I Remember why I hate car shows

Haven't been to a show in about 2 years, there was one in my town today, so I thought I would stop and see if anything interesting. There are about 6-7 guys standing there talking, and one of em is a guy who buys alot of parts off me. He speaks so I walk over and he asks about my 28. These guys are busting on a few cars there, far from perfect cars, but done by the owners, close friends of mine, and nothing to be ashmed of. First guys starts telling me about his numbers matching 57 Chevy with a 350, I said never made a 350 in 57, said I mean it has matching number body panels, so I left it at that. So I ask these ass holes what car is theirs, and they start pointing to nice, shiny, high dollar cars. So I asked if any of them have built their cars, and the closest was a guy who bolted on his new boyd wheels. None of these guys have ever even swapped a motor, but called themselves Hot rodders. Finally one guy says I would rather ride a bike than ride in that car, pointing at my buddies 34 sedan. I just wish there would have been 1 or 2 of my roudy friends, cause I would have busted that guy in the mouth. I said, you have no clue what it takes to build a car, the time, dedication, sweat, and most of all the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself. That man is proud of what he built, and he should be. I said as I was walking up I heard you tell someone you built your car. Everyone knows you didn't build it, and think about how big of an asshole it makes you look like. It's bad when you have to lie to others, and yourself, about your shortcommings...
Told my buddy about it and he was ready to take on the crowd, but we just laid low and enjoyed ourselves. I moved the 28 over by the main assholes car, and had 3times the people looking at mine over his. and mine is a pice of shit.
Fucking assholes.....

 

yeah you should have busted the dude in the mouth...and all his friends, just take them all on

very good points, i hate that too, people bragging becuase they had some fag build their car for them (like coyd bottington...lol) dont get me started on boyd....

but yes, i totally agree with you, you aren't the only one.

 

yea i went to one last week and the BEST ORIGINAL was a 57 chevy with a digital dash and spoke wheels. i said 57 didnt have digital dashs and spoke wheels, he said " i bought it from a guy who said that was all original, so i am sure thats how it was" i couldnt believe it. then BEST CUSTOM was a stock 55 chevy 2 door post with a 350 in it. a completely stock car with a different motor, talk about crazy modifications.

 

These guys should be pitied. They will never know the pleasure of driving a car they built themself. the reason they rag on a car that a guy built is they are secretly jealous. there are some guys that can no longer do the physcial work to build but they still appreciate the work others put in their cars. even if they don't like the car. so i laugh at the first group with the second group. so you did the right thing. park your car by theirs and watch the real hot roders gather around.

pogo

 

Im definately with you boys on this one. My club and I get frustrated with these type all the time. Usually guys with alot of money and no originality or talent. Im glad lack of money has forced some of us to be original and hone our skill all that much better.........although, Im sure it would have felt way better to pop that fucker in the teeth.

 

Went to a show where a guy had a 40 ford, he was badmouthing cars when he got to mine he was going on about my 18" Halibrand Indy wheels with real knock offs told me I needed red spoked wheels, I was very polite didn't get mad or anything sooooo later i am looking at this 40 ford and it turns out it's his he comes up telling me ALL about his car how great it is blah blah blah and told me it was the original flathead that came in it soooooooo I had to tell him that 40 fords didn't come with 8ba's he says it isnt an 8ba it's a flathead I went oh ok I guess it is and turned around and walked off.

 

Sometimes its hard to be the bigger man. When it sure would be a lot more fun to kick the shit out of them.

 

Yeah thats a sad problem at most shows. The other one that makes me laugh is when there is a truly hideous car(not to be critical, I mean a BAD car)like something with tweety birds painted all over it, tweety bird floormats, a Calvin-pissing-on-something sticker, and those horrible little fake kid dolls with their backs turned to you around the car, and all the non-car people can't get enough of it. They think its the greatest car they've ever seen it their life. Thats why I don't build cars to go to shows. Although there are no good shows in my area anyways(unless you got a mustang or camaro:

 

I could give a shit about car shows - they are just a place to sell crap. Even then you get crap back because people act like you must have carried all that shit for free on a bicycle or something and should pay them to take it. I build and drive a car because I like it and want to enjoy it, not participate in popularity contests to win a $10 plastic and tin trophy. (If I wanted that I'd go for Best Appearing at the demo derby...) -

 

my favorite is, I went to a show w/ my fordor...it had the hood off to show the new 2x2 intake I just put on...freshly painted motor and stuff.

A guy in a 39 Chevy Humpback "bOyD" ride w/ his caddy taillights pull up behind me.

