holy shit the guy who's second from the far right (Who will remain nameless!) even needs a belt for his boxers! i got a couple extras i could give up if i never have to see that again buddy!!
Exactly. Its just another show to me now. Rolling off the freeway to Spring st. Coming up to park and the town was something special to me. I miss it. I was told no motorcycles allowed either...that was fucking lame..too.
Hahahahahahaha...you guys kill me: "Oh man, I HAD to drive an hour more"...or..."It's a "fairgrounds " show now"... or... "I spent $800 for the weekend"...I think some of you bitch, moan and whine cuz you think YOUR opinion is gong to change minds....to that I say...If YOU're too fucking ignorant to believe someone else's whines/bitches...then by all means, listen to 'em and stay home...there'll be MORE room for the rest of us... If that's NOT the case, then GO SEE for yourself...make your own party. It's simply not all about the cars... Well, guess what...it cost me $1600.00 for the weekend...and I had to take off five days to go to Santa Maria...AND I didn't get to bring MY car...I flew out to look at cars I NEVER get to see cuz the majority of Californians don't drive anywhere other than in Cali. I saw a lot of great cars that I only get to see in magazines (and some that will never be in mags)...I met a lot of great people I've read about in magazines...and a lot of great people that won't ever be in mags...I got to meet some of my idols... and I got to meet some that I NOW idolize...I got to see a great city (who was it that said SM is a dirty city, I'd like to see yours to compare it to)...matter of fact, I got to see a lot of great cities and towns from my rental car...and a lot of great country, too. If you're too cheap to do a one hour or three hour drive from your home to see almost 1000 cars...then next year don't bother coming to SM...if you don't like a "farigrounds" show, then stay home...I sure as hell won't miss you...but IF you want to support WCK and keep this show going (Paso is dead and gone...it ain't never coming back...neither is the past)...and make the next SM just that much better...then spend the money...remember, "IF you want to play, you gotta PAY"...no matter what you play at. R-
Paso was over last year no matter what. The city of Paso killed it. If it weren’t for SM taking on the show, you would have been at home.
paso is definately dead!!! i know all good things come to an end but shit this show was like the anti paso. i dig penny and her efforts but i will not be back to this. for the first time in about 12 years i'll be planning some thing else for memorial day. -santa maria wasn't just charmless, it was souless!! -i got there at about 10 (plus about 45 minutes of sitting in traffic getting to the fairgrounds) and there was NO parking. ended up parking at the inn and walking the 1/2 mile. i never had to park that far from paso. -$12 to see a goodguys show -they let ANY car with the right years in. waaaay to much billet and fugly cars. -there was 3 times as many cars as paso, but at paso i stopped at almost every car. at sm i would pass groups of cars before i stopped at one i liked. i'd rather see a show of the cars in the parking areas at paso that about 50% of these at sm. -loooong lines for fairground food, and no option for better food near the fairgrounds. -crowded indoor vendor area with too much crap overwhelming the the good stuff. -they did have a pinstripe area (with only about 1/2 dozen stripers, the tables were about 75% empty.. -waaay to many hawaiian shirt types... many more car buyer types, not enough car builder types. why pay over $100 dollars (gas and entry) to see a goodguys show? and believe me if your significant other is not a true car person, there was nothing for them in santa maria this holiday weekend. and if get them to take the trip, you will owe them big time!!
You guys kill me. -Soulless? You hung around the wrong group of people. I don't care what town I'm in, I have a blast with my friends. -You got there at 10:00 for a show that started at 7:00 and you're mad at them for not having parking? -$12 for an entire day of entertainment is a lot? You need to just stay home and save your money then. Where I live it costs that much to get into an hour-and-a-half-long movie. A day of cars sure seems like a better deal to me. -WCK has always let any car in that fits the year cutoff. How long have you been going? Like 2 years? 15 years ago there wasn't more than a dozen "traditional" cars. Hell, I think I could almost say that for Paso ten years ago. "We" have taken over "their" show. "We" should be grateful that "we've" been accepted. -Long lines for food did suck, but it was the first year. I can easily forgive that. I waited in line for some of the best tacos I've ever had. And they were only $2 each! -There were more vendors than ever. I think that's a good thing. Yes, lots of people were shopping at them. Why do so many people want Paso to be just 100 people that they choose to be there? -Not enough stripers? Did you stripe? They don't have control over who decides to spend their entire weekend trapped behind a table to entertain you. -Hawaiian shirt types? Read my previous point about who has ALWAYS been going to Paso and who the "newbies" are. It has always been "their" show. -Again, someone brings up gas prices as if they are the fault of the show's promoter. I just don't get that. If going out to be entertained is too expensive for you, that's just fine, but it doesn't mean that the event sucked. Again, Paso is West Coast Kustoms' show and has always been a show by greybeards for greybeards, we are the outsiders and guests. I feel honored to be accepted anyway.
