Trailering to faraway events.

I didn't want to dirty up the existing Billetproof thread with this post, so I decided to do it as a separate thread. One of the "rules" of the Billetproof events is "No trailered cars." But as we saw, some do show up on trailers, including one of ours.

While I kinda get the reason for that rule (this is supposed to be a show for REAL cars that are not trailer queens), there is a difference between a trailer queen and a regularly used car that just happens to come from so far away that driving is impractical or impossible. We came 250 miles each way and some cars there were from even greater distances, I even heard 650 miles for a few.

First of all, let me set the record straight on our personal cars. I have owned my 27 for 23 years and for 7 of those years it was my pretty much daily driver. I drove it to work, it sat out in the rain a lot, and I got soaked many times driving it. It has been driven to Turkey Run at least 8 times (250 miles each way), and my old 23 has been there 3 times. I drive my hot rod almost every day even now, even if it is just for a little 50 mile nightime cruise or to run for a loaf of bread. I do not own a trailer.

We did rent a U Haul to bring my Son's rpu for a few reasons. One is that we had a lot of stuff to bring, like the trophy we made, lots of tools and a floor jack, clothes, etc. Two small roadsters don't afford much room to do that. Secondly, he is running 4.11 gears and I am running 4.30's. Revving at 3500 rpms with open headers on the interstate for 5 hours in a windy roadster may have been fun when I was 20 years old, but since I am now 66 the luster has worn off a little. Today I feel like a truck ran over me and then backed up again.

Alan and the rest of the BP group is very good about being reasonable about the interpretation of the rules, and they turn a blind eye to some infractions, which is cool. There were a few trailers parked right at the hotel in plain sight, including ours. But some participants don't see it that way. When I asked the host club where we should leave the trailer one of them said "Oh, I thought this was supposed to be a non trailered event." I guess that was a shot at me, but it missed.

We have to face facts that Florida is a huge State and some people want to come from every corner of it and also from adjoining States. It might be one thing to jump in a 50 Ford and make a long trip, but a small hot rod is something totally different. We get between 8-10 mpg on the highway and at over $ 4 a gallon for hitest it gets pretty expensive, and you stop a lot with a 10 gallon tank.

I can see the stigma if a show draws people from maybe a 20 mile radius because if your car can't go that far it truly is a trailer queen, but there is a difference between a trailer queen and one that is just brought to a distant show on one. I also fully expect some comments on the other side of this argument, but that is ok, I just wanted to toss this one out to see what others think.

Don

 

250 miles is a short drive....if you are wise enough to run reasonable gearing and put some mufflers on the thing.

<------ picture shows me running my blown 55 in Great Bend Kansas, after driving it 1400 miles to get there (went to Topeka first)

 

I interpret the rules as saying "Don`t pull into the event with your car on a trailer". I think that for someone to trailer their car 6 hours, then pull it off the trailer at the hotel and drive 20 minutes to the show is not a no-no, but I didn`t write the rules.

 

As in most things, a little applied "common sense" would resolve situations like this. Seems to be in short supply sometimes.

 

I do agree with that statement too. Either your car is a "short-distance" car and accept that or modify the gears and exhaust and drive it everywhere.

 

Riding and driving in some cars is like riding on an 1880's buckboard. If I had a car like that, I'd trailer it and then drive it into the event. With no apologies to anyone.

 

Yeah I'm a wuss. I trailered this down the eastern seaboard to get to this show. It took a day each way on the trailer at 70 MPH which left more time for the event and play time. It probably would have made the round trip on it's own but it would cost me at least 2 more days and 2 more nights in a motel with out any other hotrods around. I understand travel time is completely different for us east coasters than you westerners. I like to drive at the shows but not so much on the interstates getting there. I can rationalize a trailer for me.

 

Doesn't appear that many rules are followed there. The very first photos on the "Billetproof" thread, showed two roadsters (minus hoods) with billet stuff bolted on 'em....
What's the sense of owning a hotrod you can't/won't drive?

 

I paid a buck for one of those Billetproof oval stickers that says no trailer queens. I thought it was pretty funny. I do understand why people have to use trailers, some of the reasons are, but not limited to:

- a new car that's just so pretty we can't get it dirty just yet
- an old car that we have kept pretty and we still can't drive it much on the road
- a new car that's not fully sorted or proven reliable just yet
- it's a show car, we never drive it
- a race car, we can't drive it on the street
- ultra long distances and no room for luggage or the dog
- it's not too weather resistant / has no roof
- it's undrivable at any speed

But.. it's SO much fun to drive them I can't imagine putting so much time in them that all I can do is trailer it or look at it in the garage. I mean, if you could push it from the trailer to the show you wouldn't even need working engines, like show cars of old. I wonder if this gets in print before the barn door closes. Gary

PS - your car and Dan's were just fabulous

 

If 250 miles were too far to drive, I wouldn't go anywhere...

