Event Coverage What is important to you when attending a car show

PRE 65, BILLETPROOF, HOT RODS, CUSTOMS, BEER, BURGERS, HOT DOGS !

 

Not having to see new mustangs challengers and corvettes

 

And this could be my pet peeve. Seems 1st time show "promoters" put their fliers out with the hours; registration starts at 8am, show is 9-5 with awards ceremony, 50-50 drawing and thanking of sponsors to follow immediately thereafter. Of course these events are typically held on the hottest day of the Summer with not a tree in sight. Really, I enjoy a good car show as much as anyone but, I do have things to do at home as well. There's a group of local guys who put on 2 or 3 shows a year near me. The hours are 10-2 and they wrap it up promptly. We joke that they get you in there, sell you a couple of dried up hot dogs, dole out a few awards and send you on your way. It works for me.

 

Cars have to be driven there, no show queens, no late model stuff, how can a guy with lotsa credit, expect to show beside a guy with lotsa skill? I like coming out shows like DW Poppy, all fresh build cars, Hougen Park, my 17 year this past year, it's out in the valley and everything there has been driven there, all at freeway speeds, the corn roast is the best, entry fee is reasonable too. DW Poppy is a high school show, I go just for the shop teacher and the kids, shows them what they could be capable of.

 

....................................Full-on, all-out, unlicensed race cars get a p*** of course.

 

What's with all the music haters. If you are talking about DJ's and all the car songs then yes I agree, sh*t can that. GOOD bands are always a plus for me. If I'm paying to get in I want to be entertained. Jalopy Showdown has it nailed. Shows at race tracks are a plus, have a beauty contest, valve cover races, burn out contests, what ever you can come up with. They had mud wrestling nuns and side show acts at one show I went to, had a friggin blast!

 

One thing I am not interested in looking at is stock new cars. But then I can always just walk by. Theres a LOT of **** that shows up at "traditional" car shows that I am just gonna walk by too. Once I have seen all the cars I want to look at, I leave.
As a general rule, if I want to go out and take in live music, that's what I do. car shows are car shows. Bikini contest? I'd rather go to a peeler bar.
Now, mud wrestling nuns, that's a whole nother ball game!!

 

After vending at shows for 30 years I have done a couple . I like shows that are what they say
they are .Whatever it is be true to it .If it is all for the promoters wallet ,I'm out .
"If you try to please everyone you please no one ".(somebody important) .

 

* as stated above, who is putting on show and why is it being put on - helping a charity, etc
* good venue, not just a big asphalt parking lot behind a hardware store
* amount of entry fee charged
* a bonus would be well organized and staff/club members keeping an eye on safety, etc
* another big bonus is to have some vendors in show area and a swap meet
* a big negative would be a show open to all years & makes & dogs

 

I'm not a music "hater" but I've been parked in front the speakers too many times. Rock around the clock , Blue suede shoes , Blueberry hill, anything that was played on 'Happy Days" makes me ill. I was probably conceived to one of those songs in a backseat somewhere but I still don't identify with those songs. And yeah , why so loud? The last one I was at the biggest complaint from the people I talked with was the volume of the music. You had to yell to talk....that was a long day!
My favorite car shows are are when I see a line of cars driving somewhere together....probably to a car show.

 

I hear ya George. I just want to have some fun. That could very well be as simple as sitting and BS-ing with friends. Once you see all the cars what's wrong with listening to a good band or watching some form of entertainment. I've been working too many hours lately so when I can get out for a day I try and pack as much into it as I can.

 

Boy, I agree with you on this pay thing.
When I was living in the Cleveland, Ohio area, for 35 years, car shows were PLENTIFUL and most were FREE.
Then I moved away from Cleveland and the snow, went to Georgia, and now N.C., where I found the "norm" was to pay $10 or $20 per show to have folks look at my car.
Sooooo, the car show scenario for me has dwindled, unless I find some "freebie show" on the horizon.

 

Man, I love music. But NOT WHEN IT'S SO LOUD I CAN'T HEAR SOMEONE SPEAKING NEXT TO ME! I'm not talking about me standing next to a speaker. I'm talking about being 200' away and it's LOUD. ****, man. The skirt on my buddies Hula girl ornament was a shakin'!

