car show gripes

[747mopar]

If it wasn't for my daughter I doubt I'd go to any shows, it's hot, they make them last all day long then they pick brand new cars over classics.. just don't care anymore. I have way more fun driving it anyways.

 

[4406bbl]

One thing I see is the mopar classic guys seem to dislike the modern mopar people. I hear that I built my car, they bought theirs. I hate to tell you this but your car was bought too. The new challengers are old, older than my gtx and superbird, and my wife's 71 cuda were when we bought those and started fixing them up. I know one black hellcat that was a total a young man owns that cleans up at shows, he fixed it himself, added tons of mods, put that perfect paint on it, and he hears that ****, you bought your car. He has more effort in his than most of The old cars. I have been involved in putting on shows, a thankless job. People really are crybabies, some of these guys would bitch about a free BJ.

 

[Mike67]

One thing I see is the mopar classic guys seem to dislike the modern mopar people. I hear that I built my car, they bought theirs. I hate to tell you this but your car was bought too. The new challengers are old, older than my gtx and superbird, and my wife's 71 cuda were when we bought those and started fixing them up. I know one black hellcat that was a total a young man owns that cleans up at shows, he fixed it himself, added tons of mods, put that perfect paint on it, and he hears that ****, you bought your car. He has more effort in his than most of The old cars. I have been involved in putting on shows, a thankless job. People really are crybabies, some of these guys would bitch about a free BJ.

I think the instance you are citing is very rare. 99% of the modern cars that show up to a classic meet are showroom fresh other than the fancy billet license frame and the Borla mufflers.
Where as the classic guys with the old cars have blood sweat and tears into their rides, yes they were "bought" but usually in a lot worse shape than the modern hi-po guys, although there are some that buy professionally restored cars and all they do is put gas in them, but again that's in the minority.
A bolt on cold air box, or neon colored headlights isn't what most care to see based on my experience. Certainly not a ricer with a big fart can for an exhaust.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I have a 2012 Challenger R/T. I never take it to a cruise night/car show. Even though it is 10 years old now. It doesn't belong. Most of our local cruise nights have a 25 year old cap. Which I agree to. Anyone can just go down to the local dealership to see a new Corvette, Mustang, Camaro, Challenger if you want to see the newer muscle.

 

[Offender]

Seems to me like this is more a bitchfest about particular, individual shows than the type of
event in general, eh?
Tossing in my own two cents on the subject then...

Having lived in both very urban - and now the last quarter century, in very rural areas - as others
have noted, the type of event typically is quite different, I've found.
In these parts, oftentimes the events are smaller necessarily - and many times are held as a fundraiser
for any of many worthy charities.
There's typically not a lot of car show judging going on and usually - but not always - the hosts will try
to keep it a special interest/"old car" event by having some sort of model year limit on what cars are
allowed to participate.

In a part of the country where the largest "city" is Knoxville (180k pop.) and the next one can't manage
much more than 60k, there's counties that don't even have 50k population for the entire county - so
just about anything and everything is allowed in some shows - and there are specific shows for specific
makes, lest the fart can muffler Honda crowd be left out.

I've been to huge shows in the past and you pretty much know what to expect with those (some of which
the OP, among others, complain about here).
I've not attended a truly big show since moving here though - and I find I don't have an issue taking Fred
to any regional show around here out of fear of experiencing any of those issues.

Lookit - all car shows have at least two things in common - cars and people, both of all sorts - but there's
a key to keeping them enjoyable to participate in, at least for me:
Once I got over my fear of leaving the car and going off to enjoy the event with my wife (or sometimes
alone even) though, things got a lot more enjoyable for me - and her.
I can visit with folks, have something to eat, look over the presentations and raffles and all the other
festivities, check out the other cars at a leisurely pace - some call it participating in fellowship with other
humans - and still return to Fred later and chat with folks who want to talk about the car, too.

As with most things in this life, it's all in how you approach it - and I choose to enjoy both bringing the car
(because I love to drive the damn thing, obnoxious as Fred is) and checking out what all is going on at the
show, too.
Most times these days, the lawn chairs and such remain in the trunk.
That speaks volumes, right there.

Twice a year in Pigeon Forge the area is all but shut down with the Pigeon Forge Rod Run, gridlock on the Blue Ridge Parkway for miles. Lots of people drop their cars off early in the week to get a parking place, and bring a bicycle to get around. We made the mistake of visiting the area for a week while the show was going on, unknown to us. Never again, I like cars and some shows, but no patience for the shitshow the area turns in due to the event.....

 

[Red63440]

Drive it like you're 19 again........

View attachment 1154815 View attachment 1154825

Don’t know if I can remember that far back.

 

[Charles Cook]

This is my wife’s late model challenger and my late model Daytona truck. Neither have been in a car show. I personally don’t think is time too. Like many here I love the classics.

 

[Kern Dog]

I don't need to go to a dick measuring contest !!!!

I've never been to one of those kinds of car shows.
My mom used to say I had a good size for a boy my age. She didn't see it after I was 5 or so so she had no idea of what it is like now.

