How do you pick a car show to go to?

[Mark Wetherbee]

1 hour ago, oldcarfudd said:

Often, someone will ask me if it's OK to take a picture of his kid in front of my car.  I say no, it's not OK - put him behind the wheel!  

 

There was an AACA Show Locally at the beginning of April which I took my “new” Pierce to. I’ll admit I was surprised by a second Pierce showing up. We both had that kind of memory as a kid, getting to sit in cars at shows in the early 70’s, and we both did just this. My car was get in behind the wheel, his was a rumble seat the kids sat in. We had a great time, but other than wanting to get a feel for the car hobby where we just relocated to, I agree with not being a fan of paying to sit on a paved lot with 95%+ of the cars being much more modern than I’m into. That said I still give a lot of rides to people who are curious or intrigued by the old cars.

 

As for the charity auction, my parents did it for years, a full day T Tour to one of three different places and your choice of three different cars (when they were all running of course). They had one couple buy it three times and then they bought a T for themselves...

 

We all see this hobby differently and have different ways of being ambassadors.

[60FlatTop]

1 hour ago, J.H.Boland said:

I've grown to enjoy young'uns questions, even when they ask if I bought it new ! 

 

Quite often I get that question from the old uns who ought to know better than ask. Of course, I think it was about ten years ago that I started nudging my Wife and asking her if she thought that old couple who just walked by were older than us.

 

I went to a lot of shows when I was younger, but when my Son and Daughter got to be around 10 years old (and I was 45) I saw the long rides and sitting by the cars was not really where their interests lie. And I had a perception of competition between them and the cars in their minds. It happens. So I bought better cars and rationed my time with a bias toward driving in the country and the hills. Just my Wife and I now. We go for 2 hour rides around western New York and stop at the best little diners. My hours in the garage are golden. I'd be out there now if I hadn't eaten a big lunch.

Then there is the fact that all my cars are post war (WWII that is) and I know how taking up an old crank jobs space can be so agitating.

 

Picking a show to go to. Hmmm, maybe we will just park on Main Street, eat ice cream, and watch the cars go by.

[oldcarfudd]

We sure can agree on not letting kids slide down our fenders!  And I can erupt in a hurry if a parent encourages his kid to treat my car, or anybody's car, like an amusement park toy.  Fortunately, most people are decent.

[60FlatTop]

My kids.

 

IMK on the license plate stands for "Ignore my kids". However they were trained. Grimy's friend even complemented Andy, on the left fender, on how gently he closed the big Pierce door.

 

Interesting picture, I didn't think I converted to PVC cross bars on the clothes poles that early; glued on end caps to keep the wasps from nesting.

Bernie

[Grimy]

Bernie, you shoulda kept that Nash!  Shame on you!

[60FlatTop]

 

Advanced 6 Victoria, one of three known, two running.

 

That was the early 1980's. No headlights. Couldn't get lenses at first. At Hershey, Don Axelrod told me the lenses were being scooped up by the, then popular, Auburn Speedster replica guys. Nash and Auburn shared the same lenses.

 

Just a teaser:

 

[Grimy]

Bernie, you may have to go to Florida to work -- or drool -- on Tony's 1936 P-A again--or does he still keep it in your neck of the woods?

[Doug Novak]

Generally prefer JUDGING Verses Peoples Choice (Vote for your buddies). Also depends on Weather Forecasts, plus travel distance as I drive to all Shows and Meets using GPS set up to avoid traffic and Highways, Tolls, Dirt Roads, etc. Love to explore the back roads and generally like to curse at posted speeds between 45 to 50 MPH with no traffic. I will gladly do the posted speed limits when necessary.. I like to support the Benefit Shows where the entry fee's go to charities such as Wounded Veterans,  or other good causes.  Lastly, I like Car Club events where the Club has Class's specific to Model Type or year that my entry would fit in to. Not interested in Events for the Newer Cars, Rat Rods, Low Riders, etc. not that I have a problem with what they are doing,  just not my cup of tea. Some of the other events such as a CRUSE IN, where you can come and go as you please, are a lot of fun WITH NO STRESS. 

[ted sweet]

any thing within 2 hours and no rain

[Buick35]

I might be cheap but I like the free ones unless it goes for a good cause, like the Boy Scouts.

[ted sweet]

if only went to free ones i would get maybe 2 or3 a year

[60FlatTop]

"I'm not really cheap but I stayed home from a pay car show and came up with a powerful idea.

[JACK M]

So a friend of mine about an hour from here lives in a small 'Mayberry' ish town.

His car club threw a main street show yesterday.

It cost $15. He tells me that his club puts all of the money back into the Sr Center, Kids club, 4H, etc.

I bought an arms length (wing span) of raffle tickets for twenty bucks.

I won a $500 teeth bleaching service and a brand new Stihl chain saw.

