Event Coverage What is important to you when attending a car show

I prefer to do a couple of cruises a week and let it go at that. I can't justify a whole day in the hot summer sun, unless I'm on the beach and can get into the water. I also like to leave when I have enough. One place by me has a cruise night at the beach after the crowds are gone for the day and it starts at 6 PM. I'll check that out next year.

 

Friendly people enjoying the cars.

 

Im a firm believer that... if you wanna show the engine build it tall enough you need a hole in the hood!....or build a roadster

 

I would rather attend an event than a show. An "event" means there is something going on, that I could participate in, or watch.


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Been watching this thread with great interest, so I'll throw in my 2 cents. Pretty much out of the "show scene" 'cause of the cost. Last show we did was in Jan. Far to many free get to gathers locally. Friday night gathering less than a mile away, Sat morning 2 different events, another on Sunday morning just a mile away. You get there when you want and leave when you want. Seldom see anything newer than 65. No music, just like minded car folks.

 

Look at the cars I like and leave.

 

I'll vote on the half naked women. I've seen the cars and skin is more entertaining.

 

We put a lot of time and money into our autos so I feel we should be free no entry fees. Without our autos there is no car show. I paid $35-40 to enter a goodguys show a long time ago and I swore that day I would never pay that kind of money again, and I've never been back.


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I enjoy a swap meet comprised of sellers with car parts/automobilia in them. There's one huge one and a few smaller ones around me that I hit every year. Those could be made even better by filtering out the non-auto-related sellers.

I go to one church parking lot show each year just because it's in my dad's hometown and we both bring some cars out, it's fun that way.

Then there are the hot rod type shows, of which we went to two this year. It's fun to see the people I know all get to one area, check out the swap meet and old campers and stuff set up, I personally think the pinup contests are fun although apparently many do not, we don't drink so we never stay for the bands.

Stuff to look at/do is fun. We went to one show tied to an old brewery and took a tour of the buildings, that was neat to see and it ate up some of the boring, sit-around time. I used to be involved with a few road rallys (like you get a sheet of clues and go on the town to figure them out, ect) which were really fun and I had hoped it would catch on so I could be more of a participant than an organizer but they really didn't.

Beach racing looks fun, the hillclimb looks really cool. The road rallys were fun, I'd love to do more events that actually involve doing something and not just a show. What is this guy doing? I want to do that.

 

A driving skill test? See if you can get your tires in between the balls without knocking one over.
Looks like fun.

 

1) Indoors would be nice.

2) Good, detailed seminars-----example how to tune a certain style of carb. Information you can really use.
Not BSish sort of "workshops" glossing over stuff that you kinda already know.

If Vendors, then:
3) Detailed displays that show me what your product does and why i should buy it.

4) Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, yet not pushy company reps. No asking me for my e-mail/personal info/asking to check my underwear.......etc.

 

Shade, open parking lots are terrible.
Low to no cost.
No load music all day long, couple hours, but no more. Live music would be much better.
Driving challenge would be fun, burn out contest don't interest me, nor loudest exhaust. Drive on Dyno would be fun to watch.


I went to a local show in downtown, nice streets and plenty of shade. They parked me across from the dumpsters and out houses. I made one trip down the street and back and left. All the members of the show were down the street, everyone else on the out skirts, NO THANKS!

 

DITTO!!!

 

Reading the reply from "c-10 simplex" reminded me of shows I've been to with seminars. I've been to rod shops that had shows and customer appreciation BBQ. It was awesome for me to see what they were working on and even gave seminar and overview of English wheels and other equipment I didn't have in my garage. Good overview and education!

 

*Good Swap meet!
*Cut off year!
*No burnout crap!

 

Remember wallet.
Do not lock keys in car.
Limit chili dog consumption.

 

Friday ( Veterans Day) the local Cruisin Association and the VA Hospital had the best show we have attended in a long time. It was free, it was judged, it was in a covered parking lot. They fed us FREE burgers, dogs / chips and water. Met some great folks. It was totally well organized, we know we will be there for the next one. Sue won a "Vets Pick " with her 57 Starchief.

 

It sounds like a great show. Where was it?

 

