Event Coverage Louisville NSRA pre 48

I went to the NSRA nats in Louisville this year, weather was perfect. Was not like in the past. Why don't we try to pe***ion the NSRA for a pre 48 section only along with the plus cars? If you wanted to park your pre 48 with the rest fine. Buy don't you think it would bring back some dis grunted older rodders? I know everyone is getting older and they need new blood. But some how a 1978 Cutl*** does not seem to exciting.


Ago

 

As you know, there was a HUGE stink and outcry when Vernan made the decision to include late models, to NO avail.

Good idea, but IMO, you would get the same response again: ZERO

 

I think it would be a waste of time. All the NSRA reps we talked to all say how great it is with the newer cars. I dropped my membership when they changed the years. We do go back as spectators for one day only to see the vendors and swap meet. The only cars we look at are the ones on the way to the building. I would consider going back if they had a spot for 1948 and older only. I know 5 friends who have never stopped going but after this year say they will not go back next year. Good Luck but I think it is a lost cause.

 

I understand your feelings- but when I see a young 20 something guy or couple get out of that Cutl***- I am encouraged for the future of our hobby. A couple years ago at Kalamazoo I seen a clapped out 4 door Dodge-my first thought was' who would drive that' then I seen the young owner with his wife and two kids and the safety 23 sticker on the windshield- I made a point of talking to them and telling them how nice it was to see families coming to the show
Sometimes we have to take a high level view of the situation and keep our eyes focused on the future.
It's all good...


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

'49 & newer ****s at the Nationals - period!

 

As a NSRA rep, I do not think that NSRA made the right choice to allow late models. I still feel that allowing tri five's would be acceptiable to most rodders. If I was ever asked by Vernon, I would tell him that this idea has ruined it for a lot of people

 

he would get the message if pre '48s stopped showing up.

 

The plan has not had the desired effect , adding new members. Most of the late models are owned by members who have a pre 48 car. This has not increased membership as they thought it would

 

.............................Anyone with a modi*** of common sense could have predicted this and as an NSRA rep I give you much credit for being brave enough to speak out about it. This younger generation has little affinity for modified vehicles, especially older cars and trucks that us older folks treasure. The handful that enjoy this hobby are more often those who have a Dad or Uncle who has brought them along to appreciate these toys, often very expensive toys. Fast forward 20-25 yrs. when most of the 60 and 70 yr. olds are gone and these cars will be at best museum pieces. Do they really think that the few under 21 awards and the Make-and-take model car program are going to drag enough new blood into the sport to support its' future? I seriously doubt it.

 

I totally agree a 78 Cutl*** doesn't do much for me either so rather than stay home I deal with it by walking past the cars I'm
not interested in and enjoying the rest of the event.
No one has even touched on where the vendors fit in on all of this,that's another story.



Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App

 

Good luck, but I doubt anything will change. The NSRA is all about getting your money. This became apparent when they made the change. Attendance was dropping off, and car counts were going down, so they opened up the qualifying years to get more people in the event, and more money for the NSRA.

All that being said, the NSRA is very important to us historically. If they had not formed the NSRA and promoted their events, our hobby would not have grown to what it is today. Remember the NSRA is a business, even though it has the word ***ociation in its name.

John

 

Most older members of the NSRA would have been more receptive of a move to newer vehicles if the cut off would of been gradual. Say 1965, then a few years 1972.



Ago

 

I know for a fact that the NSRA state rep from South Carolina,the late Will Drake, took our Charter NSRA's club displeasure to Vernon and it didn't phase him one bit.

I also know that out current NSRA rep's not crazy about it ether.

JMHO,but in my mind when the nsra was established it came along at the right time and helped legitimize pre 48 hot rods in the public eye,when the announcement was made at the Nats South there was a long period of booing and hissing.

I have seen the the numbers dwindle ever since,I believe most would have excepted something similar as here on the Hamb,they just went too far.

I don't go the the Nationals anymore but still attend the Nats South to see friends that I see once a year,sadly it's gotten where a lot of them don't attend now.