No trophies but not a bad day.

Lets see, 30 bucks for gas, 15 entry, 20 for raffle tix, 8 for a pulled pork sandwich and a buck for a water.  = $74.00

My other option would have been yard work.

[Terry Bond]

This is like asking ten different people what they want on their pizza!  The real question is "why do you go to car shows."  This past weekend we went to a British (actually has been expanded to "European") car show in Williamsburg Va.  We took two MGs, the 1948 TC and our much later MGBGT.  We went to have fun, visit with friends and see some interesting cars and get ours our on the road.  Accomplished all these and even got some sunburn in the process.  Nice trip there and back with friends in their cars with ferry rides across the James River.  Spent time with the cars talking with people about them, and had a wonderful time talking with the family of a 14 year old girl who was there because that's what she wanted to do for her birthday - go to a car show!   She now knows a lot about AACA and will probably be at our fall show to get a ride in my Model T Ford.

Although we do a lot of AACA events we also squeeze in events like these that match up with our cars.  Every so often we'll venture out to a local event of some kind (usually charity related) and bring a vehicle we think most people would really like to see.  Our Model T is popular as it's usually the oldest thing there, and giving rides or at least showing people how to crank start is is a hoot.   The MGTC always attracts attention, and the Triumph Motorcycle is also a big attraction.  It's all about having fun-for us and spectators.

Terry

 

[mike6024]

Not many Kaiser Darrins in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

Plenty of this though, I bet.

 

[nick8086]

Wow that looks good..

 

Not sure  - if any one knows it takes two to three weeks to get a car ready for a car show...

Edited May 6, 2019 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

22 hours ago, JACK M said:

I won a $500 teeth bleaching service and a brand new Stihl chain saw.

 

I can see that being the basis for a whole new reality series.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I like a good size swap meet.  While not a big fan of imported tools, zip ties or bootleg cds, running into the unusual can be fun.  This guy was at Rhinebeck this past weekend.  Unfortunately a lot of great parts were not...

[60FlatTop]

Some things should come in sets.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

My wife always says those leaning kids are creepy!! 😆😆😆

[tomcarnut]

I say car shows are for wimps. Real Men and Women drive their cars on Tours!  Two Weeks ago we drove my 1967 Camaro RS Convt on an AACA Ohio Region Tour where we visited John Glenns Boyhood Home along with the Zanes Trace Museum. Visited a winery above Cambridge that had a very nice view. 100 plus miles on back roads of the tour plus a 400 mile round trip commute. Stayed at Salt Fork State Park lodge with the group that was fun. This past weekend we did a local AACA Southern Ohio Chapter tour and lunch to Brookville, Ohio to a Packard Restoration Shop on  a farm where we had burgers from one of the owners herd.  My wife loves going on tours but has no interest in shows sitting in a lawn chair waiting all day for a trophy. We also have driven my 1911 Ford on the last three Ohio Model T Jamborees and hope to do the Hershey Hangover this year in my 1912 McLaughlin Buick. Tours( Moving car shows) are much more fun and take some real talent with especially early cars to use as originally intended as opposed to taking a trailer queen to a show that barely runs enough to get to the field. 

[JACK M]

1 hour ago, tomcarnut said:

I say car shows are for wimps. Real Men and Women drive their cars on Tours!  Two Weeks ago we drove my 1967 Camaro RS Convt on an AACA Ohio Region Tour where we visited John Glenns Boyhood Home along with the Zanes Trace Museum. Visited a winery above Cambridge that had a very nice view. 100 plus miles on back roads of the tour plus a 400 mile round trip commute. Stayed at Salt Fork State Park lodge with the group that was fun. This past weekend we did a local AACA Southern Ohio Chapter tour and lunch to Brookville, Ohio to a Packard Restoration Shop on  a farm where we had burgers from one of the owners herd.  My wife loves going on tours but has no interest in shows sitting in a lawn chair waiting all day for a trophy. We also have driven my 1911 Ford on the last three Ohio Model T Jamborees and hope to do the Hershey Hangover this year in my 1912 McLaughlin Buick. Tours( Moving car shows) are much more fun and take some real talent with especially early cars to use as originally intended as opposed to taking a trailer queen to a show that barely runs enough to get to the field. 

 

Sounds fun, I don't see any tours out here.

So I do mine alone.

[Robert Street]

On 5/1/2019 at 1:06 PM, edinmass said:

 

 

I’m a dinosaur........I don’t think of any post war car as a hobby car. Anything post 1960 to me is simply a modern car. I’m getting old!

