Went to a small 60's/70's car show today. A few nice Fords, mostly stangs. What dissappointed me was the number of cars that were "built" and not by owner. Most of the winners were $30-60k jobs. Kind of a shame for all of us that built our own and not just throw money at it. Sure, some of us spend more than others but we LOVE these cars. Some of these owners I bet could not tell me their plug gaps or ratio on their blowers. Kind of a shame. The shows should have a class for under 50k invested! Sorry to dribble, just my dauh=ghters were amazed at how different these cars are to daddys! Well, daddyd is built in the garage from Jegs ans Summitt, not on Hot Rod TV for 75k! Just my .02 Scotty P
I'm with you Scotty. I think there should be a clas where the judges disable each car in a non damaging way, and in order to avoid disqualification, the owner must get it running.
Hey Scotty, yeah, I went to the show also - didn't take the Mav. It was a dissapointment. Not much there other than the "belly button" cars. -Corbin
Nothing like a parking lot full of '32 Ford coups with small block Chevrolet powerplants to get someone really interested in baseball.
I see that a lot in some of the shows I go to. Sure thier cars might look great, but what do they really know about them other than to roll them out of the garage into the trailer and onto the show field. These are the same cars thier owners send to a detail shop rather than clean and wax them themselves. It's doubtfull that they ever take the car out and just enjoy it on the open road. When you spend thousands and thousands of dollers on a car and then are too afraid to drive it for fear of getting a stone chip, well then where's the fun in that? What you have then is a peice of furniture with tires on it. I admit my Maverick spends a good deal of time tucked away in a garage, but I love to take it out and run the daylights out of it. As for classes based on how much a person has invested in thier car, I don't think it would work too well. I attended a show like that once and it was a complete flop. Half the people refused to say what they spent on thier cars and the others just made up a figure off the top of thier heads. The organizers of the show were so upset by the way things were going that they actually slipped away and took off before the show was over, never to be seen again.
I went to a show today & I have to agree. A lot of the cars had $11,000 to $15,000 paint jobs on them. The owners hadn't put any sweat into them. Had the whole car done by professionals. What fun is that? I like seeing what I have accomplished. And it means more to me to know that I did it myself. I will have to have the car painted by professionals, but that's all. I got a quote for a paint job of $3,500. & thought that was a lot of money. Besides, it nice to be able to tell people, yes I did it & I spent more time than money doing it. Just my 2 cents (venting).
Dude I hear you! I been there had that happen! Back in the late 80's and early 90's I use to hit car show after car show! and never win anything. They would stick me in classes with panteras and cars with gobs of money poured into them! Yeah maybe 4th out of 4 cars in a class.. but that don't count. I kinda got fed up with it. But I'm back for revenge! j/k lol I just got back from a car show today too! I beat out some $250,000 custom roaster! Maybe because it had a Z06 in a ford... but I'll take what I can get..lol either way it made me feel good! But I still lost to some 50's custom that took 1st oh well... remember someone will always have something bigger and better then you.. I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles. But yeah the guy didn't build that 250k car either and I'm sure you will find that very common at car shows. And even sometime cars will be trailered! Never less even driven. You can ask many people out there with nice cars. "so what kinda of lift you got on cam you got in there?" :confused: "uh.. I had someone put it together for me I don't know" but your right most won't know a darn technical thing about their own "custom car" sad! To me how can you take pride in something you just buy? I think my point now at cars shows is to prove you can get a cheap maverick, that no one would give the time of day too and be that a normal person such as myself (ok well maybe not that normal) that works a 9-5 job, has a mortgage, not retired and don't have gobs of money by using hand tools, a floor jack with jack stands, cans of spray paint, a grinder, my elbow grease all in my garage and selling gobs of stuff on e-bay to get some extra cash to compete with some of these 50k to 60k trailer queens! And today I proved that point! My white car also proved that last year by taking a best muscle car at an event. I mean the car has the original paint and dings on it! Ok yeah, some of my stuff is sponsored. But you think I just picked up the phone and said give me free stuff? I wish! Well it more like lost of time ,begging, letters, begging, phone calls, begging, proposals, and most of all promises, promises, promises! And if you don't deliver you're screwed! If you have set your heart to something you'd be amazed! Either way car shows are tough! You need to understand there racecars that are fast and win, daily driven cars that are reliable and show cars that win. It's very had to have all three! The advantage now at car shows is people want