Hot Rods This should be banned at all shows!

I am 27 years old and have been in the hot rod scene and culture my whole life. I dont remember a single point in my life when my dad didnt have atleast 2 or 3 hot rod projects going. Ive always loved the feel of being in and around hot rods. Its a feeling you cant get anywhere else. The raw feeling of running down the highway in a Model A with no freels whatsoever is unexplainable. I hate seeing what alot of the people in the Hot rod/street rod scene have turned into.......There trophy whores. I cant think of any other way to put it. When a kid comes to a car show and walks and looks and studies and thinks maybe one day he could build one....but then he notices everycar he walks by "dont touch" "PLEASE dont touch" "Look but dont touch" "If you value your life like i do my car dont touch".....All the sudden hes put-off by the fact that they cant be enjoyable if you cant even touch them. After all thats where the joy of a hot rod is. The touch,the feel, the smell of old vinyl seats and look of worn out carpet. How in the world could you turn away a potential hot rodder so you can win a trophy? We should be taking the time to let these kids sit in these cars, Heck, take em' for a ride. Smoke the tires and give them the real sensation of hot rodding. The general prickish attitude of many of the "street rodders" have turned many a potential hot rodder away for good. I have witnessed this over and over and its ridiculous. So please once and for all can we ban "look but dont touch"? This phrase has unfortunately defined hot rodding to many young eager outsiders. Just a small rant from a little ol' hot rodder from Mississippi.

 

Tell you what, spend $5000 or better to have a slick paint job put on a car, let some asshole's kids come along and scratch the hell out of it in a way that can't be blended in to fix, and get back to me on letting people touch your car.

My car is my car, not yours, so even if it looks like hell and is painted out of a spray can, keep your hands to yourself.

 

Well, if the average car show attendee would show just a bit of respect for the builder's hard work and investment of money and time, maybe we wouldn't need such signs. But, honestly, haven't you seen people leaning on cars, opening every lid/hood/trunk/glove box hanging on the cars, running their fingers over the polished paint,blah,blah blah?
I'd bet most HAMBers would be happy to show some kid their car, but none of us want them to use it for a playground.

It may be preaching to the choir, but,sorry, the DNT signs are staying on my car.

 

i have had many cars with $5000 plus paint jobs on them....scratches happen, move on.

 

That's no simple subject. Some people put tons of money and work into their cars and don't want them scratched etc. Some build them nice and don't mind people crawling on them etc. There is extremes to both sides. I'm somewhere in the middle probably leaning towards not minding.

However I will not touch someones car at a car show. Its common courtesy.

 

Unfortunately a lot of people just don't respect other people's property. It takes years and a lot of money to complete a show quality car and I don't want my car touched nor will I ever touch someone else's car without their permission. It has nothing to do with trophies, but everything to do with common respect for others. You just don't do it.

 

if a kid is climbing up the fenders of my car (and yes it happens all the time) then i tell that kid to go somewhere but for the most part, around here anyway kids are afraid to come anywhere near them

 

Its not that there shouldnt be common respect showed as far as asking before touching someones car but what really is the fun of a hot rod if your on the edge of a heart attack everytime someone puts there finger on it?

 

So if I come along and whang a hammer down the side of your car that's okay?

 

I can see both sides. On one hand, MY car can be touched. But it does not have a nice paint job. If it DID shine like a jewel I wouldn't want kids clawing at it, either. That's why my car is 90% done - so I don't have to worry or care.
Car shows are car shows. If someone is paying to look at cars on display then they shouldn't touch and I never touch anyone else's car even when I'm looking at it real close!
If you want to be a rod ambassador drive your car daily. More kids will see it & they will always remember the cool adult who waved, talked to them, or let them sit in their car.


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It ain't gonna happen.

As the old Door's song goes "People are strange" some don't mind you getting up close to and even sitting in a car while others do and will let you know it in a heart beat.

I have taken folks for a ride,let kids get in but I don't have a car with a 20 grand paint job,,If I did I would probably be sporting a "Do not touch" sign too.

Go and enjoy the shows and don't dwell on something as trivial as a sign..

As long as you go to the big national events like Goodguys & NSRA your going to see them.

Now,how do you feel about cry baby dolls,,I hate them but like the signs I don't think they are going away anytime soon.

I try to frequent show where you don't see ether one. HRP

 

"Everytime someone puts their finger on it?"

Are you kidding?

If I don't know you, I promise I won't put fingers on your car, and you'd damn sure better not do that to mine.

Sorry, as others have said, paraphrasing a bit now, too many inconsiderate assholes in the world. it's not the respectful ones you have to worry about, just the ones who don't give a shit about others property.

 

The sign itself is not the issue at hand, its the prickish attitude that seems to come along with alot of the guys that sport the sign.....and yes HRP i too hate the crybaby dolls haha

 

Another old subject rehash. If people at shows/cruises knew how to behave, then signs like that would not be necessary.
To each his own. I don't begrudge a guy protecting his property from careless and disrespectful people.

I don't have an expensive paint job. I'm trying to preserve the paint job that I have so I won't have to get an expensive paint job.

And who named you King of Car Show Etiquette?

