Post car show depression

[SFRT]

...feelin like a chump....in daily life, my car is the only Charger around and I feel all 'special'...but then, after going to the show and seeing like 100 pristine cosmetically perfect cars...I take a look at the Scow and just think 'turd'.

*sigh*..sure..its fast and runs great...but..but...it aint all shiny and perfect. I was sort of ashamed to stand near it.

maybe I should have done the bodywork and paint job first. you guys ever get to feeling that way? how do you handle it. pills? long walks?

[Brock Samson]

    chin up there buckaroo,..  i think i know of which it is you speak,.. and yes i know Primer paint is like soooo 2006, but hey,.. first ya' gotta ask yurself,.. do I feel lucky?..  and then ask yurself what car there really was totally bitchin' you know totally absolutly i gotta have it it's the BOMB! worthy,.. was it the red white and blue rambler american?....  ain't youze about due for new sheet metal and paint anyhoo?..
first thing I'd suggest is loose the beard. 

[Ghoste]

All the time.  I have an occasional job with a local high end restoration place and between that what seems like "everyone else's" cars being nicer I am my cars worst critic.  My friends tell me I'm too crtitical but when I see it I tend to only notice the warts.
It goes away when I drive it, but if I just stand back and look at the car my feelings aren't always so warm.

[SFRT]

dude..that Scrambler was like..better than new. it was weird. it was like the guy polished it under the emblems or something. how in thehell can a normal person get a car in that shape without spending 300 grand and owning an inert helium filled storage vault? I will never know.

maybe if I tailgate a Prius on the way home tonight I'll feel better.

[41husk]

Yep, but it's not about how many are there or how good  or bad yours is.  It's all about your Charger.  It is the only one that belongs to you and thats what makes it special.  I may be wierd, but I often just sit and look at my cars and I did this long before they were done.(if they are ever done)  I always seem to see what they can be rather than what they are.  Some people on here saw my 73 Rallye when I first bought it and most if they didn't say so thought I was crazy, but she looks pretty sweet now, far from a trailor queen, but fun to drive and look at.  I had to replace both fenders, deck lid both doors front valance, and have many hours cutting and replacing sheet metal from the quarters.  I had DS440 from the photo shop thread draw up my vision of what I wanted it to look like and I believe it looks just like the pics he posted.  Be proud of your car, I'm sure it has all the potential in the world.

[Brock Samson]

I think it's one of those kinda' Sits where there's allways gonna be a faster gun,.. I used to come up against that kinda' stuff when i played lead guitar, where folks who weren't even very familier with what i did and could do, thought i was the best thing since sliced bread.. and some other folks (like the guys in my band for example) were hella bored with me and my 20 million effects boxes,.. sometimes when we strive for perfection there comes a point of diminishing returns,.. kinda like being the big fish inna little puddle then mud skipping over to the big pool and being confrunted with the really big fish,.. and that Mopar aLLY SHOW AIN'T NO JOKE. there's some serious bread being dropped on some of those cars,.. alot of those guys are silicon valley execs with two or three new projects comming on line every year...
I have to catch myself too when i attend, as every yr there's a car i pine away for,.. last yr it was the all orig 500 up on the trailer that's now for sale at $45K on ebray,.. but year after yr I lust over that white '56 300... but it's not really my style, i just think it's purfect but I'd be impatient with that car if I had it,.. I want a freakin monster I can mash the peddles of... you too Frank I just know it.
all your car needs is a train horn mounted on the hood.

[FLG]

Yep. I agree with all the statements here.

From your posts it seems you want a car you can drive the crap out of and not worry about. I look at my car all the time and wish it was done, i also am happy i dont want a concourse resto. Look at all the cars and see how many of the real nice ones actually drive under there own power back home? Look at how many go on a trailer. For some people thats fine, thats what they want and im not going to call them anything because its there car. But i for one want a car i can beat the snot out of and not worry about a rock chip.

Granted we all want that amazing paint job...but at what cost?

