Orphan Car Show

[dei]

Spent Sunday at the Orphan Car Sow in Ypsilanti, Michigan yesterday and thought I would share a few pictures.

This show is for only Orphan cars, trucks, firetrucks and two wheeled vehicles that have been out of production for a minimum of 7 years or more. Had to have been 300 cars? Lot's of brass this year.

Hard to think Plymouth and Oldsmobile as Orphan cars but....... guess Pontiac will soon be joining the ranks also...........

Enjoy.

[Barry Wolk]

We were there with our '33 Continental Flyer. My wife sang the NA and we took the class award for pre-war independents.

Here's my friend Van's slide show.

Orphan Car Show -2011 ©Vahan

[A. Ballard 35R]

Great idea! I was not aware of this type of show. Are there a lot of these orphan shows around the country?

[Guest Kingoftheroad]

I'm jealous, I always wanted to attend an Orphan Car Show but, I just live to far away.

[Guest Kingoftheroad]

Hard to think Plymouth and Oldsmobile as Orphan cars but....... guess Pontiac will soon be joining the ranks also...........

Enjoy.

I didn't think of them as orphans cause GM & MOPAR are still around. I always considered them just discontinued.

[Guest Al Brass]

I didn't think of them as orphans cause GM & MOPAR are still around. I always considered them just discontinued.

What does constitute an orphan car? I would have thought the make (not model) would have had to have gone from existence. As the above observers have pointed out, I see many GM cars, Fords Citroens, all very much here today. In some ways, it appears to be just another car show to me, although interesting enough and nice photos. Thanks for sharing.

Al

[Guest Kingoftheroad]

What does constitute an orphan car? I would have thought the make (not model) would have had to have gone from existence. As the above observers have pointed out, I see many GM cars, Fords Citroens, all very much here today. In some ways, it appears to be just another car show to me, although interesting enough and nice photos. Thanks for sharing.

Al

I always thought an orphan car was a car that was built by a company that no longer exists like Studebaker, Hudson, etc..

While Pontiac, Plymouth, Olds, and the others are gone, GM still exists. Are those considered orphans with GM still around making parts & stuff for these cars??

[LINC400]

There are shows like this in the Chicago area as well.

Orphan is rather vaguely defined at each show. Even though Ford and Chrysler are still around, Edsel and DeSoto seemed to fit in quite well with the orphans. You are not going to find parts or support at your local Ford or Chrysler dealer. But with the recent demise of Plymouth and Oldsmobile, and now Pontiac and Mercury, the lines are getting a lot more blurred. I really disagreed with Corvair being considered an orphan since not only GM, but Chevrolet is still around. But the Corvair club hosts the bigger and better of the 2 shows, so you really can't tell them they are not allowed at their own show. The other is sponsored by the Oldsmobile club.

[Aaron65]

I believe the Fords and Citroens are there because they no longer sell them in America (English Fords). Corvairs are there because the show's in Ypsilanti, a stone's throw from Willow Run where they built them. I think they're allowed due to home field advantage.

[West Peterson]

If a parent abandons its child, that child is then considered an orphan. So, if you consider that GM abandoned Oldsmobile, I guess Olds would be considered an orphan.

[Barry Wolk]

I always thought an orphan car was a car that was built by a company that no longer exists like Studebaker, Hudson, etc..

Defunct divisions count, too.

[Guest bkazmer]

I really don't see how English Ford and Citroen are orphans - they have been in continuous production. The Division seems a good level, so LaSalle, Edsel, DeSoto would count, but then so would Pontiac and Olds. What about Imperial and Continental? Only for the years they were divisions instead of models? Just stirring the pot.

[LINC400]

All Imperials are recognized, even though pre-1954 and 1981-83 are actually Chryslers. Continental Mark II is also, but no other years.

As I said earlier, it is rather vague as they allow Falcons and Novas here since those names are no longer made. I disagree with that. Yet they also refused to let in a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. Eldorado Brougham was discontinued after 1960. And even regular Eldorados are no longer made. So it makes no sense in some cases.

One show was allowing only pre-1959 Pontiac, Olds, Mercury, and Plymouths to keep the showfield from being overrun by 1960's muscle and high production cars. I thought this was a good idea as I do not want to go to an orphan show that looks like any neighborhood cruise nite. But I think that idea was dropped because too many people complained.

Edited September 27, 2011 by LINC400 (see edit history)

[ply33]

I always thought an orphan car was a car that was built by a company that no longer exists like Studebaker, Hudson, etc..

While Pontiac, Plymouth, Olds, and the others are gone, GM still exists. Are those considered orphans with GM still around making parts & stuff for these cars??

I wasn't aware that GM was still making parts for Plymouth.

Plymouth has not been made for 10 years now, so I doubt that even the revived Chrysler under Fiat management is making parts for them anymore.

[Guest rideswithchuck]

As long as my parents are alive I won't be an orphan. Oldsmobile's parents almost died a couple years ago.

[TG57Roadmaster]

A friend who's the co-founder of the Ypsi Orphan Show shared their newly-updated rules with me,

and they are anything but vague. There are too many pages to post here, but aren't fast and loose

by any means. Can't speak for the other orphan shows around the country, but Ypsi's are very well

thought out.

TG

[ted sweet]

i dont consider my 74 plymouth an ophan, there still is a chrysler corp.

[huptoy]

Speaking for me, the newer makes no longer being made are hard to accept as an orphan car. But the DeSoto and Oakland are generally accepted as orphans along with the Hupmobile or Studebaker. It's a mental thing as to when a vehicle becomes a valid orphan. Something like the perfect wedding dress to the bride. My real problem is accepting that my former 1987 Plymouth K car will be an antique car in 3 months.

[LINC400]

A friend who's the co-founder of the Ypsi Orphan Show shared their newly-updated rules with me,

and they are anything but vague. There are too many pages to post here, but aren't fast and loose

by any means. Can't speak for the other orphan shows around the country, but Ypsi's are very well

thought out.

TG

I would be interested to see that. I don't see how it should take multiple pages to explain what an orphan is.

For the Chicago area shows, it is a manufacturer no longer in business. A discontinued division, or discontinued model name. I disagree with the discontinued model names of existing divisions part. But I guess they have to put that in to get the Corvairs in there (since they host one of the shows).

But then as stated, it makes no sense that they allow some model names, like Falcon and Nova, But not others such as Eldorado Brougham or Continental.