Event Coverage LA Roadsters Fathers Day Show

Well said, Don.

 

X2

Sent from my Nexus 7 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Here is my opinion. I am going. Just like the past 49 years! I cost more to run too!

 

In the last few years the admission for roadster owners has been free with an additional charge for the passenger . Under the new $50.00 for two concept it might be nice to have a single driver/car pricing program . It seems as though if you come as a single you're having to pay a penalty .

 

I have a question. I'm not judging anyone.

I've been to LARS when I've lived in LA solely as a spectator. To me it was just a really incredible car show. That's it. But obviously there are many layers to an onion, and car shows.

There were some really forthright posts here. People were sharing their feelings.

So is this right:

For many years, if you had a really well put together car that fit the LAR's criteria, you made the (long) annual journey to this show and were made to feel special, treated with a great deal of respect, treated to exclusive things that the spectators weren't, like mugs, barbecues, access to areas and people that other people weren't. Belonging for a time to an elite "club". Sort of a culmination of all the hard work and money you put into this hobby. You were thanked by the LAR members (who according to this thread are a pretty rare bird) personally, and basically felt like the star of the show, like all of this was put on just for you and the spectators came to appreciate your car.

Now, things are changing. It feels like people aren't treating you properly any more. The problem isn't the $50, it's feeling like you've lost status. Like you have lost respect. Lost your place. It was a really gratifying experience before, that's changing for the worse and it's an awful long drive to get treated like any other slob.

Is that it? Am I getting it? It can't "really" be about $50 can it?

 

What will it cost two people in a 1930's Pickup to park between the Roadsters and Swap Meet? Will they be complaining too? Bob

 

Perfectly stated Don

 

Let me simplify this, and all other car shows, as a promoter, I'm gonna put on a car show, I need cars to do this, so I put out the word. Then I inform those I've sweet talked into coming that they have to now pay me for the privilege of showing off their car, otherwise I can't make a profit. Got it? It's pretty much that simple, if you understand that concept and are good with it, all the power to you.
If you're a small club who puts on a show and needs funds to cover rental of the facility you've chosen, to me, that is understandable, and I'll pay a small fee to help out the club, matter of fact, some of the best shows I go to are because of club activity, but I will not deepen the pockets of a promoter or private business. Far as I'm concerned, the promoter can make his money off the gate receipts, not the cars he needs to create the gate receipts. Just my two cents.

 

It's our Tradition on our coast, I will be there......

 

You nailed it, that's it, it's not the $50, it's the tradition of what's been done for over 50 years. This may sound corny to some of you guys but this is what it was for me. It's kind of a "roadster thing" that the guys that live close by in So Cal may not feel, especially if you don't put a lot of miles in a roadster. My drive to the LARS was a journey that I planned for many months in advance with my roadster buddies, using two weeks of my limited vacation time and funds to drive the almost 5000 miles roundtrip. In the months after the trip I would relive every mile of the experience in my thoughts for the rest of the year. It was a test of myself and the roadster I had built with my own hands, to drive it across this beautiful country, over mountains and through the desert to get there. I loved and savored every mile, especially driving through the pearly gates of the FairPlex and being welcomed by the LAR members in the red shirts to the “Greatest Roadster Show On Earth”. For guys like me that live thousands of miles away from SoCal, who had read about it in hot rod magazines since I was a kid, it was a religious experience to trek across the country to the mecca of the hot rod roadster nirvana, to experience and be welcomed into the exclusive brotherhood, even though I was just a farm boy from South Dakota. The "tradition" is what made it special to me rather than being just another rube coming through the gate to show off my car like every other car show. Sure, the LA Roadster Show is the one of the biggest and best car shows there is, it will always be that, but that's not what made it special to me, it was way more than that, it was the tradition!

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I will say it straight up. The la roadster club turns it's noses up at the young guys. They always have and because our cars are not streetrods painted nice they can care less. I had my original roadster "hotrod" there last year in the swapmeet area and 4 roadster members came up On A golf cart and one member said wow look at that piece of shit. Me and my brother looked at each other and went wow. It's to bad they charge you with a felony for hitting a senior citizen. Those club members are all dicks.

