Car Show Sign

[Guest Shoe1932]

What do most of you put on your Car Show Signs that sit in front of the car at shows. Typically I see year,make, model, engine, cost new, and production. Does anyone have anything else they would recommend? I plan on telling a brief story of our 1939 Plymouth P-8 also. I would appreciate any other ideas. Thanks

Shoe

[Guest shadetree77]

Those signs are nice and everything. I like reading all of the interesting info. But strictly from a spectator's point of view, I wish the signs were displayed in the trunk or thereabouts. A lot of people take pictures of the cars at a car show (that's the only reason I go) and nothing bugs me more than having a giant sign mucking up the picture by covering the entire front of the car. Just my opinion.

[Amphicar BUYER]

My showsigns have the history of Amphicar company and of the particular car. I include photos of the resto, my car in action and some historical ads as well as original momorobilia. Not a lot of the same boring stuff, only highlights.

[Paul Dobbin]

Here are a couple of lines I've used on my signs.

Restored by owner to good used car condition.

Used for Tours, parades and driving fun with other old car nuts.

Once owned by Henry Ford.

Still fast enough after all these years.

Not For Sale, today.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Paul Dobbin
spelling (see edit history)

[Guest WEB 38]

Do you wind your clocks?

[Chris Bamford]

...nothing bugs me more than having a giant sign mucking up the picture by covering the entire front of the car. Just my opinion.

Mine too.

Too many times we think the show-going public is going to be just as fascinated in all the minutiae of our cars as we are. 99% of them aren't and the big signs with all the info are a waste of effort and an eyesore to photographers.

I've done a number of signs for our club members and I like to keep it simple — and low to the ground. 11" x 17" format, one picture (and not a glamour shot of the restored car... alway a before pic, restoration pic, factory pic, period pic, etc.) and three or four brief lines of text, owner name and city, club logo. That's it.

Here are some examples on my 1947 Dodge and fellow members' '38 Olds and '29 Ford. I did make up two additional signs for the Dodge, one low to the ground with what I consider to be interesting info, and another one for the driver's door that not many here would care to use.

[1937hd45]

I'm fairly sure these signs are not allowed at AACA National meets. They do ruin any chance of a nice photo of a vehicle, not as bad as an open hood, buy bothersome none the less. Bob

Those signs are nice and everything. I like reading all of the interesting info. But strictly from a spectator's point of view, I wish the signs were displayed in the trunk or thereabouts. A lot of people take pictures of the cars at a car show (that's the only reason I go) and nothing bugs me more than having a giant sign mucking up the picture by covering the entire front of the car. Just my opinion.

[Guest Tarheel]

If you have a driver and are like Bamford's Garage and don't mind people touching your car, put a Wet Paint sign on it and have a little fun watching people.

[JD in KC]

What do most of you put on your Car Show Signs that sit in front of the car at shows. Typically I see year,make, model, engine, cost new, and production. Does anyone have anything else they would recommend? I plan on telling a brief story of our 1939 Plymouth P-8 also. I would appreciate any other ideas. Thanks

Shoe

I have exactly the information you've quoted plus the weight (it's a big car, looks heavy and it's a question I frequently get asked). I also include a paragraph on the history of Packard... so I don't get the question "who made Packard?" quite so often! This shouldn't be a problem with your Plymouth. I have the information on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of cardstock that is inserted in the rear door window.

I'm fairly sure these signs are not allowed at AACA National meets. They do ruin any chance of a nice photo of a vehicle, not as bad as an open hood, buy bothersome none the less. Bob

I do open my hood (left side) when at the local cruise nights. I figure that after staring at dozens of SBC's covered in bling, some of the folks might be interested in seeing a 356 ci in-line flathead eight in its natural state. Many people under 35 have never seen one. I have no problem closing the hood for photos if someone asks.

[Amphicar BUYER]

Placement/size of the sign should be considered and dependant on the situation. If they are not allowed, obviously this is a moot point. I do set mine so it isn't in the way of photos and I too have no problem moving it if it's in somebody way for a photo op. I have found that people take almost as many photos of my signs as of the car itself. The red Amphicar lives at a museum and the sign is on a stand I created from 3 old paddles. If your car begs for many questions (how deep does it go? How fast? How much? Who made it? etc), a sign is a requirement! My business cards have the top 20 questions on the back too.

Take your time and make your sign nice to look at and not too much to read. Tell the story in photos if you can as text tends to create a roadblock while they stand there and read it.

[szimmerman]

Hi everyone:

Here's an attachment with information about the official AACA signs you can get for your cars.

At just $30, they are inexpensive and look professional.

If you have questions, just email me at szimmerman@aaca.org.