 

as i said, yes there should be respect to towards the owner of a car and permission asked before touching but if a 13 year old kid thats never been to a car show runs his finger across the fender of your car is that really reason to freak out??

 

While I personally agree with a lot of the original post here, I am (70) years old, and have seen a lot of change over the years.
Car shows are just not what they used to be, anymore than Hot Rods are.
In my day no one of us could have afforded a $5000 Hot Rod, much less a $5K paint job.....
This great forum pretty well sums it up for today's car buffs...as in the way it was recently updated and split into the several categories of current Hot Rod likes and builds.
I personally am not into the High Dollar Trailer Queens, but hey, if that is what floats your boat..I respect it, and have no problem with the signs, etc. as there are a whole lot of dipshits hanging around car shows now adays...
My Biscayne is a (20) footer at best, but my pride and joy, and I did build it myself, rather than buy it...Just saying....
So this shows how we all differ in this great life ...

 

I dont really recall claiming to be king of anything. Like i said in the post just my opinion. Seems that people are getting easily offended.....

 

My car is MY car. Why exactly would you even think it's ok to do anything to it? Pure respect (very lacking these days) says you don't touch what doesn't belong to you without asking. A kid sees your teenage daughter next to the car, can he touch her,too? If you tell him no, will he turned off by girls? I think this discussion's silly and I am going outside to work on my car.

 

No where in this post did i say "kids please go climb on cars" Some of these comments are a fine example of why alot of the youth refer to hot rodders as " ol grumpy bastards"......

 

You never used the word opinion, but you did use the word "rant" which is fairly accurate. An opinion that begins with "This Should be Banned..." is not an expression of opinion.

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but don't insult our experience with ham-handed tire kickers and their uncontrollable sticky handed kids.

 

I am a firm believer in the Do Not Touch sign, but I also feel that if some one wants to see what it is like to sit in a kustom all they have to do is ask. A lot of people that are just looking probably don't have a clue how much time, energy and money it takes to build a car. I will let anyone sit in my car if they ask, maybe I will put a sign that says" If you want to sit in this car ask me, if you want to ride in this car ask me"

 

No one I've heard of was born with eyes in the tips of their fingers...so there is NO reason to be pawing at other peoples property..period.

As has been said...ASK..and I'll provide the open door to have a seat, or a ride.

More and more, people have lost respect for other peoples property. Tired of walking up to MY car and seeing a 300lb. person with his butt planted firmly against my cars door...
I watched a guy trying to pull the lug nuts off my car a few years back. After about 3 minutes of this, I asked if I could help him. He said he thought they were plastic. I asked if that was a good reason to be taking something that wasn't his. He got up and left withought saying a word. The lug nuts by the way were just large 1-1/8" hex holding a set of Bassett, NASCAR wheels in place.

Nope...hands off unless you ask first. Crappy paint or not.

Mike

 

So, are you butt hurt because someone told you no when you asked, or are you making a generalization of all rodders sporting those signs?
I see filthy-fingered kids running up to everything shiny at shows, w/ ZERO interest in the cars, parents looking the other way. It's this kind of crap that forces the display of these signs.

agreed.

 

This could have been a good (although old) discussion, but now I smell a "Thread Lock" coming...
Too Bad

 

I'll agree with the fact that we shouldn't have the signs, but people are inconsiderate enough to warrant. them. I had an incident at a swap meet where I parked my flat black 71 Chrysler next to a beautiful 48 Cadillac convertible. no one was touching the Cadillac, but they were all sitting or leaning on my Chrysler. Needless to say I told them to get their ass off my car, even if it wasn't a show car, it was just blatent disrespect. Second was returning to my friends done 70 440 six pack Cuda convertible, to find a guy sitting in the front seat, testing the top because he wanted to buy it. WTF. throw in factors on cars like expensive paint jobs, race weight fiberglass panels or aluminum, rare removeable parts like motometers, and the sweat equity put in building a car from a wreck, yeah, hands off. You want to see my car, sit in it, look in the trunk, look in odd places for details for your own build, ask me. When I'm around MY CAR, I'll usually be sitting in it or next to it. Ask me. No problem, I will share what I can, but it is still MY Car . I am still waiting for the completely nude female to lean against my car, but sadly it has just never happened.

 

I agree

 

I never put do not touch signs on my cars. I've done more damage to them than any kid will ever do (ie. like backing into gas pump with my 50 Ford 2dr sedan). All my cars are drivers and are there for me and others to enjoy. My 1950 F-1 is done up like Tow Mater from the movie CARS. It's a kid magnet. If I was afraid of scratches, dents etc. I would leave them home in the garage. But, I do agree that people should respect others property. Generally people at car shows do show respect. It's when you display your car at places with the general public that you really have to watch out. My two cents for whatever it's worth.

 

Now this thread is one that should be deleted

 

Sorry but I disagree with the OP. I've invested too much money in my cars and don't want someone running their hands over something that doesn't belong to them. I don't think I've ever taken my 56 Chev yto a car event where some Bubba has to show his Bubbette they know where you fill the gas tank and start messing with the left tail light assembly. Frankly I don't give F*ck if they get turned off and never go to another car show. Its not my business to make assholes feel good about attending car shows.

 

"I am still waiting for the completely nude female to lean against my car, but sadly it has just never happened." Nicely put.