Without sitting and thinking of a more direct answer I can tell you that I have loved a handfull of shows and what about them especially stood out to me as good. Stray Kat 500 - Dewey, OK (put on by our own straykatkustoms) - very laid back atmosphere, great car count (around 450 I think) and a very high percentage of these car were killer rides owned by great people. The music was fantastic and the afterparty back at the hotel was fun too. Very cool goodie bags, and 0 spectator admission. Starliner - Wichita, KS (again by straykatkustoms) - again a very laid back atmosphere, this one actually being held at the Kansas Aviation Museum so you have the cars parked around and sometimes under vintage aircraft. I believe about 200 cars total, and really really high percentage of them are awesome cars. Again with the kool goodie bags and spectator admission is I believe just the museum admission fee. Vintage Torque Fest - Iowa (put on by our own coolstuff) - I did not put the city because this year is a different city from last year. Holding the show at a dirt track had the added bonus of seeing a bunch of the cars getting flogged out on the track later in the day! That was too cool and I am excited about the new venue with the addition of a drive in movie. There were a lot of cars, I would guess 400 or so but I don't know for sure, I know that there was not much room left by the time everyone got there. Hunnert Car Pileup - Decatur (too many people on here are involved to list) - I liked the old venue better for a couple of reasons, namely the corn field conveniently close when I had to take a leak, the shade, and it just had a general cool vibe. The show outgrew that spot so they moved to the new joint. The car count is amazing (complete guess at over 1000), almost overwhelming for a single day show, the pre-party the night before is a blast and helps get a sneak peek at some of the rides the day before. The general level of the cars that got in was very good, and I had a great time even though I'm having troubles articulating why. KKOA Leadsled Spectacular - Salina, KS - well, this is basically a home town show for me, so maybe that has something to do with it. Every year the car count goes up and up (about 1500 this year), the level of cars that shows up is always good, something for just about everyone. The Run What You Brung drags is by far one of the coolest things ever to happen at a car show. This is a show that people show up days early just to hang out before hand, and I hope that trend continues. Seeing Voodoo Larry and Gene Winfield chopping a car on site is an awesome bonus. Hot Rod Revolution - Austin, TX - This year was the first year to hold the Revolution in Austin and I loved it. The venue was awesome, the cars were killer and since it was such a H.A.M.B.-centric event, it was great to meet all of the people that I talk to on here. If I ever get a car that would be able to get in I'd be honored to show it off along side these other rides that were there. Greaserama - KC - (put on by Los Punk Rods) One of my favorite shows, again the laid back atmosphere that I love so much, and what's not to love about chilling in your car at a drive in and watching cool movies at night? There's a lot that I love about this show, music, vendors, the sometimes crazy always colorful people that show up. I will continue to go back year after year! Okay so there's my opinion, I attended 22 shows this year, took my car to 3 of them the rest were just me there as a spectator, sometimes vendor always shooting pictures so that you could feel like you were there even if you weren't. To that end, (shameless self whore time) I have over 11,600 pictures of these and other shows if you go here, they are free to look at. I recommend checking out a show in your area if you have not been and going next year, they are all fun shows. And yes I realize that I talk too much.
car shows and dragstrips go hand in hand...get bored with looking at cars, go see some cars go down the track...get bored at watching drags, go look at more cars.
Tough guys and super load music kill it for me. Unique hot rods and gearheads who actually know what they are talking about make for a great show.
Yep, loud music and a DJ who thinks he's the show, there the killer for me. I go to see the cars and meet true car folks, have a few conversations and learn something from them
If you can identify a community's _____ that would make it a better place in some way, then consider if a "benefit" show would work. It can then justify the admission charged. We tried to reach the plan where the need, and the event both prospered.
I like a show with a good variety of cars, cut off at the middle 70's. The best outdoor show that I been to, Back to the 50's in St Paul. That show has everything, good food priced fairly, plenty of shade, 12,000 1964 and older cars, need I say anymore. I haven't missed one in the last 13 years. If I could only go to one show a year, that is the one. The best indoor show again that I been to, Detroit, high quality upstairs, traditional downstairs.
I couldn't agree more! Except for the last sentence.... As far as the organizers go, alot of times it's about space, you'd run out of room if you let everybody in!