He's dusting it off w/ his Calif. duster and without knowing, my buddy comes over and asked to fire off my car so he can here the sucking action of the 2 carbs.....I looked back...forgetting the car behind me....I was billowing brown smoke all over his freshly dusted ride....(car was still running rich)

I looks uprised..but the look on his face was awesome....I turned back and grinned to my buddy....

 

I never understood the pay someone to build it concept. For what a high dollar rod costs, you could buy all the tools you need, even a lift and welder, then take night classes to learn how to build engines, auto body, etc. and still come in cheaper that buing something pre built.

 

There's nothing more satisfying than when i take my ratty, rusty roadster to a show or cruise nite and have a crowd of smiling faces around it while the Jackie Gleason look-alike next to me with his billet-mobile spends an hour with his dust mop , free from any encumberment, getting his weekly exercise.....

Occasionally, i'll get are you gonna fix it, or at least paint it?.....I'll say. while pointing at the car "how the fuck can you improve on this, and besides, it took 75 years to get it to look like this, why would i ruin it with paint?".....The silence and look of bewilderment on their face is priceless....Worth the price of admission alone....

 

I am SO TIRED of hearing "what color are you going to paint it?"

I don't even reply most of the time.

Real car shows are when you show your buddies your latest progress on the ride.

 

I just can't get over how a bunch of predominantly straight older men lean repulsive dolls against their cars. Does 40 years of marriage pussy whip you that badly?

 

Went a show a couple of days ago in my 40 , some brilant "knows it all car guy" was explaining to his young son that my 40 coupe was a fiberglass kit car that anyone could build!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Bugman...we're the lucky ones...the guys that DON'T have the time or skills to build their own really envy those who can...money's not the point...if it was, everyone would build their own house...

 

WHEN I go to a show with my '49 F-1, rusted out, with the tailgate welded on and gaping holes in the front fenders where 30 year old bondo fell out, I usually try to park next to some high-zoot billetmobile and ALWAYS get more smiles (and some laughs) than their ride...I like it...

 

This is what makes me laugh any time I go to a "show". People with more money than brains! If they for one moment could know the pride involved with actually doing it on your own / with a few friends , they would sell that p.o.s to another sucker and do what we love to do so much, bleed on our cars! Its a very hard thing to write out a check don't you know!

 

I have a recurring dream of walking up and kicking one of those dumb-ass dolls about 30 ft while a crowd of shiny guys and their wives gasp in horror.

chicken

 

If you want to make a friend for life, brag on a guy's car....you wanna make an enemy in a hurry...badmouth a guy's car.

 

I agree to some extent with everyone, however since I build some high dollar cars for customers I gotta say if it were not for the guys who dont know or don't have the time to build a car id be workin back at the dealership listening to old ladys and brats about how there new car is doing this or that, so I have to say I like em. On the other hand I like parking my straight axle gasser right by the billet 55s and other tri fives because those guys just don't get it.. I say pat your self on the back if you can do this shit because there are a ton of guys sho can't and would really love to. but they make good money and can pay guys like me and my people to do it for them............is this a great country or what????

 

Had a clown like that a few weeks ago at a show trying to impress a buddy with him. Pointed to my bel-air emblems and said "yeah right thats no bel-air". I told him it was and it was the first year for it. Then he tells me his dad bought one just like it brand new!!!??? I told him i didn't know that Chevy sold gasser style cars new with red metalflake roofs and v-8 engines new in '53. The next time i saw him he was all over some guy with a AMX.

 

A true car show only takes place in your garage with friends or family.

 

they are just a bunch ahole wanting to rekindal their youth with their money now if we could just get them to quit up pricing al the old style power plant parts like the intake for my cadi or the naiilhead im trying to get built so i can but in my 37 chevy 1 1/2 ton turned roadster id be happy

 

I really don't get why you guys get so worked up over shit like this and shit like trailers and who can and can not build a car.

Assholes are assholes and leave it at that.

Plenty of guys on the HAMB that can build cars are just as big of assholes as those guys in the first post on this thread. In fact I have seen HAMBer's do far worse than what those guys were doing at shows and thank god they are the minority of people on here.

If a guy has a car, is into cars, and is a nice guy I don't care about his income or skill level...the HAMB sounds like it is made up of Marxists sometimes.

I think it really sucks that those guys in the first post were bagging on cars and you have every right to be angry...but everytime something like this comes up it turns into "us vs. them" and everyone wants to share a story about all the jerks out there.

It gets really boring.

I gotta agree with what was said in another post...instead of showing cars that you think suck show ones you like. Instead of telling shitty stories tell good ones. Lets here about the guys 34 you defended.

