Event Coverage Is this dying out, what's next?

Went to the NSRA Northeast Nationals yesterday - I'm worried how there will be enough cars/people in 3 years to even warrant having an event.
There were literally half as many cars as last year (and last year was half of before covid). The only hot rod parts mfg rep there was Borgeson.
What's going on? If too many hotrodders are dying out, where are their cars going? What's the attendance threshold where it doesn't make sense to have an event?
What can we do to turn things around?

 

This seems to be more than a regional problem, and a local yearly event here announced it was their last one. Probably a multitude of factors involved. IMHO the "pandemic" accelerated a trend already happening. Some probably took the shutdown of events to re-do their cars, aging members, economic conditions, you name it.
Surprisingly, some of the flea market/ swap meets seem to be doing OK.

Where are their cars going? Although there are exceptions, today's younger generation are not interested in our jalopies. I guess my children will dispose of mine for cheap.
I would venture to say each organization will decide attendance threshold, or what the event includes to draw attendance, or just end it.

 

I see the traditional side of the hobby moving more in the line of Jim Jacobs new car, more of an earlier restoration/reconstruction type of vehicle. These cars get driven differently and as such warrant a different type of event than NSRA typically provides. Events like the TROG and others have moved to fill the niche created. NSRA was and still is an organization much like Goodguys geared toward a "street rod" community with attractions at their shows designed to entertain that community. Many of us who were into that through the '70's and '80's have now found our more traditional roots.

Things aren't dying, but evolving. We all have our place. Personally, I haven't seen the need to renew my NSRA membership for years now. I loved their events when the pre '48 rule was in place and I enjoy anything with wheels but I really don't need to pay big entry fees for an event that is 20 years out of its' prime.

This is the case with many runs. MaCungie used to have 5000 pre '48 cars for the Wheels of Time event. Now they are lucky to get a quarter of that plus the late models. The prime example is Fall Wildwood/ TROG. The Fall run has less early stuff each year while the TROG grows every year. Yesterday was the vintage races, (actually more of some profiling track time), at the old Circle M Raceway dirt track in Auburn Pa. This was the largest spectator and participant turnout ever. It grows every year. I might add, it seems there are more folks who hit the one day events close to home just for financial reasons. Four days away from home can get expensive quick.

Things just change. In one mans opinion, to para phrase Zora Arkus Duntov, organizations need to evolve with their members, if they don't folks will just move on.

 

I decided a couple of years back that I am not paying a registration fee to have someone look at my car...I remember the time when the spectators paid for a ticket to enter an event and there were no cost to the people who brought there cars out to show them off...Just my take on things...

 

There was a definite drop off in the number of vendors who participated in the Street Rod Nationals this year, and attendance was down somewhat as well. Whether it will be a continuing trend or just post Covid/ Inflation Costs result.....I don't know.

 

I went to the RPM NATIONALS yesterday. Then, I had supper with friends and racers. Two guys were in their 50s. The rest of us are pushing 80. You do the math.

 

I spent my day yesterday with about 300 people driving 120 miles on the two lanes in about 150 pre-72 cars... I think a lot of what we are seeing is along the lines of what was mentioned above of getting back to the roots of what this hobby is about...the basics and driving the cars. I have been in this hobby for several years now but car shows have totally lost their allure for me.

 

NSRA has been dying for 30 years

 

When name dropping became important & cars became more " investment" than fun thing , participating/ attending shows just turns me away !

 

Once they admitted post '48 cars, they announced the slide into oblivion.

 

It's like wearing advertising tee shirts or hats. Give it to me and I'll wear it, but I am not paying to wear your advertising.

 

I think NSRA is pricing themselves right out of business. I have decided to spend my time at local car shows and cruise inns.

 

Younger folks want cool cars, too, but not just one particular flavor. A limited "look" or select cut-off years will slice up the market more than anything, IMHO. And if not enough people are building cars like those seen here, or even street rods or customs in general, then no one will be showing their wares at big shows selling those kinds of parts. If the parts guys can't survive off web sales, then it will be over for whatever segment of the rodding market they have been supporting.

 

I used to get fired up and go to any Goodguys or NSRA event I could, some of my cars even won awards there, but for some reason the allure of the huge events has passed for me. I like smaller swap meet/car shows these days and I’ll drop everything for a nostalgia drag race. Muscle cars are hot right now and seem to be the focus of recent big events. I’ve always preferred real, old hot rods. I don’t care for “bagged” everything and 18” wheels so I stay home and work on my projects. It seems I’m not the only one.

 

I still like the adventure of a long haul to participate in an event I've never attended. I do find it more difficult to do several in the same season. I'm now pretty much limiting myself to one long haul trip per season.
This year I probably won't quite log 6,000 miles. A few years ago, that was a bare minimum per year.

I am able to find smaller, multi day 'traditional' events to keep me busy for the next several seasons.

