Why show a new car???

[nivvy]

Ok I just completed a full interior resto....looks great....In a car show I should get more points for a restored interior as opposed the the new car guy with 75 miles on his car with no resto!

[Grundy]

Having a class for new cars is fine.

BUT.. i don't want to see a stock 2007 Charger SXT v6 at the local show. Woo hoo.. big deal. There's nothing different from that guy and the one at the showroom.. especially with his hood open showing off the 6? 

The other thing that I saw was a local show where the ford dealer around the block had 2 brand new mustangs there with the window stickers and 2 salesmen who were trying to sell them... like it was an extenion of the lot. Anyone else see this?

[whitesatinmopar]

I have seen a couple show flyers of late that in BOLD FACE TYPE says, "Nothing newer than 1975 model cars". Now those promoters understand. And it's also a standing agrement that if a club sponsers or puts on a show their member's cars can be in the show field but will not be judged, another good idea.   

[moparmaniac59]

I definitely agree with Jeryst  and don't want to be a car snob . I've seen the trailer queens and heard some really rude comments while at a show with my fair condition driver/survivor 1968 Barracuda (I was parked right next to a trailer queen). I love trailer queens and nice looking NEW Chargers, but don't judge my car in the same class as a 2007 Charger. It happened a few weeks ago at a small local show!! The registration money was for charity so I sucked it up, but none the less it left a bad taste as it is happening more and more.  Ya got a 2007 car, that's fine, bring it, but please place it in a class by itself!! And if you can afford a $200,000 dollar trailer queen, bring it, as I would love to drool, but don't open your mouth & show your as_!!  Just my 

                                                                  Matt B.

[GreenFish]

I do not see an issue with a new car in a show. But it needs to be something special (ie shelby cobra, viper, ford GT) or modified somehow, (chargers, magnums, 300's neons ect)

I agree that going to the deal and buying a brand new car driving it off the lot then showing up to the show is not cool. But I also do not agree with excluding imports and newer cars all together. The car hobby is about cars. Not just the cars YOU like to see. Personally, if it has wheels and an engine and has something unique about it, ill check it out. If I dont want to see it, I wont go look at it.

If you dont want new cars in your show. Then you dont have a "car show" you have a "classic car show".  All you old farts need to remember when you were 17yrs old the cars you were hot rodding around were only a few years old too because that is what you could afford.

If you dont like that type of car, dont look at it. Simple as that. Quit being old farts!

[jeryst]

Ok I just completed a full interior resto....looks great....In a car show I should get more points for a restored interior as opposed the the new car guy with 75 miles on his car with no resto!

Absolutely right. There should be classes for survivors, for restored vehicles, and for new cars. They are all cars. They are the pride of someone, or they wouldn't put them in a show. And, most importantly, they are completely different animals, and should be recognized and judged as such.

[inot2old]

I don't have a problem with newer cars being in shows, just give them a seperate category. 

[Cannibal94]

I took my cuda and my SRT to a show on the 4th of July.  I was a sponsor for this show and wanted to support the show by bringing 2 vehicles.  I think my truck is something special, not seeing any others around in this area.  I agree that I am sick of new chargers at shows, especially a bone stock one winning the "modern" category at a show a few months back because he drove it 2 blocks from a dealer.

I have to say, my truck did attract a LOT of attention at this show (In a town of around 6500).  I had old timers and youngens checking out both of my vehicles.  And I am proud to say that I took home two trophies!!  One for the "Trucks" category, and one for the 70-79 category.

I did spend a ton of time cleaning both of them and take pride in my cars.  I didn't just pop the hood and say, "hey! look at my dusty new motor!" 


Bottom line is, I think that the vehicle should be a "special edition", or something that isn't seen driving around on the streets everyday.  I am SO sick of all these people bringing their rustangs to shows with only tire wet on the tires to show them off.

Im done.

[MyMopar]

However, with older cars ('76 and older) you know someone has poured their hard-earned money and 100's of hours into making it what it is today.

Becareful with that statement because the person with deep enough pockets to buy a new car has deep enough pockets to go out and buy a fully restored car, so they have only poured their hard earned (probably not even) money into buying a fully restored car.

I agree, seprate categories.  Most all shows I have attended do this, late model then early model, then modified or stock. 

[HP2]

 So lets say participating in a show is something you do because your proud of your vehicle. Is pride limited to collector cars or can you be proud of your new vehicle? Does it make a difference if you worked hard to fix it yourself or if you worked hard to swing the monthly payment? Does working on your own car give you the right to say your car is better than someone who pays to have their vehicle worked on? Do shows have to be divided into catagories for owneres who do all the work, owners who sub out half the work, owners who buy all the work? Perhaps they should be divided by how much the owners are capable of spending on their rides? Perhaps performance is the factor, wait, no, there are turbod Neons out there that can outrun many a restored muscle car.

If you don't like the way shows are organized or run or how awards are handed out, you do have the option of not attending, voicing your complaint with the organizers, or hanging out with guys who share your thoughts about said shows and creating your own organization. For instance, I will never be member of Goodguys because my Challenger, as a 74, is out side the scope of their charter. But then again, so is my '80 Dodge. My '80 is typically looked down upon by many people, even mopar folks, as an emissions era decal car. At least until they see it run. It has put many a big block muscle car on the trailer at the races. Is it less of a hot rod because it was born outside the golden years of 68-72? Am I less of a hot rodder because I built a less popular car?

