Event Coverage IDIOTS RUNNING CAR SHOWS!

Best gathering bar non in our area is the jalopy jam up no trophys no bull, Jeff Norwell and friends organize it. Great music rods and people.

 

If it weren't for car shows where would we go to pick apart each others cars?

 

...Anybody remember the "Car Shows Suck" buttons of the '70s?
2" pressed color buttons of a Snow White dwarf, closely admiring Snow's white.... The letters were prominent, declaring Joe Cardoza's disdain with the judging at shows.

A write up following the '76 San Jose Autorama appeared in Rod & Custom, which described mud on the faces of the show promoters, read:
"Joe Cardoza, distributer of the now infamous 'Car Shows suck' buttons, entered his '29 Roadster Pickup this year to win first place in Street Roadster, much to the chagrin of the promoters."
He ultimately beat out Joe 'Bluto' Esperanca's black '30 roadster, when judging got down to wiring! Judging went for 4 hours, back and forth.
Took me 9 long days (and nights) to wire that car. Trick for the time.

Long lost Fresno native Morris Srabian (former owner of Barris' 'Wild Kat') had his newly completed '48 F1 pickup in that show. He told a harrowing story of having the Apple Green trim laid on the black nitro paint in a dimly lit Oakland cavern by Tommy the Greek...Tommy told Morris and his bro to "Get the hell outa here, go have dinner...Be done in an hour and a half!" Morris said that dinner was like 'the longest day'.

We sat on Directors' chairs facing the ebony truck...Morris said, "Watch the ladies in the reflection...better than real focus..." He was right. Paint was 2 feet deep, shone like a mirror...The 1" wide apple green beltline terminated at mid-hood panel, in a arrow head. Trademark Greek teardrops adorned the fresh air cowl vent, and rear fenders' cheeks... Typically simplistic style of the Greek, in classic Fire Engine tradition.

Best show memories were Rod Powell's shows, 'Monterey Car Capades'... Rod is an excellent host, covers everything, was always professional, and personal to all.
Blackie's shows were magnificent...thought they'd go on forever.

Can't leave out my favorite place of all: Eagle Field! Rocky reserves a diagonal parking line for 'show' cars...there is always a space for my F100. (danged sure ain't showy, but I'm always flattered to park there...if it were strictly show cars, I'd hastily move! But the gesture is appreciated.
Dusty out there, my fresh shine on my wheels is filthy by 10:30!

 

Mike, I hate to be the one to bring it up but the picture you posted on the preceding page is not in compliance with the high standards that I have come to expect from the HAMB...your amp only goes to 10. Well that and there's a pussy in the photo.

 

Ryan, Billy's cuss'n again, he said pussy.

 

Yup, and a cat too! ( and that's NOT the volume, Cousin- that's usually pegged at full throttle.

Back to "organized" trophy orgies , and why they suck.....................

 

When I actually laugh out loud at my desk other people in my office think I'm losing it. Thanks to you and Denny I feel like my only course of action at this juncture is to leave work early today.

 

There goes the neighborhood.

 

I register my car at shows just so I have a home base with the cooler. The entry fee is pale in comparison to the overpriced beers.

 

One of my worst experiences was being asked to be a judge at a Masonic Temple show with poorly designed categories like "Best 1960s car", "Best 1970s car", "Best Truck", etc.. Had the trophy whores up my ass all day arguing why their car was best, and then getting pissed off because they didn't win. One guy thought there was a Corvette class and he should have won, but there was no Corvette class.

Sometimes, just for fun, when we have a group at a "Peoples Choice" show, we'll pool our tickets and vote for the worst car there.

 

Mike, that RPU of Joe's; IIRC, it was black with wires correct, SBF, oooooweeeee. Loved it.
Right or wrong, I remember that name and that truck.

Ah man, you just had to bring up the coolest showman ever to host a car "shindig". What a shindig it was too, well mostly.
Little story:
Buddy and me cruise down to Fresno from PDX for the deal, not just for the cars either.
Got wind that Blackie also has a contest of some sort involving the softer skinned side of society. Icing on the cake right, something to take the sting out of a 15 hour blast down I-5. So head to the show with a local buddy of another buddy (in locals' car), half way there he pulls into 7-11 for "refreshments", cooler in trunk, figger we'll have a couple there and save some $$$, go in, watch the show.
Well, local dude already had started getting "refreshed" before us (and the chickens) got up, he's already half in the bag before we leave his place.
So the refreshments don't even make it to the cooler, block from 7-11, snap, glug, glug, you guys ok, ya want a brewsky, nope, wer'e good, just don't crash this Cordova, (now with fresh finger grip marks in the armrests).
Come to find out this is his M.O. Get a major buzz on, look at cars for a half our, drink a couple expensive show beers, go home, take a 3 hour nap hoping we'll get bored and wax his truck for him while we cool our heels, til the other shindig later/evening.
Only one problem; apparently he does kinda dig cars, but not as much as drink'n.
Oh, and by the way, guess who reeeally missed out on the "soft skin" entertainment?
Not local guy, we had to drive him home for his scheduled nap cuz he had to prepare for the evening activities.
THANKS FOR REMINDING ME MIKE.
DOUG

 

Friends don't let Friends judge car shows! Now has anyone here been asked to judge the boob show? Or would that be one in the same? Joe

 

I'd like to volunteer.

