Event Coverage So what would YOU say to....

A guy with a nice old 40 coupe and a nice 32 roadster, both with modern Chevy reliable power, that drives an S-10 to a hotrod event??? I know it's not the entrance fee issue that can sometimes come up. It's not that he can't find a friend to accompany him in the unusual case of a break down. I don't think he needs any help but he has helped me and I sure hope he knows I'm only a phone call away.

I won't name him. I'm not trying make him feel bad. I just want him to get off his ass and drive his cars to events where others can enjoy them too.

I've tried to shame him into participating but I'm only one voice. What would you tell him about the joy of actually driving to an event IN a hotrod?

 

" Are you ready to sell me one of those cars yet"

 

Put 7500 miles on mine last year.
Dave

 

Not everyone wants to be in a car show as much as going to a show - sometimes I can understand where he's coming form.

 

ya sometimes driving to a show sucks..it gets pretty irritating when your at the front of the line and you get in last when a show is butt%%^^&g backwards...

 

most of the time the ride in the old car to and from the event is better than the event.

Showdowns annd Radir Wheels' parties are exceptions to the rule..

 

What he said.

CARS ARE MEANT TO BE DRIVEN

 

^^^^^Yup!

 

It's his business, leave him be.

Maybe he just wants to look without the hassel of talking to people about his car.
I see guys camping out next to their cars to talk to people. A lot of us aren't
that social . I usually drive one of my cars to shows but get away from my cars
as fast as possible to avoid conversation.

This is from an admitted Hermit's point of view.

 

Tommy,I have a friend who has several nice cars,,including a nice 32 sedan that hasn't driven it in a couple of years,,I'm trying to shame him into gong on the deuce run in a couple of weeks.

I guess Deuce Roadster had a point about people and their cars when he told me about roadsters,,,some folks are roadster people and some are not,,they enjoy having them but not necessarily driving them. HRP

 

Sometimes a road less traveled is a better ride than a
planned event that ends up in a parking lot.

 

X2

His loss if he don't drive em while he can. Maybe he hates to drive them to shows because of all the BS involved.

 

It's his business, but they are meant to be driven. Does he drive them otherwise? Or do they just sit all the time? Some people are like that. I know several people that have nice cars and they don't drive them much at all.

I on the other hand, want to drive my cars as much as possible.

 

Yeah, different strokes for different folks.
Even when we don't understand it, we have to allow others to do things the way they want even if it's not our way.

I can see you are trying to encourage something positive, but don't let it mess things up for either of you.

In the meantime, just enjoy the ride and hope it catches on with others.

 

"most of the time the ride in the old car to and from the event is better than the event."

no doubt!!

 

I just did it yesterday. But with my Ford Ranger. I had things to do and didn't feel like spending a couple of hours cleaning up my car and then sitting behind it all day.

 

I drive my cars every chance I get. I drive them to the local shows, but show up late and leave early. I get there about 10, check out all the cars, then take my grand children through to look again. Then we all get ice cream, and about 2 I drive home. I enjoy the cruise night the night before much more than the show itself. Lots of cars in the show that aren't on the cruise. Last year I drove the coupe in the cruise, and the truck to the show.

 

we have had this come up alot at our show. what i hear most is people don't want to be "trapped" all daggum day. we have a pretty open venue, so we can allow cars to leave before the show is over if need be.

 

HRP I would be one of those people. I think it has something to do with being in the Bay Area when I was little and my dad refusing to put the top up or even on. I like the look of a roadster but I am just not a big fan of one. Makes zero sense I love riding a bike in any and all weather.

Tommy does your friend even drive his cars at all. Maybe you should first get him involved in putting some miles on without the show or event in the mix. Con him into riding you to someplace to look at another car or project. Or running to a fun place up the road aways for lunch or a cocktail.

I think once you get him cruising you won't have any trouble getting him into the show or at least to the parking lot to see the show.

 

Maybe he's concerned about having his cars damaged by kids, dogs, imbeciles and bicycles. He knows what his car looks like and goes to car shows to look at things he hasn't seen before. I don't particularly enjoy sitting at a car show in a parking lot myself. My enjoyment is in driving but not necessarily to a car show. Too many new Corvettes with their hoods open like the owners had something to do with building them and people with dumb questions.

