I don't know if a lot of people on this site would be interested, but I was at the NSRA street rod nationals south this past weekend in Knoxville and I heard that NSRA will be changing the cutoff year at the regional events to 30 years...

I guess they just had to try and keep up with Goodguys but that's crazy! I don't own a street rod but my dad has been an NSRA member since 1970 and he was floored!

Anyone else know anything about this?

We heard this about a month ago from the NSRA rep in Louisville. It really changes things for us guys that have been in the NSRA and going since the 70's. Most are very against it and say they won't do any more "open" events. This policy is to go into effect in 2010. It is a sliding rule, they are saying that your car must be 30 years old, so every year it will pick up one year newer. To a lot of us oldtimers, we could have accepted going from pre-48 to pre-60, but to let a 1980 Toyota or somebody's 1980 Chevy work truck into an NSRA event is ridiculous. Not much we can do about it, they are looking at the future and how to sustain the profits they are making.

The other stupid thing about this is that a couple guys can put up $25 each and register a car. That will get them free admission for two adults for all 4 days and all the kids they want, they can park with the street rods and not have to walk in. They will be elgible for the free meal, the free concerts and the prize drawings. Lot better deal then $15-$20 for general admission, paying $5-$8 to park your car and walking a mile to get in!

times change. The NSRA has allready opened some regional events to pre-60's and that was OK, just the Nats is the biggest one day automotive participant event in the world and it was pretty special to be part of it and among 12,000 or more pre-48's.

I just can't believe it! I'm a "younger" car guy (29) but I grew up going to NSRA stuff with my folks and always had the dream to one day drive a street rod to the Nationals! :(

Matt, just had to add that the pic of your '34 with the kids on the running board brought back a lot of memories...

it's called progress.. now, if we could just get those snooty Chevelle guys to let in A and G bodies built after 1972...

it's called progress.. now, if we could just get those snooty Chevelle guys to let in A and G bodies built after 1972...

l:)

I actually called and talked to two local NSRA members last night about this.
Both said it was about loss of members as a lot of the older members pass away or just get out of it. Falling numbers at shows and bottom line money!
One said that he thought they are going way too far. But he feels the cutoff should have been moved to include vehicles up to 1959.
The other guy said he thought the cut off should be 1972, but then he is biased as he has a 32 highboy and a 72 Chevelle!:)

I think eventually this will hurt the NSRA. The members I've talked to don't like it and are saying they will not support the change. It wouldn't surprise me if a new organization was created for the pre '48 cars and at that point NSRA would loose a lot of members. I certainly don't want a 1980 anything parked next to me at a NSRA event.

I eat lunch with a group of local rodders once or twice a week. It was mentioned then and the first thing I said was there would probably be enough interest that a new organization could be formed. It will have to have a couple guys known thru out the whole US street rod population to give it credibility and to have a fighting chance.
If a few guys that are well known put a face on a new group it might make it.

That was how Good Guys got started.

Wow, It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Looks like it will change the whole makeup of NSRA.

I know of a few that refused to renew.
So losing some members to Father Time and now losing others that dont want to play with everyone else.
There are all chevy shows
all corvette
all ford
etc. etc.

The pre-48 group should be left alone.
As an individual noted on another board----the cars are not going away, they are ending up in someone else's garage. And perhaps this person has an interest in keeping with the pre-war theme.

I take my 59 to a show not far from here that is all pre-war.
a portion of the street is reserved for the few people that bring the 'other' cars.
they cannot enter or compete----but they get some attention on the sidelines.
Not a bad thing, and I do not feel shunned at all.
I do have a goal however---to crash a chevellebration in the future with the 59:D---just 'cause it is the ElCamino's daddy. (note to self---bring along pic of 66)

I had been an NSRA member for 15 years...i got out when they started messing with the years....there are enough shows for muscle cars, trucks, motorcycles..they should have left the age cutoff alone...at one time i had a 32 3-window coupe, 62 Chevy 2, and 67 Chevelle...Since you can only drive one at a time, or for that matter, keep one running at a time.... lol,if you open NSRA events up to later years, yes, you will pick up some vehicles, no doubt, but if you tork off the early model owners to the point they don't show up, then it's a wash.....just my .02