 

I used to be the marketing guy for a company that sponsored the Street Machine Nationals. So yes, I was asked to judge the Miss Street Machine swim suit contest. After it was over, two guys gave me so much grief about not picking their girl friends that I honestly thought it would be better to just judge the cars. But I made the right choice, BELIEVE ME I made the right choice...LOL!

 

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It always seemed a shame to me that it took a plastic trophy to draw some of the owners out with their old rides. Plus I'm like most & enter to get in for fun only. In a short, I joined a local car club when I was about 13 or 14 & had some good times in the mid to late 80s with our crew. A neighboring town had a huge club & use to draft some of the surrounding club members to judge their shows. They had between 200-300 entries n it was a massive work out even for a young guy, they always give me the undercarriages. As time passed , most the local shows went to open class judging based on quality 33 1st, 33 2nd, & 33 3rd places. That helped some of the trophy whores who didn't have a class. Eventually a few "& me" pushed for the end of undercarriage judging & to allow some slack for the truely driven rides, rock chips n bug guts. But the shows were just a phase for me & as the allure of the plastic trophy faded away in my late teens. I realized that It was always about the comrades & drive time for me. While attending my first cruise in's at Springfield Mo.'s Steak 'n Shake in 1986 , I found the true meaning of gear head happiness . Here were literally hundreds of guys showing up after work from 5- midnight every first sat night during the warmer months, DRIVING every imaginable kind of Hotrod , Custom or unusually rare ride fathomable. That to me is what it was all about, I'd finally found it & it didn't take a stinkin' trophy to get these guys to gather in one spot for a super good time either. I still try to go at least one cruise in a year with my dad & son driving one of our distance worthy rides 2-1/2 hours one way, usually a 55 Chevy. I've met a lot of nice folks & Now I'm into selling at swap meets. The fun Factor is definitely different strokes for different folks, to me it's looking for a part you need at a swap meet or simply driving down one of our many small town two lanes in the old cars. Different facets yet the same overall hobby. The few shows I do enter nowadays are just to go a shorter distance back back to my cooler. Besides who wants to wait around all day for a plastic trophy? After a few hours I'm all in & ready to head home. Flux

 

Good to see you back

 

Larrys feeling better!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I went to a car show where a local politician borrowed a car from a local body shop, placed his signs on it, and one first place ! And the judges knew it was borrowed. Low rent people.

 

Uh OH! Sounds like some PAYOLA! Goin on! Joe

 

You meet a better class of people at swap meets.

 

I like our local parking lot shows and weekly hangouts, gave me a way to get my now teenage daughter into the old cars and go for a ride. I drive them all the time but it is better with a co-pilot and the anticipation of meeting up with friends. Yep we sit in folding lawn chairs at the shows and grab something for dinner, just to hang together for a few hours much to the chagrin of some of the guys here. Some shows have trophies ( no classes), some don't, doesn't matter, in fact the no trophy shows get much higher turnout. I only wish those lawn chair haters would get their cars out once in awhile just to give it a try and let the public see the cars. Lots of older people really light up when they see something they haven't seen in years. I let kids touch and check out my current cars (of course they are not painted ) and it really makes them happy. People I have met have brought their parents to the show just to see the cars. I never used to do the shows because my cars are never perfect and I didnt think they deserved to be there, but the spectators just seem to be happy to see them.
I think it is stupid to complain about any car show, thank god they are still out there. Get your cars out of the garage and meet some new gearheads!

 

I prefer late model boobies to pre 64 traditional boobies

 

Yeah, but they taste funny.

 

Our car club ran a show for several years in the 70's and 80's. Once we realized what a hassle it really was, we gave it up. Club still going strong after 40 years without a car show. Plenty around if you want to attend one. Cruise nights are more popular with many of us now. An occasional trophy or plaque is fine but I get my biggest kicks from people I meet. When they take pictures, give me a thumbs up or want to talk to me about my ride, it shows a real appreciation for what my builds represent to me.

 

I have not heard Stroker in 25 years Thank you for the memories Don In Cornfield Indiana

 

Scotty t I will see you at Bobs drive inn On U. S. 41 this summer Don from Corn field Indiana

 

OK here is my bitch the corporational take over of R. O. G. at wild wood N. J. It is just like every other car get together I ever dreamed of being a part of. And alass they went Hollywood.I have been trying to put aBoattail Speedster for two years and know the powers to be, have changed the times of it.Oh well hell I still have Newport Hill climb The Frog Follies and the best show and cruise at Renn. In.

 

@Atwater Mike

I recall seeing a gorgeous black RPU in R&C many, many years ago, black, wires, SBF.
It was at a gas station, and the more I think about it, I bet it was Ray Silva's.
Thanks for clarity, hard to come by here lately, I had the 3-4 vertabrae in my neck fused two weeks ago, the oxy's and dexy's are clouding my already foggy memory.