Hot Rods GNRS VS The Classic Auto Show ???? WTF ??

OK - Who was the marketing genius or strategist who decided to start a NEW show http://www.theclassicautoshow.com/745/the-classic-auto-show.htm#

The very same weekend as the GNRS ???? WTF??? ...... for the same admission price.

I can't even imagine how stupid this idea was. And they have a swap section inside the LA Convention center, what kind of target market customer is going to drive and park in downtown LA at the Convention Center and walk in specifically looking to find a used antique car part??? Seriously, did anyone think this through??

I like Bruce Meyer, and he's one of the classiest guys around, but I can't believe he's on board with this team.

More bang for your buck....the person with this thinking will head to the GNRS, it's been a proven show for years......

 

Gee...... Put 'em in the street. That's where Hot Rod's belong.

 

Two different markets.

 

looks like a big time promotion operation that did not plan this over night - contact phone area codes all outside California, of course this does not mean much in the cell phone age

 

Apparently the LA show date will be in late Spring for next year's event. Smart move.

 

Actually...it's not...two different markets.
Look at the "guest" list, Chip Foose for one, the rest of the advertised names..! I've seen cars at Grand National Event that they seem to want at this new event.

I'd attend both, but I hate going to the Convention Center.

Mike

 

Unfortunately this happens. There are 365 days in a year, pick another date...........

 

This is no accident, someone is trying to rain on John Bucks Parade.
And I have been hearing some grumblings about the GNRS

 

Not to mention it's also the same days as the TURLOCK swap meet. Theses idiots should all think about the dates so we can go spend money at all of them. Well at least the gnrs and Turlock. I can care less about chipped tooth.

 

Thats my thoughts people coming from all over the globe can hit both in one week
Might make my trip from Oregon worth the drive

 

I agree, and whether they are trying to pull people away from John Buck -- or someone had some idea of how to get rich quick. There are HUNDREDS of car collections in California, you can always pull enough cars in to make a show....but will that show be good ? What about the guy who takes his family for the first time? Or the guy who has never been to a car show? Which show is going to have a greater impact? The CCS at the Convention Center seems more like a TV show that is trying too hard to pull in an audience. It costs a lot more money to rent the Convention Center then it does the Fairplex.....I'm betting someone is going to lose on this deal.

 

I went to the GNRS for the first time last year and I was AMAZED at how big the show was. Lots of great cars. There are enough classic/special interest cars in SoCal for both shows, no problem. But I will attend GNRS.

 

Just being associated with the Velocity channel,is enough for me to stay away from it,,Their program director has got to be uninformed on cars,judging from their programming. its so bad..

 

I don't know why they scheduled it on GNRS weekend unless they are hoping to get spectator draw from folks coming from out of town. If they did it as some kind of Spite, then that is just petty and not good for our hobby in general. If you ask me it was piss poor planning and I will be spending my weekend (and MONEY) at the GNRS.

 

DITTO Don! There is just way too much to see at the 'National for me in one day any more! I'll take in the buildings on Friday, spend all-day Saturday outside!

I MIGHT roll in to the show in my '57 Black Widow trib car, as the American Tri-Five Association has a building for displaying tri-5's - but NO reseved parking outside for us members. SHITTY planning to overlook us that way...

DAMNED if I want to park my classic in downtown LA for $20... THAT would be asking for it!!! But, I AM courious what they might have going on there... but a part of me wants to BOYCOTT this new deal for going head to head with 'The Grand Daddy of them all'.

EXPENSIVE venue, pricy parking, and downtown LA is a PITA (slightly less if my GF navigates). I'll wager they loose their ass at the door... won't be back next year. Safe bet SUITS planned this show who THINK they are car guys. Why not the weekend before or after??? MAJOR DUMB.