 

Been there & done that for so many years, & at 78 & over 300,000 miles traveled in my '32 roadster over the years, I would say to your friend: "There are DRIVERS & there are wanabee's".
Drivers are like most grey beards, the pure fun of just chasing those lines hour after hour sometimes with a bug or two, cruising to an event, can't be beat!
Sure you are gonna get rock chips, & dings----So what!--Consider them as BADGES!

Wanabee's on the other hand mostly trailer their cars & always have a pristine looking car as they back out of trailer close to the event & then cruise over & get praise for "DRIVING" all the way to the show!

The old saying is "Different Strokes"---Thats true!---But for me its being known as a "DRIVER".--------Don

 

Like PnB said, does he drive them at all? Do he ever jump in one and run to the corner store? Or are they just sitting?

 

If you truly want to KNOW his answer- ask him by offering up some possibilities. here's a few.

Maybe he doesn't enjoy applying spit and polish for OTHER people's benefit.

Maybe he doesn't enjoy the feeling of putting his car up for critique-many jaw dropped people on the street suddenly become Riddler Award Judges once on the grass.

-rick

 

Like mentioned earlier, some may not like to drive their hot rods to shows. I got tired of them many years ago and quit going to them with my car and just took my pickup. Also, some people just like to own them to look at and admire them without driving them. Sure, cars are meant to be driven but they are nice to look at too....it's my car to do as I please and would appreciate not being told what I need to do with it. If it makes me happy just sitting in my garage, then that's all that matters. I had a buddy (notice that I said had) that was always on me about not taking my car to shows etc. I finally got tired of that and told him to shove off. My sister is enough of a control freak to handle without my friends trying to control me too. I know this thread is about someone else but I fit the mold too.

 

I have a friend who has a '63 split window Corvette which he drives to the store to keep the battery up. However, if I go to a cruise or car show, he wants to ride with me. It was OK for awhile, but I finally told him him, "Either drive your own car or don't come at all". I haven't seen him since.

 

You're probably right. I don't think that I nag but
I always ask what did you bring?



I can relate to the roadster thing but I really did get a grin out of it in a light rain but 40 coupes are pretty cushy.

All through the 60s and most of the 70s I had nothing that ran. All projects. I joined a club where driving was stressed and I was amazed at how much fun the trip actually was. I also realized that once I got stated in the morning I was very happy that someone urged me on. I'm trying to pass on the favor.

We only had 3 cars in the caravan yesterday four would have been better.

 

I would let him drive his s10 and offer to drive either of his hot rods to the show for him. free of charge

 

SOME NIGHTS ... I can be that guy.

For years I had a 40 coupe and 32 Ford roadster. Now the 40 has been replaced with a 32 3W, but like last night ... I drove my daily driver to the cruise night. It is a small cruise in with mostly Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes. Most of the " off the street spactators " cannot tell the difference between a Model A and a 34 Ford. The oldest vehicle at the cruise in was a late 40's/early 50's Dodge pickup.

I have been a car guy for most of my 63 years. Seeing the cars has become secondary to seeing the old friends @ cruise nights/events. I only go to Pigeon Forge TN ( Shades of the Past ) for two reasons. One ... the wife really wants to go and two ... to see and hang out with old friends.

So I understand your friends attitude
As long as he wants to go and is not hurting anyone ... I would just let him be.

 

Very well put - half the time I drive mine to the show but never enter it. I'd rather be cruising in it then having it parked at a show all day with someone trying to school me on what work is done or what they would have done differently. Not saying it's always like that but just driving your ride more and more is what it's all about. Why build something if it wont see pavement. But on another side if you're going to hang out with friends or family who really cares what ya came in ya know?

 

Screw the preplanned event, sit down with a map and lay out a rod run... make sure there's a good place to eat about halfway, nice scenery. Start with a shorter run, maybe 50-100 miles. Then go to his house when he's not working and tell him it's time to ride... maybe going on a real drive will get him back into his groove.

Don't get me wrong, I like some car shows, but I think if I sat at one behind my car enough times I'd get tired of that too.

Just a thought.