We make the car look amazing only to trailer it everywhere? To avoid pebbles and whine at every rock that flyes up and whacks the quarter? I for one want my quarter panels coated with rubber form all the damn burnouts, and something i can enjoy. Get your car done, but i never want to say its "PERFECT" because the second it is...you will stop enjoying it for what it is and worry about every little thing.

[69bronzeT5]

Frank, out of all the Chargers I saw in the pictures posted by Dan....your '69 was my favorite by far! It looks SWEET. I love the flat black with the dog dishes and I love the front spoiler. I wouldn't change a thing

I parked my Duster beside a done '74 yesterday at a show. I got a laugh at how my car looks kinda beat up but mine had the bigger motor It's still my car and even though it's kinda beat up, I was super proud to show it

[Tilar]

It's still my car and even though it's kinda beat up, I was super proud to show it

And that is what counts, 

[Neal_J]

I haven't brought my Charger to Mopar Alley in like 7-8 years.  I found that if I left mine at home, the immediate comparison doesn't happen and I don't feel like such a failure. 

Now, I roll up on the show in the Taurus wagon.  I see a bunch of cool cars & then and go home thanking God that I have something in the garage that, while not at the level of many of the cars in the show, at least beats a friggin Taurus wagon..

[69*F5*SE]

Kind of reminds me of when I get R/T envy.  All I got is an 69 SE with a 383 and they're looked at as a "plain Charger".

[Old Moparz]

I know where all the dings, scrapes, rips, cracks, & other blemishes on my Satellite are, but I still take it out in the 20 year old primer to cruises & don't care at all what it looks like. Sure it would be nice to have it shine, but I still enjoy driving it. Same thing with my Scamp, it isn't perfect & it never will be. When the Road Runner is done, it'll be the nicer car of the bunch, but there are still things that won't be 100%. As long as it looks decent I'll be content because I am not the kind of person that is worried about "winning" the best of show.

One of my friends restored his '70 Road Runner convertible about 18 years ago. He did a really nice job on it & the first year he went to shows with it, he took 1st place in his class at the Mopar Atlantic Nationals that year, & 2nd at Carlisle. Both were pretty big events, so snagging 1st & 2nd was pretty cool. The car still looks nice, but is showing some wear because he drives it all over. He had no intention of building a show car, just something done once & done right. He entered the shows just for the hell of it because it paid his & mine admission fees......LOL

[Todd Wilson]

You guys take it too serious!  You need to roll with me and Frankie sometime to a show!

[RD]

its not about what your car looks like, its about how much you enjoy it.

dont make it a competition between you and them... that is called keeping up with the jones'... and never be ashamed of your car.. its yours.

its all about the charger and our enjoyment of the car.  i think it would be a very expensive and lonely hobby if we think we have to make our car pristine.  buy a model if you want to do that.  you are doing 98% more with your car than those pristine car owners.  You are driving the piss out of yours.  that, in itself, makes you and your car more special than the trailer queens out there.  just my two pennies.

[Daytona R/T SE]

You guys take it too serious!  You need to roll with me and Frankie sometime to a show!

Frankie rules! 

[Mike DC]

     
Bring a cutting-edge 1000hp motor to a car show?  Everybody says it's cool. 
Bring a stock 40yo motor setup to a car show?  It's cool too.


Bring a cutting-edge paintjob you could eat off of to a show?  It's cool.
Bring a stock real-world paintjob to a car show?  Suddenly you're a ham-fisted amateur who is unworthy of caring for the car in your hands. 



I have never understood this. 

[PocketThunder]

You guys take it too serious!  You need to roll with me and Frankie sometime to a show!

Ya buddy!  There are 10 restored cars to 1 unrestored cars at a car show and the unrestored car is just a fun to look at as the restored ones.

[Khyron]

Personally, I love the works in progress more. I've pissed off many car show people by running to the aged old 71 white charger and talking to the owner for an hour, then walking by the mint crayola crayon covered purple 71 in the area and just thinking "ohh thats nice" then keep walking.

Chin up, You're car is fine the way it is.

[68charger383]

I find the works in progress in the parking lots a better show then the trailer queens inside at the show.

