Well, we took my wife's 70 SS to our first car show this past weekend -- it was the Maple Syrup Festival in Shepherd, Michigan. They actually had their largest turnout ever: 137 cars. They ran out of room and had to turn some people away even.

In any case, we really went just for the fun and experience of a show. Many of the cars had paint jobs that cost more than my wife's complete car! smile.gif

It was a driver's choice thing -- they gave trophies to the top 20 cars (without giving any particular order -- so no real "first place"). There was also a "Chamber of Commerce" award for their "first place" choice. That went to this car -- a 69 Chevelle with custom paint and wheels:

http://dcg.com/jgoggan/chevelle/Shepherd2004/Winning_Chevelle_Black_with_Purple_Flames.jpg

Here was my wife's:

http://dcg.com/jgoggan/chevelle/Shepherd2004/Bretta_Chevelle.jpg

In any case, we had a great time (even with no trophy, of course)!

- John...

P.S. There was also a great-looking 1960 El Camino that I thought was very deserving! It did win one of the 20 trophies, I believe. I meant to take a photo, but forgot before it was over...

John,car is looking sweet.

nice looking cars, that 69 just looks like its ready for a fight, tough looking car

Oh -- and just a little addition... About 10 minutes after I took the photo of that black one with the purple flames, a little kid put a perfect ice-cream hand-print in the middle of the passenger side door.

The owner should have burned the kids hand off... :D

- John...

Originally posted by mr 4 speed:
John,car is looking sweet. To be honest, my wife's car is still one of those "looks great from 20 feet or 20 mph" situations. I mean, she absolutely loves it -- so no complaints or anything. But, when compared with the cars at the show, it was easily in the bottom 10% as far as "show quality" goes.

I mean, most of the other cars didn't have a visible chip on them -- and hers has little stone chips every few feet or so. smile.gif

But, again, we had a great time -- and certainly weren't looking to win anything. Give it a few more years when we've got a few more thousand in maybe. ;)

- John...

Your car sounds like mine with the 20/20 paint job. Looks great in the pictures though graemlins/thumbsup.gif Im going too my first car show friday night and I cant wait. Im not going for a trophy, just a good time and I cant wait too hit some more this summer.

I think your 70 looks great. Hard to compete with cars like that 69. I go for the fun of it. You'll pick up a trophy or two eventually. It often depends on the show, and what the judges are looking for. I have lost to cars I didn't think were as nice as mine, or shouldn't be in my class because they were pro-built or pro-streeted up against mild modified cars, and again I've won a couple over cars that should have beaten me easily. You just never know what is in the judge's mind.

I've had people point out a ripple in my quarters or a flaw here or there, and I just say. Show me the car you built from the ground up doing the work yourself. But even when you don't bring home a dust colector, the fun is in the driving, the bulding, and in being out there with your ride. Cars like that 69 are often professionally built. The guy has deep pockets and that is hard for the average guy to compete with. Be proud of your ride. Don't try to compare it with that 69, that will only ruin the enjoyment of the show for ya. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Indeed! I agree completely. Wasn't trying to compare them really -- just fully acknowledging that his was in a different class. And, that's cool with me. As I said, we had a great time -- and are going to do another, larger show at the end of May that I'm sure will have even more such fine cars -- and we'll love that one too! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

- John...

I've found I don't like going to the shows as much as the cruise nights. Most of the shows around here are peer judged, and most of the people vote for their friends cars, even though they might not be as nice. It does get aggravating when you see a car that is not as nice get a trophy over yours.

Did you get the exhaust on yet John?

That 69 is a BADAZZ, That is a sweet looking car. I first thought that was your car since you put that picture first.

I agree very much with the professor. graemlins/beers.gif

Your wife’s car looks great and you should be proud to show it off. It may not be quite the show vehicle the 69 is, but compared to my wife’s Neon, you’re way ahead!

For me, it's not about who can dump the most $$$ into a car, a few paint chips from driving to car shows, someone pointing out flaws or those owners who don't really get to see the extra effort spent in other people's fine work, from what they had to go through themselves.

It's about enjoying your time. The fun, the cruising, the laughter, picking up pointers and hooking up with the friends you get to see – though not quite often enough. It's the feeling of pride you get when some kid points at your ride from the sidewalk and their eyes brighten up while they watch you go by.

Take compliments to heart and criticism to the dumpster. Go to the car show to have a good time and never gauge your event-success by a trophy or the color of a ribbon. It certainly helps to have the admiration of your peers, but it’s not what it’s about, at least for me.

Dale

If you go to shows to win a trophy you miss the whole point! Although it does feel good if you do pick up one, just as a token for your hard work. Local shows around here usually have enough classes/trophies that a nice driver can pick up a win.

What makes it worthwhile for me is the chance to get out with your friends and enjoy the hobby. I have a group of long time friends, sometimes known as the James Gang" and we travel to shows and cruise ins together. We will end up with some other locals joining in an have a pretty cool convoy of cars going down the road, now that's fun!

There are some great people in this hobby, many right here at TC, that make getting out to as many events as you can a real pleasure!!!

