Lol. Im always amazed and somewhat dumbfounded by what shows up at shows in my area also. Bagged S-10's and eamid 80's Oldsmobiles Delta 88's or Buick Roadmasters always make me kind of chuckle.

 

Never ceases to amaze me what can show at some shows. What does amaze me is that people actually think some of it is special? Of course the owners thought they were special or they wouldn't have brought them. But when I hear somebody all giddy about something that shouldn't be at ANY car show, I'm really surprised!
I love the few shows that actually have the guts to turn people away with cars that don't belong! We have a show coming up next weekend that sets out strict rules of what they allow in their flyers, and some people still try to get in, but get turned away. They stick to a strict date cutoff, plus no trailer queens. If you don't drive it there, it wont come in! They have a number of other rules too, and still get so full that they run out of room!

 

I do try to respect the opinions of others as to what they think looks good on their own vehicles. Same holds true as to the vehicle itself I suppose. My problem is that there are always those people that just can't grasp the fact that say, for an example, a completely stock Chevy Cavalier convertible would EVER be show-worthy. I'll give it props for at least being washed as there were many many other cars at this show that were not. I've never been to a car show with so many plain, average, stock vehicles on display. It was certainly just a "car" show for sure. I like the idea of certain rules at a car show, in certain circumstances of course. The one this morning was a completely free, no award show and I like those too. The main reason I would assume a person would want to attend a car show however would be to see unique, outrageous, creative, clean rare etc. cars on display. Something worthy of looking at that you wouldn't see parked in the employee section of a fast food restaurant is what it comes down to. I just found great humor today and had to share a couple pics, ranting aside. Bummed I didn't get a close up with the proud owner of the Transport minivan sitting in a chair in front of his ride though!

 

I dont throw out OMG very often. I despise it really. But OMFG. Its not a van its a vacuum cleaner!

Funny thing, I totally agree about the Caviler as well. But, gulp! I was riding last week and saw a VERY clean mid 80's Z24 convertable. I remember wanting one so bad as a teen. Dunno why, test drove one and it had some power. The Dodge Shadow turbo my best friends mom had was the only other compact from that era I can remember off hand that I liked. Now, this doesnt mean I would drag any of them to a car show. LOL.

The Vette is more impressive if you look at the late model roof on it. Truly a show worthy car.

Val, you guys have a cut off date thats good. Its the idiots that say 25 yrs or older that get in trouble. On my way home last night we ran past about a 85ish Buick LeSabre that was in new condition but it was the historical vehicle plates that had me laughing out loud. I LOVE walking up to these people at shows. I'm all like hey wow! Is that a Landau top? This got the 3.8? Sweet a Brougham! Pronounced Bro-Ham here, LOL. Then I let them start rambling on about their bucket and what the plan to do with it. I usually walk away mid conversation. Trying not to laugh. Worse is the guy who owns a body shop so he primers a small section of his car to enter it in the WIP against cars that are 75% complete. There's a particular 442 around here that has done that. Around here we have cars shows about three four times a summer. Same cars most of the time, sucks. A couple real nice cars like a '57 Nomad that is 100% Corvette underneath. Dash and everything all the way to IRS. Those are cars that intrigue me. Someone got down with a welder to get it done. Instead of the guy's up by Tim. Uh yeah! I put a new starter in it and I'm gonna put a spoiler on it when I get my check.

 

Yeah, the cut off dates vary on certain shows, but not all shows have them. The big show this Fri-Sat has a 1964 cut off date. But it also has a "no billet" rule, so if you've got a high end show car with all the billet aluminum, it wont matter if it's on a '27 T. Our weekly Wed. night cruise has a '74 and older rule, but cars like 2nd gen Camaros get a pass because they have an exception for body styles that started before '74 and didn't change significantly. Some shows here have a pre '72 or pre '74 rule.
There's one guy I see every year at any free or cheap entry show, and reminds me of what was posted in your cruise pics. He drives a Buick Aurora with stick on flames.

I never know where to start finding things on it that make me throw up a little. First the burgundy 4 door Aurora; then the blue/white self adhesive shelf paper flames, then the bright blue corrugated wiring cover on all the underhood wiring, and finally the little stuffed kids leaned against the front bumper. Like these:

Every time I see a car with these stuffed kids leaning against the front bumper I wonder how far they'd fly if I drop kicked them? I really wish the fad would end, but I still see at least one or two at every small car show.

 

I just have to add one last thing regarding the "props" on the cars at shows. Yes, the little stuffed kids are everywhere (and I let my kids knock 'em over) but then there are the fake plastic "burger/fries/coke" meals on the trays hanging off the windows. I'll have to post a pic sometime of my "collection" of burgers that I've confiscated off of cars at shows up here!! Ridiculous, I don't care if your car is from the 50's or not, you never ate plastic food in the 50's either!!!

 

LOL I hate the kids too! The funniest car show story I have starts with my dad, his buddy and his buddies dad. Bernie! Bernie was my dads neighbor in the house I was born in. So they go way back. Bernie is in his 80's at this point. He walks up on a full restored early fifties Chevy truck. He stands up on the bumper or running board (cant remember) and starts hopping up and down on it working the suspension, "They don't make 'em like this any more ya know." His son Terry was in a full panic trying to get him down off this guys pick up before anyone noticed. I still giggle a bit when I think of it.

 

I agree completely! I pretty much dislike all the "props" at cruise ins. Those things are OK at big indoor shows, and that's where they began. But guys decided they wanted to get more mileage than just one indoor show a year, so they used the sign boards and props for every little show they entered. Then others saw that, and added to their repertoire too.
Some people really make a big deal out of a small car show, when it's really about a bunch of guys getting together to share a mutual interest, and enjoy each other's cars and company.

 

Well, not a whole lot of progress over the last month (surprise surprise) but I did manage to secure a carb spacer (went with a 4 hole from AFR) and did the rebuild/clean up of my Edelbrock carb. Man, without that spacer I could get away with not cutting up a hood too if I had a low profile air cleaner like one that Holley makes. Started to install the new throttle cable today but decided I didn't want to put a brand new stainless cable onto a filthy dirty stock gas pedal so out it came for clean up and paint. I got the new throttle cable/detent bracket mounted also and realized that I shouldn't have installed the kickdown cable into the trans just yet. It's a new stainless cable that needs to be cut to length first and it's already attached to the trans, extra sealant and all. Don't know why I'm bummed about it as I didn't plan on really using a kickdown cable as it is. Just don't want it (with all it's extra length currently) just laying in the engine compartment so figured I'd at least connect it to the carb and leave it loose.


One thing I was impressed by was the stock replacement power steering hose that I had gotten for the new pump. I wanted to go with braided stainless p.s lines but couldn't stomach the price of the hose, fittings etc. so I had an ocd "flare up" and sanded the fitting/ends of the stock hose and the return hose fitting. I used some left over rouge and the dremel after sanding them and they came out spectacular! They'll match everything else much better now and I'll use some left over braided hose for the return line on the p.s. pump. Still trying to decide if I should keep the plastic cover that goes over the rag joint and hose fittings on the steering gear. It's still in perfect shape, just covered in grime. Here's a couple pics anyway (before and after on the p.s. hose ends) showing the marginal progress since over 4 weeks ago. Still gotta get on the sanding of the core support. Today was originally dedicated to doing nothing but that but alas, rain changed plans.

 

Nice. I looked at the pics before reading the story, thought they were chrome lines! You gonna spray them with clear so they don't rust?