'Drove over for the day and to look for some last minute things for my project. Attendance was down, many fewer vendors. It was Friday, so maybe it'll pick up tomorrow. Didn't take but a few pictures. Passed up on a smoking deal on this deuce three window in the swap. Such a deal...no floors, rusty. Wonder if it sold? Here's why this is probably going to be my last NSRA show...
Looks like the same one that was at Charlotte. $35,000? A lot of guys here said "worth the money!" I saw it there and I know what my money is worth. No real deal for me.
It's a shame that NSRA ruined this show with the post '48 rules accepted last year. This was the last show left without Camaro's. Now that's done. I won't be going back.
I was happy to see the past 48 personally . That means I can now take my 62 F100 Unibody to the show and drive around and see even more . The Nats here has always been HUGE 12,000+ pre 48's and I have not in 12 years been able to see everything . I will admit seeing a bone stock looking Gold Mustang 2 coupe was a little odd but there were also alot of cool 50's and 60's cars last year as well. I hope to have my Uni streetable by the time they come back this year. Rick
Yes ... so now you can get in ... I went Saturday, I was pretty disappointed. Lot of junk. I did not take the first photo. The main vendor building was not full ( empty spots ) The vendor area out front was less. A few of the vendors who I know well said that no one was spending any money. Mainly just LOOKERS. LOTS of non HAMB topic rides. It was just a large cruise in ... with the quality of the cars about like a cruise night. I had a doctors appointment on Friday ... so I just drove my daily up. I am GLAD ... I did not take either of the Deuces. Next year, NATS SOUTH is very doubtful ... for me.
God damn it, I want to see some Camaros and Mustangs, I am tired of all those old fucking hot rods.----- Excuse me, but my computer just shut down with big red warning lights flashing.!! ~sololobo~
We drove up to Chilowee Park last night in the Model A about 7:00PM and we never saw one single hot rod or custom on the streets. There was a handful of cars inside the fairgrounds and the place looked like a ghost town with only food concession trailers. On the way back to Blount County we saw a '65 Mustang headed east on Magnolia. Strange days!
Wow. Is the car count still down? Regardless of year? I've only been there a few times over the last 10 years or so and I could always count on the good folks of Tennessee to be car crazy. Weather? Economy? Or? Gary
I enjoyed it but did not take a single photo.Kind of like going to a Goodguys now,only smaller. I have owned Camaros and Mustangs but now I don't care to see any more at an event I have to pay to get in to.Lots of real nice rods but I probably won't bother to drive that far to go again.
They must've headed home early. It used to be partee on Saturday night and drive home Sunday, hungover.
you add up that gas bill for the weekend if your driving any distance, and theres no way around it, it sucks. i use to be able to do 2 or 3 road trips a year. now i will be lucky to do one.
Naw.............it's all the fault of the '49 to '81 models. Actually the price of admission may be a factor worth noting. I for one quit going (paying) to car shows 17 years ago for that very reason. Heck, there's even an NSRA in the UK, and who knows where else worldwide. For the amount of $$$ the GG's and NSRA make off everyone they ought to let the cars in for free, after all they're the draw. It's like everything else..............too many promoters and middle-men. Greedy lot IMHO.
i live 3 miles from the park. so, its not the gas. it cost $70. to get into the show. you have to be an nsra member to take your car into the show. i could care less to be a member.
Sooner or later, entry fees and memberships aside, the cost of travel will start to have an impact, me thinks. All the high HP race-ish cars, and luxo-cruisers aside, sooner or later all the folks who are pooh-poohing mpg ratings will have to take notice, or switch to two wheelers, or something. How about the guys in England, Europe, Australia or Japan pipe in. What are you paying for fuel now? For me it used to be the cost of food and lodging that mostly limited my travel... Gary
I am not sure about what the real cause for the low numbers is, cutoff date, econmy, fuel prices, hotel prices but it is clear the people are not showing up and the vendors are down. The swap meet for me was terrible. But in the end I got to meet some old friends and put over 500 miles on the odometer. And for me that is what makes me happy. Additionally I'm not sure they are raking in the cash as some say, but it is pitiful that they can't put a few more porta-potties around. At some point throught the day theres probably 2500 persons on the property and maybe 8 potties spread over the entire area. Lastly I have offered to sell my business many times to those that have said I was making a fortune only to have them pass.