 

[Sahara]

If it’s any help I get this tailor in Mexico that makes three legged pants for me. I can PM you his info...

 

[moparedtn]

Twice a year in Pigeon Forge the area is all but shut down with the Pigeon Forge Rod Run, gridlock on the Blue Ridge Parkway for miles. Lots of people drop their cars off early in the week to get a parking place, and bring a bicycle to get around. We made the mistake of visiting the area for a week while the show was going on, unknown to us. Never again, I like cars and some shows, but no patience for the shitshow the area turns in due to the event.....

Totally agree. We live an hour from there and I avoid those shows like the plague - it's become such a wall to wall
parking lot full of chromed out Chebbies and rat-rod whatevers that it's just no fun anymore.
It doesn't help that all those thousands of people are strung out along a single, multiple-lane strip for more than a few
miles that walking it is an all-day affair in the blazing sun, no shade to be had.

 

[Hey-O]

View attachment 1155242

I've never been to one of those kinds of car shows.
My mom used to say I had a good size for a boy my age. She didn't see it after I was 5 or so so she had no idea of what it is like now.

A Mom will say anything to make their LITTLE one feel good!!

 

[Dave P]

View attachment 1155242

I've never been to one of those kinds of car shows.
My mom used to say I had a good size for a boy my age. She didn't see it after I was 5 or so so she had no idea of what it is like now.

Did you have a sister.....
Dave

 

[Dave P]

Back to The Bricks is in Flint today.
I don't live far from there but I'd have to be paid ( and pretty well ) to
go to it. Just not into crowds much anymore, with or without covid.
Dave

 

[stage3]

from 10:00 to 3,,the perfect car show. home by beer o'clock.

 

[beanhead]

One thing I see is the mopar classic guys seem to dislike the modern mopar people. I hear that I built my car, they bought theirs. I hate to tell you this but your car was bought too. The new challengers are old, older than my gtx and superbird, and my wife's 71 cuda were when we bought those and started fixing them up. I know one black hellcat that was a total a young man owns that cleans up at shows, he fixed it himself, added tons of mods, put that perfect paint on it, and he hears that ****, you bought your car. He has more effort in his than most of The old cars. I have been involved in putting on shows, a thankless job. People really are crybabies, some of these guys would bitch about a free BJ.

I don't dislike the modern Mopar folks. I don't dislike the cars; they're awesome. But like someone said...you see a hundred of them every day. Besides different colors, wheels/tires and maybe a few add-on customizations...They're all the same. There's the 2-door or the 4-door. Sure there were subtle changes through the model years, but a '67 Dart looks nothing like a '71 Duster which looks nothing like a '71 Charger which looks nothing like '69 Charger which looks nothing like a '69 Roadrunner...
I personally just don't care to see a bunch of late-models at "classic" car shows.

 

[Billccm]

My threshold is 4 hours for a car show. Around here the big day long shows are trailer queens anyway. More and more people are arriving 2 hours before show registration just to get a choice spot.

 

[Sahara]

I don’t dislike the modern cars so much, but they simply don’t interest me if all they did was bolt on some carbon fibre body parts and a nitrous system. Rat rods were cool when it was about making a car out of whatever old parts that you had on hand. Once they became high dollar “made” cars I stopped caring. And not every old mopar stirs my heart, either. A lot of them are simply a big cock contest; bolt in a 572 Hemi, spray on some bright paint, and call it a day. Yawn. I walked past five of them on the way to the one I’m looking at now. In my humble(!) opinion the cool stuff is hi Po slant six, day two runners and bees, any GTX or R/T, the stuff you don’t see every day. The whole barn find thing is so overdone as to be laughable.
I have a buddy that drives a ‘68 Road Runner. Rough black paint, four speed tranny howls in reverse, high *** end with slots on all four corners. Stalls constantly when cold. At stop lights he jumps out, lifts the hood, and adjusts the idle. More of a day four car then a day two car. Draws a huge crowd of admirers everywhere it goes, because it looks REAL.

 

[440 4 speed]

Haven't done a car show in 25 years. We take ours on the road, it's a lot more fun..
View attachment 1154799

We have a Mopar Show, don’t know if we ever had 100 cars. But you get to meet some of these owners once a year and it is nice to catch up on the progress of their cars. No spectator fee. Members pay 35.00 per year. Non members pay 10.00 to enter their car.
The club is a member of the Provincial Association, so we get insurance at any show we go to.

 

[440+6]

Just got back from the woodward cruise, the cars where 50 percent new cars.
Now i dont mind that so much but those with true clasics cant find a spot without paying 50 to 100 bucks.
The dream cruise has turned into a personal money marker for anyone with a parking lot.
I was at the donut cutter, one of the last free lots.

 

[Basket case]

There is a local show (hour away) they close down the center of town. Cars fill the park on both sides of the street, and the streets are filled. Everything from a Model T to the new stuff.Up to 3500 cars, so plenty for everyone's tastes. I take my car, park it and go look at others. I don't care for the new stuff, so I walk by it.