Back to the 50's: Why do you go?

Allright HAMBers, I am curious what it is exactly about the Back to the 50's show in St. Paul, MN that makes you drive across the country to see it.

I am a native Minnesotan and been there for the past 15 years (back when it was about 800 cars and used only half of the fairgrounds) and I am amazed at how far people are driving to go to the show. I absolutely love going and start thinking about the next year after I've finished going through the swap meet on Sunday.

So what is it? The location? The variety? Our many food options on-a-stick?

Let me and the rest of the HAMBers know.

Thanks,

Koachwerks
AKA Chris

BTW, we'll be there with our red 51 Chevy fastback just south of the space needle. Stop on by.

 

It is the only place where I have found "****er-on-a-stick", True fine dining.

 

The sheer variety of whats there is good, I like the swapmeet.

its the 2nd largest Rod event in the nation.

its not real expensive, and ALOT of vendors show up.

usually has beutiful weather.

Kick *** fairgrounds layout IMO, great cruizing.

~Aaron

 

good weather and cruising but mostly for the people

 

My Bestest Girl Found Me There On Friday At 2:00... 7 Years Ago Just By Listening For My Voice... In A Crowd Of 30 Thousand!!
I Hate Going Near The Fairgrounds When The Happinings Are Not The 50's .. Its Like A Bad Twilight Zone...empy And Quiet..
I Wait All Year For It To Come And Have Not Missed Since The Beginning... I Even Review My Old Pics Often For Inspiration..
If You Can't Have A Car There Its .... Ok... Cuz There Is So Many To See You Will Need A Memory Chip Installed In Your Head ... Just Counting Cars In Primer Is A Way Of Relaxing Like Countin Sheep

The Cars Are Like A Show Runway Of Pretty ***y Women All Wearing Different Hot Dresses And There Best Hi Heeled Shoes And Some In Lingerie And Being Naughty..and Twin Cheerleaders Only One Has A Shorter Skirtand Her Hair Up.....
And High Octane Fuel Cologne...OH AND SOME **** UGLY ONES TOO


Killer Swap If You Have The Stamina After A 2 Day Overload Of Rods

IS THERE A SPOT SET UP FOR THE HAMB PRAYER MEETIN?
Paperdog
I Am Ready Now

 

last year was the first year that i attended the event. i went with 6 other guys and for some of them it was their first time too. i think one of the best parts was actually the journey there. driving the open highway all night with all your best buds. we came from winnipeg manitoba. for most people probably around 7-8-9 hour drive. it took us about 12 because we were going as fast as the slowest car. being trapped on the side of the interstate for 10 hours because a rearend locked up on a buddys car, we had to rip apart his diff in a parking lot and wait for another one to be found. being out in the sun all day (getting sun stroke at the end), knowing that there is 12 000 cars there but only being able to see maybe 5000. all of us probalby slept maybe 12 hours from wednesday moring to sunday evening. the fact that i we all took time off work just to attend.

idunno what else to say. it's just a great show with something for everyone.

 

yeah the memorys are great lol. tuck throwing stink bombs at rednecks in pickups and bob bleed looking like hes going to run them over with the roadster. lol

 

And High Octane Fuel Cologne...

Ah yes, the best smell in the world!

 

hey..it's scary garry before he toook his shirt off and fried like bacon in the parking lot in 90+ weather on a bare asphalt parkinglot!OH THE MEMORIES!!anyways..len..that was a great trip.even if dan had fragged a diff on the interstate,and even if clint was a douche bag.we had a great time,driving 50 mph,gettin heat stroke/sun stroke,finding a rad parts yard,and hangin out in the grounds.then cam and dan got lost in the healey,i got lost in the 63 ponch,and garry was lost in dan's car.it was wild.i think it was more fun with the diff fragging..made for an adventure hunting down vintage parts 600 miles from home.love the pic btw.email me a copy!!i didnt know anyone had pics..i was delerious then i p***ed out afterchugging a gallon of water.

 

There has to be a first time for everything.....never been there and want to see what its about. Also I can see my buddy Tuck

 

full **** strip clubs

 

Went to my first one in 95 and havent missed one since. I go with a group of about 12 cars (on a good day). It is just a great place to see great rides and meet really great people. I will be there again this year rain or shine cant wait...

 

800 cars 15 years ago? sheeit, back then it had to be several thousand, you must be older than you think!

i've been meaning to make the trip back up for btt50's since i moved away 4 years ago.

 

All of the above (well, I could have missed the broken axle and I'd have been just fine).

 

I haven't gone in a few years due to scheduling issues, one year being out of state and broke, the next year being the best man at my friends wedding (that ***hole)...the one thing I hate about it is the amount of people, I got crowd issues and have to chill out by myself every few hours or so, but other than that I love being there and seeing everyone's rides...I do get a bit peeved about having to get local cars ready at the last minute though, you'd think with 8 months of winter some of these boneheads would get something done but NOOOO, they wait until 2 weeks before BTT50's to throw in a motor, rebuild their brakes and get the sheetmetal put back on just in time to break down on the way there...hahaha, good times...

 

I love the location, the Friday and Saturday night curising on Snelling, Porky's Drive in. Just a great show. And the weather has been nice the last few years. The eintire framily goes.

 

For alot of reasons..specific to each person..