I've given up on going to shows (boring) with the 40-60 year old guys with their muscle car status symbols and now just go every once and a while to some cruise nights. They don't cost anything and I can blow out anytime I want. 

[Dans 68]

Frank,

Just because you didn't win a trophy in your class?    I understand your dismay with all the "pretty" cars at the show, and how they can quickly gang up on your pride and joy. My take on all of the pretty cars is that their owners spent a ton of money and time on them, and they show it. I appreciate what they represent. Your Scow is a great example also, and with your ministrations will soon be what you want. Part of my love with these cars is the tinker aspect. The owner of that '68 4-speed Hemi Roadrunner at the show has the same thoughts. He is slowly "fixing" what he perceives to be the non-stock aspects of his car, as he wants to make it stock. He has no timetable to doing this, but is doing this one fastener a time. He enjoys what he has. And he drives it. A lot. Like we all should. 

Dan

P.S. Keep the facial hair....

The "Scow" powerplant 

[Neal_J]

Incidentally, my youngest thought your Chiselers plaque with the rate was the coolest thing at the entire show!~

[SFRT]

I realize its nonsensical. I am just feeling alittle ashamed of my bondoed out poorly patched quarterpanels and dutchman is all. I hope to get that fixed in september.

[TexasStroker]

I wouldn't be depressed.  Your car can actually get to the show, that is one good thing!  If you didn't win something who cares.  Most shows have some level of politics behind them, and even if they are open to participant voting, when you have a Mopar, you will usually be at least at a 10:1 disadvantage, or as I like to refer to it the quantity:quality ratio  .  

Pesonally, I don't much care for anything but Mopars.  I'll walk by a pro-street mustang and 9 sec camaro to go look at the rusty 4dr Dart...Just my style.  While the masses flock to the mundane, I go for the Mopar.  A bad car show is getting there and not having any other Mopars.  Hopefully you'd meet some decent brand x ple, but that isn't always a guarantee.

Paint before motor?  That is a personal issue.  Some like to show, some like to go.  Whichever you prefer will dictate what you do.  Personally I prefer "go" over "show."  I believe that is what set Mopars apart.  You might not think you stack up well at the show, but how many of those guys can outrun you?  Does the rich guy with the 600HP blown camaro really know how to drive it and handle that power?  

I respect cars done to the nth degree in terms of concourse resto, or full on show mobile, but to me cars were meant to be driven.  A "muscle car" (Mopars and Chargers in particular) have the task of reminding ple why they were called muscle cars.  I'd take a salty 440 in a primered Duster long before I'd take a top-of-the-line brand x anything.  

To each his own I suppose, but don't let the paint on someone else's car get you down.  You've got a Charger that can be driven, it will always be unique, and as long as you are having fun, that is all that matters  

[CB]

it's just the cosmetics, your car is build to last, I'd take yours over a 100% stock restored one. For sure!

CB

[Mike DC]

 
Yeah, I think what you've put together is really cool right now. 

It's a real car.  Most of the trailer queens (and even a lot of the nice cruisers) aren't real cars anymore.  They're getting to be life-size display models of themselves.

[elanmars]

Can you post more pictures of your car? Despite all your poo-pooing on it, I think it's way rad and the flat black is how I'm going to paint mine as soon as I get a chance to pick it up!!! So I'd like to see more for reference, thanks!!

[Hemidog]

it's just the cosmetics, your car is build to last, I'd take yours over a 100% stock restored one. For sure!

CB

mine's gonna be flat black soon aswell, and I can't wait!

[SFRT]

Can you post more pictures of your car? Despite all your poo-pooing on it, I think it's way rad and the flat black is how I'm going to paint mine as soon as I get a chance to pick it up!!! So I'd like to see more for reference, thanks!!

[mikepmcs]

Your car is AWESOME so quit your bellyachin'     

I want to see more of the cutouts that you posted elsewhere.  What brand are they anyway?  After seeing that video I'm really toying with the idea of installing them on my challenger.

