I’ve been to 3 local shows this year and I see newer cars 2005-2019 outnumbering classics 5:1 and they are winning best muscle car awards with 4 door Chargers. Are y’all having the same type of thing going on at the shows your attending?
Not many car shows here, I would be fine with that type. I used to take Bullitt to lots of cruise ins when I lived on the Guilf Coast. There would be lots of new Mustangs, Shelbys, Roushes, etc. About 50/50 if I take the Chevelle or Bullitt.
I don't bother with shows. I don't need to prove anything or get approval from anyone about my cars. I would rather do cruise-ins where the whole point is just for socializing. And yep... you'll still see far more late model stuff at them than classics. But at least you're not paying money to get ignored.
These events were to have the older cars there, imo. Not the new crap. If we want to see the new stuff, just pull into any car lot. Done. Nothing funnier, or actually pathetic, is having a newer car with the hood up thinking its impressing someone.
I tend to agree with this. BUT, most car shows are just that, where anyone can bring anything into it. Unless specified as a "classic car show" with a certain cut-off date, I wouldn't expect to see anything newer in those.
Last "car show" we attended, our '57 Chevy wagon still took 1st place over a few new Challengers, Mustangs, and Camaros....>
I don't care if we win ANYTHING, and don't expect to. It's the only "car show" we go to, once a year. Plus it's a place to park our car right in amongst all our friends' classic cars (and a lot of newer ones) in our old home town.....
This gives me a warm fuzzy every time I see a new challenger or mustang or whatever........
I built mine. You bought yours.
I’ve had mine torn down completely. I know every bolt. You didn’t get that education.
I have no driver aids. Yours is full of them, and you probably need them.
I can fix mine, roadside if need be. Yours, not so much.
I get thumbs up all the time. You, meh.
I’ll go to a few shows a year, but never put mine in, like was stated earlier, I just don’t care who wins.
I agree, and I have a badass new Challenger, 392 Scat Pack Shaker. It sits outside and my El Camino sits in the garage. At best, the El Camino is worth ½ the Challenger, and if I went to the local cruise, I would probably take the El Camino. If I want to see new Challengers, the dealership is a lot nicer. I don't understand how you judge new cars anyway, and I'm not into that. More like "Ooooh, look what he has in that Rambler, or look at that funky trike. And "I remember those!"
I have noticed a lot if newer cars at the shows around here as well. The old Chevellle held it's own this past Friday however, best in class and best of show 🙂
There is no way to make everyone happy. Anytime something is subjective you build in some amount of controversy and disappointment, that’s how it works. Someone will always feel they deserved to win, but didn’t. It’s best to go without any expectations.
There is no way to make everyone happy. Anytime something is subjective you build in some amount of controversy and disappointment, that’s how it works. Someone will always feel they deserved to win, but didn’t. It’s best to go without any expectations.
I prefer going to shows that are judged by outside folks not attached to the show who actually know what they are looking at. As I will put mine up against most when it comes to quality of the build and attention to detail. I generally don't go to or stick around long at the "you vote for me and I will vote for you shows" unless it is for a good cause. I am a huge animal love and will attend most of the local shows that benefit animals.
You have that right! I used to go to as many shows as possible with my 69SS. Now I go to maybe 3 shows a summer and the occasional cruise on the weekends. Between the tuner kids blasting that rap crap and the bought and paid for cars that the owners have never turned a wrench on, it gets pretty old pretty fast. I do however try make it for street night at the local track every second Friday. Oh yeah. It's Friday! Better go get the car ready.
Kinda makes me a little miffed, you've spent very serious money, time and a quantity of blood, sweat and tears doing your best to have a nice appearing, running Chevelle.....THEN.... they ask you for an additional $10-25 to show it, and the spectators get in free. Makes the cruise in's look kinda good, and who knows, you just might run into someone who has that missing part you've been looking for all this time.
Yeah I often though of that… It's a little nonsense that not only you spend a lot of money in building your car, on top of that you have to pay again to show it!
…I still do an occasional show every now and then even. There are shows on every weekend plus the weekly cruise nights on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays which is too many, I can't do all of them.
I like car shows that have an age limit as well sometime. I.e. "Your car must be at least 25 years old to enter" type shows. :thumbsup:
Don't get me wrong, I like all kinds of cars and car shows. But I also sometimes don't want to walk past a parade line of 2018 Jeep Wranglers all set up for off roading that haven't hit anything larger than a mall speed bump (for example) to see the old cars. So knowing the makeup of the show is useful beforehand.
Our little city (where we work) has a Thursday night car show for classic cars throughout the summer. All pre-'74, even though there are usually a couple of newer cars. Everyone parks on the street (diagonal parking) and folks wander up and down the boulevard viewing the cars, eating & drinking at the restaurants, listening to the music (DJ, usually), etc. I happened to win last Thursday's event, which earned me an invite back for the final show on Aug. 29th for the Grand Champion trophy. They plan to close off one of the side streets where a band will setup and provide a premium 'parking' spot for the weekly winners.
I went to the first one of the year, but ended up leaving early. This time I stayed around and sure enough my car was picked as the weekly winner.
This could be just the cycle of old time cars somewhat going away.
Let’s face it, how many people have the desire, money, and know how to bring an old muscle car to show quality standards. I have nothing against new modern muscle, but bought new muscle should never be judged against a restored classic/antique.
This could be just the cycle of old time cars somewhat going away.