So wash off your car or reshoot the primer(whatever the case may be) and go have fun!!! :cool:

OOPS!!!
Double post!

I like shows and cruise ins, but cruise in or non judged events are probably the best in my opinion. Getting your car judged is a touchy subject. Most of the time we probably have never heard of or met the judges, their knowledge may be questionable, and politics comes in to play which is never a good thing.
Open discussion about how you did such and such or why you did this, or what are you gonna do about this are way more interesting than hearing about how your car didn't meet the standards of the judges and isn't correct yada yada yada......
In my opinion a car that is as old as the ones we deal with will almost never have the original stuff on it. Its not thier car anyways its yours. When you have satisfaction in the job you have done, and you know exactly how it was done, there is no better trophy than that. I have just seen too many hurt feelings at car shows to really get into the judging aspect of it.

I agree totally with Big James. I've only been to a couple of shows and one of the highlights was meeting Big James and the Gang in Columbia. The best of show during that one was a Chevelle that was trailered in. It was nice to look at but I had more fun driving mine. I bet you and your wife get a lot of enjoyment out of driving yours-which is what they were built for. I've learned a lot from just going to shows and cruise nights and just talking to people. BTW, I think your car looks just great, bet you get a lot of graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Indeed! We've always had the attitude that we would drive the car all we wanted and not worry about the details as much. We do what we can to make it look nice, but we've already said that we'd never want a "trailer queen." If you can't have fun driving it, then I just don't see the point!

And, again, we didn't expect a trophy at all -- and had a GREAT time. We'd like to meet more people next time (we just didn't have time this time due to having some relatives up that we visited with) -- so, hopefully, we'll meet more owners/drivers at the next one.

In any case, I absolutely agree with the idea of not going for the trophy -- we went for the fun -- and have no regrets!

- John...

I think your Chevelle looks better than that 69,just cant stand those funny looking wheels.

your chevelle has character. the other chevelle has funky wheels. Id vote for yours

I go to a few shows and attend "Hot August Nights" every year. My Impala has a show quality paint job on it, but I don't get too upset about hand prints (they wash off) It's the belt buckles, fanny packs, cameras dangling from the neck, etc that bothers me. I don't take the judging too seriously either. I was at a show one time and I felt like my car was in the top 10% and there were some real beautiful cars there also. Some guy lands in a 59 caddy 4 Dr that he cut the top off of (poorly) body work that you could swim in not to mention the bondo cracking off, a beach towel seat cover and an orange peel red paint job playing Elvis tunes on a cheap stereo with the volume 5 decibels past distortion. Yep you guessed it, he won first place! :rolleyes:

Speaking of potential scratch items coming too close... At this show, there were two kids on BMX bikes racing around, riding right up to the cars to check them out, never getting off their bikes: so leaning WAY towards the cars to look under the hood or in the back of trucks. Not cool at all. I saw at least one truck owner make them move back -- but the security/staff should have simply removed them completely from the area, IMO.

- John...

P.S. Thanks for the nice words on my wife's Chevelle people! Much appreciated it! She was quite happy to hear a couple of people that preferred hers over that 69 (which, I agree was a great looking car -- not sayine that she should have won or anything at all -- but still good to hear a few people that preferred hers!)

I haven't shown my car yet, but I'm looking forward to the whole camraderie experience with fellow enthusiasts.

As far as kids go...I completely stress out for other's cars when I see kids showing no respect for the time, money and hard work others have put into their cars, and worse, the seemingly careless attitude the parents demonstrate - after all, the show is entirely about entertaining the kids, right? :rolleyes:

I have no problem telling parents to get their children in check when they are acting like careless banshee's at a car show. I was taught to treat another man's car like his wife - hands off.

Stone chips, sheesh man, that means its DRIVEN.

Glad you had fun. That 69, wow, but I gotta thing for 69s.

John, the old car I have got an award the first year the paint was done. Now there are too many blemishes. I got the car at 29,000 four years ago ( or is it 5), and now it has 43,500 on it. Even in less than 20K, it's chipped up good. I get at them. A few had to be cleared over they were so big!

Have fun man, that what it's all about. New friends. Leaving burnout marks in new and yet unexplored locations. Getting the thumbsup from folks you pass by. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Indeed! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Best sign I saw at this show: "Real street rods have paint chips and dirt!" Was on a printed sticker on a guy's air filter cover. Good stuff!

- John...

when i first finished my car i could not wait to take it to shows. i did i t all my self. including taking off frame with no help. i got very disinterested in shows, not that i didn't win or get trophies, but becouse of all the polotics.i have come to the conclusion that i don't care if my car is nicer or your car is nicer. in any event a trophy or not at the end of show does not change the car i DRIVE to the show.i now just go to cruise nights or pay entry fees and don't register at shows (just for parking space).the farther away event is the better. the real fun is the thumbs-up from passers-by. people who don't drive there cars don't need a trophy, they already have one of the largest ones in the world setting on there trailers.enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, then-BURN SOME RUBBER! nice car. tom