 

Gosh Ed you don't enjoy the Muscle car era 409's etc.?😎

Robert

[edinmass]

2 hours ago, Robert Street said:

 

Gosh Ed you don't enjoy the Muscle car era 409's etc.?😎

Robert

 

 

Robert......I like early cars.....I have owned a bunch of 50’s and 60’s cars when in high school and college. I grew up in steam, and then brass and nickel, when I saw my first CCCA big land yacht I was hooked. I enjoy any unusual car, but by the 60’s they were making them by the 100’s of thousands.......I like to drive stuff no one else has.

[1937hd45]

Quote

 

I wonder if there were Muscle Cars in Western Connecticut when they were new? I never noticed them when they were new, too busy with my Model T and 1930's dirt track race cars. 

 

Bob

[Pfeil]

11 hours ago, tomcarnut said:

I say car shows are for wimps. Real Men and Women drive their cars on Tours!  Two Weeks ago we drove my 1967 Camaro RS Convt on an AACA Ohio Region Tour where we visited John Glenns Boyhood Home along with the Zanes Trace Museum. Visited a winery above Cambridge that had a very nice view. 100 plus miles on back roads of the tour plus a 400 mile round trip commute. Stayed at Salt Fork State Park lodge with the group that was fun. This past weekend we did a local AACA Southern Ohio Chapter tour and lunch to Brookville, Ohio to a Packard Restoration Shop on  a farm where we had burgers from one of the owners herd.  My wife loves going on tours but has no interest in shows sitting in a lawn chair waiting all day for a trophy. We also have driven my 1911 Ford on the last three Ohio Model T Jamborees and hope to do the Hershey Hangover this year in my 1912 McLaughlin Buick. Tours( Moving car shows) are much more fun and take some real talent with especially early cars to use as originally intended as opposed to taking a trailer queen to a show that barely runs enough to get to the field. 

 Car shows and cruises are all we have (and we have plenty- at least three a week from spring to fall and at least two a week in winter and that doesn't count the car shows) so we are all wimps? Say that around here and you'd get a fat lip. Tours????? What tour???? In fact what AACA chapter????? The nearest chapter is over 100 miles away and you never hear of anything they do so I assume they do nothing. 

Please don't ask me to start up a chapter, I been there and done that and the local 250+ member Antique Automobile club do not want to be involved. Just saying we like cars and have shows and cruises but  don't have tours and we are not wimps.

[kfcarguy]

I have a few simple rules to determine which shows, not cruises,  to go to:  (my cruise choice depends on what I want to eat that nite)

    no drive longer than an hour--hour to...hour fro and 6+ hours in the field, makes for a long day for a retired old guy

    no big paved parking lots--too hot in the sun

    prefer small town with shade available, local park, or golf course venue...small towns often have local hot spots for food and drink rather than eating out of a cooler

    usually don't go to the same show  2 years in a row, especially if I won a trophy..exception once when I took Best in Show and they put my car on the poster for the next year--had to          show up!

    I try to go to as many different shows as possible--having a rare eye catching car, KAISER DARRIN, I like to introduce the car and KAISER FRAZER to as many new people as                   possible--plight of the Independents..not enough exposure to the public

    much unlike Nick8086, my prep for a show is 20 minutes--check tire pressure, oil, gas and get the bugs off of the front end and windshield from the run the nite before

    my car is not a trailer queen--I drive it--even to the MEADOWBROOK CONCOURS d'ELEGANCE...drove it there, got my blue ribbon, and drove it home!!

    ...I have run out of wall space...

 

[victorialynn2]

On 5/5/2019 at 8:26 AM, JACK M said:

So a friend of mine about an hour from here lives in a small 'Mayberry' ish town.

His car club threw a main street show yesterday.

It cost $15. He tells me that his club puts all of the money back into the Sr Center, Kids club, 4H, etc.

I bought an arms length (wing span) of raffle tickets for twenty bucks.

I won a $500 teeth bleaching service and a brand new Stihl chain saw.

No trophies but not a bad day.

Lets see, 30 bucks for gas, 15 entry, 20 for raffle tix, 8 for a pulled pork sandwich and a buck for a water.  = $74.00

My other option would have been yard work.

Congrats. Which car did you take?

[JACK M]

Thank you very much !!!!

[JACK M]

Most photographed tail lights in the whole north west.

[victorialynn2]

Ah, the Corvette! Cool Hot Rod. 

[Joe in Canada]

Easy question on what show to attend. Just pick one that is not on the same date as a touring event.

[nick8086]

I got it up and running..

 

Do not drop bye until I know what I am doing..

 

 

[JACK M]

9 hours ago, nick8086 said:

I got it up and running..

 

Do not drop bye until I know what I am doing..

 

 

 

I have been wanting one of those forever.

[nick8086]

On 5/16/2019 at 11:43 AM, JACK M said:

 

I have been wanting one of those forever.

I think I got it..

 

 only used it four times..  This pulled pork was 12 hours..

Edited June 11, 2019 by nick8086 (see edit history)