Am I just getting old...

[Horseplay]

Living in the Midwest, we have a very definite car show season. After spending 5-6 months holed up waiting for the sun to return I can't tell you how much of a joy it is when Memorial Day weekend arrives to signify the start of "car season". Here's my problem. OK, one of my many problems. I don't find a parking lot full of late models and imports a car show. I know it has been touched on a thousand times elsewhere but I don't recall a discussion on the Fix about it. As it seems many here share my twisted views on a lot of life's topics I figured we could bounce this one around a bit.

I've owned my share of mustangs. Classics and modern era. I would never park a run of the mill modern ride, or one I slapped a set of new wheels on, in a show lot and feel like I belonged. I certainly wouldn't take a car with a window sticker still attached and act like I had something special. Today that is all you see. Go to a Mustang or Ford Night and 90% are basically stock newish cars. You might get a Fox body or two but other than that it is bone stock new or worse, some riced out version of a late model.

Used to be lots were full of old muscle and guys who turned their own wrenches. Talk was of cams swaps and carb tuning. Today it's Hondas and ridiculously dressed kids talking out their butts about things they haven't a clue. Like, my Honda just spanked that Cobra....

I should say I am fortunate because living in the Chicago area there are places I can go to avoid most of this and see some nice cars but as a general rule this is the state of today's shows/gatherings.

So here is the question. Do you think a late model, basically stock car has any business in a car show? Or at the very least, would you segregate them off to an area separate of classics and modified? I'm assuming everyone here would agree the "Pimp My Ride" cars with 20" wheels, trunk-loads of stereo equipment and video screens should be banished to the ricer lots. Or have I officially become a grumpy old man.

 

[AzPete]

When I had my '07 Vert, it had a few changes but nothing outstanding. I took it because I am in a Mustang club....not just a classic Mustang club soooooooo, I wish it would have been modified more but irt wasn't. Should I not participate?

I have always felt the older cars are under represented at all the shows. Locally, it seems owners don't want to drive them....saving for the big sale someday or afraid it will get dirty. Some don't take the time from other things to bring the cars out. Their choice just like it is my choice to drive mine a lot.

Times are a changing........and this includes the classic car world. After all, what is a classic to me at 59 years old does not match up to what my grandson thinks is a classic.

Find the shows you enjoy and save the frustration...

 

[jims6t6]

When I had my '07 Vert, it had a few changes but nothing outstanding. I took it because I am in a Mustang club....not just a classic Mustang club soooooooo, I wish it would have been modified more but irt wasn't. Should I not participate?

I have always felt the older cars are under represented at all the shows. Locally, it seems owners don't want to drive them....saving for the big sale someday or afraid it will get dirty. Some don't take the time from other things to bring the cars out. Their choice just like it is my choice to drive mine a lot.

Times are a changing........and this includes the classic car world. After all, what is a classic to me at 59 years old does not match up to what my grandson thinks is a classic.

Find the shows you enjoy and save the frustration...

+ 1 I also enjoy looking at and discussing Late Model mods

 

[Horseplay]

I'm not against a modified late model. I just recently parted with my supercharged Roush, for example. The thing is I did a lot of work to that car including adding a Kenne Bell supercharger, for example. What I'm talking about is the guy who buys an off the showroom floor '10 GT , Camaro, SRT8 or GT500, etc. If I can walk into a new car showroom and see one I don't really think it belongs. I mean if I wanted to see row after row of 2005+ mustangs I could go to a Carmax.

Pete has a very valid point about a person's perspective at differing ages. I guess I'm fortunate that my teenage son gets it and isn't looking to put a coffee can and a monster tach on a Toyota anytime soon.

 

[nymustang]

I have a friend who has a Dodge Ram Daytona. That truck is his baby and he's been to more shows with it than I'll ever be with my stang. He's won several awards with it too. Has he done anything to it? Just keeps it really really clean and some minor audio upgrades. I asked him about this myself think "why would you go to a show with a brand new truck?" His point is that in most cases people are looking to see who has the cleanest of the clean cars or the best audio system. But more than that its the friendships he has built around the truck which is not unlike what we have with our Mustangs. Its not my thing, but it obviously does it for a lot of people.

 

[GrabberOrange69]

.... I would never park a run of the mill modern ride, or one I slapped a set of new wheels on, in a show lot and feel like I belonged. I certainly wouldn't take a car with a window sticker still attached and act like I had something special...Used to be lots were full of old muscle and guys who turned their own wrenches...Do you think a late model, basically stock car has any business in a car show? Or at the very least, would you segregate them off to an area separate of classics and modified? ...

Here's another question: Would you take a completely stock early car to a show? With a window sticker in it? In the mid sixties, Ford sponsored Mustang clubs around the country, and I'd suspect they weren’t much different back then than they are now. The cars were new so not everyone wanted to modify them.