Use a trailer if you need to, but for me getting there is half of the fun!

 

And maybe the older fellas can clear something up for me. Did you drive your rods/kustoms a very long distance back when? Because I see older pictures and the roads looked like they sucked worse than nowadays! AND no convenience stores every 15 miles or so! My A-bone has stock type suspension that works ok-but MAN does it hate bad roads!!

 

Very interesting comments, thanks for sharing so far. I do notice that most of the posts about how a car should be driven no matter how far are from guys with later model cars with roofs, probably a/c and stereo, and stuff like that. Perhaps those cars are suitable for going 70 on the interstate for 5 hours at a time (or more) but how many of those guys would do it in a fenderless hot rod with 80 year old suspension and no top?

At the last Billetproof a few of us were saying how we need to build a fat fender car with all the modern conveniences for events just like this one. That could be because a lot of us are getting up in years, but I can tell you my butt was feeling it and I didn't mind the gas stops too much at all.

Just last week I made two 300 mile trips in my daily driver and it was a piece of cake........a/c, stereo, cruise control, roof over my bald head, etc. That trip would not have been so comfortable in my roadster. That, and the interstate is pretty scarey with trailer trucks zooming by with tires taller than you are, and drivers in soccer mom suv's almost hitting you as they take pictures with their cell phones.


Don

 

incorrect... the rule is "no trailer queens"...

there is a difference between a car that lives in its trailer and is only brought out in order to recieve its expected trophy at a show and one that is trailered to an event that is far away. No one expects someone with stock Model A drive train or a gasser with 5:11 rear to drive that car at freeway speed for 7 hours to reach the show.

I personally build my rides to get in and go where ever... I'm old, I like my creature comforts ;D.... this also means that I stay away from chopped and channeled Model A's with open headers and drag racing geared rear ends. Nothing wrong with 'em, I love 'em...for short periods of time. There is nothing "soft" about that, personally I think its smart.

But then again, you have to figure Hot Rods were never REALLY built for long distance travel. They were built for going fast around town. If you wanted a highway cruiser they could be bought stock off the showroom floor. If someone has built a hot rod that they are comfortable driving loooong distances in, good on 'em. I dont see it as a badge of courage, or that anyone is more hardcore than anyone else. If you LIKE driving you ride a long way, go for it. If you arent comfortable in your hot rod for an 8 hour freeway blast (for whatever reason, gearing, noise, uncomfortable driving position... whatever) then its up to you whether or not to attend the show by driving there, or whether you wish to trailer it in close by. Again, noting the difference between a "trailer queen" and a car that has been trailered to an event.

 

If you don't build a hot rod capable of driving a mere 250 miles, what's the point of building it?

 

See-that's where I respectfully disagree. I always thought nostalgic hot rods were made for street and strip racing, not the autobahn.

 

Exactly....which is why I don't have a car with no top. Some guys like driving, so they build a car that they can drive anywhere. Some guys like having a certain car, and they'll sacrifice driveability for "the look". When you do that, you'll get some crap if you trailer your car to a no-trailer event.

Sounds to me like you can handle it, so I suggest you just don't worry about what others think.

 

If they were capable of driving 250 miles eighty years ago, I think it stands to reason that with today's improved roads, they are capable of traveling 250 miles now. I don't think it's the cars, I think it's the drivers...

 

Just to put some perspective to this, there is a guy that attends a number of shows around Ohio...including, but not limited to, the G--d G-ys events. He has an old rpu, and it is impecable...with that said, I have 0 respect for the guy. He is arrogant and only talks to people within his "circle of friends". I was admiring his truck, and he kept telling me not to get so close to it...I was not touching it, but was really trying to see his mill a little closer. Anyway, it turns out, he has one of those foam mock up engines, with all the Billet Bells and Whistles bolted to it and it is pushed on the trailer, and pushed off the trailer...it is never driven, as it doesn't even have a true engine in it. I heard that someone caught on...that matters to him... so he ended up buying a block with a crank in it, and he painted it up and moved his billet on to it. No pistons, rods, cam, lifters, nothing....I think this is the "trailer queen" that ought to be the target of the no trailers ruling. If the car can make the 2 or 3 miles to the show, from the hotel, that is a driver...even if not driven much.

