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.