Let’s face it, how many people have the desire, money, and know how to bring an old muscle car to show quality standards. I have nothing against new modern muscle, but bought new muscle should never be judged against a restored classic/antique.
100% agreed! My dad and I were at a show last weekend. He has a very nice 63 Galaxie and I have my 67 SS Chevelle. Right next to us was a 2017 Camaro that had armoral over everything. When he was backing up next to my car we just laughed.
I like my local cruise (Norwin Hills on Rt 30 Irwin, PA) Free, and tons of different cars, some rice, some "modern muscle", slammed trucks, but mostly classics, street rods, and some severe customs.
Plus it is 2 miles from my house, and one of the nicer cruises around.
Good Guys in Pleasanton, three days in August, is Disneyland for me, you just can't see it all in one day.
I don't remember seeing anything modern. We don't bring a car, just a camera and a backpack.
There is also a swap meet and vendors' displays, and the Alameda Fairgrounds is perfect for the event.
Last year we saw a rat rod pickup, complete with a dog in the bed made from engine parts.
More red paint than you can stand. Even vintage nitro rails and funny cars. Heaven.
There is a Good Guys show coming to York this year, which is less than an hour from me. Thought about taking the car but I bet getting in will be a nightmare traffic wise.
I don't mind newer cars if the owner has done some work to it and wants to show it off. when the Dodge Magnums came out in 2005 there were a few showing up with suicide doors and such. That was ok, but the last show I attended had a brand new Camaro with about a gallon of Armor All wiped on everything. That I take issue with.
Nothing intriguing or interesting about the newer cars. Take my 67 SS. It is 52 years old. In 52 years most of these newer cars will probably have been scrapped and turned into an appliance at least once or twice.
That’s what happened to old muscle cars. Most were eventually scrapped too.
New cars at shows is nothing new, I have several Oakland Roadster show programs from the 1950’s through the mid-1970’s. Even then, one of the most prestigious indoor shows had more than a few late model cars, this is not a new or recent phenomenon. In fact, I’d bet the complaints back then weren’t much different than those in this thread.
I remember when I bought and tricked out my used 68 Mustang GT fastback in 1980. I was in the Air Force and me and my room mate were invited to a friends cabin. On the way up we past a car show, we turned around and drove up. The guys running it asked me if I wanted to enter, so I did. I remember some of the stares I received in hate. So I do understand how some can be upset that a "newer car" is entered. I'd give my right nut to have that car back.
I was at a car show last weekend ... about 35 cars at a senior living facility as a benefit for Alheimers. It was open to all years. Out of the 35 cars there were 2 brand new 2019 Corvettes. The one judge who was billed as a "car enthusiast" selected one of the 2019 Corvettes as "best sports car" and "best of show". The owner was a member of the local Corvette club and a sponsor of the show, hmmm. There was a highly modified and beautifully customized 49 Merc that really should have taken "best of show". While most of us classic car owners were didn't come to the show to win a trophy there was a lot of agreement that a brand new Corvette should not have won anything. I may stop going to shows that are open to present day vehicles.
If you want to see young people get into the car hobby, complaining about their taste in cars, and not allowing them to participate probably isn't helping.
I know a lot of guys who are passionate about their modern muscle. We drive a G8 GT as a daily-driver, but a lot of young guys are way into them as a hobby car. A friend just made 709RWHP on E85 with an LSA swap in his, and another friend has gone low-9s with a Procharged 6.2 in his.
I think a lot young folks dont have the time to care for or build an older car.
Or the tools, dedicated garage space, or want to put their $ in an unknown investment
that can turn into a big head ache and a loss in a hurry.
I would think most have a favorite old car they would like to have or dream about.
They would not be at the shows with newer cars if they did not love cars...and that
we all have in common!
If I am at a show its to show what I am proud of and so others can enjoy it also if they choose...and to meet and chat with awesome car people!
I think young folks are there for pretty much the same reasons.
No harm no fowl in my eyes. The more participants the better!
I can always start my car and leave if I choose.
I used to be bothered by new cars in car shows, but now I'm just glad that people are interested in ANY car enough to want to work on it and show it. The local shows that I attend have classes set up to avoid a classic being judged against a newer car. The most fun I've had recently at a local show was when I was parked next to a 40ish couple in a seriously hot rodded CTS-V sedan.
Of the 2 shows I’ve taken my car to, only one was judged. I couldn’t care less about winning a trophy. I park the car, check out the other cars that are there, chat with some people, etc. When I’m ready to leave, I leave. Mind you, these were only little local shows. One of the shows had 200+ cars, the other had 20 at its peak. The show with 20 was at a church in my town and was judged by the pastor.
We had a car show at our church a few years ago. This was during church services on a Sunday morning. Grand total of 10 cars and a horse-and-buggy in the display area. One restored '30 Model A coupe, one rat rod, my '57 wagon, 2 slammed newer Chevy PU's, a Prowler, a couple Jap tuners, and a couple Harleys. All were members of our church. We had fun teasing each other about our cars and great food was served by the ladies. No trophies. We all gave rides around the parking lot for anyone that wanted one. The older folks loved the older cars (not so much the rat rod), the kids loved the newer stuff AND the Rat.
The horse was very calm throughout. Yeah, it was a one-horse show.....
Just another side to consider. I take the Chevelle, my daughter takes her 75 Vette and my wife takes her 2017 SS Camaro. They are all convertibles and we love them. It’s really eye opening when we are parked at shows how these 3 cars attract different people. I can care less about judges and awards, it the family cruises that make it so much fun!!!!
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