But your point is the same way I feel now. I don't care to spend time looking at the new cars, and much prefer older cars that have been modified.

I'm a "grumpy old man". Well, just "old man" if they're serving beer...

 

[70_Fastback]

I'm with you on this one Horseplay. I'm a pure vintage guy. And I'm young(ish) too.

The last show I went to had at least 5 new cars with stickers on the windows still. Like someone else said - If I wanted to see that I would go to a new car lot...

 

[daveSanborn]

So here is the question..... Or have I officially become a grumpy old man.

I'm unsure how old you are, but you do seem a bit grumpy.


I try and take my car out to a show once a month. Mostly just to get away from the house for a couple hours. I won't wash it, detail it, etc.... I pretty much just pull it out of the garage and go. There's a car show type event here usually every weekend. If I have to pay to attend I usually won't go to that event. Nothing burns me more than to have to pay an entry fee for a local "cruise-in" type event unless it's used for some form of charitable donation/fund raiser.

If the car show is open to all years/makes/models, the new car/ricer car owners are just as proud of their car as you are of yours. I try and attend only those shows/cruise-ins that are specifically advertised as a "muscle car" event to avoid the sea of cars with "alteeza" tail-lights and aftermarket stereos.

 

[Horseplay]

OK. I'll come clean. I'm 42. I don't consider myself grumpy and old but I have been known to act the part. See this thread for proof.

I'm not so much against the newer cars as much as I just don't like where the trend is headed. Short of something out of The Fast and Furious, I can appreciate just about anything for the time, effort and skill necessary to modify the vehicle. I guess the key word being "modified". Store bought doesn't get it for me.

Maybe I should have asked, "Where have all the hot rodders gone?" Those are the guys, Dave, that we like to hang out with and share our stories (and a few beers). Not the guys with 20" wheels, 2000 amp stereos and A-pillar gauge pods (whose gauges are rarely operable save for the neon colored back-lights).

I think it was Pete who said lots of the old muscle car guys are just sitting things out these days. It's too bad.

Gotta go chase some kids off my lawn...

 

[garner67]

I'm for all makes and models at car shows. It doesn't mean that I have to drool over some punk's pimped out ricer, but like Dave said, those owners are just as proud of their car as you are of yours. Also, don't forget, today's new cars will be tomorrow's classics.

Personally, I try to select cruise-ins and shows that mainly have hot rods and classics, because, like you, I don't really care to look at new cars or foreign makes. So I see your point, but I still support anyone who is passionate about their car... even if it's not a classic.

 

[AzPete]

Going back a bit in my short life span, I can remember going to car shows in the 50's and 60's with my Dad and hearing the same comments. The guys that had the Model A's and such were complaining about the cars of the 50's and 60's being to new.

With this entire subject, everybody is right for their own desires. I wish the local area had more classics that would get out of the garage for cruise ins and shows. I know they are out there.......but. I see within our Mustang club a very limited number of classics that are at the events. Many have not been driven in a long time and are not safe to run again.

I have just gotten to where I go to the ones that do not cost (except our Mustang club annual show) and while there, I walk past the ones I want to. I do wish that there were more shows that were judged AND offered a lower cost to show but not be judged.

Oh well, back to the shipping game............

 

[Fast68back]

I think shows should have different classes for late models. The last show I attended was put on by the local Ford SVT club and they had one class for Mustangs, not a 60's Mustang, 70's or early and late models. They also only had one Firebird/Camaro class and there was a nice '68 Firebird along with some transformer edition late model Camaro....

 

[AzPete]

The different classes would be nice. Locally, it is sometimes hard to get enough of all the different cars to have several classes. Another thing we run into is planning. A club plans for so many class break downs, buys trophies, and then guess what shows up....totally different groupings. It is a never ending problem.

I also do not like the top 20/40/1 million of a show either. That is like giving all the T-Ball teams a trophy because the played......

 

[Midlife]

I've pretty much stopped going to shows the past 2-3 years for a variety of reasons.

(1) I'm working more hours at work, and need the weekends to recover (i.e. take naps when I can).

(2) The harness business is taking off, and each harness takes one weekend day to complete.

(3) Our local shows have stopped judging entirely; they now give trophies to the top 50 or 75, often times to everyone that shows up. WTF?

(4) Cruise-ins are typically Saturday evenings, although we have a good Friday late afternoon one-a-monther and some cruise-ins are Saturday during the day. After working on harnesses on Saturday, I'm really not in the mood to go cruising. Friday late afternoons are impossible to attend if one works to 5PM (must show up at 5:30 to get a spot).

#2 and #3 are the biggest reasons for my not participating much. I'd rather bring in some coin than spend a couple of hours prepping and then showing the car for nothing.