Bad Car Show Signs

[Aero426]

Pet peeve.   Nothing ruins a great photo of a nice car than a HUGE honkin' sign right in front of it.    There has to be a better way to do this.   Ideas, or examples? 

[Indygenerallee]

Just waiting for some little kid to come along and knock that thing over into the nose! 

[RIDELIKEHELL]

 

[Ghoste]

I have to admit that I very rarely read them anyway.

[twodko]

Looks like the nose cone is coming off that car.

We bought a thin 1" binder and put maybe 10 8x10's in it showing the milestones of the car's
Resto and a copy of the build sheet and original window sticker.

We typed up a "fact sheet" on the car and slipped it into the clear sleeve of the front cover.
This sits on the rad support and people actually look through it. Big print on the fact sheet and
a few pix is all folks want to see if that.

I cringe at those huge billboards people put out. I see them as missiles and nobody much gives
a glance at all the crap on them anyway.

[ODZKing]

I have a little description that is in a frame with little rubber feet so it stays on the air cleaner.

[6spd68]

Just waiting for some little kid to come along and knock that thing over into the nose! 

As the nose looks separated from the fender, I don't think it would make much difference 

[Ghoste]

Small well done displays I will stop and look at.  Research done on cars will stop me but copies of the magazines it was in or the special thanks to everybody ones just don't hold me.

[Cooter]

If I see a book or a plaque with resto topics by owner, I'll stop and read. The rest I just glance at. Especially the trophy hunting idiots with stupid display describing what the public Is looking at and how 'rare' it is.

[JB400]

I'd get a car hop tray and place a notebook and pix on.  The feet on them are rubber coated so they won't damage the paint.

[rp23g7]

Pet peeve.   Nothing ruins a great photo of a nice car than a HUGE honkin' sign right in front of it.    There has to be a better way to do this.   Ideas, or examples? 

Yeah I hate that too, especially if its a rare car and your trying to get a good picture of it

[Aero426]

I had some 6" x 9" photo cards made up by Vistaprint on one of their 50% off specials.  I did a color photo on the front and a black and white phantom print on the back with the story of the car printed over the top.   They aren't expensive.   They will redo them if you are not happy and the online editing software is easy to use.  

The cards are placed in a small acrylic stand from Office Depot by the left front tire.   It does not detract from looking at the car and people seem to find them.    I would still like some kind of a larger sign, but I have not figured out what to do.  

[bill440rt]

Good question. You're right, some of the displays at car shows are a little bit over the top. And, a windy day or a sign too close to the car could mean disaster if someone were to bump into it.
I thought for a while about this too as I wanted one for my '69 Charger. I did some research, I didn't want anything huge.
I had one made by this guy, my sign is on pg.7 in his gallery:
http://www.carshowsigns.net/index.php

They are done on aluminum, no fading, etc. His signs are very artistic and tasteful. You don't have to frame it but I decided to anyway so I can hang it on the wall. I think it measures about 20" x 27" or so?
He uses styling cues on the car for backgrounds & accents on the sign. I supplied all the photos for him.
Just some simple highlights about the car that are common questions. If people want more info I just keep a photo binder in the trunk, as I really don't want anyone leaning over.
I bought a cheap, small artists easel off eBay, keeps the sign low to the ground & I can stake or weight it down just in case. If it's a windy day I don't bring it with me.

[polywideblock]

so is it the size of the sign that's the problem or the worry about it getting knocked onto the cars ?
  still got to get one for the charger ,was thinking of the  2  ' x 5' pull up banners like they use  in malls etc. for temp displays .
   they use them at work for bands etc. they drop into the base so photos etc. are protected and then go into a case
  could just put it  in the trunk  at the end of the day
   they are  way cheaper than most think, couple of hundred with professional printing of banner included
and the top part weighs nothing so there is no worry about little Johnny  knocking the sigh over 
  if its the size thing  I think us ozzies are a little behind cause big signs are still everywhere  at shows

[rt green]

what I don't care for is the stuffed animals.

[bill440rt]

what I don't care for is the stuffed animals.

[twodko]

I don't get the stuffed animals.....stuffed kids leaning their faces on a car or big signs thing at all. I take my car to shows so others can enjoy seeing it. I go to shows to see other folks cars not signs.

[ws23rt]

I'm one of those that thinks less is more.  When a car has signs that answer all the questions than fewer people linger.

Conversation about a car happens when more that one viewer asks the person next to them what they think about something. In that connection people meet people and that's the greatest fun in the hobby.  One story leads to another--etc.

[bill440rt]

Exactly.
I've seen cars on display with 2-3 signs, stuffed animals, wacky dolls, giant trophy collections, blaring doo-wop music, and sometimes all of the above all at once. No thanks.

Something small & simple, fine.
More often than not my sign stays hanging on my wall.

[ODZKing]

I don't get the animals either and that one that Bill posted, what the hell is that supposed to be, I never got that.
I do have to say though, this was cute from 2009

[Ghoste]

I like that one, I saw a Road Runner once with a stuffed coyote under a tire that was cute too.

