Event Coverage Street Rod Nationals

Just a reminder........The Nationals are the first part of August for any of you who have been procrastinating.

 

I would like to go again someday. I think my last one was Oklahoma City in the early 90’s. Before it was exclusively in Louisville.

by the way, what year did Louisville become home base? I know they rotated through several venues before.

 

Columbus 1987
Louisville 1988
St Paul/Minneapolis 1989
Columbus 1990
Oklahoma City 1991
Louisville 1992 the year of the flood
I’ll have to look thru my photos but think it went back to Columbus at least one or two times them Louisville from then on.

 

I guess my last time was OKC 91. I do remember that year vividly. Some wild times with locals doing burnouts on Meridian in front of our hotel.

my dad was in the flood in 92, not with a car but was working the Squeeg’s Hot Rod Connection booth in the vendor building.

 

Went once, for the 50th. That was about enough for me.

 

Just not a whole lot left , for old car guys like us anymore !!!

 

The night time is the best time at the nationals for me. Lots of fun and cruising. Sitting around during the day sweating your balls off hoping somebody will stop and look at your car isn't what I'm into lol. The inside vendor section is impressive and air conditioned

 

54th Annual Aug 3-6 Louisville , Kentucky

 

That’s the weekend of our 25th wedding anniversary trip. Do you suppose Truckdoctor Wife would believe we just “stumbled upon” The Nationals?

 

I'm looking forward to driving my fresh '40 to Louisville, along with a few club member's cars. We always have a good time at the fairgrounds during the day and hotel in the evenings. Hope the weather is dry, like the past few years!

 

I went last year. Too much late model crap for me. Never thought I would go to the street rod nats and see a Jeep Cherokee entered.

 

I agree on some of the late model crap, plus some street driven rust buckets. Locals pay the entry fee just so they can ride around and look at the cars for a couple days without walking.

 

Nope, I'm done with N.S.R.A. I get both my car's Safety 23 inspected every year. I installed LED tail lights in my '46 Station Wagon which really illuminated both stop light and directionals. For some reason ( I was told the current was seeking a ground) my front directionals come on for literally a fraction of a second when the directionals are activated. In other words if I signal right the left filament glows for a millisecond. Well, this inspector went ape s**t when he saw it, how he saw it I don't know, I never even noticed it. So there was this issue of should we give him an O.K. or make him correct it. I look over and a mid '70s Mustang is getting a Safety Sticker. To my left a '69 Camaro is getting a Sticker. Wait a second, both those cars came from the factory with everything required and you're breaking my horns for something you can't even see. I told the inspectors to stop my inspection, I did not want it and closed my hood, started my car and drove away. Both my car's go thru N.Y. State inspection every year so N.S.R.A. can keep their BS Safety 23.

 

There are appx 10,000 cars there as well as the opportunity to talk to more vendors about their products than at probably any other venue. I saved $$thousands$$ of dollars last year by being able to compare first hand how products were made and compare costs. I picked up my Brookville body there by making a prearrangement with them, and saved shipping costs. Summit had a booth and was offering 10% discount on virtually anything. I bought quite a bit from them and even got show catalogs with a "discount code" that I used to save more money later. While not Hamb friendly, the front suspension I chose has a cam to allow aligning the front end without disassembly. That was a feature I was unaware of till I saw it at the show. It also came with a built in sway bar which was a $300 option on the one I had intended to purchase. Also, shipping was $100 vs the $350 the other vendor wanted. This was a top of the line brand, not some unknown. I also picked up my ASC Stamping 32 Ford frame rails and saved the shipping on them as well. There are seminars where you can learn from the manufacturers about how to build your car. There are show cars in the mezanine that will make you drool. There is every kind of manifestation of a hot rod that you can imagine and a lot you can't imagine. There is a free "give away" vehicle for some lucky person, and there is the opportunity to meet people from all over our country and freely discuss our hobby. To me its a win/win event and I like to look at the positives rather than stick my nose up in the air and hope it dies because they offended me by letting some later models attend also. If it dies, how does that help our hobby?



Yep, it was certainly worth the price of admission to me................








This is the back field, not the primary paved lot which is usually packed with cars.









So I find the show to be quite interesting and worth the time I invested to attend.

 

Used to go as a participant almost every year.but in 1994 I attended for the first time as a vendor with my chassis business. I did that for 17-18 years doing 8-9 NSRA shows a year. In those days Vernon Walker and Bubba dropped by the booth at every show for some brief conversation and Bob Reynolds always came by several times to make sure things were going good. I benefited greatly from those shows. I also had 4 cars in the vendor show case over the years. As I stated above. I stopped vending in I think 2011 because I could see a change in the way the shows were managed, the personal persona changed, the crowd changed and the shows started to decline in quality. I have no animosity towards NSRA, times change

 

Last time I went to the NSRA street rod nationals was in '92, it was wet! HRP

 

It`s still on my bucket list. One of these days.

 

I may or may not have been one of the locals on Meridian...

 

I have lusted over that 29/lakester/bobber for many years. Outstanding creativity.

 

I gotta say that you have good taste! HRP

 

its been along time since I have been, where do they cruise at?

 

I was there in '74. Joe Konkle? etc.

 

Phillips Ave. Is the street of i remember correctly, the street right outside the main gate, it's been about 5 years since I went. Everybody used to sit along the street in lawn chairs and watch. I'd watch a while, cruise around a while, etc... don't get me wrong, it's a sight to see! Shit ton of cars, freaking huge indoor vendor section, pretty good swap meet most of the time, I just need something else to keep me occupied lol, and I'm not into autocross. Guess that's why I enjoy Bowling Green so much.

 

its been since 96 0r 97 since I been. Didnt have a pre 48 car. Might go this year. Thanks for the info. Have a good one

 

Sadly each inspection team has an overzealous member. I think the process has been hurt because of this. North Texas we try to help find the cause of the problem. Not be the problem.

 

I plan on going this year with my son, and a friend!

 

I still go to the SW mini nats in OKC if I have nothing else to do. But, I am still just not a fan after the year cutoff went past 48. I doubt I ever make it to the nationals in Louisville unless I happen to be in town for something else. You all have fun that do go.

 

325w, I guess so, but this jerk went wild. I thought that there was gasoline shooting all over my motor or something the way he was carrying on. I think they should have left the Safety 23 for vehicles under the 1948 rule. Having a Safety 23 sticker on a 1980's car is ridiculous.

 

Too big for me. I don’t like crowds or congestion. Too much to see at one time. I usually go to one deal that gets about 800-900 cars of all kinds, and it’s got to where it’s no fun with that many people around anymore. Sensory overload. I’ll stick to gatherings with 50-100 vehicles.

 

I’ll be there Saturday and maybe Friday. Easy drive for me from Lexington area. Great show and venue, nice mix of Muscle cars, Vettes and Hot Rods. Easy to walk past and ignore stuff I don’t care about. Nice swap meet and vendor showcase too.