And...... what tha hell are all these cars doing parked on my lawn!

 

That makes me sick too. Most of the shows with bands I go to have a covered pavilion set up and the only speakers are in front of the band. If you don't want to watch or listen its not a distraction. One in particular I go to every year has some great local talent.

 

Neat Rods and Customs with their doors, hoods, and trunk closed!!! So we can see the beauty of the cars.

 

I FEEL THE THE SAME WAY.

 

I'm also not a music hater but I don't usually like or want to listen to what they are playing.
If it's too loud or a live band that is up there basically butchering some cl***ic tunes it becomes irritating noise pollution rather than being "entertainment ".

Another thing I can do without at car shows is the never ending stream of "expert" spectators and their comments.

All the flyers for other shows that they put on your car or toss on the seat is irritating also.

Maybe I should just stay home

 

Boy has this turned into a ***** fest. Relax, have a beer, kick back and enjoy the music.

 

I'm on my 2nd beer, thank you.

 

Free, non judged, cruise in style thats more of a get together. averaging at least a thousand cars each 4th weekend of the month from April to October. Sells cruise shirts hats and raffle tickets on a yearly giveaway car and enclosed car trailor (they sometime give away a couple more cars during the year) etc.etc. Raffle car next year is a 2 door hardtop 55 belair. (Nice!)
http://somernitescruise.com/

 

Damn, you nailed me for sure. Have you been talking to my co-workers or what? Ha! maybe the music is to loud and I just didn't notice. My doctor did tell me that it would be a good idea to take up lip reading.

 

EXPERT SPECTATORS ....
The expert yells out to me, as I'm pulling in with my '51 Chevy, 235" with duals ....
Hey man, Why The F**k did you put a Ford flathead in your Chevy ?
ME ..... I didn't.
Spectator ...... Don't tell me Dude, I know a flattie when I hear one.
ME ....... It's not a flattie.
Spectator ....... You gonna open the hood and show me the flattie.
ME ..... No, not opening the hood for you.
Spectator to his girlfriend ....... That guy's (me) is a real D.H., he doesn't think I know a flattie when I hear one.
ME talking to myself ..... yep, I guess I'm the D.H. here, not him.









'

 

Next time pull out a $20 bill and tell him to put his money where his mouth is. You'll either make some quick cash or make him look like a fool in front of his girlfriend....

 

I have zero use for "organized car shows". Judging and trophies are one of the things wrong with the hobby IMO.

 

Don't want to hijack thread, but i noticed a lot of "who is promoting the show"'.. Do some of you NOT go because it is a for profit show by individuals??? And if so Why. As far as music I would much more enjoy late 60's early 70's than do-wop.

 

Please - no pets or snot nosed little unmanaged ****s running around.
And I vote NO on the music.

Oldmics

 

Shade rest rooms no booze no fee no little red cones no music I like Saturday morning donut and coffee home my 9 00 am and in the garage

 

Nope. Just keep it in the streets. That's where she belongs. Hell, man, everyone knows street *****s get all the action.

 

I have never once gone to a car show because they had music or had a certain band or bands playing. I have parked my truck just about as far away from band stands as I could get on occasion just to be able to hear others at a normal voice level. I've been to a couple of events where the band that was playing and their "fans" that showed up didn't quite understand that they were the side attraction at the event and that the cars weren't props for their performance.

Otherwise, The draw for me is the kind of vehicles that will be at that event. They don't always have to be traditional but I could give a rip about late 60's through early 80's much of anything unless it is an exotic sports car or a race car with real racing history and some wins behind it.

I'm not drawn to events because they give out a huge bunch of trophies and I've been to a number that hand out down to third place for a one day in the park event. Leave that for a trophy hunter. I've got a lot better things to do than sit there and worry about getting an award or not.

If I go to a Goodguys event I find that I spend about as much time in the vendor's area as I do out in the car show most of the time. Being able to see a part that I have been looking at online or in the magazines first hand and being able to really check it out is a big plus in the decision making.
A swap meet section is nice but not a necessity for me. I'm not going to buy anything that I have to lug around have to figure out how to get it home anyhow.

It comes down to a decent location with possibly interesting places close by, fun people and interesting cars.