[BIGBLCK11]

I always wondered if the leaning kid was to say, 'keep the kids from touching and climbing on my car'.   
If so, it does NOT relay that message and looks odd to me.

[Old Moparz]

My guess is that the first time someone got sick & tired of dumb, or repeated questions, they made a sign to try to eliminate being asked. 

I usually don't look at the signs but I do flip through the photo albums if I have time & want to see the rot box they started with. I doubt I'll ever bother having a sign to display, it's just more junk to drag along & I like to travel as light as possible.

[moparguy01]

personally I hate seeing cars with the hoods up at car shows. I leave mine down, but not because i'm embarrassed. I like how the cars look in their natural state. Granted, some who know me would argue that my cars natural state is on jack stands with the hood up.

I really dislike the dolls though. I saw a guy at a show in kansas with a POS 80's corvette who had cut outs he dressed up like a pit crew he stood all around the car. I felt bad for that car. it looked like it had been driven through a pep boys AND an autozone with a shit magnet attached to it. My lord the decals.

[Aero426]

personally I hate seeing cars with the hoods up at car shows. I leave mine down, but not because i'm embarrassed. I like how the cars look in their natural state.

Hoods down, for at least part of the show.   

[A383Wing]

I don't get the stuffed animals.....stuffed kids leaning their faces on a car or big signs thing at all. I take my car to shows so others can enjoy seeing it. I go to shows to see other folks cars not signs.

[Fred]

personally I hate seeing cars with the hoods up at car shows. I leave mine down, but not because i'm embarrassed. I like how the cars look in their natural state.

Hoods down, for at least part of the show.   

Mine's down too. If somebody wants to take a look they only have to ask, I'm happy to oblige.

[Fred]

I had some 6" x 9" photo cards made up by Vistaprint on one of their 50% off specials.  I did a color photo on the front and a black and white phantom print on the back with the story of the car printed over the top.   They aren't expensive.   They will redo them if you are not happy and the online editing software is easy to use.  

The cards are placed in a small acrylic stand from Office Depot by the left front tire.   It does not detract from looking at the car and people seem to find them.    I would still like some kind of a larger sign, but I have not figured out what to do.  

That's a beautiful looking super bird. 

[RallyeMike]

When there are things to display, I have appreciated it when it was displayed in the trunk. How many time have we all seen other things 1) blown over, 2) knocked over, 3) fell down in the engine compartment, etc?  Stuff tends to stay put in the trunk, no tripping over it, and not in the way of photos.

[Bob T]

I had some 6" x 9" photo cards made up by Vistaprint on one of their 50% off specials.  I did a color photo on the front and a black and white phantom print on the back with the story of the car printed over the top.   They aren't expensive.   They will redo them if you are not happy and the online editing software is easy to use.  

The cards are placed in a small acrylic stand from Office Depot by the left front tire.  

Could you put up a scan of the car please Aero, quite interested to find out a bit more circle track history, even though you might have been through it many times, its still interesting to the foreigners. Thanks

[Ghoste]

Just Google Ramo Stott.

[Aero426]

Here's the back side of the card I hand out at shows.   It tells about the history of the car. 

[Aero426]

Front side.   These are done by Vistaprint.  

[Bob T]

Great, Thanks Doug 

[Highbanked Hauler]

 i have seen a lot of people stop and read the sign and other literature about the car.

[myk]

i have seen a lot of people stop and read the sign and other literature about the car.

I'll flip through the photos and read the car's story; who doesn't find that interesting, especially when your own car has a sordid history of its own?  But I think the stuffed animals, dolls, mannequins, dioramas, and the black 70's T/A with the Smokey and the Bandit theme song playing at full blast on a goddamn loop for the entire length of the goddamn car show is a LITTLE annoying... 

[ACUDANUT]

i have seen a lot of people stop and read the sign and other literature about the car.

I'll flip through the photos and read the car's story; who doesn't find that interesting, especially when your own car has a sordid history of its own?  But I think the stuffed animals, dolls, mannequins, dioramas, and the black 70's T/A with the Smokey and the Bandit theme song playing at full blast on a goddamn loop for the entire length of the goddamn car show is a LITTLE annoying... 

Never witnessed that bad of taste. "black 70's T/A with the Smokey and the Bandit theme song playing at full blast on a goddamn loop for the entire length of the goddamn car show is a LITTLE annoying"  that does not make sense either.

[Ghoste]

That would likely drive me away too and I like those cars. 

[ACUDANUT]

A 70 T/A  is also a Dodge.

[myk]

Fine.  '77 T/A...

[twodko]

personally I hate seeing cars with the hoods up at car shows. I leave mine down, but not because i'm embarrassed. I like how the cars look in their natural state. Granted, some who know me would argue that my cars natural state is on jack stands with the hood up.

I really dislike the dolls though. I saw a guy at a show in kansas with a POS 80's corvette who had cut outs he dressed up like a pit crew he stood all around the car. I felt bad for that car. it looked like it had been driven through a pep boys AND an autozone with a shit magnet attached to it. My lord the decals.

I don't care who you are, that's some funny stuff right there! Sho 'Nuf. 