Just think about how good that show could be if the club just asked us youngsters to help their old asses out. Pocket Rodders will NEVER get it. That's why the swap meet area is the only thing worth going for. I can care less about every plastic street rod there and their stuck up owners.

Never less I will be back there this year for the 25 years straight. I still find good parts and sell good parts so whatever. You old guys better figure it out. Us youngsters are here to stay.

 

No, its ALL of our tradition. It belongs not only us in the states, but to the world judging by all the great people I've met there from all over Europe, Australia and New Zealand. So you're saying if you aren't from So Cal we should keep our mouths shut or stay home?

 

I guess I can take the LARS off my bucket list to do when my 1935 Chevrolet roadster is done.

Not going to make the drive across country with my 1935 Chevrolet phaeton either .

Garry Meadors was a JERK, came into NSRA and fired a lot of the state reps, me included .

mike

 

It's sad to see the world changing around us and seeing our traditions fade away before our eyes. That the younger guys might not experience the same things I have with my obsession (it's not just a hobby to me!) with hot rods. Drag racing died in the 70's, driving to the Street Rod Nationals in a different place in the country every year went away, then Americruise died along with Rod & Custom soon after, the salt at Bonneville is on its last legs and on and on ........ Why just accept it and move on? Isn't that why we are here on Ryan's site, to try to keep our traditions alive?

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

This is from a friend of mine that's been a LA Roadster member for

This was from a friend of mine that has been a member and participant for the past 50 shows.
The 1st 500 roadsters will get mugs. This is about the same number of mugs as we have always given away . Many roadsters are only there on Saturday and don't receive mugs. John Buck is not the greedy party , the Fairplex is!! The members of the Roadster club would have also had to start charging for Roadsters , John just took over at the time it became necessary. They charge for every area, chair, table, pcv barrier, for power hook ups for vendors, lights(yes they are separate fees), to run A/C in buildings 4&6, Very expensive Insurance umbrella to cover the Fairplex.Many many other expenses, flyers, the program , it goes on and on.Do you know every Roadster receives around a $100.00 worth of items over the weekend, 2 mugs ( forget the glass one?) BBQ, etc.

 

Thanks for steering this thread back into a much more civilized discussion. Seems to be lots of very angry and bitter folks posting their opinions instead of paying attention to the actual facts of the matter. I'm looking forward to attending the show again this year.

 

Dean,---First LAR show at Hollywood Bowl parking lot was held in 1961.
Its true, all LAR members are now much older & can't get around like we used to, BUT, since John Buck (AMBER) is also an LAR member, made a 5 year proposal to buy the LAR show (not LAR club), it was agreed on, so,---It will be intresting to see how things transpire this Fathers Day, I'll still be driving my roadster down (Topless) again like last year, renewing old friends, maybe it won't be as hot as last year (109).-----See ya there Dean----------Don Thomas

 

Got ya beat Bob----------2 odometers= 300,000 miles since 1968.---Don

 

If the LA Roadster guys and gals are in attendance, doing their ambassador stuff (and if I've understood it correctly that will be the case) then the tradition and all that loveliness is maintained, so it's solely about the money, which it seems mainly goes to the facility and presumably there will be increased costs as club members won't be doing the behind the scenes stuff for free, which is fair enough, they've done their part. So where's the problem? I think the problem is the perception that someone is getting rich out of it, which seems to be misplaced. I'll be happy and honoured to be there - highlight of my year.
Chris

 

Well said Pete,-----One year the LAR club did NOT profit!! (Hollywood Bowl).

 

Hmmm, I thought I was an "Average guy" when LAR accepted me in 1971, (now Honorary member).
Exactly why I quit NSRA many years ago as a Charter Member.

 

Swap meet started at Great Western, after an interest was seen at the last year at Hollywood Bowl.

 

You know Don, thinking back on the evolution of my first RPU (the only way my tired old brain can remember anything, by association) it was '61. The fact that I drove there with my buddy instead of my wife to be, which I met in '63, should have given me a clue on the year.

 

GREAT!!-------You nailed it!!!

Yes, there are a FEW DICKHEADS that are new members & haven't the foggiest idea what the LAR club has been since its beginning in 1957, hell, some don't even know anything about our by-laws!----Wish I could have been there to counter his bad remarks!----Don

 

Haaa!-----Now at 84, I have "Brain farts too".

