Trailering to faraway events.

The thing with Billetproof is defining the "type" of car the show is about and the "rules" are a tool to guide what kind of cars show up. Your car sounds like a car I might want to look at, so trailer it in. I could care less, and even with the comments made it seems the staff felt your car deserved to participate too. A couple of years ago some guy brought a cool original Miller powered race car. It was bad ass. Nobody would have seen it without his trailer.
On a personal note, change your rear gears and get some exhaust work done. If you don't drag race that thing, make it more suitable for how you drive it. Maybe put a top on it.

 

some of the cars that go to Billetproof aka rats, were probably trailered because they are not roadworthy, scray to drive, etc. I think what they meant by no trailered cars is to keep out the gold chainer fully enclosed trailered, $$$$$ billet, luxury garage ornaments.

 

A car that came in on a trailer out of convience is far different to a beauty queen that gets a death wobble at 35 mph. The rules need to be better defined.

 

I agree totally with the OP, Don. Part of this is because in 1955 I drove a STOCK Model "A" 1500 miles from Odessa TX to Griffin, GA. A roadster with no side curtains, no top, and no heater, in NOV!!!!!!
But I was 18 yrs. old, "10 ft tall, and bulletproof"! Do the math, now I'm 74, and I'm nearly thru bldg. another 31Hiboy. I do plan to drive the rod as much as possible because I love driving an open car in nice weather, so I'm building it as a driver, no hand rubbed paint, just plain single stage urethane, no color sand and rubbing, just a little wax. No carpet, just rubber, that sorta stuff, cause it's a roadster with no top, and I'm in GA, for God's sake.
But at 74 I'm not as tall or as bulletproof as I was @18, and I do still own a car trailer (in need of repair and repaint) left from dirt oval days. You can count on that trailer being the next project as soon as the Hiboy is finished and roadworthy enough to drive around.
Then I can forsee 2 things that would cause me to use that trailer, one is a trip that's gonna include some drag racing or other such stuff at destination , or a trip of the length Don mentioned.
One other point, take a look at the profile and cars owned by those pimping the ease of 250 mi. trips, most, not all, drive closed cars much later year than the "T"&"A" stuff Don and I are driving.
Dave

 

There used to be a ProStreet Vette that came to our local shows. Badass car, tubbed, blower surging away, animated as all get out. Fun to see him pull in, but he parked his trailer a block away from the show and drove in. By the time he got that one block the car was puking water from a too small cooling system and it was overheating. THAT is a trailer queen. One that you drive a lot around your home turf but that is impractical to drive on very long trips is not.

My car does have a full exhaust system but I ran the caps off to try to get a little more mpg of gas milage, and the 4.30 gears are staying because they work great with my cam and engine setup. Around town it puts a smile on my face every time I shift.

One funny thing that happened out of the trip was that I put a ton of greasy sunblock all over my face and head for the trip up. When I got there I checked in then went to our room. When I looked in the mirror I looked like Al Jolsen.......my face was coated with black road grime except for around my mouth and eyes. I'm surprised the hotel desk clerk didn't turn me away for looking like a hobo.

I gotta build a shoebox Ford for these long trips.


Don

 

Sra8 6 - very valid observation. Once the cras are parked at the show there is very little difference if they were trailered to the event or driven. I'd rather see an interesting car even if it was trailered.
I trailered my A roadster because it has pro ably only 3 hours on the engine and less time on the road since it has been completely rebuilt and a 200+mile drive on the interstate in Florida is more of an exercise in survival than fun.

What I have more of an issue with are the RR junk mobiles that get into a show that's supposedly only for traditional cars. We unfortunately get them too at our Grounhog Gala, but we also don't have such explicit rules.

Big thanks to Alan and the host club for putting on a great show!

 

I trailered to one show so I could take luggage, jack, stands, ramps, misc parts and tools. The plus side, I was caravanning with a bunch of friends, so if someone broke down, I could unload the Model A and load the disabled car. Now, the cars I have, have trunks to load what ever I need, plus full exhaust and freeway gearing.

My avatar was my daily driver, back when I was in my '20's. Took her fishing and hunting too. 4:56's, cruising at 55 mph on the freeway, but gas was 65 cents then.

 

I don't think it's been said here yet, but I think the bum rap on trailer queens is because of the big car show modus operandi, be it a show for rods, customs or vintage / concours. IE - all the show cars are trailerd because they don't want to re-detail them or risk damage. I realize some cars are just too expensive to drive or are simply irreplaceable. But this SOP has trickled-down to other events, and the "little guy" who has to spend hours, if not days, detailing his car to try for some award is, naturally, kicked to the back of the bus by some other guy who rolls in with a perfectly detailed car in an enclosed trailer that is 4 years old and has 14 miles on the ODO. Perhaps no trophies? Gary

 

Its not all noise and gearing issues. Its also the fact he is not comfortable and has no room.

We trailered our car to Billetproof WA last year. And guess what, its a nine passenger wagon.
But with my whole family of seven in it with all three seats in regards to there is no room for clothes, small amount of tools, stroller, fold up crib, etc.

We had the same comments at the hotel. I would rather trailer it to a show far enough where we stay overnight and take my family than drive it and leave em home.

Alan, thanks for clearing the air. For all you naysayers, you heard it from the horses mouth.