I hate early Saturday morning shows. 7:00am till 1:00pm? I love Rust Revival and Greaserama, very relaxed & friendly shows. David
how about explosive diarrhea ruining a show? I went to one a few years ago, I guess one of the food vendors must have had a problem because a few hours into the show, there was a mad dash for the porta potties from a bunch of people, and the smell and noise to go with it, yuck. that's a show breaker. could have also been someone playing a prank with some exlax, luckily i brought my own food
I will give you a little different view..as I am the promoter for a small indoor show in Central Oregon. 1st I could not put on the show with out the great people that show the cars & 2nd I can't pay the bills on the building etc, without the public. Although I do give back to all that show the vehicles. With your small entry fee $30 We have a pizza feed on move in night, we also do a sit down banquet on sat night for you and a guest where we also give away some great gifts, you also get a free event shirt, Every car in a judged class gets a award, we also do some big awards that come with cash, and we even pay tow money. Let alone the 6 months it takes me to put all this togeather.......If I was doing it for the money, I would just spend the time working more at my real job. A car show put on by a car guy.
Good weather, good friends, good food, GREAT Music, (prefer 60's tunes) Outstanding vehicles - Rods, Customs, & Muscle Cars (No Tuner Crap or New Showroom stuff) low entry fees and reasonable hours. Intelligent judges, lots of trophies and Beautiful Women also help. Just another opinion, for what it's worth.
oh hell! I was working a show one time! Parking Cars! Well We had 10 cars that came over 150 miles away! 57 Chevs CHROME RIMS billet 15,000$ paint jobs! Well they came up to me and ask me to park all them Loud HotRods RatRods on the other end of the show and park all the CLASSICS on are end! OK SIR!!! Every RATROD HOTROD AND A VW THANG WAS PARKED with in 15 feet of them! the CLASSICS on the other end of the show! One other time I was getting cars ready for a prade and the rules was Only Classic autos! Some old man came up in a Rolls Royce and I said only Classic autos sir! THIS IS A CLASSIC AUTO! Ok what year! ITS A 1983! Fn some people
I like a nice driving event. Something where you all meet at one place then cruise to another. A well organized poker run is cool too. There's nothing like being in a group of 25 to 50 cars cruising down the highway then meeting up at a decent place for chow and BSing. No trophies, no music just old school cruising.
Variety. I dont want to see the same thing a thousand times. The bullshit of ''I hate ratrods or I hate billett'' is just that. Bulshit. Look at all the cars. Look at the individual parts, not just the whole. Each one probably has something unique.
Totally agree with variety, but with the amount of shows in any given area car owners need to know what shows they should or shouldn't participate in. Meaning if it's a "Traditional" show why would they want to try to bring in something that does not find the venue? Lot's of attempts in my area to produce "Traditional" shows, yet somehow the wrong type of cars are still there and allowed in. I don't try to enter my Camaro in a Mustang show.
[UOTE=johnny bondo;5507028]rockasillys, cars with tires over the beltline of the car, cars lower then my waist, slime green anything, orchabettys thinking they are pinups because they bought some dress and some red lipstick, stock 53 and 54 chevys spray bombed flat black without even frenching the headlights AT LEAST..., zombie themed anything, radial tires.... yuck. those dumb ass shocks with the covers taken off of them, yeah PS dudes, those look like a damn chicken leg on your axle. lol yeah i could go on all day lol[/QUOTE] your name says it all
Concerning cruise-nites, more than once, the DJ's had the music volume up too high for my taste. Creates an adverse effect on having conversation, it does.
How come car shows don't have wet t-shirt contests like they do at bikers shows and back when vans were in vogue? I think it would attract more young people to the shows.
Agreed. Shows are the same way. I dont want to hear 50s doo wop blasting all day. Hell, I dont want to hear any music blasting. I must be getting old.
The biker and van crowd are/were much wilder than the car crowd (imports not included). I'll admit the recent tatoo generation of ladies could be quite entertaining. They seem to like to show off their body.
A Car that has been built from the ground up. A one of a kind, Yes I am braging. I did it my way, in back yard shops. Novas, Comaros, 55-57 Chevys, pick up the phone and order any part for them. You can't do that with a with a home built radical custom. Thats what makes a car show. Let me ask youn how many 53 BUICK RADICAL CUSTOMS have you seen? And how many Radical custom Fiero's have you seen? Or GTO, again pick up the phone and call Year One. THAT MAKES A CAR SHOW. In know You are as proud of your cars as I am as Mine DIFFERAND STROKS FOR DIFFERANT FOKES!!!! Your reply welcome
A nice day, good music that ain't blasting at full volume, good food, and no cars with 22s and other dumb stuff!
The Jalopy Journal