As has been said earlier ,the majority of the later models are being driven by the same guys that drove a pre 48 just a few short years earlier.

2 years ago I drove our recently finished '54 wagon only because I could but if the rules were to change back I will gladly drive one of my Deuces again.

With all that said,there are still event's around the country that are better suited for guys like us! HRP

 

I like all cars(some more than others) are we not shooting ourselves in the foot about certain cars only? Instead of categorizing every car,should not all cars be welcome(and the car people that drive them)The larger the numbers the more clout we have with laws against us. Pete

 

What no one has failed to mention is the NSRA Nats attendance has not dwindled but has remained constant in the 10,000 car attendance range before and after the post 48 switch was made. What has changed is the lack of interest in pre 48 streetrods. Went to a local car show a couple of weeks ago that had about 150 cars and you could have counted the number of streetrods on one hand. I was at one time an avid streetrodder, now at a car show I don't even give a streetrod a second glance. That stuff no longer holds my interest. Anyone else noticed the drop in prices on the pre 48 streetrods for sale? Late fifties and sixties cars are where the interest is right now.

 

As most every post so far has said , NSRA doesn't want to listen to anybody and it is what it is..... They will never see me again after I made an attempt to talk to them and it was obvious the reps didn't want to hear any suggestions or criticism about the way they were running the Pacific Northwest event.

 

..........................I see what you're saying, but the NSRA has never, to my knowledge, done much to fight the anti-hobby legislation other than to print in their publication certain laws that might impact us. If one really wanted to support that endeavor they probably should join the SEMA-SAN network and/or stay in touch with sympathetic local legislators. I don't think it would matter much if there were 100,000 NSRA members or 500 NSRA members......That's just my thoughts.

 

What you need to realize is that N.S.R.A. is a FOR profit organization. Over the years just before N.S.R.A started the post 1948 rule, the number of 1948 and under cars was getting smaller and smaller every year. The bottom line was that N.S.R.A. was loosing money, so they needed to do something to bring back the money. In the mid '90s there were almost 6000 pre '48 street rods at the N.S.R.A., York, PA show. I was told that there were more post 1948 cars at York this year than pre '48 cars and only about 3000 cars total. You really can't fault N.S.R.A. for trying to do something to preserve our hobby.

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that Goodguys allows 2014 cars at some of their events. BTW, didn't I read somewhere the HAMB does not promote Streetrodding? From the tone of the posts on this thread alone there are apparently quite a few HAMB pre 48 Streetrodders who are still voicing their angst with the NSRA over the post 48 decision.
That occurred about five years ago and without the post 48 decision the NSRA and Goodguys would dry up and blow away.

 

Yeah! I got to park next to a VW . How cool is that..Best looking "street rod" there..

 

..............................There's no denying that the demographics were changing and to keep their margins where they wanted them to be they had to make some changes. Most of us long time members could have accepted an entry cut-off similar to Good Guys. They've managed to trim their budget everywhere from cutting back on the prize program to going as far as to dole out tumblers instead of mugs. I guess taking that handle off of a few thousand drinking vessels saved a "few" dollars....As far as York this yr. there were well over 3,000 and no way was there more post '48 than pre '48. As far as those registration numbers go, every organization has been known to "bogus-up" those numbers to help sell the vendors on coming, so don't put too much faith in whatever they report. And as far as vendors go, I've talked to a few and they tell me the NSRA has made it so cost prohibitive (and internet sales impact this as well) that they no longer come to these events.