 

When a show segregates to what vehicles are allowed, how they arrive, and how far they have to go to be classsified as a driver, they open themselves up to being a policing agent. They will become like the other groups, just a different style. If you drove your car thru the gates it was a driver anything else is your business only

 

I don't see anything wrong with trailering to an event if it's a long way off. I wouldn't unload at the gate, I'd unload at the campground or motel. We like to take our motorhome with the car on the trailer, unload when we get to the campground, then the car is used until we get ready to go home. My ot 74 has been driven to many a show 150 miles away, and has been trailered to a couple that were 250 miles away. I didn't want to be subject to the idiots in Atlanta while driving it, so I trailered it over there.
As far as comfort goes, a lot of folks didn't like my choice of seats for my 36 pickup. That's OK, it's my butt that will be comfortable when they're sweating on bare metal buckets. I plan on AC, too. The older I get, the less I like the heat. If I can't be comfortable, the fun goes away quick. Not to mention the wife, if she's not comfortable, you're gonna hear about it, and it's not as much fun if she doesn't come along.
I used to like loud and fast, now I'll settle for looking good and cruising slower.

 

How about a State / DOT speed bump at the gate? If you can't do the reverse limbo over the bump, you can't get in! Gary

 

It's quite easy to build a small fast early open/closed car that also has a ride and seating that allows you to drive it long, to me at least 500 miles one way, distances in comfort.
Make sure your car has a working suspension.
Use seat spring assemblies for seating, at least for the bottom cushion.
When building the car sit in it at least 100 times to make sure all the controls are at hand and foot in comfortable and easily used positions.
If you must have a windshield so short it is not a wind shield, make up a bolt-on or clamp-on travel windshield extension which gets the windshield up above your eyes. Remove it when you get to the campground or hotel.
Use quality earplugs or muffs if you are running open headers like Lakes-style or individual tubes with no muffling.

 

ever noticed at the "good guy" events .the campgrounds or parking lots aree full of trailer queens AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE ALWAYS THE PRO PICKS OR SOME OTHER KIND OF AWARD WINNER -GUESS THATS WHY I NEVER STAY ROR THE AWARDS PRESENTATIONS - AND THEN IF THEY DONT WIN SOMETHING THEY ARE PISSED OFF !!! anyway my two cents/ judge it as you want !

 

I put more miles than that on a snowmobile when it's -20 and colder,all in a weekend,250 miles is nothing on a paved road.

 

alot less room to pack stuff on two wheels, but i still rather ride. i can pack enough clothes and a bed roll for the weekend. when the camping is primitive, we arrange for a chase vehicle to bring the gear and food.

 

I would personally drive just about anything to something 250 miles away, but then I'm 43 years old.

My dad is 70 and has driven the crap out of all sorts of wild, uncomfortable hotrods since he was 14, but now he only builds/owns closed cars that are relatively comfortable. He doesn't own a trailer. He borrows mine or a friends when he needs one.

All that having been said....hell man....life's too short to go after a guy like Don for doing what he described in the original post. Those of us who know hotrods can tell if a car is really driven. Even a well-cared-for car that gets driven a lot will show pretty obvious signs....and I personally LOVE to see wear on tires, little nicks in the paint, etc, etc. Those things show that a car is loved and used.

I've never seen Don's cars in person, but they look very nice in the photos and I'd bet that you can spot those beautiful signs of use on his cars if you look.

I rather have a guy like Don and his car in attendance at a meet, than exclude him for doing what he's describing.

Now....a 30 year old....or even a guy my age....yall haven't earned a pass yet!

 

My combo when I'm done with it, will be my 54 Mainline tudor with a 302, pulling a 27 roadster on deuce rails, on a vintage looking trailer.

I wonder if they'll let that combo into a meet like Billetproof.

 

i got no problem with trailered cars. the billet fluff queens arent hard to pick out anyway so who cares. lots of builders trailer their cars becuase they need to stay nice and they are built to showcase what a shop can do.

 

I am on the down side of the age bracket ( i don't look at it as negative) so I don't want schedules, rules, politics, expectations, 401 accounts, living like the Jones, fenced dogs and rules. I want this side of the bracket to consist of free car shows, build what I like, spend money on what I chose, owe no one, do things how I want and die broke content with how I finished this side of the bracket.

Trailer or drive is your own decision I still get to see your car that is what matters to me

 

We drove down there in my 53 Caddy a couple years back, 650 miles each way. Shit, fellow Poorboy Jason drove his T roadster down there and he has no top, side curtains, heater, etc.

You'll never catch a car of mine on a trailer, unless it's broken.

 

there ya go :d

 

That is the reason the USA has never declared war on Canada.......you are a bunch of tough old Birds !


Don

 

Drive the Hot Rod if you enjoy that, or drive the tow vehicle if you like that better that day.

I've done both, but getting other peoples approval was not part of that decission.

 

I absolutely agree.

 

I think you should do what ever makes the trip more enjoyable for you. If that means driving a t roadster a 1000 miles or trailering it so that you can put your mind at ease, it all makes sense.

In my opinion FLorida's Billet proof lets in a lot of garbage so I could give two shits whether someone's car was pulled across country on a trailer so that they could get there and enjoy it like the vacation it was intended to be. As long as it drives when they get there I think they still are getting the point.

 

If you can't tell the difference between a trailer "Queen" and a trailered "rod", perhaps you are in the wrong hobby!

 

trailers are for boats,and the lake is the fair grounds ( show boats )

 

And Racecars.

 

i dont like to drive my car that far, thats why i just go to local events,i guess i am getting old at 62