Another thread prompted me to offer my opinion (Yes Paris, it's unsolicited) on car shows.
Back in the sixties we had our fuel car in a couple of local shows in paid booths for the speed shop we were associcated with.
Since those days when I was young and spry, I never gave much thought to the business of car shows. As I aged... and not very gracefully, I might add, I find that my attitude towards shows has hardened.
It seems a bit silly to me to have to pay to put a car in a show so the promotors can make money charging people to look at that car and others. For what? A chance for trophy?...... That and four bucks will get you a Starbucks. I suspect the awarding of trophies could be the subject of some speculation also.
Car show promotors should pay participants to display their cars. I suppose they do hire in some of the top cars, but they wouldn't get much of a crowd displaying three or four cars.
The last car show I went to was about three years ago and I went because I got free parking and entry passes. It was $10 to park and $15 to get in the show. I would never pay that much.
There was one Riddler car (I think) there and yup it was a great looking, but not for what I guessed it cost to have built. There were other cars there that were built by regular rodders that I thought better represented rodding. On the other hand.... she had warts.... oops, on the other hand there was a Model A coupe that looked like it had been done in the sixties - a rather plain Jane car with a for sale tag for $62,000.00. I thought, Are you f------ serious. Your head is up and locked. I considered that price tag an insult to most rodders.
Additionally there were a lot of harley choppers. Choppers, sure each one is different, but they all look the same.
The other rather obvious thing I noticed at this show was the fact the car display spaces were very large meaning they didn't have enough entries to fill the place. Maybe the tide is turning with fewer rodders willing to pay to show off their cars plus all the work involved in participating.
There were only one or two commercial vendors that were directly involved in promoting rodding. Most vendors and there weren't many, were selling flea market stuff. This may reflect the increase in the amount of business conducted on the web. I can't afford to drive a hundred miles to buy something and have to pay sales tax when I can get it delivered to my door for less using the inter-tube.
A few weeks back I went to a big swap meet in Denver, at that same facility. I found nothing there I couldn't buy on eBay for less even with shipping. When I lived in Wisconsin we'd go to the big car show and swap meet in Iola. I callled the swap meet the Rust Ranch.
During the summer there is a gathering and cruise of all kinds of rods, customs, sports and exotic car on the first Saturday of the month in Golden, Colorado. It's free and it's growing and you can do a Coors Brewery tour in the afternoon. This a a good way to get a couple of free beer and a good spot along the street for your lawn chair.
Well there you have it......... my drivel for today.
Back in the sixties we had our fuel car in a couple of local shows in paid booths for the speed shop we were associcated with.
Since those days when I was young and spry, I never gave much thought to the business of car shows. As I aged... and not very gracefully, I might add, I find that my attitude towards shows has hardened.
It seems a bit silly to me to have to pay to put a car in a show so the promotors can make money charging people to look at that car and others. For what? A chance for trophy?...... That and four bucks will get you a Starbucks. I suspect the awarding of trophies could be the subject of some speculation also.
Car show promotors should pay participants to display their cars. I suppose they do hire in some of the top cars, but they wouldn't get much of a crowd displaying three or four cars.
The last car show I went to was about three years ago and I went because I got free parking and entry passes. It was $10 to park and $15 to get in the show. I would never pay that much.
There was one Riddler car (I think) there and yup it was a great looking, but not for what I guessed it cost to have built. There were other cars there that were built by regular rodders that I thought better represented rodding. On the other hand.... she had warts.... oops, on the other hand there was a Model A coupe that looked like it had been done in the sixties - a rather plain Jane car with a for sale tag for $62,000.00. I thought, Are you f------ serious. Your head is up and locked. I considered that price tag an insult to most rodders.
Additionally there were a lot of harley choppers. Choppers, sure each one is different, but they all look the same.
The other rather obvious thing I noticed at this show was the fact the car display spaces were very large meaning they didn't have enough entries to fill the place. Maybe the tide is turning with fewer rodders willing to pay to show off their cars plus all the work involved in participating.
There were only one or two commercial vendors that were directly involved in promoting rodding. Most vendors and there weren't many, were selling flea market stuff. This may reflect the increase in the amount of business conducted on the web. I can't afford to drive a hundred miles to buy something and have to pay sales tax when I can get it delivered to my door for less using the inter-tube.
A few weeks back I went to a big swap meet in Denver, at that same facility. I found nothing there I couldn't buy on eBay for less even with shipping. When I lived in Wisconsin we'd go to the big car show and swap meet in Iola. I callled the swap meet the Rust Ranch.
During the summer there is a gathering and cruise of all kinds of rods, customs, sports and exotic car on the first Saturday of the month in Golden, Colorado. It's free and it's growing and you can do a Coors Brewery tour in the afternoon. This a a good way to get a couple of free beer and a good spot along the street for your lawn chair.
Well there you have it......... my drivel for today.