[myk]

Yeah...suffice to say I don't do car shows anymore...

[Ghoste]

Does anyone else ever get the overpowering urge to punt those stuffed cry babies on the fenders?  Just once I want to grab one and launch it.

[myk]

I'm almost afraid to ask...what's this cry-baby on the fender bit?

[polywideblock]

 strange you should say that, got rid of the last of the ex's stuff over Christmas .one of those stupid dolls was left behind so I put it out the front up against streetlight. within minutes had a car screech to  a holt and heard "are you alright dear"       I didn't laugh until  after they left    ,got two others and then it disappeared   

[Fred]

Yeah...suffice to say I don't do car shows anymore...

Me either.

[Ghoste]

I'm almost afraid to ask...what's this cry-baby on the fender bit?

The little stuffed doll about two or three foot high with its arms crossed and its face in its arms like a 6 year old crying on a time out.  It is stupid enough on its own but I have no clue how or why it became the in thing to lean on your car at a show or cruise night.

[Highbanked Hauler]

I'm almost afraid to ask...what's this cry-baby on the fender bit?

The little stuffed doll about two or three foot high wwith its arms crossed and its face in its arms like a 6 year old crying on a time out.  It is stupid enough on its own but I have no clue how or why it became the in thing to lean on your car at a show or cruise night.

Got to agree with that one.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

I remember seeing those "cry-baby dolls" when I first started showing my Charger back in the early 1990's.    It didn't make any sense to me then and it still doesn't twenty years later! I noticed some at the last cruise-in I attended in October.    I just don't see that cry baby dolls have anything to do with cars, car shows, or cruise-ins. But near as I can gather some women (wives of car owners) think the dolls are cute and by making them then displaying them next to hubby's car is their way of being part of the car show thing. 
Personally I wish people would leave their cry-baby dolls, signs, stuffed animals, and trophies, etc. at home.
And if they're going to open the hood do it just enough so people can see what's there and the condition of the engine bay. Cars really do display better with the hood down.

[Ghoste]

Hmm, I suppose it could have started with the wives.  Wives or not, they should leave the cry babies at home and if you want to display something leaning on your car get a Hooters girl or hire a bikini model or something.

[A383Wing]

And if they're going to open the hood do it just enough so people can see what's there and the condition of the engine bay. Cars really do display better with the hood down.

[ODZKing]

Hoods are generally opened so the car will be judged.  All the actual shows I go to, if the hood isn't open the car won't be judged.
But at a cruise in, I agree closed or open a bit.

[Ghoste]

Maybe points should be deducted at judged shows for bad signs or cry babies?

[Sublime/Sixpack]

Hoods are generally opened so the car will be judged.  All the actual shows I go to, if the hood isn't open the car won't be judged.
But at a cruise in, I agree closed or open a bit.

Yes, and that's why many owners open the hood, trunk, console, glove box and doors as far as they'll go, plus place mirrors on the ground, put up signs and display stuffed animals, cry-baby dolls, and previously won trophies. They want to have the best possible chance of being awarded a junky dust collecting piece of plastic trophy that makes them feel special.

Don't get me wrong, it's always nice to WIN, but wouldn't it be nice if we all attended car shows just to have a good time, and not to bag another award.  

[Ghoste]

Thats the only reason I go.

[A383Wing]

Thats the only reason I go.

me too, that's why i leave my hoods down....if someone wants to see something under there, I'll open it up, let them look, and then close it again

I mainly go to see my friends at the shows anyway....the car just gets me there

[Ghoste]

Me too.  I'll wander around and look at the cars but I mostly just go to hang out and tell lies.  When I want to enter the car in something competitive I take it to a drag strip.

[Cooter]

Yet I've yet to see a Hemi car with the hood shut....be it cruise night, or show....
I think the reason I think hoods are opened is to show off as nature intended car cruises to be...

[bill440rt]

Nearly all cars at cruise night/car shows around here have hoods up. Sometimes, the engine IS the starting point of conversation.
Every concours de elegance shows I've attended it was a requirement to display the car with the hood DOWN. Cars are displayed more as an art form than to show off a performance standpoint.
The cars DO present themselves better with the hood closed, though. 

[1974dodgecharger]

Nearly all cars at cruise night/car shows around here have hoods up. Sometimes, the engine IS the starting point of conversation.
Every concours de elegance shows I've attended it was a requirement to display the car with the hood DOWN. Cars are displayed more as an art form than to show off a performance standpoint.
The cars DO present themselves better with the hood closed, though. 

I rather keep my hood close so no one needs to comment about my wiring issues all over the place or too much wiring going on since I have a sound system 0 guage to battery setup.

[J.Bond]

Leaving your hood closed at a show, is like a woman, leaving her panties on, once there off , you have seen everything

imagination is a wonderful thing.......

[Ghoste]

On the other hand, sometimes thats just more exciting.

[myk]

On the other hand, sometimes thats just more exciting.

Agreed.  Nothing is more exciting than full exposure, be it on cars or the sweeter gender...

[Ghoste]

So long as that orchid isn't wilted.