Last year was my first Paso experience, the rest are impressions from a best friend whose gone there since he was little (since the WKK shows began, or at least 20-some years ago). The Santa Maria version to me was a lot more laid back in the fairgrounds version. Still had a blast, well worth coming home near broke and facing the wife. Met a few legends, met lots of HAMB friends in-person for the first time like MyBeatUpFord - HankCash it was REALLY great meeting you and the others of the Kontinentals gang after bar hours in the SM Inn lobby, that CD rocks! - got inspired by several cars and several personalities. Came very close to making my project deadline, missed it (would've had to trailer it, not in running order, would've been Dead Weight for gas), but was a great thriller to go in the other Pandragger rides, see people ooh & ahhh over my bud's piston-spider adorned Pontiac lowrider, seeing the finished end of projects like Kirk's Starliner. The hotel deal was interesting, interesting to see the Inn learn quickly after the first night of a big cruise-party whirlwind through its parking lot, and be really selective of who parks and where (hotel guests & car registrants), a headache for many but imagine running the Inn during that.. And they were very cool, polite with me & club mates (I passed out breifly in the lobby around 3 am, woke up to find my friends gone but someone from staff had cleaned the table while not rousting me awake or kicking me out). Granted, most of what I saw of Santa Maria was from the Inn parking lot and the fairgrounds, and impressions in conversation with others, and over %95 positive for us all. Me, I had a blast, so did my club, Penny and the organization were GREAT and gracious to us, as were most people involved with the show, it'll still be the biggest destination on our season's calendar, our annual car mecca. Just, further south.
I've been sitting here reading all of this and I guess allot of you don't know that West Coast Kustoms' Paso show has moved 3 other times over the years. For the first ever WCK show we were at Lake Nacimiento near Paso Robles, then we went to Casa De Fruta near Hollister then to Sherwood Park out of town Paso. I joined WCKs in 1983 (member #139) and when they moved the show into the downtown park from Sherwood Park some of us knew we would have to park on the street because the park downtown was not big enough for all the cars that would show up to be able to park on the grass, I have videos and pictures of the show out at Sherwood Park. I sure did miss the stuff WCK use to do for us but things changed and Paso Robles became the Kustom Capitol of the world and now we will make Santa Maria the Kustom Capitol of the world (I hope!). Just my opinion.
Well... it's a bit disheartening to hear that a lot of you won't be back next year. But then again, each one of you that doesn't come back is one less person in line either in front of, or behind me pissing and moaning about the cost, lines, fairgrounds, "it's not the same", etc. Sounds like a win/win for me. I can't wait to read the comments after the show next year.
The show was cool, yeah it wasnt Paso but.... I'll be back. The only problem I had was, not getting my room back at the Santa Maria Inn for next year, "you are not on the WCK block", I was told at the front desk, and didnt get the blue form. Ok, thats alright, but I was pissed when other people that werent on the block either, got rooms for next year. Inconsistencies in the rules??? Or just selective, on who they want or don't want next year? I asked Penny about it and she said there wasn't anything she could do about it. I was very disappointed. They are hoarding rooms just like the Paso Inn again.
I've neverhad the priviledge of going to either event, but if all you care about is checking out very cool cars, why does it matter? There's a political side to everything in life...learn to stay as clear as you can and enjoy the cars. I'm sure from the comments that the folks who went, still dug the cars...as to trophies, if you don't want your car considered, opt out ahead of time and let someone take it home who appreciates the recognition. It's a big enough world that with a little bit of care, we can all co-exist. A part of that means to show respect to everyone, if there are rules or standards, observe them or stay away. We're all grown, it shouldn't be that hard. It's a Car Show man...not a War..........C9
Is that directed at me? Did I say I didn't appreciate the awards? No. I am super stoked and honored, I'm just don't understand people who strive for them.
No shit!!!!!! The GM of the SM Inn bummed a smoke from me at the show and said he'd take care of my reservation for next year. Even after that, they wouldn't let me reserve one again. I guess $$ talks... Bryan
UUUhhhh...it IS a commentary thread...we were asked for our opinions. Mine is different than yours.....thats my commentary and I'm stickin to it (until next year then I will decide!)
should of known there would be a bunch of complainers on here ... that was a given before the show even happened...
40StudeDude "If that's NOT the case, then GO SEE for yourself...make your own party. It's simply not all about the cars..." uh.. it is all about the cars. that's why they call it a car show. you can have fun with your buds just about anywhere.