 

[torredcuda]

What`s the difference between a guy paying for someone to restore a car or buying a restored car and buying a new car?Either way if they didn`t do ANY of the work on it they just bought it and drove or trailered it to the show how can they boast how great a job "they" did.I don`t mind new cars at the shows but I don`t spend a lot of time looking at them if they are 100% stock.there should be separate classes for new muscle,trailer queens and drivers but it would be hard to know if the car was owner biult in his garage or pro biult by someone else.I rarely take my car to shows anymore b/c of all the BS and crying some participants do over trophies and threw most of the cheap plastic things out anyway.I go to look at the shows but prefer to drive my car to cruise nights and don`t even bother registering it at those b/c I know my home biult driver doesn`t stand a chance against a pro restored Hemicuda.Not complaining, I`m just over trying to compete with the rude rich guys(minority,but still anoying) who don`t think my car is up to thier standards.

[whitesatinmopar]

Understand completely Jeff, just use a line I heard somewhere and have since used it quite a few times, once I thought it would end in a rather physical episode.    Try this to the "snobs" who put down your car, "Hey buddy, if ya don't like what you see, just looks the other d@mn direction!" 

[back n black]

The kids in the neons are probably wondering why all these old dudes drive cars without systems.

To me, a car show isn't about classes and trophies.  Leave that to the kids to fight over.   

I go to car shows to see all kinds of different cars.  I really don't discriminate.  I just like looking for cars that interest me.   

If someone is proud of their car, let them be.  That's what great about cars, we can all love something different.   

I personally don't have any interest in dodge neons or plymouth valiants, but I do like both e bodies and vipers.   

Be open minded.   

[ntstlgl1970]

I've been in a few clubs and helped run a few shows, to those of you that have done this also, my hat is off to you. It's a real PITA to deal with all the bs that goes on setting up shows. I like new and old cars. I think new cars are ok with their own category. The last few shows I have been to the newer cars make up a surprisingly large percentage of the show field, and unfortunately the e bodies in particular are not showing up. A friend of mine reasoned that it is because of the value these cars now represent. Guys don't want to take a chance on having their car scratched by a kid on a bike at a public show - seen that happen. The dealerships that I have worked with in shows do a lot with donations and attracting attention to the show. For me the bottom line is that clubs have to continually get new blood to stay alive. The same guys doing the same shows year after year will eventually burn out and the club could die. To bring in new people you've got to be flexible. If you have problems with your local show, talk to the organizer or better yet (if you are not a member) join the club and volunteer to help out with the show - suggest stuff - do something about it.

Do I want obvious weekend drivers in the daily driver class? No
Do I want painted 15/16ths completed cars that don't have the hockey stripe installed yet in the project class? No
Do I want to see a new SRT8 magnum in the same class as a 70 Polara Wagon? No
Do I want to see AMC's in the show? Yes
Do I want to see DeSoto's and pre war cars? Yes

Do I want the show to grow and bring in new fans/enthusiasts? You Bet!

[Rare_T_A]

I think it's because of a number of things.

* Older cars are getting harder to find and many car enthusiasts are getting priced out of the picture.

* Promoters are trying to appeal to a wider range of enthusiasts to help raise more money.

* Many of these people are using their cars as daily drivers as well, something that most of us don't do. 

* They're trying to attract new vehicles because, many times, it winds up being the same people with the same cars, especially at the local or smaller shows.

* The current generation doesn't have the same feelings about the older cars that we do. Their Challengers and Cudas are the Neons and Eclipses of today, because that's what is readily available.

   Let me tell you a little story. Occasionally, I write stores for a local car mag. Not much, but mostly just coverage of local shows. A couple of years ago, I went to a local show, and saw a guy there, with a mid-80's something car. The guy reminded me of the Joe Dirt movie. The car had hand painted flames, fun fur, a crappy paint job, the whole works. Everyone was making fun of him, including me, I am ashamed to admit. But he took all of the ribbing that he got very graciously, so I decided to go over and talk with him a bit. He was a young guy, with a wife, a couple of small kids, and a minimum-wage job, so he had trouble even just making ends meet, yet he managed to save a few pennies here and there, and used them to do a few special things to their only car. He was as proud of that car, as any owner of any of the rarest cars in the show. He had the spark that makes a life-long enthusiast, he just didn't have the resources. But, because this guy didn't have a rare ground pounder, he and his car weren't worth anything as far as people were concerned. Because his car didn't have a flawless, mirror-finish, twenty-foot deep trailer queen paint job, they were not suited for anything more than ridicule and contempt. It was at that moment, as I talked with him and realized his level of enthusiasm, that I realized that the people at that show, myself included, were car snobs, and I began to feel really, really ashamed of myself. We were forgetting that it's not only the car that is worthy of attention, but it's also the dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work that are a huge part of our hobby. It's about the love of automobiles, and the passion to own one, and make it an expression of who we are. We need to nurture that passion and dedication, not drive it away through ridicule and contempt just because the vehicle doesn't seem to be worthy of our attention. We all have to be careful not to be car snobs. By the way, the guy did win third place in his class (because there were only three cars in his class), but I don't think any Nobel Prize winner anywhere in history, was more proud than that young guy, standing in that supermarket parking lot, on that beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Having said all that, I do feel, however, that if newer models are allowed into a show, they should have their own classes, and when judging results are presented, they should be presented oldest first.

I agree with this statement. With so few muscle cars aroud some people have to buy newer ones. It may be a case they can only afford one car and it needs to hall the family and be dependable. I also agree they need to be in their own classes like they do at Carlisle. This way if they don't float your boat you don't need to look at them.