Detroit Autorama... Downstairs vs. Upstairs

Stevie Nash · Mar 12, 2013

I still don't get the shock value of the rat rods, people flock to them... hope it wears off soon.

66tintop · Mar 13, 2013

I for one wish, that more owners and or builders would completly assemble their recent cars in the raw , with no paint or chrome, and show off their abilaties to fabricate ,weld and modify parts, that way I can see all the thought and plannig someone has accomplished,once you paint it ,for me all I see is shiny stuff when really I just to see is PIG IRON. There have been times at car shows , I just walk straight on by many cars that are over the top and many that likely dont deserve to be in a indoor show ! Who the hell am I to judge this, I sure don't like to spend my money to look at rusty cars (I live in s. ontario, I see lots on the road daily ) I don't like to say anyone's ride is a POS, but I would not want to own one or I know that I couldn't afford one the GREAT 8 CARS , uptown or downtown , it's a personal choice !

Straightpipes · Mar 15, 2013

We had three cars and a chassis in the basement and sold a few T shirts for gas money. We had a great time and will probably return next year.
I think that the ratty rods probably deserve a spot, all gaggled together in one area. The fact is that they do get a lot of attention.
But we had George Poteet's car in the basement.........

Weasel · Mar 13, 2013

George Poteet is NOT a goldchainer but a down to earth honest to goodness died in the wool hot rodder who just happens to have been successful in life and indulges in his lifetime consuming passion and has put several builders on the map to fame while he does it - oh yeah and 462mph at B'ville too....

Lucky77 · Mar 13, 2013

Straightpipes said: ↑

We had three cars and a chassis in the basement and sold a few T shirts for gas money. We had a great time and will probably return next year.
I think that the ratty rods probably deserve a spot, all gaggled together in one area. The fact is that they do get a lot of attention.
As far as the gold chainer thing goes, we had George Poteet's car in the basement.........
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And thank you guys for showing up! Poteet's 34 is one of my most favorite Model 40's ever! I almost had a heart attack when I saw it.

hotrod1940 · Mar 13, 2013

George Poteet is more of a traditional hotrodder than any person to set foot in the basement or the top floor. There are many true traditional hotrodders that have never worn a gold chain or a watch in their life.
This class warfare gets old.
Bob Larivee was a twenty year old kid when he started the Autorama, loong before all the opinions about how to run a show were born.

jimdillon · Mar 13, 2013

I find it sad that the different facets of the hobby turn into an us versus them mentality. I showed a car upstairs and I am anything but a gold chainer or check writer and do 99% of my own work. My car is an old drag car and I was placed right behind a drag racer/moto cross racer from the 60s and he was as down to earth as possible. We had a great time reliving old stories. He was there with the Al Bergler group. Al had cars upstairs including the first Riddler and funnies I dont think he fits in any such pigeon hole. I spoke to a past Riddler winner and he was just a car guy that was as down to earth as possible (the red Willys). I spoke to one of the great 8 contenders (Dads 34) and he was just a regular car guy. He is anything other than a gold chainer, check writer or a guy with an attitude. He may have some money-good for him.

A couple of years ago I spoke to a local guy (ex drag racer-driver or owner of the Probe if I remember correctly) that showed his custom Caddy at the Glenmoor Gathering and he told me at the show how surprised he was that everyone was so nice. It was the first such high dollar show he attended and he could not believe how friendly these rich people were. He also won his class and rightfully so. I know some rich guys that would rather earn their money and have others do the work but they are every bit car guys as you or I. Their work ethic allows them to enjoy cars in the way they know. My dad was a car guy but was not very handy with a wrench (and I am being kind). In every group there are jerks be it upstairs or downstairs. I have run into guys downstairs and upstairs with attitudes as well but I try not to let it bother me-you run into that everywhere.

Overall I thought both floors were very good. If I hit the lottery the first car I would buy would be one of the downstairs cars- the Pierson Brothers Coupe recreation. Poteets car was great as was the brown hammered coupe in front of Poteets car. It is just me but I would not want to own any of the Riddler cars other than the red Willys so I could give it back some flavor of its past life as a drag car.

I personally thought the downstairs cars were the best yet. I may be mistaken but I thought I saw fewer of the shock rods. We all know going in what the Great 8 cars will look like every year in terms of wheels and bling etc. The talent and workmanship is really superb although it is not my style. That being said, I am still in awe of the workmanship at this show every year. It is the owners money and visions realized. I am sure some people look at my stuff and wonder but such is life.