I believe that there were 3 MAIN factors in the good bit lower car count ( and spectator gate ) 1 ) The newer cars ... 2 ) the higher price of travael ( gas, motels and food ) 3 ) Mother's Day weekend @ 10 O'clock in the morning on Saturday , I had no trouble finding FREE parking close to the show. The spectator gate did not have a line. I know of at least 3 vehicles not there because of Mother's Day weekend. Hotrodprimer is one of them. His wife's business is very busy that weekend and he ( and her ) cannot go. The quaility of the vehicles were down too ... IMHO. I walked past the MSRA repair station and most of the vehicles broke down were 1955 up vehicles. A good many of the registered vehicles LOOK like cast off back row used cars of a little dirt lot on the wrong side of town. There were some nice vehicles there ... just not a lot. Some of the nice ones were not HAMB friendly. I did see a very, very nice COPO 427 Camaro. in a sea of later models.
The Nats in Louisville last year was as big as ever even with us " post 49 jerks " . I spent 2 days alone in the swap meet area . We will see what this year holds with the gas prices but 2008 we had $4.00 + gas and the show was still huge . No I dont own a duece or an A or a T . I hope to someday own one of them but in the mean time I am happy I can now take my 62 to the show and actually be able to " SEE " more of the show than I can on foot . I will agree there were way to many " Malibu wagons " at the show last year and will also agree that opening up to 1981 cars may not have been a good thing . I am pretty sure that as long as I dont " Billet " the hell out of my 62 F100 it will still be " HAMB " freindly and I dont see a reason I shouldnt be able to take it to the show and enjoy it . Rick
Some say the new cut off is a good thing,,others that have been members of NSRA for over 30 years don't feel that way. Call it tradition,,spend that long doing things the same way and it rubs some older guys the wrong way. My prospective,,I wondered why they didn't open it up a little many years ago and get a feel for it and ease into it without alienating us older guys. Since the younger Buggs have taken the reins their thoughts were us older guys are dying off only problem with that is for the most part we are the generation that is most likely to have disposable income to travel to distant shows and pay those high prices for gas. Everything changes,,for better or worse,,but I don't think I will support the NSRA like I have for the past 33 years. I joined the Hamb and we are well aware of the 64 and earlier,,but what if Ryan decided tomorrow to welcome Mustang II's..This place wouldn't be the same. So,If you like the New NSRA support it,,if not here are a lot of venues that will appeal elsewhere. HRP But they didn't ask me and I see the Nats South going down the tubes within the next ten years.
Well ... now the " Malibu wagon " guys can see more of the show without walking also. You are discriminating against fellow also who do not meet " YOUR standards " I actually would have had no issues with them moving the cutoff to a 50 year sliding rule. 1960 models last year, 1961 models this year and your year ( 1962 ) next year. I understand that a LOT of the NSRA faithful are getting older. But the fact is/was that I did not see a big influx of young folks at the NSRA Nats South. Just a influx of later models drivn by older guys who for years wanted to come to t the party but did not have a pre 49 ride.
and i will have to say a lot of alabama cars didn't come because of the storms last week and i guess all surrounding states my be the same
Skip it from now on and go to Beatersville in Louisville on Memorial day weekend......Hotrod reunion in Bowling Green on Fathers day weekend.....and the Pumpkin Run at the Clermont Fairgrounds in Ohio (near Cincy) in October....and maybe if you can afford to go to four events the Frog Follies in Evansville.....do these and you wont miss the NSRA events one bit!!!
Now that would also be fine by me as well . I will agree completely that there are cars that dont belong at a " Street Rod Show " and would also agree with a 50 year old cut off date . As I said earlier the funniest thing I saw last year in Louisville was a bone stock GOLD Mustang II . I am pushing 44 myself so not exactly a Youngster but the 28YO Kid across the street just got a nice 50 F1 project that someone else gave up on after it was half done so I could ride with him this year and maybe take mine next . Rick
My sentiments exactly concerning a lot of cities and events. In my home town of Bar Harbor, Maine they now welcome over 85 cruise ships of all sizes as well as hundreds of tour buses each year. They have only a couple of two-stall rest rooms in the entire town. If you need to use the facilities when patronizing a business establishment they will often times refer you to their competitor, claiming they have none. If you're going to attract masses of people then their physiological needs should be considered.
I agree, all great events. Didn't renew when they made the change and haven't been to a NSRA event since.
The Jalopy Journal
