Question for you car show goers.

[69wannabe]

I like car shows with a swap meet.

You never know what will turn up!   


It appeals to more people.   

Me too!!! I am a parts freak I guess and I like looking through the parts vendor's for treasure's of the unknown!!! LOL.

[GOTWING]

I'm heading to one tomorrow in the Superbird, I'll let ya know how many dipsticks call it a Superbee..

[new2muscle]

Watching this topic with interest..... as I am considering putting on a car show next year at our Masonic Lodge.

For me, a show with not more than 50-60 or so cars is ideal.... food, music and decent weather makes for a good time.

[440]

I haven't been to a car show in years but I like the ones that take half a day to browse through. Variety is good but I like the shows that are organized by catagory. I don't care much for the modern stuff but they have their place and bring more people to the show, I'd probably just walk straight through unless something catches my eye.

The two best shows I've been to were the Good Guys and my all time favorite Dream Machines at Half Moon Bay. There is a good mix of cars and vintage airplanes etc thrown in the mix. The food is good and It's fun to check out the small hit-n-miss engines, vintage corn chucking machines etc. My favorite years were when they had the truck pulls in the center of the show.

http://dreammachines.miramarevents.com/

[nvrbdn]

I tend to drift towards the smaller shows when I do a show. I am more interested in the cruises where I can drive in, get my dash plaque, grab me a bite to eat and visit with the other participants. Then I can up and leave when ever I want. My trophy is that little dash plaque. It makes a story of my summer travels.

[moparstuart]

I tend to drift towards the smaller shows when I do a show. I am more interested in the cruises where I can drive in, get my dash plaque, grab me a bite to eat and visit with the other participants. Then I can up and leave when ever I want. My trophy is that little dash plaque. It makes a story of my summer travels.

exacty 

[Todd Wilson]

I really don't care for car shows, unless it's a really obscure/odd group of cars there, and would much rather do track days or auto X, but as a "young gun", I can give some input on what would make me take a second look at one.

#1- DONT PLAY 50's MUSIC! ESPECIALLY AT FULL BLAST!
 
 God that's got to be my number one complaint. What a great way to run off anyone under the age of 70. I usually leave a show after 20min if buddy Holley is blasting at 120 decibels.

#

HAHAHAHA!   I hear you on the music. The music has never bothered me over the years because I grew up listening to that music because it was the music my parents listened too.  I always wished they would play some of "my" music.   Over the last several years I am starting to hear less of the old music and starting to hear some of "my" music. I am also noticing the older guys and their cars who listened to Buddy Holly are not there anymore............why you ask? Because they are dead!  When you start hearing "your" music at the shows understand you are in or approaching the old crowd and the next generation is sitting there waiting to hear "their" music!    Where will you be then?  6 feet under!    

Todd

[nvrbdn]

well said. And that is the true story of the music.

[LaOtto70Charger]

I like the small shows with variation in cars.  I agree on no loud music.  I do like when they play different music from different eras and types.  Personally I prefer 70s to 90s country.  Also the old 50s music and some big band stuff.  I also like it when they have some interesting things for kids.  Since I have 4 I try to take them with me but limited. 

The car bug is already starting to bite them at least.  Past couple shows they were some of the few kids there that at least looked interested in the cars and some of the car owners appreciated that.  Last coffee and Cars in Auburn one guy even let them crawl in his Chevy van for pictures on the seats.  Couple years ago at the Labor day show in Auburn there was a couple that had a Hudson Hornet painted up like Doc from Cars just for kids to climb around on.  Not saying there needs to be bounce houses and stuff, but if you have a show in a shaded park it becomes a family event.  (Appleton WI has a really nice show at Pierce Park in that regards.) Plus there maybe someone to pass the cars down too when they start playing your music.

[GOTWING]

Not that I really care about getting plastic trophies etc. but I had to wonder ... so Saturday I went to a small local car show maybe 40-50 cars they handed out the top 25 and then two other types of top pics and then 1st place The Superbird got NOTHING !  Although it did draw the largest gatherings around it. 

[Todd Wilson]

Not that I really care about getting plastic trophies etc. but I had to wonder ... so Saturday I went to a small local car show maybe 40-50 cars they handed out the top 25 and then two other types of top pics and then 1st place The Superbird got NOTHING !  Although it did draw the largest gatherings around it. 