As for mass commercialism, the entries fees are simply not enough to sustain the show (and to give the organizers enough folding money to keep the show coming back year after year). Take away the commercialism and there goes the show, including the participants in the basement. The costs of putting on the show are astounding. Thank God for the main floor sponsors that help keep the show on both floors going. I believe the powers to be in the basement would be honest to tell you that the fuddy duddies upstairs serve a purpose in keeping your deal going in the basement. You guys appear to have a great time at the show and in a different manner than the upstairs crowd. When I was your age I certainly did not want to party or mingle with my parents or people their age-it just wouldnt fly.

To say that the upstairs crowd do not drive their cars is painting with a pretty broad brush. Most of the cars are driven. We all know the trailer queens exist and to each their own. That is how they enjoy the hobby. Others enjoy them differently. I still get a smile every time I get behind the wheel and I am sure most do on both floors-when they drive them.

We all have different tastes but it makes little difference which floor you are on. For the most part it is a large group of spring/summer starved car nuts getting our fix prior to spring. Do you really want the two groups to party or mingle together? Really? You guys have a mix in your venue and we have a mix in ours. Some we like and others not so much. In the end we are all just car nuts. I would rather see the us versus them mentality be left to the useless idiots in Washington.-Jim

BLUDICE · Mar 13, 2013

All of the above is why I don't enter or attend car shows any more - I just like to drive my car and maybe stop at a cruisin once in a while.

R1FIGHTER · Mar 13, 2013

koolkat269 said: ↑

I think the guy that approves the cars in the basement needs to quit. To many cars that didn't belong including the push truck next to the Singlefinger display. To many modern wheels and rat rods. There was a club display that I found out that always display upstairs but this year was downstairs and not one of their cars met requirements.
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Im curious, what club was that? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

57JoeFoMoPar · Mar 13, 2013

The Autorama is pretty much my favorite show of the year, and I had a blast with everyone this year as always.

As for the basement vs upstairs, they're both great! Nice folks are nice folks regardless of what they drive or their socio-economic status. You don't have to be rich to be a prick. To make a blanket statement, I think the traditional rodders in the basement are giving themselves too much credit. Over the years of going to this show, I've had a few experiences with people in the basement who were less than friendly or who thought (usually without merit) that their car was the greatest thing on earth. The same can be said for some folks upstairs. But generally, everybody is friendly and respectful whether it be a garage builder or Troy Ladd, Foose, Tim Strange or Troy Trepanier. Personally, I think the build quality on many of the cars upstairs is mind-blowing. It sets a standard for craftsmanship that I should hope to achieve one day, and I think that should be respected. But I'm not going to get butthurt if some guy with a Fox body mustang didn't come downstairs. Chances are I walked right past his car upstairs, so no hard feelings.

Straightpipes · Mar 13, 2013

These ladies were there!!! So, what's not to like??

nowaxn5 · Mar 13, 2013

Yep! after all these years Miss Hurst is still the entertainer. She talked with us as if we were old friends and was even a bit on the racey side. Ok, she was a lot on the racey side.

big vic · Mar 13, 2013

wow and motorama in chicago this year was huge,,, we had more cars in motorama then milwaukee had in the whole show,,, we had mega dollar cars in one section huge club displays in another section a huge turnout of lowriders(new and old) in a third section a pretty big bike section then motorama chicago is home to many many car people of all types and it showed in the class of cars that showed,, i tryed my hardest to see everything but just couldnt do it in the 3 days i was there,,

Jay Tyrrell · Mar 13, 2013

[/QUOTE] I don't understand this "us" versus "them" stuff either. Can't you simply just go to a carshow and enjoy it anymore? What's the matter with you guys? Envy? [/QUOTE]

Envy? I have nothing to be Envious of. I am just stating what happended upstairs with this year.
Jay

36couper · Mar 13, 2013

I consider myself a middile-of-the-road guy but I saw a lot of crap upstairs and a lot of crap downstairs. I like the upstairs because the lighting is better and the atmosphere is less like a rumble is going to flare at any minute.

Tradrod51 · Mar 13, 2013

The Detroit Autorama is a great show, This is the fifth year we have displayed a car in the basement as a club, after going down for a day since the early 90's. We spend a lot of time upstairs and downstairs. It is both levels that make it "Detroit" and makes us come back every year. There is enough on display you can walk by the ones you don't want to look at and complain about. The guy following you has a different taste then you. The Autorama has thousands of spectators and a thousand of thoughts on what they like and what their favorite was.

bluthndr · Mar 15, 2013

Soooooooooooooo bummed I missed it this year. I woke up and my wife encouraged me/us to go, but I couldn't justify the 6 hours in the car, and $200 in gas and tickets for my family to go follow me around until I wore them out. If I'd have known Poteet's car, the Rolling Bones, and the Pierson Coupe would be there I'd have found a way. Always a great show in the basement. Props to all those guys from the coasts bringing their rods here. My deepest gratitude to Bruce Meyer and George Poteet for what they've done for the hobby, and my deepest appreciation for the Rolling Bones crew for the rolling artwork they continue to produce.

