Folks Of Interest Car show participants

When I used to attend a lot of rod runs in the '70's I usually walked right past the obviously pro built hi buck cars because the owners tended to be aloof snobs. And if it had the "do not touch" sign in the window I ignored it as well.

 

I will lighten the mood for a moment, I hope...

I'd say wherever I go is an automatic car show, cruise in, and drive by (old car kind) all in one. I drove my '49 Chevy half ton to a local coffee place a few years ago and as fate would have it I got one of the diagonal spots right smack dab in front. I go in, there's a line and I'm kind of cursing myself for my poor timing (wanted to go earlier) and wondering at what the H E double hockey sticks people are buying coffee that ends up costing 8 bucks! As I'm pondering these thoughts and wondering whether I should just turn on my heel and leave I hear this said in a very loud, excited voice..."WHOSE OLD TRUCK IS THAT OUTSIDE? IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!" I actually turned around to see if there was another old truck out there and seeing that there wasn't I raised my hand a little bit and said that it was mine. Did I mentioned that the coffee shop was packed? Anyways, the young graduate student looking guy comes up and peppers me with questions, we get our coffee, go outside and I pop the hood and the door and insist that he take a seat 'to get the feel of the truck', little things like the reason why the steering wheel is so big is for strong arm non-automatic steering, he's all ears.
Why in the world would I go to a car show? To see other vehicles and wonder why they might like a color, or, just looking at it you know it's only driven a few times a year. Talking to people? That's always going to be hit or miss. When I got out of the service that included the SE Asia thing I was quiet for years, now y'all can't get me to shut up.

 

Car shows being held at fast food places normally give 1/2 off or buy one get one free or one person eats free, tickets to get the business in the doors.
To me, this beats a trophy any day and helps me to try to get away from the uppity assholes. It's funny to listen to the stories of some of these people when their able to relax more. They will talk shit about other cars not realizing who their sitting next to.

 

No Jack, you live too far up in snow country! Us Southern boys can't take the cold! Lol!

 

Had to drop the "S" bomb didn't ya? Now I'm all depressed

 

Caddy; Did they hurt your feelings Larry? No, I had just asked who owned the car while pointing at it.
Reading between the lines with your post to me, causes me to ponder if maybe your cut from the same cloth as was this group.
Now let me ask you Caddy, why is it a put down to you that I consider it a plastic car?

 

Those of you in the know will know......................
Notice the observers feeling safe behind the thin window glass. Safety first.

 

Both in Washington, i think i figured out who owned the car Larry lmao!

 

^^ ^^^

 

There is always going to be someone who is arrogant, or a know-it-all. But the vast majority of car people are good folks, and enjoy like-minded individuals. I try to be polite and open with people, but I am sure that at some point or another, I let someone down in that regard.
I think that some folks get tired of what seem to be silly questions/comments, or people who are just posing, and get a little calloused from it. I do my best to stay open minded, and sometimes find a real gem in someone that seems a bit hard to like at first impression. Come to think of it, maybe that is what my friends have done too...
I have a couple of quotes that I try to use to keep my mind in check. The first is a well known quote, which actually helped me improve my life:
"Be careful in how you interpret the world: it is really like that"- Erich Heller
The other got me through a hard time in the Navy, and was in a letter from my father:
"Remember son, Assholes are abundant"
Apply these as necessary to your world.
I enjoy the car shows and gatherings I attend, because I am there to have a good time, and seek out similar people. You just need to weed out the few that are obstacles to that.

 

The usual cliques are Corvettes, Porsches, 55-57 Chevys, "T" and "A"'s, 32's, Trucks and Fire Trucks, and then everybody else. Each clique talks within itself but not much outside the clique.

 

I just go to swap meets. No power parking or trophy hounds.
Vendors can have varying attitudes but that's been covered here before.

 

Famous saying from the '70's.....
Car shows suck!!

 

Sorry LP&G I'm missing your point with this post, just call me dense. BTW hard for me to believe this thread is still hanging around.

 

What Lloyd meant was the plastic car you mentioned was possibly 1946 caddy's car!