For me it was the first big car show I went to...talk about raising the bar.
However, now it is more of a reason to see friends, and cruise...it the real as real can be sense..

i hope to be there this year.
tok

 

Huge variety of hot rods and street rods. I grew up in Minneapolis so its a home coming for me. Its the first hot rod event my dad took me too and I atually had fun. I hated going to junk yards and pulling parts for my old man, I would have rather been out playing baseball. When we went to Back to the 50's I finally got the first glimpse of very cool hot rods!! (Oh my old man never had any old tin, he usually had me working on a vw fox or big Cadillac....I know nice contrast). Shoot, now you can't keep me out of a junkyard and I love the car shows.

The fairgrounds is a great venue. Lots of shade, food, events going on. The Minnesota Street Rod ***ociation puts on a nice show.

 

10,000-plus pre-'64 rides.

..and ***us, Tuck, Bob K, Rocky, Scoop327, and Stevie D all in the same place. What more could ya want?

Oh ya...the cheese curds! mmmmmmm.

The Fairgrounds are really nice too- lots of parking AND shade. That's rare.

~Scotch~

 

for us its been and still is the main MN event since '81 ,we do notrange out of Mn at all as there are shows here every weekend and the ones we do not attend I go fishing (wifes idea to prevent burn out)

Btt50's-variety ,parts, smells ,FOOD and a WAY hot long FUN weekend
Bad Boys-3 day home town deal getting bigger every year
Grand Rapids- Cool evergreen scented hot rods
Pantowners -home club and still the best swap in the state
are our "must attend" show's

 

For those woh haven't been there, here is a picture (albeit a bad one) I took from the top of the space needle on Saturday morning. Within a couple of hours all of the gr*** and parking lots are full, and I mean full of cars!

 

I was parked WAY back there by the water tower for most of the morning and later finally found a spot near center when everyone headed over to the auction

 

Location, location, location , The fair ground are the nicest in the nation for a car show....the cruise there is awsome we run over to the Mississippi River and run the roads that fallow the river what anewsome view ....the CARS rock if its from the High dollar show rods too the low buck on a tight budget rods I love them all !!!!!!! BTT 50's is the best show in the country because it has it all ...just my .02

 

I like to go back to the 50's because i can buy alot more car for my money I mean I bring 1000 bux and can buy alot of sweet rides. I am only limited to the room in my time machine.

 

Cheese Curds,All my friends,Cruising,Many things on a stick and allso the price pre reg. 25 dollars for three days and a free drive in movie with a swap meet and over 10,000 cars why not.And storys from people telling you what time they got in line to be the few first ones in on the fairgrounds.LOTS AND LOTS of vendors.

 

Thing only thing I hate is getting in line at a ridiculus hour to get a primo place to park. When U drive 800 miles, your already worn out just getting there!!

S****s[/quote]

I hear ya, but it's kind of hard to get 10,000 cars into a park when they only open one gate. My pops and I arrive just after midnight, usually about number 50 in line, not because we have to be the first in, but because we really like the shade from the tree we park under! Sleeping in the, ehm, trying to sleep in the car before the gates were open was really gettin on my nerves so last year I brought the air matress and slept quite comfortably. Just got to make sure I can deflate it before the mad dash starts!

Several years ago there was a crew resurfacing the parking lot across the street at 3:00 AM! It was stinky mess!

Oh, one more thing that's nice about arriving early is that once we are in we are parked in just a couple of minutes. I set up the lawn chair and watch all the cars cruise in for the first couple of hours while the place fills up. It sure beats sitting in traffic idling our way in for 2 hours.

Chris

 

So every one knows they have cut down alot of trees and the new plantings are saplings at best so be warned ... any paving type hard suface can be parked on.. so squat til your told no parking ... park too close to someone with nice paint and they might just move away..
The early guys park a tad apart so buds can squeeze together later

I suggest looking over the route and finding a spot where the cars come in or leave as they all have to enter or exit in a few selected places all must leave over nite..

we live 45 minutes away and its not easy going home those few nights even if its just to get couple of hours sleep...
rest up its a 600+ vendor swap not in the shade

hit your select vendors as early as you can and spend the rest of the time wearing out your self its a big place

cheese curds and a 6 hour drive.. BOXERS BREIFS ... .... DEPENDS
no wonder you guys need to go in separate cars the next year ha ha

 

Oh, one more thing that's nice about arriving early is that once we are in we are parked in just a couple of minutes. I set up the lawn chair and watch all the cars cruise in for the first couple of hours while the place fills up. It sure beats sitting in traffic idling our way in for 2 hours.

Chris


I agree with that. I like watching them all come in too. I understand what you mean about "arriving early". I do it everytime I come up there. I start to get tired early, and that's the only drawback....It's hard to "catnap" with all the activites going on all day..


S****s

 

Well, what ever floats your boat guys. We have been gettin out of bed about 6 AM, havin the complimentary donut and coffee and a morning chat with folks at the Motel. Wipe down the morning dew and check the oil. Then make sure everythings in the car, sunscreen, raincoat,camara and ice. Between 8 and 9 were off to the fairgrounds. Usually we drive right in, then chug around for a bit, but always find some place to park. No matter where we park there is always somebody neat to meet and get to know. I go to relax and have fun, but I do appreciate you guys getting up so early so your out of my way when I get there. Heh, Heh.