to see something different! I really see that happening! People are sick of the mustangs, cameros, chevelles etc. yeah they are nice cars and yeah I'd want one... but man.... you seen one you seen them all! In fact today, a pinto also took second right under a real cobra! YES a PINTO... I was like.. "hell YEAH!" even tough I don't even like pintos I clapped and cheered! :bananaman But also remember these car shows are also political as well. Especially ones put on by car clubs... its not what you know its who you know. I figure go to these cars show not expecting to win anything. In fact to me, all the nice comments about my car (I'm sure you received plenty), meeting some really nice people, spending time with friends and family and coming out with some neat ideas are worth more to me that some lousy $8 trophy! btw the HOT ROD TV comment.. hey man... my cars were on that show! but at least I know what the hells in the car. I worked on that thing everyday after work for a month! And the other car and put the whole sucker together myself! so there! hee hee hee! Anyhow Scotty don't get frustrated and keep up the good work! If you even need any car show hinters I'd love to give them to you! I've lost more then I have won but I've also judged them too. (non peoples choice ones) I can give you some good tips! laters
If you want to compete, you have to play the game and by their rules. Period. I don't think you cant really chastises a person just because he has the means to buy a nice car. If I had the money, there are a lot of cars I'd like to buy, "turn key" The people must enjoy them or they wouldn't spend the money. People collect all kinds of stuff and put it under glass. I don't go to shows hoping for a trophy. I don't even care about them. The people and cars is what makes it worthwhile. I definitely have more respect for the person that does their own work, but at what point should you not be able to say that? How many can actually assemble a motor, do body work, or paint their own car? I'll bet is a small percentage. I do all my own work except upholstery and machining, so technically, do I really? I dont think you should get too hung up on who did what and how much it costs. Bottom line is, someone built it. I guess what matters is what makes you happy.
i think to be able to enter your car in a show you should have to have built it and own it. Also it must be driven. Not those cars that go from shop to trailer to show then to showroom. But thats my opinion.
Some cars I can understand need to be trailered. The old model T's and model A's can't come close to going the current speed limits. Last year a fellow from Philadelphia Pa drove his Model A up to a show in Scranton Pa. I'm not sure of the milage between the two cities, but it's at least an hour and a half on the Pa Turnpike. It's a good thing the man planned ahead before he left. It took the poor guy almost eight hours to make the trip because the toll keepers would not permit the car to travel the Turnpike. There was no way it could keep up with the traffic and he had to resort to traveling the back roads. In a case like this, a trailer is the only way to go. Almost all shows I've been to make it clear that any trailered car MUST be driven onto the field. In other words, if it don't run, don't go. If I had a trailer I would very much trailer my car to any show that was over 1000 miles from home. The only reason I would do this is because of the mileage restrictions my insurance company imposses. But I don't have a trailer, so I need to keep a close watch on how many miles a year I put on the car.
Whoa! I am sorry if I offended anyone with a trailer car! MavMan my HotRod tv comment was in reference to ppeople who hire Bizio or someone else to build "their dream" car, not you!! Mavaholic, if I owned your sprint I would also own a carpeted trailer! I was just frustrated due to the fact there were several "high school" built cars that never stood a chance. And they had more originalty than most! As for the money, I am fortunate and can afford just about anything I want but I don't get stupid just becaue I can afford it! One of my client was there with his ride (I am a stockbroker) and he showed me what he "built" or should I say his inheritence and Brizio built.. Sorry everyone, didn't mean to offend the great builders on this site! Scotty P
scotty p no offence taken! i understood what you were saying. don't worry about it i know some shows have like classes for under the age of 21 or high school build... that kinda helps the big dollar cars serprate from the new build ups. but even then if dad and mom got money.. well.. you get the point! and when i judge shows i always look for something diffreant and something with originalty.
I trailer mine.....but it ain't no trailer queen...........at $7 a gallon and about 7-9 miles to the gallon.....I think I will trailer it This is a great conversation!
I wasent offended at all. Just stating my opinion, like you. I do trailer my Sprint any distance just because its probably the nicest car I will ever build and I want to keep it that way as long as possible. At least until I pay off the second mortgage that I took out to finance the project. But it gets driven locally and cant wait till the next Roundup because it is a kick on the strip!!
I trailer mine only because I like having AC, cruise control, and a cumfy ride when I go long distances.