 

so it can go fast over 1/4 mile, 1 mile (think dry lakes), or 8 miles (think bonneville).

Thats where hot rods get their styling cues from anyway.

 

250 miles a long drive
1250 maybe,250 isn't far at all

 

i think you should respect the rules of the event and not try to look for a way around or try to rationalize it. there are other shows that allow trailering to.

 

Alan, thank you, thank you, thank you ! You have summed up perfectly the reality and how people have to be reasonable about these things. My car is quite capable of going 250 miles, and I just did it this weekend with no mechanical issues. But probably next year I will trailer it and enjoy having it at the show and driving it around Ocala.

Some people interpret your rule about this as "No trailer in ANY circumstance " and it is very cool that you have clarified that now. Also, thank you Alan and Melissa for the hard work you put in to make this a super great event for all of us to enjoy, and to Big Daddy for letting us use his home.

Don

 

This from a man who owns a 61 Caddy and a 53 Chevy. Try it in an open roadster then get back to me.

Qoute: i think you should respect the rules of the event and not try to look for a way around or try to rationalize it. there are other shows that allow trailering to.

Read Alans logic and intrepretation. We did follow the rules.
__________________


Don

 

Let's see here, 250 miles -No Big deal
lo rear gears - Ya sure didn't build a "Driver"
The fun of a big run is the drive there and back !!!!!!!!
Did a little drive last year with a few buddys.
First off 3 of them drove over 1200 miles to get to my place, then we left
and drove 1250 miles to go out to the L.A.Roadster show.
Everybody said the had sooooo much fun that were doin it again this year, only this year we've got 15 cars goin.

Change yer gear, stuff a little trailer behind ya and get out and DRIVE IT.
Hell, 250 miles is just a nice Sunday drive 4 me.

2 cars this year comin from flordia, 2 from kentucky,1 from N.Carolina,1 from Kansas and god no's a few more from the mid west.

 

so alan shouldn't have a problem with you pulling up to the show and unloading your hotrods at the gate, as long as they're not trailer queens. that way, you won't take up any space at the hotel for people you drive their cars there.

 

Don,
I think you've got it right. I like to drive my stuff, however, some of my cars are just not built for comfort or carrying your family & all your stuff 200+ miles. I build my hot rods pretty hot-as in geared like a bulldozer. Yes, I could do an overdrive or gearvendors set up but that's not gonna make a chopped & channeled A model any more spacious. It's no problem for the cars to make a longer trip but I would have to take two cars to carry my family & all the stuff for an overnight stay. I'll go 600+ miles to some shows and I'd have to compromise what I want the cars to be just to drive vs. haul that far. Locally I'll run the wheels off of 'em.

 

Be a true hotrodder and do what you want with your own car.

 

I trailered one of my cars twice for the same reasons Don mentioned. One was a 9 hr trip, the other was a 14 hr trip. I vowed to never do it again. I save my flathead 27 roadster for 5 hr trips or shorter and started taking my 55 on longer trips. Trailering for me ruins the event.

Tim

 

Who cares if someone trailers their car. Some are not fortunate enough to be the age or health condition to squeeze into a hot rod for a 200 mile jaunt. Hot rods, the very concept was for racing, not cruising to grandma's. Live and let live.
Why argue over something so stupid. Just enjoy the cars and the characters and worry about the important things.
I have done both. Driven or trailered. I could care less what someone does as long as they enjoy their car and its not a true trailer queen.
I remember when I had my coupe at the gnrs in Oakland. I was near it talking to some one when I overheard a conversation where a guy was telling his friends, "these cars never see the road" The car was done 9 months earlier and I had 5k on it.

Some folks are too quick to judge others

 

If you have to trailer just stay at a hotel far enough from the event so no one notices,I try to build them to drive long distances but I do have one vehicle that due to injuries from a major car accident 30 years ago that are starting to remind me they are there I cant drive it a very long distance. I would like to bring it to the Turkey run some day but its going to be on the back of a trailer since the cab is so small that driving it for over 900 miles would be just way too much on my body,I am not going to sell it for a more comfortable vehicle since its been in the family a long time and if I have to drive one I will hop in my 55 sunliner and away I go but my 37 Chevy p/u will get trailerd to events over 200 miles. With my back injury and driving the most comfortable car made I would still have to get out and stretch about every 150 miles.