Event Coverage Knoxville, Tennessee Nats South

Yes, they do have a swap meet. HRP

 

Unfortunately the swap meet has diminished in size as has the car count. Last year was the smallest I've been to in 30 years. But if you're in our neck of the woods, it's worth the stop.

 

I will be there.

 

I'm looking forward to going, hope to see some old friends and put some faces to the handles here.

If we get everything done with the interior I will be in the old beater, if not we will be in the wagon.HRP

 

NSRA Knoxville is a far cry from what it once was. We no longer even consider going. Too far to go for a mediocre at best run.

 

^^^ And that's one of the reasons shows get smaller and smaller . Everyone keeps dropping out and telling others it is not worth going to. I use to go to Nats north in Kalamazoo but somethings came up a couple years in a row and I did not make it Then a bunch of people started talking how it to was dying out. Have not been back. My bad! Hope all that go have a great time! Larry

 

As in life everything changes, I started going to the Nats South when it was Winston Salem, then it move to Columbia, South Carolina and then to Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Nats South was a show our club looked forward to and there were 12 to 15 members that traveled together, over the years some members have moved on to other hobbies, some have health problems and regrettably others have passed away, we still have a few that go every year

We look forward to making this show our first one of the year, granted the excitement has waned and it's not as big as it use to be, but I still think it's a good show. HRP

 

What!?!?
You know, I never thought about that since moving to East Tennessee. Wasn't GG's later in the year? I went several times while living in Memphis, but didn't put 2+2 together. Hell, I used to drive from Memphis to Knoxville just for the show and my annual Smokey Mountain visit. FWIW, the GG meet was great back then as far as cars and swap meet, but the heat and humidity killed it for me. If both groups are competing for the same dollar, why in hell have it on the same weekend? No wonder the car count is down! FUBAR!

 

GG has been later in May. There are also events in Lebanon,Tenn. and Tupelo,Miss. on the same weekend. I'm going to Tupelo for the first time just to try something new.

 

You are absolutely right Larry, the NSRA was started in 1970 and Goodguys came along in 1983 so I would thing there was a conscious effort made to have their event on the same weekend.

In the beginning I thought 2 organizations would be good for the hot rod & custom world, obviously the two organizations started butting heads and in turn attendance at both their events suffered using competing dates.

In the future I foresee more events on both sides biting the dust much like the Goodguys show in Charlotte,North Carolina.

I for one will continue to attend Knoxville the first weekend in May as long as it is hosted there or I decide I no longer want to participate. HRP

 

The Good Guys are apparently coming to York,Pa. Fairgrounds in August. Not the same time as the NSRA on their long held, traditional date in Early June, but I'm curious to see how the GG event will impact the already declining NSRA show. It's obviously a strategic move on the part of the GG organization to minimize the NSRA event. If someone is coming from 3 or 4 states away, or even local, they may be inclined to budget only attending one of the two events. 3 or 4 nights in a hotel, food, gas, entry fees, etc. is bound to affect one or both events. I will be watching as this develops.

 

Don, You brought up something that didn't even occur to me, the cost of going to the events, Many of us that attend have done so for more years that some of our younger members here have had a driver license and as we age & retire the disposable income is greatly diminished, especially if we are still building cars.

I remember going to my first NSRA nat's in Winston - Salem, North Carolina driving my Model A pickup and we were there for three days,the motels , gas, food, entry, and the mandatory Tee shirts were covered with less than two hundred bucks and I actually had a few dollars left in my pocket when I got home. HRP

 

Sure miss going to the nats south. We haven't been in four or five years it always use to be our first big run of the year for 30 plus years. Hope to get back down there. Always loved the smokey mountains. Here's a plaque my wife won there back in 87.

 

The cost has been a big for me and My group. We still do Back to the 50's , have been for 25 years . Use to be a couple hundred bucks , now over 5to 600.00 with everything. Use to do Louisville , Kalamazoo, G G Indy [ really loved that show with the drags] , for a couple years nsra and goodguys had shows here in Wisconsin, but they did not take off. The guys and me try to take in the vintage drag events at the strips up here, but those are one dayers. Larry

 

............Those were the good old days for sure, Danny. My first major event was Timonium, Md. in 1974, just as the NSRA was taking it over from Capitol Street Rods and subsequently moving it to York,Pa. Gas was cheap, food was cheap and it was a day trip for me with no hotel expense. Things have surely changed over the years.

 

Anybody remember buying any Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish in the spring of 1977 in Winston-Salem from this guy?
That is my 33 Chevy and you can see the end of my trailer on the left above.
If you did happen to buy some, thank you!
I hope you were happy with it.
I had a great time for a few years introducing Mothers to the east coast.
Great memories.

Actually, after reviewing the pictures; I think these are from two different trips and thus two different years. The one with me in it had spring of 1977 written on the back. The other picture didn't have a date but my trailer had a top I made for it after the first year so it could well be 1978. Not that anybody really cares!

 

I remember seeing the car and the guy in the yellow shirt seem to ring a bell, I hope your distributorship didn't go up in flames like mine with the wax shop. HRP

 

Do you go up interstate 40 to knoxville?

 

No, We prefer to take the scenic route, generally go through the mountains, Westminster, Clayton, Cherokee, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and into Knoxville, are you going this year? HRP

 

Be sure to wave at Dolly as you go by.

 

Several years ago a lady was doing the children's story at church. She was holding up tools and having the kids identify them. She held up a hammer and a little boy identified it. Then she asked what you did with it. In a still, small voice he said, "Break things."

 

Getting closer, the interior is finished in the old beater and that's what I intend to drive. HRP

 

We have been to Tupelo several times and enjoyed it. We are going to try and make it over there on Saturday, we’ll be in the wife’s yellow 88 Firebird Formula 350 if we make it. Flag me down and introduce yourself if you see me.

 

We are taking the confused pickup with us this year with a for sale sign attached. HRP

 

^^That is just one incredibly beautiful truck^^^^

 

Thank you Don. HRP

 

Everything about that truck is perfect.
r


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Thanks man. HRP

 

Make sure you check your NUTS before you leave! And above all have fun and take PICS! Larry

 

Ok guys that have been lately, give me some advice on where the best place to park . This is my 1st big show with my 31 pickup me and wife are coming in from seiverville on Saturday. I am fairly familiar with chillowee park have been there when Honda did the hoot there. Just looking for a stress free weekend and a good experience for my wife. We have been to gg Nashville, and the nats at Louisville several time ,but only as spectators.thanks


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