Just curious about whether cars at shows like the GNRS actually run. Are they required to start their engines? Could those beautiful engines actually be hollow with no pistons or crankshafts? If someone claims that their engine has XYZ cam and 11.0 to 1 compression ratio and a stroker crank is there any evidence of those claims? Inquiring minds want to know. Jerome
that's cool to see they drive the car down the road....it's one thing to run and move, but taking it for a spin is awesome....i know they are only new once, but the fun part is driving it!
This year's AMBR contestants had to drive in from outside to line up for pre-judging. Takeout T even did a little burnout/got a little sideways leaving the judges area. Marcy
Every year the car had to at least start and move forward and back - I think that is what hurt HHR and "Respect Tradition" a couple of years ago when the injection was giving problems. This year they changed it and the car had to be driven into the building, idle for the judges and then drive to it's location
Part of the new rules: "Only for the judges to see, the AMBR cars were the first to arrive in the Main Hall. After staging at the far end, the roadsters were driven in, one at a time, to the center of the hall and parked on a piece of black carpet with a white backdrop. No lights, no jack stands, no bling. The car had to move on it’s own, like before, but this method accomplished two very important judging points: points: ■The judges can hear the car ■The judges can see the driver sit in the car I can understand the first one, but had to ask Vic about the seating position. Vic explained that in past years, when the AMBR winner was leaving the show, people saw someone sitting in the car and it, “Looked like he was sitting on a milk crate!” No doubt a truly beautiful car should be something you could comfortably sit in and (gasp!) drive, in comfort. Vic and the judges made it so." http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/2011-ambr-award-judging-rules/
That's really interesting about the judging. I know what a big deal that stuff is, it must have really affected some guys. I know I've read before about people that built their cars to meet the judging requirements, not so much estehetics, so it's an interesting change. I'm not sure how I feel about the new rules. On one hand they have a point, but on the other, I wonder how many cool cars wouldn't have been built because their seating position was impractical? I guess that was then this is now, but still.
i should hope any car (show or otherwise) has a realistic seating position, otherwise, it's not really a car, is it?
I agree w/Monsterflake. If it can't be comfortably sat in and driven some distance it's not a car....it's a 1:1 model of a car, ie a model, something that looks like a real car, but isn't. www.highspeedmotorsports.com
I replied on a thread, earlier in the week that I felt the showcars should be running/driving capable. Now that I see this is actually the case, I have even more respect for the builders of these "rolling works of art"!
Yea, I remember a picture of a model in one of Roths cars with the bubble lowered over her. She had a "deer in the headlights look" as I recall. And Jefferies Manta Ray was in one of the old Beach Blanket movies. Weren't they driving the car with the top up? Larry T
I learned decades after the fact that most of the "futurestic" cars that were used in advertising for the big Los Angeles Auto Expo car shows in downtown LA in the early 1970s were just shells with no engine, drive train, or most other critical components. Too bad, we all thought they were fully functional cars.
I think it was '88. The year of the Loma Preata earthquake. I entered my roadster and they insisted I drive it in. And it's a Bonneville car.
when it comes to most high end "show cars" what difference does it make if they can drive 20 feet at the show? they are not built to be driven, they are built to be perfect. most AMBR cars are stupid anyways... with this years winner being one if the rare exceptions.
Wed. night I saw some "ho hum" cars come in on trailers and put their chevrolegs to work unloading into buildings. On the other hand I saw a pair of black 32's one roadster and one sedan that were amazing! They sat in line idling, sounded great, never got hot, and once set up in the show I noticed they drove from over and hour away- durring traffic time! did I mention these cars were beautiful? and black? and driven in- awsome! IMO- these two cars put most that came in on trailers (mine included) and some others to shame! Sunday night was cool to though- in the rain, I saw a bunch of cars cruising through it to get to their trailers- I was surprised at how many drove out of the History of Customs building! It was neat to hear a bunch of them fire up!
The Jalopy Journal
