I agree with you wholeheartedly, with a couple observations from last years show: First off...we're in the middle of the doldrums here in the great white north. The car show "scene" has been (for all intents and purposes) dead since late Septemeber. Nobody seems to want to get together on a warm (say, 32 degree day) in a slush-filled parking lot in cloudy January to show off their car. Snow brushes, salted roads, and prized-posessions don't often go well together. Car guys around here thirst for Autorama as a way to inspire us to continue on with our winter projects, to get out of the cold, to keep us going until the weather breaks in April-May. For me, it's not about being part of a "scene" it's about setting goals for ourselves during this time, and see the "only" indoor show worth seeing (in this area) as a chance to pick up ideas for our own rides, snap pictures, make friends, swap stories, figure out solutions to the problems we're running into, make connections, catch up, etc...with the intention of somehow taking this all back to our own little corner of the world that contains our project. Without Autorama in Detroit, we have to basically go 6 months without our "fix" of cars...at least, here in the metro-Detroit area. Last year, this is what I observed/thought while in the ba*****t: There wasn't as much DP-90 as you would have thought. I think I only counted 2 cars that had red steelies. A lot of the cars were older than my father (who I was there with). If you look the other way, you don't notice the ricers. If you hum Johnny Cash songs in your head, the B*** from the ricers goes away. I still prefer scallops to flames. Those rockers were rotted worse than mine at one point. You must use a flash on your camera. Damn, that picture isn't gonna come out good. Man that's a lot of beer cans in the back of that truck. Those guys had a good weekend. Some cars were works in progress. Always my favorite. Low-buck, period pieces built with old parts salvaged from other cars that fit the build "era". Unfinished, but driveable. Works in progress. Another group were, shall we say, "art" pieces, that garnered looks for their creativity, but probably shouldn't be driven on the road (at least by me.) Last were polished examples of "period" pieces that had obviously been well thought out and researched before being built. Probably had been in the works for several years. Probably had way more money into them than I do in mine, but yet, not "un-attainable". Bottom line is, there was something down there for every taste, and I looked forward more to going to the ba*****t to see what was up than seeing all that high dollar stuff upstairs that I will never be able to attain, build, or afford (or would want to.) I liked seeing what real guys in the garages around me on similar budgets as mine had put together... I'll get off my soapbox now...
Although I am not bringing a car I will be there! I Had a great time and put some face to the names I see post right here on the HAMB.
We're sending in aplications for my 32 and fatabones coupe. Hopefully they make it in. Especially since the new owner of my coupe will be taking it home from there. I'm not a fan of indoor shows either but it looked like the guys that were there last year had a good time! Bob what about cars that are not done yet. I've got a T coupe that will be done but doesn't look like much now. We're supposed to send pics in but I have no pics. Just progress pics. How about rooms? Could we get some name or even numbers of places to stay? Clark
............everybody keeps talking about the "ba*****t." Don't forget the Roth cars will be featured this year as well as the Pinstriper's Jamboree charity event. Last year, around 70 of the finest pinstripers in North America painted their ***es off and raised over $20,000 for the Rainbow Connection which is like Make-A-Wish that grants "wishes" to terminally ill children. That's worth a walk upstairs every once in a while! A whole lot of HAMBers involved in this............
I will be there with the rest of the Emperor crew, the Lander, and a big tub of lube. I look forward to finally meeting Clark and the SoWhat crew!
I don't have an autorama worthy car and I don't think it'd be physically possible to put one together before the show. Makes me wish I'd just sell my damn car cheaper so I can get some money together and start one of these! Anyone have a spot I can hang out in for 3 days?
we'll have probably between 5-8 cars/bikes there. just waiting on abomber30 to send me his entry form and pics. we'll get our stuff sent in this week.
After bein' beat up by fellow club members and har***ed by others........someone 'sponsored' me. He shall remain nameless but he went above the call of duty and made an offer I couldn't refuse. (Mainly because it involved Frankie being included....can't say no to her.) Now my biggest problem is the choice to drive it the 60 miles or trailer (UGH!) it. Guess we'll see what the weather does. Winter in a roadster is tough when it's more than 20 miles.
I am going to be there with my 48 F1. I have a question for somebody to answer. If ya drive there how do ya clean your car up? I would like to drive, weather permitting. I could use an open trailer too, but would still need to clean the truck. How did you do it last year? Thanks, Don
There are a few of my club members (Indy-hiwinders) That are planning on coming up to see the show. I want to meet up with some of my Michigan buddies. Your show in Detroit is about a month after our WOW here in Indy. We are one of the few car clubs left that work with ISCA and the promoters to put the show on. It is four days of hard work at the show and a lot of h***le marking the floors, screening the entries, fielding the complaints and the thousand and one things ***ociated with the show. It's worth every minute we have to commit to it. Naturally we gripe and ***** about everything but we would'nt miss it for anything. For those of you who have'nt been to an inside show...try it you might like it!!!
Don, don't know about the lower level but upstairs there is a washing area with a hose to the left of the overhead door you drive thru. I would imagine the lowel level has a simliar setup. If not, I guess you could always wash it on the upper level and drive around the block to the lower level entrance if you had to. Looking forward to seeing your truck there. Pete, I'm also looking forward to seeing the Peterbeater and checking how much Frankie has grown. Don, You guys gonna bring your PINK can koozies to Detroit with you?? You'll fit right in!
Yep Detroit is a kick *** show...always nice to look at cars in mid winter to get ya cranked up for spring..Yea a lot of the cars are of the show kind,the type that will never see the road,but thank God someone got thier head out of thier *** and got the real cars let in the ba*****t...last yrs show was the best.We have two bus loads of us semi-old guys going for the weekend...can't wait.. Is there any HAMB meet going on??? Mench
I wanna roll in, shakin the windows upstairs, park next to some 21 sec, $64,000 Honda and get out and leave.
Andysdeuce's "real" name is Don, hence the confusion. The first part of my reply was to you, then I quote him and made the little comment about his car clubs hot pink can koozies. Roadstar actually turned his inside out to use it that weekend saying something to the effect, "I may be from Michigan but I'm not using a pink can koozie."
Thats right Denise...only REAL MEN use the "hot pink" can koosies!!! You gots to have BALLS to be different!!! Maybe you should check Roadstars???? Rudy you ain't got a hair on your **** if you turned it inside out!!! Kind of set us apart from the regular hot rod goons. Kind of our feminen side. We did have a comment about them in Bowling Green from a drunk wanna be hotrodder but he left after our sergeant at arms had a little talk with him. I think some kind of violence or broken bones may have been mentioned. I don't know...I'm too old to fight and too fat to run... so now I just shoot 'em!!! I think dennis (The pink truck) still has a couple..I'll save one for Rudy if you make 'em use it.
Flatheadpete, if me and some of the guys make it up to Detroit I'll see if anyone has an extra kuzzie. If they do it will be yours!! Maybe you should just get Rudys!!!
I'm not real big on most car shows,indoor or outdoor. The only two I won't miss are the Detroit Autorama,and Billetproof Michigan. Doesn't matter that it's over 4 hours each way, plus extra time crossing the Border,and gas,and Blablabla. Stay home,make it easier for me to get a parking spot.
The Jalopy Journal