 

I just took a look at the classifieds and the least expensive driveable cars are all starting around $15k and sky rocket from there, Project cars (and I mean projects) that are basically most of a body and a frame are $3k+
And then I hear people ask why aren't the younger kids getting into pre '48 cars...
I am trying to build a car on the cheap with swap meet parts and my own labor (and many favors from friends) and I am over 10k and not even close to done.
Some young kid making $20-$30 an hour with a $1500+/month rent or mortgage is going to put that pre 48 dream on hold until later in life (after retirement maybe) and build something cheap and available like a late 70s to early 80s G body or a 90s Honda (these are the cars that their parents and grandparents drove) they are available, relatively affordable, and have memories and history attached to them.
Our parents and grandparents drove 30s-60's cars and we build 30s to 60s cars...later in life...
Add to that, the cost of going to a big show, gas to drive or haul there, $200 night hotel, food, etc. You could buy a fresh used small block for the cost of a 3 day show out of town.
Chappy

 

I’m a local car gathering guy. Not cheap by any means but rarely pay to park my car. My city car show folded when it was past to another organizer. S**t happens I guess. The Outridders is my biggest “pay for” but it’s a picnic complete with food, drinks, live music and no baby buggies or dogs.
Wandering off the Redondo Beach for their last summer gathering Friday night. Never been as it’s 40+ miles and different folks I’ve never met.

 

As pprather noted above, the fun for me is in the drive. Fall Wildwood is my "must do" event of the year. The show itself pretty much sucks but it's a great excuse to put 350 miles of scenic highway down and spend a few days at the shore driving whatever I have on the road at the moment. Ain't nothing like a roadster on the Parkway. I have noticed a large number of the coolest stuff there isn't registered for the show. They come for the run and enjoy the island but don't give a shit about competing for a piece of plastic.

 

If you look around social media for the weekend (including here) there were a dozen or more smaller events around the Country in the last couple days. Most involved actually DRIVING and/or racing your car.

 

Dying?
Dont know. But there are lots of small shows/cruise ins everywhere. Had to chose between 3 within 25 miles of home yesterday.
our local show calendar is swamped.
FB ind IG are full of builds.
The NSRA held on to the 48 and down BS way to long anyway or should have never had it to begin with as they are paying for it now.
Went to an open show yesterday, $0 entry fee, spectators chose awards. Nice and simple.

Big shows seem to be pricing themselves out of business. Small shows have figured things out. Drove to a small town show. 300+ rides. $20 fee no trophies or categories. They gave away one $500 and five $100 cash envelopes drawn from a ticket you get at “registration” (they just hand you an envelope when ya drive up, nothing to fill out)
Great live music.
Best show around here.
Things change, the demographics change. Folks are aging out, new folks are entering with their ideas.
These old rides are just temporary entertainment anyway.

 

Local car shows & cruise-ins around here are fading too. Either not having them anymore or the attendance is dismal.
A local cruise that drew so many that they had to turn people away before COVID only gets a handful of cars now.
With thousands of cars previously at national events, they do exist... and must be just sitting in garages or something worse. With that being said, you'd think there would be a lot of cars for sale at low prices, but the opposite is the case - for sale cars were priced crazy high at the nationals and people are getting silly $ for cars online.

 

I too like the small get togethers that are local. It's about the drives and the meetings with builders that have similar interests. Good food and music. Good times.

As far as dying out it is just not the priority for alot of the younger generation. My retirement plans was to build 7 more cars- 1 for each grandkid. 6 of them are like meh... One 15 year old is stoked. She may end up with all seven. LOL

 

Koz - thoughtfully written, and for me, very true. Here in Southern California there are two big shows GNRS and LA Roadster Show/Swap, and many options for other cool events, including RPM Nationals, a new TROG drag event coming, and one off traditional shows that happen during the year (e.g. Hot Rods on the Tarmac at Lyon Air Museum.) Nothings dying here, again just changing. I pick and choose and prioritize based on time, cost, and anticipated fun and enjoyment.

 

cut off year for some of the bigger events is now 25 years old - that equals 1997 - Yikes! that is very scary

 

Five dollar a gallon gas certainly isn't helping.

 

Agreed with most guys here. The younger crowd has little interest in paying to get their car into a show like NSRA or GoodGuys and then sit in a hot parking lot all day in tube socks and jean shorts (No offense intended to the fashion sense of the previous generations). That's why shows like Lonestar Roundup and TROG are growing and adapting. They have multiple events over the weekend including garage crawls, reliability runs, dinner meetups, drive-in movies, etc... The last thing I want to do is build a car for sitting in a parking lot as everyone and their mother-in-law walks around with cotton candy and snowcones.

Drive them, meet up with other enthusiasts, live life with hot rods around you.

~Peter

 

What's wrong with Baby strollers?

 

Shows dying off......who cares.....I'm too busy driving mine!

 

Guys I got bad news for the you, the smaller shows are dying off also. an event I have attended for 35 or 40 years is 1/2 of what it was years ago and they raised the car entries to 1972. Face it the older guys that like our hot rods are dying. I hate it but it is true.

 

Personally i’m tired of the events where nothing moves. I don’t want to drive for hours, pay to get in just to park my car. There are several cruise nights that are close to home and free hell there’s even an actual “cruise” night 25 minutes away where the town allows you to cruise the main drag like we used to do. Swap meets have pretty much turned into flea markets. I’m 55 and i’ve got several buddies 10-20 years younger who like old cars but they like HAMB inspired builds not limited to what a lot of you guys stick to. They modernize here and there but still look like cars that would fit here. I see them going on road trips more than “parking” trips. The post HAMB car scene is booming from what i can see, 60’s 70’s 80’s cars with everything updated to the hilt seems to be the hot thing now. When the HAMB cars get cheap enough i’m sure they will be turned into something modern.