Event Coverage Nats South Knoxville Saturday pictures

No serious rain today in Knoxville today but still not the best weather for a car show as the skies were overcast and the air was cool and damp. The participant and spectator numbers increased but it was still only a fraction of even last years turnout, but with a little meandering around the fair grounds I was able to find a few that I thought were post worthy.

 

These two hit the spot for me .

 

Good choices !!!!!! Thanks for the pics

 

maybe they'd get a better turnout if they'd let cars in other than just Fords.

 

Thanks for the extra effort and pics, Gary.
Wow! I don’t think that I’ve ever seen it THAT desolate in all the years I’ve been going to this.
Was there any swap meet at all?
Not a good sign of things to come, at least for this event.

 

Fond memories of attending in 1990 and again in 1995. Looks like maybe it has gone downhill a bit since then.

 

I went last year and it was bad
I didn,t think it could get worse but it seems I was wrong

 

Nice job in the pics, thanks.

 

thank you for the pics, have not been there for a few years

 

Thanks for the pictures. I haven't been there in years and I can see it has really changed in car count. Weather sucked every time I went so that hasn't changed.

 

Thanks for the pictures.

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your photo's, it is very clear that the knee jerk wide sweeping open door policy by the NSRA in 2010 with the 30 year slide didn't booster the numbers of participants as was predicted.

This event started dying when they abolished the pre 49 rule, granted it was time to open the show up but a 1992 car or truck is just too new.

It seems more and more of the guys that use to attend has chosen to stay home or attend other shows. Like Bill pointed out,and I agree I have never seen the turn out so sporadic.

I think a lot of people are just tired of the Nat's South being held in Knoxville, Tennessee,after Knoxville and The Volunteer car club has done a great job since 1984, that's 38 years in the same place, IMHO if the NATS SOUTH is going to survive it needs a new venue. HRP

 

Cool pics & rides

 

I assume your being somewhat "tongue in cheek" but there were many other brands there, but there were very few that were HAMB qualified as most non Fords were done in the street rod style or too new to meet the age deadline also I only took pictures and posted what I liked, no apologies or F's given for being a Ford guy. Astute observers will note that there was a Chevy that made the cut and of course the Packard 120 in the last photo.

 

Great job, Gary.

 

X2. Snowman ⛄️

 

Thanks for the photos. Snowman ⛄️

 

Thanks for the pics, that red F-1 has me thinking about ordering whitewalls for mine.

 

Excellent photos....... TY

 

Thanks for sharing, I was intrigued by the red and white shoe box ford, not usually drawn to them. If it still a shoebox if it is a convertible?

 

Thanks for the pictures! You managed to snap a couple of my friends' rides too.
First time we went was in 1988, headquarters was on Merchants Drive. We managed almost yearly for the following decade. Good memories of the area; great way for us people way north to start Spring.

 

You are so right Danny I think sliding 30 year rule is a big part of the problem, at the very least limiting entry to cars manufactured before the mid 60's would be helpful. I would much rather go to a show with a hundred nice pre 48 rods and 50's customs than a 500 car show full of 70's and newer cars. Those stricter entry shows can be very successful if well organized and presented at a proper venue, The Gathering at The ROC, and the Old North State Invitational are

You are so right Danny I think its been going down hill since moving the cut off up from 1948 and earlier, I could accept the cars up to the mid 60's participating but the newer cars have their own events, muscle car shows, truck shows, etc. I would much rather go to a show that had 50 to 100 quality hot rods and 50's style customs than a show of 500 that included 70's, 80's, and 90's cars. Not trying to be elitist, I like cars of all types and years but after all the organization is called the National "Street Rod" Association and I don't think a 70's or 80's Caprice qualifies as a street rod no matter how bad ass of an LS motor it has. Events with stricter limits are doing very as evidenced by shows like the Gathering at The ROC, and The Old North State Invitational that actually have to turn away cars that are qualified because they don't have the room to admit them.

 

Exactly!!!! ^^^^^^^^

 

I went by Dave's house Sunday afternoon to get the parts he picked up for me and filled me in on his thoughts on the show, in short he said if the Nat's South was a patient in a hospital it would be on life support and the prognosis ain't good. HRP

 

Thanks for the coverage.

 

i couldn't be-leave it, I have not been to Nat South in over 10 year. I did not take my car but paid as a spectator. $19. is to much money for spectating. The swap meet had maybe 20 vendors. I stayed a total of 2 hours.

 

Twenty vendors in the swap meet is about like last year. Most in the covered concrete area and only a few outside and on the dirt. Used to be every space was filled. Sinking fast unfortunately.

 

Sorry I missed you, first year I've missed since the show moved to Knoxville and from what I have seen I most likely won't be back. HRP