 

Maybe as an assignment they should be required to read Jack Stewart's history of the club. Chock full of great things. Looking forward to seeing you again this year Don. I promise not to run over you with my scooter, a close call last year!

 

Don, thanks for that great picture of the Hollywood Bowl. Got any more?

The issue here isn't the money. It's that it is being turned over to John Buck, the promoter who will have to make a profit for himself in addition to what the club needs. That's just not what is in the tradition of the club and its history. You can't deny that will be an added expense that will come from the club or the participants. The entry, swap meet and vendor fees have always gone up and we have always accepted that as inevitable but what you are seeing here is a structural change taking a club event and turning it into a commercial event. The Fairplex isn't the enemy either because there isn't another venue right in LA that can match it and their expenses continue to rise too. Open the books, sunlight is the best thing to educate us and give us the chance to participate in its renewal. Added support from a large motivated group of club members would have more political clout with LA County too.

We support the club and its over 50 years of tradition but when you turn it over to the promoter its traditions fall by the wayside in pursuit of profit for an individual. Earlier I gave an example of the MSRA and its successful "Back to the 50's" event which runs on volunteer staff of members with an elected board of directors. This was a path that could have been followed by the LA Roadsters but they chose not to. Without the youth and enthusiasm of the young people who have chosen to follow our traditions, it will surely diminish and perhaps die.

Don, you were an "Average Guy" when LAR accepted you in 1971, and that was what the club was then. Average guys that worked together to make a dream become a reality because they wanted to build something bigger than themselves. Its the "Average Guy" that could make it viable in the future too, they just need the chance to participate in it. As that founding generation has passed so has the ideals that made it a success. In 1971 you stepped up and put hours of often thankless work to make the club and event what it is today. Don, you really get it because you are a true "roadster guy" with over 300,000 miles in one to prove it. I the fear club has lost its connection to its true roots that you exemplify which is part of this equation too. The guys like you that will drive thousands of miles in topless roadster to be a part of something great and be honored for it. We need to pass that torch to a new generation to carry it on in the way that it started rather than a small exclusive club.

So what will happen from here into the future. Will costs continue to rise and participation decrease? Will the promoter try to increase his profit to justify his interests? Will the event be scaled back and eventually die from lack of participation? Will the blame for that be laid at our feet for not supporting the promoter and his interests?

Hot rodding in our past became what it was today because everyone was invited to participate. Pay to play is the beginning of the end.

 

I can understand your friend wanting to justify his support of the change as it is in his best interests but does that serve the interests of all that wish to see it continue and thrive? Open the books of the expenses and there will be a better understanding of its issues and a better path to solving its problems. Or is it a private club for the few? See where that $100 figure comes from. Sunlight is the best disinfectant for "my buddy said". The best solutions come from more people involved. That sounds like the founding principles of this country doesn't it? State that everyone gets a pewter mug like the tradition has been for years, even if its mailed to you at a later date. Keep that tradition alive, the rest can be weighed on participation and interest. More participation is the key to its success!

I thought this was a very "civilized discussion" of various opinions and I fail to see that observation. Dismissing and calling people "very angry and bitter folks posting their opinions" won't make this event better or more successful. Remember that their perception may well be your reality some day.

 

Just a word from an Aussie;
my wife and I fly over each year (cost $2000plus) as a spectator we pay for two day pass and parking
$100. Hotel costs also. It has always been on our bucket list and we enjoy it
Some of U guys just have to drive down the road at minimum costs. It is nice to meet some of our heroes that we read about in Hot Rod books.
Noel

 

WOW!----Thanks for all the "kudos", but back then it was a neat thing to come home from work, eat a fast dinner, wipe off the roadster, drive into our weekly Thursday LAR mtg. go on a short cruise to a restaurant & bench race until 12am, return home at 1am, go back to work friday!
You would be shunned if you didn't do this each week.
Jack Stewart came into the LAR club 1 month after me. Yes his book is very descriptive of early history, I always take my copy with me to the LAR show each year to find older former members & get their signed name by their pix in the book. Only problem is that so many are dying at an alarming rate, at 84, I don't buy green bananas ---Haaa!