Thread: Show Car or Driver?

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Aren't you forgetting a third catagory......."Street & Show"?

I always built this kind of car....and I don't want to hear this "gold chainer" bullshit! I built my own, assembled the engine...rebuilt the trans, rear, brakes, etc.....put in the interior....rewired them....bought what I could afford....did the fabrication and bodywork...and painted them. I tried to make them nice inside and out...striking wheels, paintwork and graphics that I liked. Flat black on the bottom....but clean and neatly built. Maybe if an item underneath showed, like traction bars or headers, they were painted a brighter color. New weatherstripping....upholstery....nice paint on the interior hard parts....some dress-up items on the engine, and the engine compartment done neatly.

Once done, I drove them to car events, entered shows, and cruised 'em. If they got a sctratch or something got too worn....I fixed it. The big difference was that I did not expect to win shows. If I did, it was gravy. The really great part about shows was listening to the nice things people had to say about my toys. I didn't even worry about awards.

I don't think the mentality should be that a hot rod has to be the equivalent of either a "show car" or a "work truck". It can be something in between, if that is what makes you happy, and you are willing to work for it.

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

Aren't you forgetting a third catagory......."Street & Show"?

I always built this kind of car....and I don't want to hear this "gold chainer" bullshit! I built my own, assembled the engine...rebuilt the trans, rear, brakes, etc.....put in the interior....rewired them....bought what I could afford....did the fabrication and bodywork...and painted them. I tried to make them nice inside and out...striking wheels, paintwork and graphics that I liked. Flat black on the bottom....but clean and neatly built. Maybe if an item underneath showed, like traction bars or headers, they were painted a brighter color. New weatherstripping....upholstery....nice paint on the interior hard parts....some dress-up items on the engine, and the engine compartment done neatly.

Once done, I drove them to car events, entered shows, and cruised 'em. If they got a sctratch or something got too worn....I fixed it. The big difference was that I did not expect to win shows. If I did, it was gravy. The really great part about shows was listening to the nice things people had to say about my toys. I didn't even worry about awards.

I don't think the mentality should be that a hot rod has to be the equivalent of either a "show car" or a "work truck". It can be something in between, if that is what makes you happy, and you are willing to work for it.

ditto! i for one would never own a car i couldnt actually drive , as i see it what would be the point in the first place , im sure trailer queens have there place as there are a lot out there that are just not built for cruising in ..

Well, there are people out there with lots of money so they (the mega expemsive non drivers) will always have their place. I still like to look at 'em. Meanwhile, who the hell cares? This is America, a place where you can freely express yourself, at least for now. Meanwhile people who get wrapped around the axle on Rats or Trailers or Whatever truly keep me amused. I say Get Over It.

Kitz

It is possible to have a driver that can win a car show. Do your best and put it in that in door car show as soon as you finish it, after that drive it and enjoy it. I will say that it is a lot more fun driving it to a car show like GoodGuys or area car shows than it is trailering it every place you go. Itoldyouso's nephew is proof of that.

I built my truck as a driver from day one. I finished it three years ago and I have put over 10,000 miles on it driving it on weekends, work once in a while, Goodguys events and local car shows. Sure it has a radiator full of bugs and been caught in many rain storms but soap & water, wax and lots of elbow grease always keep it looking great.

In short take it to a serious car show when it is freshly finished and enjoy being a part of that then have tons of fun driving it. You won't regret it.

After all, it is a car not a steinway piano.

I know what it is like to start with a nice car and then go over board to the point it is always on the trailer and it goes back in the garage to a cover. That is what I did with my Vette. The last 3 years I had it I put a total of 142 miles on it.
It got to be a job going to shows and running for points. I had fun at first but after you win what you wanted then it is no longer fun. Then you get to a point where you need to keep making changes from year to year to get the public and the judges to keep scoring you.
With my '32 it is a nice car I have about $40 in it plus my labor and it also helps tha the job I have I meet many people and score a ton of freebies or I would have more. But I knew I was driving this when I can. Last year drove to Syracuse in the pooring rain 300 miles each way. It was a LONG ride but it was a fun ride just the same. Now it is not an every day driver but I did put on 3000 miles in 1.5 years and still able to win at regional shows and even have done well at the large shows.
Just takes time and effort to clean it up.
Here are pictures of my Vette and the '32 when I got to syracuse.....dirty and nasty but cleaned up well enough to get chosen