I used to do some of these things myself so I am certainly not better than anyone else...but I am glad others on here pointed this out and I now realize how much stuff like this sucks and I share the shame in doing it in the past.

I look at it like I am in AA for Assholes...

 

One of the last car shows I attended was one with my dad. We both took his car. A 49 Plymouth business coupe with a slant six and a push button 904. Except for the interrior and the addition of an aftermarket heater. Completely stock. Stock seat, stock body, stock rear axle, stock brakes (I keep trying to get him to upgrade for safety's sake), stock front end and steering, etc.

So... We're at this show, and there wasn't really a class for us. I guess a slanty powered car isn't considered a "hot rod" even if it will suck you in the seat. The car is not all stock. Duh.

So we somehow got intered into the stock category. Well, the judges were inspecting the trunk not one but 2 judges took points off because of the trunk mat. When I saw that I inquired why. Cause I was just plain stumped.
It was damaged. and I said "???" it was starting to dry rot in one of the corners. I asked if they could cut us a break as it was the "stock/original" piece. and was about 50 years old. Nothing doing.

Wanna hear the real kicker? More "expert" judges took off more points for the damn trunk mat then they did for the slanty or the pushbutton trans.

I hate car shows. But cruise nights are a different story.

 

we (colorado road devils) went to a huge car show car show about 2 years ago, around 700 cars. we get parked in the middle of the high $ cars, you know the car show hoopla..........wax, clean,polish the chrome bullshit.
i get the broom out of the trunk of my car, stand on the hood & sweep the bird shit off of my car. I thought the douch bags were going to die.

we had a good time........dont care if they did

 

I know its not a traditional story, but its pretty good.

I went to a car show and parked my camaro. Its its an 80' Z28 Yenko Turbo Z clone which still looks like ass since its not done, but really stand out inthe crowd with the whale tail, and A&A from airdam. It was made into a clone in 1980 and has great patina...lol.

On one side was a really nice tradition 50's style fully fendered highboy roadster, with a small block with three 2's, wide whites, and beautuful tuck and roll. It had flawless paint in a deep candy blue. Very nice car.

On the other side, and a down and dirty 31 5 window that was was running a mechanically injected 396 big block, and had hazed green plexi, spindle mount halibrands 12 spoke and bear claws, and cracked, scratched, and moon tank. It was a real 60s drag car and even though it and wearing a couple spots of primer, heavy green metalflake.

The guy who looked like a real goldchainer went and complained about our cars to the organizers. He then went and spoke to someone on the other side of the show, and hopped into his car and moved it. The guy who he talked to on the other side of the show came over and parked his car - a 55' Chevy gasser.

The goldchainer looking dude then came over with a bottle of pop for each of us and spent the rest of the show talking to us about our cars. He never even went back to his car until the show was getting ready to leave. He loved the altered, thought the camaro was cool even though it wasn't his thing, and thought that the original gasser style car should be there with the other "race cars".

There was a steady stream of people around the cars asking questions the entire time. Lots of people asking if the cars were going to be fixed up, or making snide remarks about 25+ year old race cars that are still how they are from back in the day. But that one guy who we almost wrote off as a goldchainer just came over and wanted to hang out.

He might have paid someone to build the car of his teen dreams, but he got what hotrodding was all about.

Do you know who the biggest ass of the show was? A guy with a 64' Fairlane that was done up like a thunderbolt (poorly - a 460 is not correct, Cragars and wide whites just didn't look right, or monochrome paint). The guy comes over and starts picking apart the two original 60's race cars, and how they are not correct, and how they shouldn't even let a pile of shit like my unrestored camaro into the show.

 

I get that response all the time, I own a T Bucket, I built it myself,except the paint and upholstery. I started with a bare Hamilton Engineering frame and a Cal Automotive bare body. I've owned this car for thirty years. I built every bracket, wired it, wooded the body and assemblied the roadster. I get the same reponses " anybody can build a kit car". It took me 10 years to build my roadster and I don't know many wanna be's that would have the patiance to complete a project over that span of time. Yea I know that it isn't steel but I sure learned a-lot in the process. I don't go to shows anymore to set in the sun and listen to some asshole condemn my work. I love the build and I built it for my enjoyment. If you don't like it keep your comments to yourself. Thanks, I love this message board!

 

Merc,
I'm with you. Let's talk about cars we like and WHY we like them or why we like the people who built them.

Like, 60's style's new little roadster. Great little car, built with little money and tons of creativity. But a fun car to look at and I'm sure a fun car to drive. In fact he said so in his post about taking to out for the first show. And his style of post on the updates of the build. We all learned something. Classic.

And your quote about AA for Assholes....that's classic too.