 

It's great to hear from a voice of reason. You've hit on some perfect examples and I often
wonder why people are the way they are. Is it just simpler and easier than being civil to
others? Going through the comments here, there are too many generalizations being made
about different types of car people. So what if someone didn't build a car from the ground
up? Maybe that same guy can build a house entirely by himself. Are all people with high end appearing cars really jerks? Pretty doubtful. I feel that for every jerk we run up against at
a car show or gathering there are ten guys / gals that are happy to talk with those that
have cars as a common interest. Unfortunately, we don't know which until we try.

There are people who, for some unknown reason, feel compelled to talk to someone about
their car. There's no reason to be less than friendly even if you're hoping they'll go away.
I've picked up the vibe here at the H.A.M.B. that fools are not suffered lightly. Superiority
complexes seem to run rampant in the U.S.A.

 

Wow! HAMB Expose'... Lousy to act up only to have your covers pulled...

 

I gotta admit calling it a "plastic car" does sound a little derogatory. By not referring to it by it's actual composition, fiberglass, it denotes a distain for anything that's not steel...like there are only 2 types of cars...real steel, or crappy plastic.

 

I’m going this Saturday to a show called The Pageant of the Thunderbird. It’s mainly for the baby birds but any bird is welcome. and the last time I went 6 years ago there are some excellent restorations that would probably meet Amos Minter’s expectations….naw that would never happen.
They also invite 55-57 Fords open and closed cars and Ford pickups. For the most part I enjoy it because of the modified ones and seeing others tastes. They have their judging and I have no clue what all means and don’t really care. If someone likes my car and asks questions I’m happy and thankful. I’m more of a free meal/25% off guy.
The best show in Orange County is next weekend on Sunday. No one gets in without a ticket. I’d guess 2-300 cars all parked on grass. Great picnic lunch, all the beer, wine, soda you want included in the price, and usually a great band. Raffle tickets sell out early. Usually not an asshole in the bunch. Many I only see at this once a year gathering. My wife and I enjoy this kind “Show” more than anyone can imagine. She’s looking forward to riding home in comfort this time with the AC on…

 

Personally I have not had much fun at car shows. Lots of cool cars and lots of guys who don't know anything about them or are too good to talk to me.

 

I like Tupperware!

 

LMAO. Oh yeah, that comment at a show will make you a lot of new friends. And if it's a coupe, you can ask them to "burp" the lid.

 

Where's this at Jim? Unfortunately I can't go (I have a gig that day), but I'd like to know about it, and watch for it next year. I looked on the So Cal Car Culture site and don't see anything listed that matched your description.

 

I think that I have run into that same "club" that Larry ran into in the past or individuals that they are decedents of. They usually manage to corner the high profile spot at events or have "their spot" at events like Good guys in Puyallup where guys start lining up at O dark thirty to get the prime spots around the fountain. They only talk to you if they think that you are "somebody". It's not worth worrying about though.
In the past 50 years I have met all kinds at car shows, Some friendly, some not, find the fun and interesting people to be around and don't worry about the rest as long as they don't bother you or yours.

I'd still rather be snubbed by the self styled snobs than have to put up with the annoying ones who just have to do something on an all too regular basis to try and draw attention to the car. The jackass who fires up his open header rig every half hour on the half hour and guns the engine until he draws a crowd of mouth breathers to the car or the clown with the talking car alarm who keeps resetting it in the middle of a car show so it hollers back off every time anyone gets within 5 feet and sits back and laughs when it happens are two I remember.

 

Man, the few events I bothered to go to, I just walked around and looked at some other cars and left. I didn't know I was missing out on the "as the world turns" of the car world! Next time I go I'll stick around and try harder to piss people off! Lol....

Man, they didn't wanna talk to you. So what. So they're jerks? And if they are jerks, aren't you better off anyway by not talking to them? Everyone wins...

 

So far I have just attended car shows as a spectator. I'm looking forward to the day where I am a participant, and I can let little kids and moms sit in my car and have their picture taken.

 

Shit, this even happens at coffee shops - somehow the guy in the apron behind the counter is superior to me because he knows what a "pour over Americano" is, and I just want a large black coffee.

 

I had a space at a swap meet quite a few years ago. The guys next to me were loudly yakking on their recent Bonneville trip where they went over 140. I tried starting a conversation as I have friends that run Bonnie but these high speed heroes didn't want to talk to anyone who wasn't in their class. I didn't have the heart to tell them my stock 427 Ford went almost that fast on a Nevada highway. Dorks!

 

Blues….sent message

 

La Palma Park ?