[SFRT]

http://marylandspeed.com/dmh-low-profile-electric-cutouts-pair-dmhlpecut-p-1313.html

these are the ones I got. I had to reinforce the welds on them and get a better switch.

[BIRD67]

Dude, why the hell would you be embarassed to be in that!?! Any Charger is respected these days! Heck, there is this guy that brings a '73 Buick to all the car shows around here, and it is a PIECE! The top is made of bungie cords and blue tarps, but he doesn't car, neither should you! People will always try and "One-Up" each other, it's stupid, but your car is fine, hey, it's better than nothin dude!

[Ponch ®]

Man, that's a badass car that I would give my left nut for.

Having said that, I get what you mean. I wouldnt say its depressing, but certainly deflating. In my case, it's with my daily driver 08 Charger. If I'm at the gas station, the post office, or the grocery store, more often than not it's the most badass car there, and without fail I'll get complimented or someone will pull up next to me and say "nice car", etc. And I feel pretty good about it. Then I go to some of the SoCalLX meets - some of these guys have spent fortunes on custom paint jobs, rims, superchargers, etc.-  and all of a sudden my car is exposed as being the plainest one there. I get all deflated...and it usually doesnt go away until I get another compliment a few days later.

[Mike DC]

   

The musclecar hobby is full of "I drive it all the time" restored cars wearing front tires that are 10 or 15 years old.  IMHO this is the biggest weak spot in the whole hobby.  You can live within an hour's drive of literally hundreds of decent old cars and still go months without seeing one on the road. 





Anything driven is cool. 

Anything driven on days outside of sunny & temperate weather is awesome. 

Anything in a desirable bodystyle & drivetrain that gets driven in all weather is top of the heap IMHO. 

[Neal_J]

Halleluja!!

MIKE DC FOR PRESIDENT!!!~

[mikepmcs]

   

the heap

I got the "heap" portion down pat.



Thanks for the cutout link Frank.  Wow, 400 bones and you had to juice em up and get another switch.   I'm gonna put a set on the charger first I think but don't know if i'm gonna go for those.  Really like the design though and the way they install.....no extra sh#$ hanging out there like others  I've seen.  More research is needed before I dole it out as it's just a wanted wow factor.

v/r
Mike

[Mike DC]

Halleluja!!

MIKE DC FOR PRESIDENT!!!~

Thanks, heh, heh, heh . . . of course, this is all part of my 30-year-old elaborate plan to do just that.   

[69_500]

I don't see anything to be depressed about. I show up to shows in my rust bubbling car all the time. Its fun to be one of the ones that isn't completely restored. I had a blast as well when I had the 69 SE that you could practically see from one side of the car out to the other side by looking through the quarter panels. Odd thing is that every show I went to there was always a stack of notes on the car when I'd get back with offers to buy it.

[Finn]

Personally, I get bored of the pretty cars...
They're all restored using mostly the same parts and it just gets old to me.
Its the unfinished projects I love to see. I dug your charger from when I first saw a picture of it in your shop with a black BMW and a motorcycle by it. Looked tough as hell. Then I saw the video with the electronic cut outs . Ill still go watch and get the same huge grin on my face.
Matter of fact I'm going to go watch it now .

[mikepmcs]

Me too
Just so nobody has to search for it.  Courtesy of Dave F.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHKSXGM3a80

I saw the video with the electronic cut outs . Ill still go watch and get the same huge grin on my face.
Matter of fact I'm going to go watch it now .

[chargerrt]

Everybody has to start somewhere.  Not everybody can military press 250 pounds right off the bat.  Not everybody can run a mile in 6 minutes on their first-ever try.  The same goes with cars.  There's no reason to be ashamed of it 

[mikepmcs]

Not everybody can military press 250 pounds right off the bat.  Not everybody can run a mile in 6 minutes on their first-ever try. 

umm, yeah they can.

[chargerrt]

Not everybody can military press 250 pounds right off the bat.  Not everybody can run a mile in 6 minutes on their first-ever try. 

umm, yeah they can.

I mean, I could, but not EVERYBODY can