Stacy

 

 

AACA Custom Car Signs Information & Instructions.pdf

Edited January 4, 2016 by szimmerman (see edit history)

[Guest AlCapone]

It is my opinion that the general public only want basic information and not a story. As a previous poster declared, 99% of them don't I've a damn. So if you write a long story you are likely one of very few that will read it. If they want more info they will ask! Wayne

[Vila]

I have seen to many people trip over them when they are in front a cars, so I don't use signs in front of my cars.  Up front, I only use the placard provided by the show on my windshield.

 

Instead of a sign, I have a note book for each of my cars that give specific for the car, along with original sales literature, and before and after restoration photos.  

 

For my 1933 Chevrolet, I leave the notebook on the running board, but in constant view in case someone would decide they need it more than I do.

 

For my other cars I leave it opened to the first page in the trunk for people to look at, and take it out when a judging team is looking over my car.

[Matt Harwood]

I make 11x8.5 window stickers for each car in our showroom and take them with me to shows. A few photos of the interesting parts, some bullet points about its key features, year, make, model, etc. Nobody's going to read a big, long explanation of the car and if they do, they're going to stand in everyone's way doing it, which annoys folks to no end. Plus this way I can put it on the inside of the window or windshield and it doesn't get in the way of photos and rain doesn't ruin it.

 

Here's a sample:

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[Guest AlCapone]

I make 11x8.5 window stickers for each car in our showroom and take them with me to shows. A few photos of the interesting parts, some bullet points about its key features, year, make, model, etc. Nobody's going to read a big, long explanation of the car and if they do, they're going to stand in everyone's way doing it, which annoys folks to no end. Plus this way I can put it on the inside of the window or windshield and it doesn't get in the way of photos and rain doesn't ruin it.

 

Here's a sample:

 

112077 Window Sticker (small).jpg

Now that is discreet! People can handle that. They get turned off bathe braggin' boards! Nothing worse than the guy that needs a billboard to brag about his car. Wayne

[Rusty_OToole]

It's your car, you can put anything you want. Is there something unique and interesting to the history of your car? Old pictures are fun. So are old ads from when your car was new.Things like original price, gas mileage, weight, may be of interest. Go ahead and have some fun with it.

[nick8086]

Here is one: Just add it to the car...

Edited January 5, 2016 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[D Yaros]

We have a sign that was given to us when participating in the now defunct "Celebration of Automobiles" event put on by the folks at the Indy 500.

 

All it says is:

 

Oldsmobile

1962

Dynamic 88

 Convertible 

Presented By:

Dave and Jean Yaros

Milwaukee,

Wisconsin

Edited January 9, 2016 by D Yaros (see edit history)

[Guest AlCapone]

We have a sign that was given to us when participating in the now defunct "Celebration of Automobiles" event put on by the folks at the Indy 500.

 

All it says is:

 

Oldsmobile

1962

Dynamic 88

 Convertible 

Presented By:

Dave and Dave Yaros

Milwaukee,

Wisconsin

Enough said my friend! If they want more let them ask,

Wayne

[Walt G]

I make a sign out of medium weight card stock (so it won't curl over like a sheet of paper will) to fit inside the windshield (I have pre war cars) bottom edge sits on the edge of the dashboard and top can wedge to the top of the window frame. Info is :year, make, # of cylinders, weight, wheelbase, price when new, horsepower. That's about it , unless it is a low production body style , and if it is that gets mentioned too. In the windshield location it is at eye level and quick to read, so people do so and move on for others to see if they want to. With cameras in cell phones now people take a photo of the car and and the sign as well for the information to reread later.

[Guest AlCapone]

I make a sign out of medium weight card stock (so it won't curl over like a sheet of paper will) to fit inside the windshield (I have pre war cars) bottom edge sits on the edge of the dashboard and top can wedge to the top of the window frame. Info is :year, make, # of cylinders, weight, wheelbase, price when new, horsepower. That's about it , unless it is a low production body style , and if it is that gets mentioned too. In the windshield location it is at eye level and quick to read, so people do so and move on for others to see if they want to. With cameras in cell phones now people take a photo of the car and and the sign as well for the information to reread later.

Great logic and strategy. People don't want to be monopolized and many shy away from the braggers. Wayne

[caddyshack]

I typically won't show my original 100+ year old autos. But for the last two years I trailered the original '04 and '12 Brush to a local Pioneer Days with the intent of showing what early turn of the century designs looked like. The signage in each was just the year. It forced people to ask "what make is it?, chain driven, whats that?, wood bodies, wood axels, wood frame, no way? where did you find them? where do you find parts, and on and on. The simpler the sign, the greater the questions, especially the younger generation. I was amazed by how many people had never seen an auto earlier than a Model T.

What fun!