Speaking of Sears, used to have one, beautiful car. I lived in an old section of a small Louisiana town, and the street in front of my house was a brick street. You haven't been shook until you're shook like that.

Walking Hershey once with a good friend, we walked over to the highwheeler section. A fellow was fiddling with his Sears, and it started rolling down the slight incline. Someone said "better chock 'er, bud...." The owner looked around, saw an empty aluminum Coke can, and put it under the front wheel.

For some reason it wasn't much of a chock, and my friend and I had to grin......of course it wouldn't have chocked any car, but a thin ribbon of a solid tire....

[Guest Earl]

I was at a show once and this guy had his very large wife with him. I'm thinking the car was for sale and I walked over during the conversation about it's good points. Anyway, it was a later 30's car with wide running boards. And the guy pointed out how nice the running boards were to his wife and then turned to the owner, pointing at the running boards and asked "What's the tonnage on those?" I'm thinking he was gonna be in the doghouse over that one.

[Earl B.]

When I first got the 1922 Studebaker, I was out riding around, checking things out. A guy followed me for several blocks, and I headed home, and he followed me. When I got out of the car, he had pulled in behind me. He asked what kind of car it was, and I replied 1922 Studebaker. Next he asked,,,,,Was that when Ford owned it? I told him that Ford had never owned Studebaker.. he looked at me like I had totally lost it.... I'm sure many of you know that look.... He then asked, are you sure???? I'm pretty sure Ford bought Studebaker somewhere along the line... again I replied, No.. Studebaker owned Studebaker, that Ford had never owned Studebaker... so, I got the reply.. weeeellllll, if you're sure..... and after another more sensible question or two, he left.. Now, did he believe me... no way in this world.... I'm sure he's positive I'm wrong and Ford did own Studebaker.......Isn't it amazing how little we know about our cars?????...B

[trimacar]

I know I submit to this too much, but the stories are so backed up....

When I was in my teens, my father was understanding enough to buy me the remnants of a 1931 Chevrolet, this was 1964.

So, restoring the car, I was 14 or so years old, and in Junior High school.

One day, one of the school bullies was talking to me in front of a group of people, and said something about "hey, you've been lying to people about owning a car."

Yep, I replied, a 1931 Chevrolet. "Ha!" he exclaimed, "Proves it, everyone knows up until the 1950's no one made cars except Ford!!!!"

Sheesh, the memories.

[Earl B.]

I take it this guy was not destined to be school valedictorian??????

[61polara]

About 1973 I was on my way to a car show in a '70 Challenger conv. I pulled off the road, in a small town, to take another look at the road map. An older gentleman can up to the car and ask if I knew the way to "Glory". With all the strange names of small towns in the area, I replied, "No, but I have a map and can help you find it". Shocked, he replied, "No, I mean, have you been Saved!"........................

[Marty Roth]

In the early 1960s, on my way to a Ski weekend in New England, I pulled into a small-town gas station in my 100-6 Austin-Healy Roadster. It looked beautiful with its LeMans-type exhaust (similar to what the hot-rodders called "lake pipes" ) running the length of the rocker panel.

In those days the attendant, or in this case the proprietor of the 2-pump station, started pumping a tankfull of high-test (ethyl?) while I used the restroom and bought a Coca-Cola.

As I returned to where he was leaning back against the Healy with his heel up on the rear tire, I noticed him looking down at the center of the car's wire wheel. The chromed center cap is of course threaded so that a brass hammer will tighten or "Knock-Off" the wheel on the axle, hence the name "Knock-Off Wheels". A counter-clockwise curved arrow and the word"UN-DO" is prominent on the center cap, along with a pair of "ears" for the brass hammer to hit.

Apparently the gentleman was not familiar with the British sports car, and was looking for a name on what he thought was a hub cap.

He smiled knowingly at me as he asked "Hey sonny, what year is this UN-DO?"

[R W Burgess]

He smiled knowingly at me as he asked "Hey sonny, what year is this UN-DO?"

"And UNDO to you too!", I would have told him.

[stealthbob]

Not my story but a funny one none the less....this was from Car Talk on NPR:

The story goes that this young lad got his first car and was told to take very good care of it...and so he did. One day he noticed that he was missing a certain cap in the engine bay. He went right to the parts store and asked for the cap that was missing...described it as the "710" cap. This went on for a while with a 21 question session and it was not until the young lad drew what the cap looked like on a piece of paper. Ahh! the clerk said and went back to get the proper cap, which was simply....

....the OIL cap

More funny on radio as once you see 710 typed out here you sort of get the joke but it made me snicker a bit as I listened because I didn't know what a 710 cap was either.

[Tom Laferriere]

Was pulling out into traffic when 2 men asked what kind of car it was...I said "Its a 1934 Packard Touring". He responded, "WOW!, that must have been the Cadillac of its day."