Easier to flip what I don't like. Music is ok, but in moderation and for shit's sake MIX IT UP A LITTLE. Same worn out doo wop bullshit seasoned with The Beach Boys, and whatever the fuck you do you gotta play "Little GTO", right? I could live the rest of my life and never hear it again! Not only is it the same songs, I agree as posted above, TOO LOUD. What to play? How about FM songs from the 60s thru about 74? Isn't that what y'all had blasting from your Craig stereo?
Food that's probably been sitting in that trailer since the show from 3 weeks ago Better to pay as much as $3-5 more for quality grub or else I'll bring my own.
Swap meets that are filler to gain more entry money. Most swaps attached to shows are pretty lame. Do one or the other, focused events do best. As a swap vendor you won't sell shit to show attendees so in my experience it's a waste of time and space.
Park your car and can't move it until X:00 o'clock. Shows that have cars moving about seem to have a pulse. Cruising lanes rule, and in fact setting up a mini tour or ride before or during is nice draw. Well, it should be. Seeing someone sunburned with a California Duster in his hand all day? Poor bastard...
Brand specific competition or complete focus on brand like a Mopar Nat'ls or Fun Ford or Super Chevy. How many Hugger Orange Z/28s, Plum Crazy Challengers, or Black Mustangs do we need to pack into one space? Frankly I even got a bit tired of a Packard Nat'l meet because it was the same few cars all week. I understand it but I try to avoid it.
So that's my "don't like" list. How about likes?
This goes against the grain of most everyone here, I'd say that's mostly a skewed outlook or pre-conceived notion, but I like a real live Concours type of event. High quality, massive diversity, rare and precious icons never seen otherwise. I've often wondered how "we" could do something similar. Surely we wouldn't hold our pinky up as we sip that morning coffee, and the only exclusion would be the modern "@#t rod" because it's essentially a new development with no basis in historical fact (past hack jobs don't count). But to have an invitational show for a select number of entrants and then a nice group of the rest of "us", it could be a hit. Select 50-75 cars, an "open" for another 250-500. In a short period of time it would become a must-do event and a venue to bring out the significant variants we love so much. Vary the theme too. One year it's customs, the next lake racers, another year show rods, you get the idea, right? And it doesn't have to have all 50-75 be themed, you get as many as you can get and that's your featured class. If you get 10 then so be it, maybe you'll get 20 or more. I see that as a potential winner of a show. A hang out or cruise the night before seals the deal. There's something magic about a hot rod on the road at night, right? Carry on...

 

I LOVE this idea, and with the number of historic hot rods that are still around in SW BC and NW Washington state, this could really work around here.
As a general rule, I LIKE car shows, been attending them around here since the sixties. Lately theres been a local trend towards car shows that are put on by local business interests like the chamber of commerce, that can really suck the soul out of an event, but I enjoy most "car guy" type shows, and I prefer car shows with a mixture of cars. I go to shows to enjoy cars, not to make some sort of "lifestyle" statement. A lot of the local mixed shows will even attract a Classic or two.
Theres a concours type event here in White Rock, but I keep missing it. Last year I was out of the country, I really have to make a point of going this year. I am going to Vietnam a month earlier this year, so I should be back in time. Hopefully theres another Ocean Park show in 2017, since the Tri-5 club picnic has folded up, that become my favorite show.

 

I prefer early (6:30-8:30a) less formal short (2 hour) cruise-ins or meet-ups over car shows. Attendees are usually knowledgeable car guys vs. families (with bratty kids).

 

Bandit's Top Ten Touring Turn-Offs;
1. Pin up girls, it's been done. Exotic dancers and swim suit models... preferably female ,
2. DJs, enough said above but I concur,
3. Cops, "blue lives matter" but there were 300 off-duty cops at Longbeach, WA last year...I mean damn,
4. Slow moving parade route, our local "cruisin the gut" is more "stop and sit in your overheating old car on main St."
5. New cars, those aren't muscle cars, those are retro cars. "See them now at your local car dealer",
6. Pre 64 - sorry guys, a lot has happened in that last 53 years and some of it is actually worth checking out.
7. A holes, not like model A guys but more like people that damage your car at an event and split (thanks t-bird guy)
8. No alcohol, acceptable only at church cruise-ins (probably not catholic church cruise-ins )
9. Trophies, unless they are trophy wives than perfectly acceptable,
And number 10. $550 burn out tickets! That really harshs my mellow.

 

cut off year 1960

 

If you are a REAL "traditional" hot rodder, the cut-off is 1948.
When did NSRA start letting post-48 cars into their shows? I think it was in the late nineties? Maybe we need to get back to that.

 

New black Escalades wouldn't make the cutoff date.
And who you call'n "Sir" sonny

 

Put power scooter chair rentals on my list of "don't like". The truly handicapped probably already have their own. The rest of us lard asses need the exercise so put on some comfortable shoes and walk.

Things I like:
1. Decent food. Man, there are some awesome food trucks out there - invite them instead of the usual fried carnival food.
2. Clean toilets. And enough of them. Designate about 2/3rds for the ladies.
3. Swap meet with only car parts. No homemade crafts, quilts, beanie babies, homemade wine, honey, or non-automotive stuff allowed.
4. Car corral. Never know where the next car may come from.

 

I believe it was 2009 or 2010 when NSRA went to the 30 year rule.

 

And basically ruined their events for me.

 

1: No music. I hate having to scream at the dude standing next to me because some disc jockey idiot wants to crank up some crusty old tunes. I also hate live bands, if I wanted to hear that crap I'd go to a concert not a car show.

2: Appropriate cars only.

 

Wow, that recently! Thanks Irant. So a little food for thought for those that own fifties era cars, and are carrying on about hating sixties cars at car shows.