When & Why did car shows turn MODERN?

It is the same here in South Florida. More and more modern cars show up the owners on the "true" classic/antiques stay away. After all what do they have in common with a 2013 Mustang owner? What do you talk to him about?

Every so often I bump into a 20's - 40's car that I have never seen and hear the same thing from them, what am I doing in a used car lot.

To show that I'm not just complaining about this I'm trying to put together an invitational show for 1900 - 1959 "original" cars only. I need to line up sponsors to get trophies, insurance and the like. I also want to give proceeds to a charity and I'm looking at different ones that help out children.
 
WTSHNN said:
At a car show a few years back a PT Cruiser owner rubbed me the wrong way (I think I've told this story before) when he pulled one of those foam pool noodles out of his trunk and held one end against his door, and, after lightly tapping the (closed) door of my '31 Pickup with the other end, determined we were too close together and asked me to move (the noodle had not been cut, it was the normal five or six foot length). I asked him if he did that every time he went to the grocery store, got in my truck and left. That was one of the last times I went to a car show.

I agree, if people are expressing their interest in the hobby, great, all people/cars welcome, but there is a tipping point when a show is a "car show" with unique and unusual cars and it is just a normal Saturday afternoon Home Depot parking lot.

Last weekend I took my '31 out to run errands and I wound up in a Kmart parking lot. I parked right up there with a Saturn and a Lexus, ran in to get the USB memory disk I needed, wandered out and left. Hardly a car show in my opinion, yet, could very easily be the future...
-Tim
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WTSHNN,
A POOL NOODLE?? You let one jerk with a pool noodle intimidate & control you??:confused:
You should have told him where to stuff that noodle & do it ever so quickly, 'cause you know KARATE TOO!!:eek:
The downside is, he might have DIED laughing & you would be charged with IDIOTSLAUGHTER! Bill W.
 
Mitch//pa said:
...last year i went to a local show and i was parked next to a new challenger...
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Is that the one that looks like the old ones from the late 60's early 70's? Maybe they wanted to be one of the cool people but needed a new car they did not have to fuss over.

And certain tame domestic sounding & "not very special when new" model 1980's and '90's cars are very prized possessions to people who know what they are. To everyone else they are just used cars.
 
i went to our local cruise night yesterday evening and due to the heat there wasn't much of a turnout but we had cars from 1932 (I left my A at home and took my Corvair) to i think 1975 (a Corvette). It was pleasant and we mainly go to visit with our friends and watch the people ooh and aah over our cars.
 
Every so often it is asked, how can we get younger people interested in our hobby? Criticizing the cars they have interest in is definitely one way to keep them disinterested in ours. The saying goes you can catch more flies with honey. If someone shows up with a car it is obvious that they have interest in automobiles. Even if the car is new you can ask them what they like or dislike about it? how long have they owned it and do they have any other plans for it? Then you can tell them you like your Model A because there is a website where you can learn how to fix anything on the car yourself.
 
Maybe these guys are real car guys. The cars you mentioned will be around for a long time. They are not your average jell bean cars, you know the ones that all look the same, but are different colors.
 
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I entered my 30 Roadster in the Warrenton, Va. Fathers Day car show which used to be a small event. This year 200 plus vehicles registered before they turned cars away. The main avenue was packed with cars as were the side streets. I was parked between a 69 Olds 442 show car complete with mirrors so folks could see the chassis and a 50 Chevy P/U.
The interest in my car was outstanding much to the chagrin of the Olds owner. :p I could not count the number of people taking photos of my sort of weathered A, and the fascination with such a 82 year old vehicle. Beautiful assembly of cars----street rods, rat rods, restored cars, resto rods, etc. All in all a really great day.

Only one person could not resist squeezing the Bombay horn on the
spare tire.
 
I took my '34 Coupe to a local show hosted by the Methodist church in my town. It was a fundraiser for their mission team, so the $'s were going to a worthwhile cause. They gave a couple of awards and the "Best Ford" went to a 2012 Mustang with less than 70 miles on it! It still had the paper temp license tag! After the show, I ran into one of the guys who had helped put on the event and he apologized for what happened. I told him "no problem" as I've been in this hobby far too long to worry about plastic trophies. Possibly the new Mustang owner will get "the bug" in this hobby and someday get an older car. Anything that helps get folks interested in cars is good for the hobby. I'm just sorry that I wont be around in another 70 years to see that same Mustang at a show.

Jim
 

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Our local small town car show established a guideline setting the registration to pre-72 vehicles. Several classes were established with prizes for each class. Each year the entry for registration moves up one year for the judged classes. To my knowledge, they have never turned down someone who had a new Mercedes or some other expensive piece of iron, as the organization is quite willing to accept their entry donation to the local Food Bank, which is either in cash or non-perishable food.
The show attracts 250 cars on a poor weather day, up to well over 350+. The new vehicles are not eligable for any judged classes for prizes.
 
To be "IN" with their peers....NEW and "NOW" is their montra...it's one of the reasons that it is so difficult to get young people interested in the Model "A" hobby these days.:(
 
The cruise Ins I go to, I usually drive one of my 50s cars or a friends big block Vette. Park then walk away to go meet others for dinner.

Never understood the whole sit behind your car all evening routine, I like circulating around and hearing the same old BS stories as well as new ones. My old car interests are varied as I'm sure most of the people here are. We all just happen to like Model A's a little more than the rest. :)

Don't need a cruise night to enjoy my A's- I use them as everyday transportation.
 
Well we all have to start somewhere. Mine was old Vw beetles. 1966, twelve years old. Now 58 and a 1928 Sport Coupe.

The Old Tinbasher
 
WTSHNN says, "when he pulled one of those foam pool noodles out of his trunk and held one end against his door, and, after lightly tapping the (closed) door of my '31 Pickup with the other end, determined we were too close together and asked me to move "

I've never seen that happen before, but if someone did that to me, they would have a new neck tie and would be the one moving elsewhere. That is just totally uncalled for.

SDJason, In addition to my '28 Model A Tudor, I do have a 1941 Ford Super Deluxe that is a street rod and a stock '67 Ford F100 daily driver.

I do like the pre-49 cars, stock or modified, I also like my '28 Model A very much, just wish I would of bought one years ago. Today, I just can't imagine not owning one.
 
At 61 I can still walk by the stuff that I have no interest in. Nice thing about the late model, post 1949 stuff is the fact that they all have a hood that opens when parked, this tells me there isn't anything in that area to bother walking over to see. Bob
 
Our Sully show had over 400 real cars. Supe successful. We have a local event sunday mornings at a nearby Starbucks. It gets mostly new expensive cars. I showed up in our Model A and all rushed over to see what it was... I think I recruited a new member to our Club
 
Hey Clem:

Appreciate your post in response to my question. You may recall that I gave a presentation to your Model A club several years ago regarding my Leatherneck Express. Also, my wife and I participated with you and others in the Memorial Day parade in D.C. a week or so later. Great fun!

Hope all is well with you and your family.

Tom Torget
a.k.a. Texas Tom
 
WTSHNN: who died and made the guy with the pool noodle boss?

had that happened to me, I'd have politely declined his request to move......
 
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