We (my wife and I) are going to our first car show event this Saturday. We will see how we like it. I've been to a few here and there with the guys, and my wife and I have happened to be in a couple places where car shows were part of Fall fairs, etc. but this will be our first to participate in. If my wife doesn't enjoy it, I've got a couple of old friends dating back to when I had the first 79 Cutlass that would do shows and tours with me.
BUILD THREAD Project Diesel No More/Teen Dreams Realized
- Thread starter dgmeadows
- Start date
My car is not a show car, and it pains me to just sit in a lawn chair all day at a typical show. You will probably get more interactions with participants and spectators due to your car being so nice. I prefer more of a road trip approach. I look for shows/cruise ins within a couple of hours from home, try to find an interesting route to and/or from the show, some local place to grab a bite to eat, and hit the road. Seldom even register, just look at the cars of interest, and head out. The wife and I drove to a truck show in southern Illinois, via Kentucky, a few weeks ago. It rained off and on all day, but still had a good time.
My car is by no means a show car and is often passed over. I like to check out other people's rides. I don't care if they are super clean or beat to h*ll. I'm in it for the fun of it all. It sounds like you are in it for the fun and the enjoyment of the cruise to get there and back. It's more of an outing with cars to look at too.
I am not looking to sit around in a lawn chair all day either. I want to see what other folks have done with their cars, whether it be faithful restoration, resto-mods, wilder mods, etc., and just enjoy talking with other folks who like cars, particularly older and custom cars. In my early years of driving (mid-80s), car shows, tractor pulls, drag races, etc. were things my buddies and I commonly did. Now that the kids are off in college, I am looking forward to getting back into the car scene.
And yes, 18 months from purchase to (nearly) finished. I've still got a few interior tweaks to do, and replace the leaking heater core, etc. Those are things I can handle. It has seemed a lot longer as I have been waiting for it to come back, but I am grateful that I was able to get it done this way. I know it will be more enjoyable, especially for my wife, to have the car complete, and know it is safe and reliable. I spent a lot more $$ than I originally planned, as I started out with engine/transmission swap and minor dent repair, then added on full suspension upgrade, disk brake conversion, upgraded rear end, and upgraded wheels and tires. If I had done it the piecemeal way, I would have driven both my wife and myself crazy.
And yes, 18 months from purchase to (nearly) finished. I've still got a few interior tweaks to do, and replace the leaking heater core, etc. Those are things I can handle. It has seemed a lot longer as I have been waiting for it to come back, but I am grateful that I was able to get it done this way. I know it will be more enjoyable, especially for my wife, to have the car complete, and know it is safe and reliable. I spent a lot more $$ than I originally planned, as I started out with engine/transmission swap and minor dent repair, then added on full suspension upgrade, disk brake conversion, upgraded rear end, and upgraded wheels and tires. If I had done it the piecemeal way, I would have driven both my wife and myself crazy.
I base entering or just 'spectating' on show accessibility.
Some shows/events are a PITA to get in/out of because of the venue. The 'who's-who' group w/the current/trendy rides tend to get front & center parking @ the center of the action. Us John Doe's get the rear or out of the way spots. For show's like this, I'll drive my hot-rod to the event & park in spectator parking. That way when I'm ready to go, I don't have to maneuver my way around the in-crowd. Other shows like Good-Guys events, it's usually not too bad coming/going & it's a fairly decent walk here @ the TX/Ft. Worth show. Entering the show (admission for 2 + driving in/out multiple days) is much nicer since you can bring in food & beverages vs paying more for single day admission tickets + the venue food services.
Some shows/events are a PITA to get in/out of because of the venue. The 'who's-who' group w/the current/trendy rides tend to get front & center parking @ the center of the action. Us John Doe's get the rear or out of the way spots. For show's like this, I'll drive my hot-rod to the event & park in spectator parking. That way when I'm ready to go, I don't have to maneuver my way around the in-crowd. Other shows like Good-Guys events, it's usually not too bad coming/going & it's a fairly decent walk here @ the TX/Ft. Worth show. Entering the show (admission for 2 + driving in/out multiple days) is much nicer since you can bring in food & beverages vs paying more for single day admission tickets + the venue food services.
As long as there is shade I am happy to sit in a chair and hang out, I usually prefer to get there early to park and get away from my car so I don't have to answer questions or hear comments. This coming Sunday though is my favorite day of the year, Pizza Power Tour. Drive fast cars around to get pizza
We had a pretty good time at the Dixie Oldsmobile Club event yesterday. Pleasantly surprised that my car was given one of the 10 Best awards in a field with both a 68 and a 69 Hurst Olds, several 68-72 442s, multiple convertibles including a 72 442 pace car convertible, a 71 Delta 88 Royale, an 80s Toronado & a gorgeous white 66 Cutlass Supreme, a pristine Rallye 350, three 80s GBody 442s, an 87 Salon T-Top, and several others. My car was the only resto-mod. There was a GBody set up for drag racing. Engine appeared to be an earlier Olds Rocket, but I never got to ask the owner about it. One of the more unusual entries was a 4 door Bravada truck. It was a Chevy S-10 that the owner had retrofitted with Olds Bravada grill and trim. All in all, we had a good time. I plan to attend a local all makes car show in a couple of weeks.