 

In all fairness, the American Tri-Five Association is not doing that building, the GNRS is celebrating 60 years of the Tri 5's and the American Tri 5 Assoc is just one of the sponsors of that gathering along with Danchuck and I think some others. No different than when Ford Sponsored the 75 years of the '32 - there wasn't any special reserved parking for '32 Ford's either (expect of those of us lucky enough to have one of the significant 75 in the building )

 

OK, thanks for that Don! I bitched to ATFA about the parking deal, said it was out of their control. Your explanation was WAY better than their's. How HARD could it be to set up a Duce or tri-five alley if we wish to park there? My car is a driver, rare Utility Sedan... might have to sleep in the back to park next to the building... BURRRRRRR!

 

I just got the email from Hagerty telling me that this LA Classic Auto Show. I was a little confused also. They have one feature called "Grand Boulevard" (that's too many Grand things in one weekend) with 50 cars spanning over 100 years of automobiles. Then I went to see what cars are attending, and all I can find are a photos of a few Mustangs and other average cars.

With Bruce Meyer as the Grand Marshall, he must have been heavy in the planning. Perhaps he's trying to make a "LA Car Week", like Monterey? He would have done better had he attracted a big car auction like Barret Jackson to town instead.

 

Panties in a bunch ?????

 

I think the problem with that is the rows around the buildings are very narrow so for the drive in show they just bring them in the way they arrive and place them as they come. I think trying to send some one way, others another, etc. would be a bit of a cluster for them - just my guess. In fact I'm not sure they even put any cars up there next to building 9.

 

Burrrrrrr? Southern California really

 

Thinking of driving in on Saturday. Gotta represent for the custom tri five guys. Hahah. What is a good time to get there if your not preregistered?

 

So does anybody know how the Classic Auto Show turned out. I know lots of people that went to GNRS but nobody that went to the other. I was told that at the Lunch with the Legends, Bruce Myers said That they were not competing with GNRS. But it kinda looks like they are.

 

The guys I know who went to the Classic show said they could see the whole thing in about an hour!
As for Bruce, I was at the Hall of Fame Luncheon at the GNRS as an AMBR contender and what Bruce said to us was they (He and Chip in particular) made it clear to the promoters of that show that it would Not be on the same weekend in the future. They claimed it was a scheduling issue due to that show coming up late in the planning season and it was all that was available and they didn't want to wait another year to have the first one.

 

Surprised to hear that, I assumed it was same weekend on purpose. Kinda like Scottsdale with 5 auctions + some shows and Monterrey with numerous shows and auctions all the same week. Catch people while they are in town for one or the other. I like it myself, when I go to Scottsdale I hit several events as long as I'm there, why not? If I went to the GNRS I'd set aside some time to check out the other show. I don't get out of town that often, I like to see as much as I can while I'm somewhere to the point it drives my wife nuts.
Now if your'e a trophy whore and want to enter your car into both shows that would be different...

 

Thank you for the feedback . I guess we will see what happens next year.

 

The biggest complaints I heard about that idea (which I originality thought was maybe that's why they did it) were;
1) Cost, neither show is cheap to get into especially if you have a date or family, plus parking - GNRS was $25.00 a head per day, plus $10.00 parking. The Classic I'm told was $30.00 per day and parking was something like $25.00
2) In LA traffic it could be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours to get from one to the other
3) Time - Most guys I know spend a full two days at GNRS, so that doesn't leave a lot of time
Just some further thoughts about that

 

I flew out from Connecticut for the GNRS, and went to the Classic Show as well, first time ever for the Velocity show. Were else would you see 3Window Larry's Coupe next to a GREAT 4 1/2 liter BENTLEY? Bob

 

Glad I went to Turlock...but woulda loved to take in Larry's 3 window...
Thanks for the pic, 'Kid!

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. I went to the GNRS for the first time this year and we planned several things to do one being the Petersen Museum. While at the Petersen we met an older gentleman and his wife. he was well to do and had some cars. Most of them exotics one hot rod/custom. He was a big fan of the Velocity chanel and they came for that show. They had absolutely no idea of the GNRS or what it was all about. I mentioned the HAMB and got an even bigger dear in the headlights look. They were really nice people and had no idea that there are people like us out there.