As a vendor, I had a blast! Me and "the wheel kid" had a great time from the Innovation Alley/Wheel Vintiques booth talking to everyone. I never made it Paso. But compared to a Goodguys show, the cars, the people, and the whole atmosphere was much different and enjoyable! Instead of talking to alot of guys with snobby attitudes, racing their checkbooks to complete their lastest trailer queen that will never see pavement, I got to talk people who were going to actually build with their own hands the way they want, and then actually drive'em. It was refreshing, I salute you! I was having so much fun Saturday rubbing elbows with you guys, I didn't want to stop. I was disappointed they shut down at 5, and kicked everybody out. The WKC people were very friendly and accomidating to us. I'll definitely be back next year. For those of you who didn't like it, you came to SM with the wrong expectations and made yourselves miserable by not getting over it. Life is way to short to not make the best of what you have, and waaaaaaaaaay to long to be pissy over shit that aint worth the energy! You could always start another open air gathering somewhere else. If you start it they will come. After all, that's how these giant car shows got started in the first place.
Had a good time. Will be back. Forget the food lines, bring a small BBQ. Weather was perfect. Waiting to get in. Big deal. I wait for concerts and pay more too. Big thanks to those behind the scene busting ass so I could have a great vacation!!!
We enjoyed our selves, cool scene Friday at the Santa Maria Inn, next year get a cruise along Broadway ( outside the SM Inn ) cruise under the walkway bridge would make for some awesome photos, down by the mall. Food at Shaws was awesome , cool vibe in there too.Townsfolk were great, cops were cool & not everywhere.Bad stuff has been mentioned & easy fix, more gates, more food , they should be well prepared for next year. Well done to Penny & her hard working crew , for a first event pretty bloody impressive . We'll be back in force next year. Paso is no more , give Santa Maria a chance , Paso was not built in a day , sure was Fucked by the City of Paso in a short time though.
I AM well aware what it's called...but those cars didn't simply appear there...they were brought (driven/trailered...who cares?) by some great people whom I like to converse with...dig into their heads on why they did this, or that, to a car...a car cannot tell me that...I want the whys, the wheres, the whens....I want to understand the mentality behind chopping it 10 inches or 1 inch...or hanging a Caddy bumper that doesn't fit to why the '56 Packard lenses were perfectly placed...can't do that at an indoor show...and like someone else said...everyone there was friendly, not snobby and would answer any question I had...and if I get to bring my car next year, I'm hoping someone will ask me the same questions... R-
i guess to make it better a few things could change for those of you who hated it all. 1. buy a truck (old school rat rod style fo sho) 2. buy 2 coolers (off ebay, old with 50's flare) 3. fill 1 cooler with lots of beer and 1 with lots of food. (pabst, i think thats 50's enough) 4. bring a bbq (make sure its vintage and not new) 5. bbq (get fat and grow a beard so you fit in) 6. get better friends that have this weird thing called fun. (start a rad club that has 50's flare) i had a blast with my friends and 1 of them even got run over. i even rode home in the rain, froze my fucking ass off, and laughed and ruled it with them the whole way-the whole weekend. we ALL laughed non stop for 3 days, even when we were sleeping... they can fix long lines, parking, etc. that was the first go around for the show. the town itself may not be as pretty as paso, but not many are. if you dont like it, who cares, dont go next year. hang out with your cool friends in your cool town with your cool cars. BUT LET BIKES IN NEXT YEAR PLEASE! that is an official complaint. snugglers suck.
eric posted a link to the SM newspaper,the paper stated that "gangs" were rolling up to paso and having an influence,does anyone know what "gangs" these people are refering to? is this true? first i have heard of it...also why are people calling it paso maria?
Here is a article that just came out. Classic car fans in Paso Robles refuse to let the tradition slip away. Here are the Facts First: This weekend's Cruisin' Nationals Car Show has moved to Santa Maria after 26 years in Paso Robles. People who hate to see it go are hosting an unofficial show of their own. They're calling it the First Annual "No-Cruise" Night. The unofficial car show kicked off at 5 p.m. at Hunter Auto Body. The show isn't the same as in years past, but people here say it's the best they could do while sticking to city rules. Members of the Dirty Boys Car Club aren't cruising their cars through downtown in an effort to keep the peace with the city. They say they filed permits yesterday to have live music and serve alcohol, but the city said it was a little too late. Car enthusiasts are trying to fight the stereotypes from people who don't approve. But others say they're glad the car show has moved on from Paso Robles. "They perceive us hoodlums and thugs. We all have families, we all go to work everyday just like everybody else. We just like and appreciate the old cars," said Hunter Auto Body vice-president Joe Torres. "You know, I really don't miss it. I have a business right down the street.We tend to pick up after them more than anything else," said downtown business owner Don Fuller. The car club says they're still donating the proceeds from a barbeque to the local DARE program and to the Paso Robles Historical Society. The club expects about 60 classic cars at the unofficial show. Some of them headed straight to Paso Robles after still showing in Santa Maria.
I for one loved the funky vibe of the S.M. fairgrounds. Squinting my eyes, I almost felt transported back in time about 40 years, with "real" cars sitting next to funky sheds, rolling on funky grass . . . listening to funky music (more bands next year, please) . . . even the funky weather cooperated.
I liked it. Fun time with Family and old/new freinds... oh yaa... their were are cars there too. I'll be back.
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