*No disrespect to other show participants intended

40fordtudor · Mar 15, 2013

I think "special interest" groups have invaded our hobby. Just like I feel Washington has too many such groups, I think our hobby does too. Seems to me innovation is thought to be the opposite of tradition. The hobby originally was to find an "edge"---is that not innovation?? Guess I don't get it.

safari-wagon · Mar 15, 2013

Upstairs??? I wondered where all those people kept coming from...

We sent a couple of the guys from CASI to the banquet dinner wearing these T-shirts:

Hooptologist · Mar 15, 2013

safari-wagon said: ↑

Upstairs??? I wondered where all those people kept coming from...

We sent a couple of the guys from CASI to the banquet dinner wearing these T-shirts:
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I LOVE those shirts!!! My GF bought her and I each one last year, she did get some flack from someone upstairs with no sense of humor but she's a crazy little hillbilly bitch so she set em straight right quick.

hotrodladycrusr · Mar 17, 2013

ONE D in Ridler people.

koolkat269 said: ↑

I think the guy that approves the cars in the basement needs to quit. To many cars that didn't belong including the push truck next to the Singlefinger display. To many modern wheels and rat rods. There was a club display that I found out that always display upstairs but this year was downstairs and not one of their cars met requirements.
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There are REQUIREMENTS for the lower level? Do tell as I have never heard of them.

daddy_o's_diner said: ↑

I was at the show this year and commented on the few ratty cars that the were in the basement. I was upset that good traditional cars were probobly bumped for the few rats. About 5 minutes later one of the show organizers (that we all know and love) walks up and we starting chatting about the overall high quality of the cars downstairs. He then mentions the few "token" rat rods and that the attendees expect them and would be dissappointed if they weren't there. Damn, that never occurred to me. After that, I noticed that the 2 rat rods fairly close to me were constantly mobbed and alway had a crowd around them.

Do I like them? No. Do I wish they were not there next year? Sure. But the show is about more than me. If the public wants and expects a few rat rods then the organizers are obligated to have a few. There were probibly 5 or less of them this year. Enough to satisfy the uninformed, but not enough to detract from the show. Kudos to Rudy and Dennis for walking the fine line.

One thing that did bother me about the rats is that the judges (both Saturday and Sunday) seemed to cater to them a little too much. The P.O.S. that won "best engineered" was a train wreck that I wouldn't feel safe going around the block in. They seemed to award the shock value rather than the quality in more one category. That said, I still think it was a great show and want to thank and congratulate all involved with putting it on.

.
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VERY well said. Thanks for taking the time to write.

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Detroit Autorama... Downstairs vs. Upstairs

Stevie Nash
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66tintop
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Straightpipes
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Weasel
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Lucky77
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hotrod1940
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jimdillon
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BLUDICE
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R1FIGHTER
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57JoeFoMoPar
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Straightpipes
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nowaxn5
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big vic
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Jay Tyrrell
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36couper
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Tradrod51
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bluthndr
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40fordtudor
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Detroit Autorama... Downstairs vs. Upstairs

Stevie Nash Member from Farm Country

66tintop Member from Canada

Straightpipes Member from Ballston Spa, NY

Weasel Member from At my keyboard

Lucky77 Member from Bay City, Michigan

hotrod1940 Member from Gainesville, GA HAMB Old Farts' Club Lacquer lovers unite!

jimdillon Member from Highland, Michigan

BLUDICE Member from Plainfield, IN

R1FIGHTER Member from Sterling Heights, Mi

57JoeFoMoPar Member from Hunterdon County, NJ

Straightpipes Member from Ballston Spa, NY

Attached Files:

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nowaxn5 Member from Fruitport, MI.

big vic Member from cary il

Jay Tyrrell Member from Ontario, Canada

36couper Member from ontario

Tradrod51 Member from musKEGon,Mi.

bluthndr Member from SW Michigan

40fordtudor Member from rowlett, tx

safari-wagon Member from Detroit 'burbs

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Hooptologist Member from Hadley Michigan

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Stevie Nash
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66tintop
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from At my keyboard

Lucky77
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from Bay City, Michigan

hotrod1940
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from Gainesville, GA

HAMB Old Farts' Club

Lacquer lovers unite!

jimdillon
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from Highland, Michigan

BLUDICE
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from Plainfield, IN

R1FIGHTER
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from Sterling Heights, Mi

57JoeFoMoPar
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from Hunterdon County, NJ

Straightpipes
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big vic
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36couper
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bluthndr
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40fordtudor
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Hooptologist
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