Around my parts if you are not in the local hotrod club and part of the special group in the club you wont win anything.


Todd

[A12 Superbee]

I'll go to pretty much any show because there's generally something interesting to look at that you might not have seen before but one of the things that really pisses me off, are shows that have trophies and categories that are just ridiculously biased towards someones or some clubs own cars and judges that don't have a freakin clue what they are looking at.

Perfect example, you take your mint A12 Superbee to a show, a car that no-one at the show will have ever seen before, its the consumate 'muscle car' of its era, and a 1970 Charger that started life as a 318 base model car and now has a 400 (yes, a 400 in it) and it's got shiny wheels and a shiny engine bay, and it wins 'Best US Muscle Car' of the show?

W  T  F  !!!!!!!!!!!

It's not the first time its happened and won't be the last. I personally don't care who gets a trophy as long as it's the best car in that class, or the most deserving, but when it's clear the judges don't have a clue, then don't have categories for those cars, just stick with what you know or get people that know these cars to do the judging on the clubs behalf.

Shows without trophies are great too and I think it's good to have a theme for the show, just to spice things up and change it every time the show is on, like 'Factory Drag cars', or 'Station Wagons' or 'Factory black cars'.

[440]

Personally I think if you go to shows expecting to win a Trophy or are dissapointed when you don't win anything you are going for the wrong reasons.

Go enjoy the show and the other activities, if you win something great, if not "oh well".

[A12 Superbee]

I agree, as long as the reason, i.e. the car that does win is universally accepted as the more deserving winner.

In Australia it's far more common to see cars like blinged out Ford Mustangs with chrome everywhere winning best '60's Muscle car' when it looks nothing like the car as it was born. Or worse still, best muscle car award going to a pimped out station wagon that's running a small block, i.e. it aint even a muscle car.

The issues are mainly categorisation based, and this is where many car shows fall down. They just don't have the intellectual capacity to know where to put cars in what categories.

Trophy hunting should be discouraged. If you don't win anything it should be ok with everyone, just make sure that the cars that do win fit the category, otherwise, as I have seen, people walk away scratching their heads "WTF was that all about?" and subsequently lose faith in the judges/clubs ability to organise a chook raffle, let alone a car show.

[69CoronetRT]

Size venue to number of cars. Nothing looks worse than 100 cars spread out over a parking lot designed for 500.

Mature shows with a consistent number of cars per class (Carlisle) can afford to break out cars by class. Small shows cannot. It creates gaps between classes. Consolidate the cars.

Appropriate music, if any, to age group, theme, and overall show. A nostalgic show at a drive in with a focus on 50s and early 60s cars= appropriate for Beach Boys. General all makes all years where the majority of cars are 70s to newer = no music or careful selection of mainstream classic rock, 90s - 00s and new Country.

Access to shade. Open parking lots in July suck no matter your age. Downtown shows get hot from all the buildings. Consider later times to keep people out of midday sun.

Access to variety of decent food. Being land locked to shows where the only food is over cooked cheap hot dogs made by Bubba the club member on a dirty grill so the promoter gets the concession money is being a poor host. Invite mobile food trucks that serve more than mini donuts or ask a local church/school group to set up a food stand with 2-3 choices.

Access to clean bathrooms and plenty of trash cans. Keep bathrooms and trash cans clean. For downtown shows: let merchants know they may have an influx of people wanting to use bathrooms and/or post signs listing if a public bathroom is or is not available.

New cars: the promoter doesn't care who pays the entry fee or what they bring. It's still cash in the till and one more car at the show. Participants care so tailor your show accordingly. Consider limiting show to cars 10-20 years old or over.

Use credible outside of town judges to prevent perception of favoritism. The local body guy may know paint but not shit about a clone from an original.

Tie in with fundraiser or local event when possible.

[RECHRGD]

I don't go to many shows anymore.  I much prefer the cruises or just driving the car in general.  As others have said, the judging should be impartial and as informed as possible.  I think my craziest experience was several years ago at a small town show.  I was in the "'60 thru '75 muscle car class" and had the nicest car (by far) in the class.  Knowing that I had an easy first place trophy coming my way, I stuck it out and stayed at the show until trophy time.  I won second place.  They gave first place in my class to an '84 El Cameno that had been in the "pick-up class". . I guess the "judges" just wanted all their pick-up buddies to get trophies......