 

Before the NSRA was formed, I was the sec.of LAR club when Wells,Bugg,Medley,& some others, approached the board to use our LAR cons***ution & bylaws to set up the NSRA program. Of course we voted to approve their proposal, & it went from that point.
At that time most LAR members joined in to become charter members & looked forward to being part of an organization that would be strictly pre 1948,--Including myself.
When NSRA decided to open the "gates" to later models, I wrote them to express my disapointment, & the form letter they sent back was my decision to drop my charter membership, in return, they said simply--Sorry to lose you!
As all of you have said in your comments above, I concur!
Nostalgia is just that, & will always be that way, being born in the good year of 1932, been there, done that, & remember all the good times driving to the early NSRA events where pre 1948 ruled!------Don

 

Business is business and the almighty dollar rules the world. It makes not one ounce of difference how many people hate the change or like the change the NSRA needs members to stay relevant and in their opinion they needed NEW and YOUNGER members! So they changed their requirement's to bring in new money. But in my opinion and I have not studied the numbers nor do I want to but I'm guessing that for every new member they brought in they lost an established member. I do not currently own a pre 48 ride but the show in Louisville was always a very busy show with plenty of fine Hot Rods to look at and venders to talk to. I would go there and have a GREAT time with no car. Since the change I haven't been even though I now have cars that qualify to enter the show field. Just not the same. IMO

 

More than half the photos used in the guidelines for examples of "Traditional Rods or Customs" here on the HAMB are post
48 cars.
I just don't get the uproar over the small percentage of VW's , tri 5's, F-100's, muscle, etc. that attend NSRA events.
I don't think the policy is going to change so it's up to each individual to decide if not attending the events is right for them.
Me? I'm going and like I've said, I only look at what turns my crank and the rest I walk by, which by the way includes many pre 48's also.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App

 

i.rant X2. Nothing has changed as far as I'm concerned. If something doesn't interest me I walk right on by. The good news was at the 2014 NSRA Nats with over 10,000 cars registered, I saw plenty of interesting stuff along with both the pre 48 and post 48 junk. BTW I wasn't forced to attend, it was my choice.

 

One way of handling all of the *****in and moanin about the pre vs post 48 rides which I don't think would be too difficult is offer a pre 48 section on one side , a post 48 section on the opposite side , and a mixed / open section in between those sections. Either way , they will not see me with a forced membrship required to attend. Istruggle with paying for the right to also pay to bring a car out so the organization requiring payment for the right for me to show a vehicle also charges the public to see said vehicles. The only thing I see being missed here is maybe they should also start requiring the spectators to become a member to be able to come in the general admission gates - then maybe would have even more members...... or not.......

 

GOOD LORD... THIS HORSE IS DEAD!! look at what you want walk past the other!Life is to short to keep on ranting about this. Nsra knows about how folks feel about it,.ain't gonna change it ....move on.

 

Agree!!

Ben

 

so, any pics of show?

 

I personally would have liked Louisville staying pre 48.....I also hated it when computer sign shops started opening up everywhere.....I'm an old school hand letterer.....wouldn't buy one for years and even stopped buying from venders that had an automated phone.....then I realized who was the fool....it was me.....technology had p***ed me up and all I did was complain.....now, I make a good living doing mostly computer and some hand lettering.....the cars being a little newer than I first liked was also a problem....but when I realized I was missing out on seeing all my car friends at the events and also being able to buy most anything I needed for my cars...pre and post 48......I'm not taking up for Goodguys or NSRA.......but............if they can't make a living, we wouldn't have shows to go to........that's like Cruising the Coast....I'm number 5536 this year...their are another 2000 or more than wont register because someone is making money putting on the show.......whould you go to work if they didn't pay you every Friday............I've got a couple so called friends that talk about what I've got and are jealous of things I do.....so I made me a big sign....here's what it says......
"A TRUE FRIEND"...A TRUE FRIEND IS SOMEONE THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE. HE'S THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WILL NOT BE JEALOUS OF WHAT YOU HAVE OR DON'T HAVE. HE'S THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WILL NOT FLAUNT HIS SUCCESS AGAINST YOUR LOSSES IN LIFE. HE WILL ALWAYS BE THE ONE YOU CAN CALL LATE AT NIGHT AND WILL COME WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT OF PERSONAL GAIN. HE WILL ALWAYS TURN BUSINESS YOUR WAY WHEN HE CAN......"SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU STUPID FOOL......IF HE'S BROKE HE CAN'T HELP ANYONE"...Tanner 3:16