[BrianShaughnessy]

I stopped going to a lot of car shows...   most of the parking lot deals are boring.

I'll make an exception if friends are putting them on for a good cause.   I go to a local pizza cruise in on Tuesdays because I like the pizza and my friends are running it...  if you win you get a gift certificate for free pizza        I go to another cruise on Saturday because E-booger and some other friends show up - but I don't 'register' the car with the car club blasting the 50s crap - I might buy some 50/50 tickets tho.

As for anything else..  I'm tired of being the entertainment...  I pay to be entertained.    Got bands?  OK!   Got the downtown blocked off and the stores and restaurants are open? Great!   Does the 50/50 $ go to a good charity?   It should!   Does the DJ play anything recorded after 1963?  They better... or I'm gone.

[polywideblock]

"In Australia it's far more common to see cars like blinged out Ford Mustangs with chrome everywhere winning best '60's Muscle car' when it looks nothing like the car as it was born. Or worse still, best muscle car award going to a pimped out station wagon that's running a small block, i.e. it aint even a muscle car."

you have to remember that Australian car culture is stuck in the "street machine " era , it isn't a "muscle car " unless it is dripping with chrome   

[440]

Australia is stuck in the chrome hot rod era. Personally I'm not a fan of lots of chrome. Australia also seems to have more Mustangs than the USA   You also seem to see a lot more of unusual things here like late 70's early 80's Cadillacs, 6cyl camaros, Pontiac Parisiennes and stuff like that.

I'll go out on a limb and say Australias street machines are arguably better than US street machines. Another thing is Australia has a fetish of burning rubber.

[polywideblock]

have to agree there   https://www.streetmachine.com.au/events/summernats/1501/video-summernats-28-burnout-masters

[Dino]

I hate shows...

Haven't been to one in over 20 years now. Visited a small local show once or twice and had to get out of ther fast. Not for me.

I just want to drive it to the store and to work and use it as an actual car, rain or shine. I might do a cruise because then I can actually drive, but nothing like that Woodward circus!

[dyslexic teddybear]

I go to a few each year......

Cons--always some people who know less then they think they do and are willing to be obnoxious to prove it. Just like life in general, everyone would benefit from less 'holes. SOP is to ignore them.

Pros--Almost always find something that catches my interest, most often something unique that I haven't seen before. And I often end up talking to the owner for some time about it and really checking it out thoroughly. A couple of local dealers put on a Mopar day each year......earlier this summer talked to a guy that restored a 85 Diplomat patrol car. A few weeks ago at the other dealers show, talked extensively to a guy about his original Power Wagon. He still uses it when he needs to haul something. Year before talked to the owner of a restored J10 Jeep pickup his father got new.

Shows reflect people in general......some great people.....some 'holes.

[Ponch ®]

Co-sign on the awful 50s music.

I'd also throw in there cliche 70s butt rock songs that are unavoidable at car shows: "Slow Ride", "Let it ride", or anything by the Doobie Brothers. You know what im talking about...as soon as you hear the intro riff to "Rockin down the highway" or "china grove", you know its gonna be a long day.

I basically avoid or try to leave ASAP any show that has a vendor selling "Old Guys Rule" merchandise.


They say the classic car hobby is dying among young people...and i blame the Doobie Brothers for it.

[bill440rt]

Just went to a local show yesterday. I knew I was doomed as soon as I saw the DJ setup and Don't Be Cruel blaring over the loudspeakers. 7 straight hours of 50's Doo-wop she-bop she-boop. 
I would have left, but the show supported the local fire dept. There was also a first responder there with a nice display of 9/11 memorabilia, including pieces of the Twin Towers. So, in that case it was for a good cause. It was also my father's birthday, and he was driving up to meet for dinner. So I stayed.
But the music... 

[DixieRestoParts]

I think it's important to separate car shows from cruise-ins. I rarely attend "open" car shows as a participant. Those shows have a higher percentage of experiencing everything people say they hate in the above comments. Not to say Mopar only shows are perfect.

With cruise-ins, I can easily leave when the music or morons get too much for me, and they rarely cost more than $5 to enter. I just hang out, and talk to people and enjoy the cars. Much like the old "cruising" I did as a kid where hotrods would park on a corner and we'd talk until wee hours of the dawn or someone stirred up a race or a hot date. I don't see kids cruising anymore. I guess the city's have crushed that. Or at least where I'm at.