The age old question!!!

To Trailer or not to Trailer?...

>>>Disclaimer<<< This thread was not posted to get a flame war going, only to try and understand why people have formed their opinions... Let's please try to keep the conversation as good natured as possible...

What are your thoughts on the Trailer issue?... Why do folks care one way or the other if a vehicle was driven to an event?... Post your thoughts here whether they are pro or con, but please try to give some insight as to why you think this way!!!

To make this fun you can also use this as a venue to post your favorite trailer sayings!!! Ill start...

Sure I drove it here- The trailer don't drive itself!!! ;)

Dave Brisco

Lets see how can I start this. I drive my car and trailer it both. It comes down to the fact that it is MY car and its no one elses business if its driven or trailered. I trailer my car depending on roads, distance, etc. Let me give you an example of roads. There is a show in the SoCal mountains that is coming up. The mountain roads always have large rocks from slides in it as it built into the mountain. There is no way I'm driving a lowered car with no front bumper up that road. I had a accident that required me to replace the metal fenders, hood, and front clip among other things. It took me a solid 7 months to find the metal calling over half the world. Its been a year since I've driven it and its getting trailered up there, and anywhere else I feel is in my best interest. Distance comes into the picture. I don't have a radio (hot rods don't have radios only mags), no air (wimps) or power steering ( sissie boys) :D . I drive it to local cruises, shows and on LA freeways ( think about that one). I didn't build the car to travel across country. Dan J asked me in your other thread why anti trailer people are so hostile. I don't think the majority of people at show care one way or the other. The ones the seem to bitch the most are the ones that are interested in an award, and not in meeting people, looking at cars, and enjoying themselves. They need to get a life. If a person chooses to drive or trailer their car, its their business. Like I said, its MY CAR and I get to choose. For thoes of you that hate trailered cars, heres what happens when you do trailer them :CRY: .

Okay some cars are trailered some of the time. Makes sense. Not for me though. My rattyassed Fairlane has all the rock chips and little rusty places it has earned in all the years it has spent on the road. My preference is for drivers. I wouldn't be interested in a boat that wouldn't float any more than a plane that couldn't fly but looked really good.

My car is no “show car”… but it’s nice. The paint is a solid color instead of “candy”, because I knew that those rock chips would need to be touched up at some point. Now, just because my car is a “driver”, it doesn’t mean that I’m going to take it down an un-paved gravel road either!

FMJ stated that it's probably the folks trying to win an award that have the "attitude". I’m probably naive about the “competition” at car shows… that is, competing to win an award and not competing for the shaded parking spot. But I’m going to guess that someone who has gone to all of the trouble to chrome and polish everything UNDER their car is going to want someone who is “judging” cars to notice the finer points of their ride. I’m also going to guess that if an armadillo has managed to run up under this work of art while said work of art is traveling at 70 mph, some of the luster is going to be lost to armadillo innards' splatter! Therefore, it’s my guess that if someone has decided that preserving the “luster” of his or her car is more important than the ride… a trailer is a necessity!

So, am I ticked off when the trailered car passes me on the highway? Only if he throws the armadillo carcass onto the hood of my car as he pulls around me!!! Does it disturb me if folks look at the trailered car longer than they look at mine? Only if the fellow stole my wife and has her sitting in the front seat of his car!!! Does it upset me if the trailered car parks in front of me at the fairgrounds? Only if he has blocked me in and I can’t leave to go cruizin when I feel like it!!!

OK, would someone that’s really ticked off about the trailer guys speak up? What is it that rubs you the wrong way?

Dan J

Okay, this was a bit on the bizarre side to me. I think it was last summer at a Friday night cruise in and we were standing around smokin and jokin and this beautiful 49 or so Merc oozes into the lot and draws a lot of attention. Power everything, power tilt front, trunk, painted to perfection and air bags too. When the cars started drifting away for the evening the guy pulls the trailer into the lot and loads it up for the drag home. Most of the people were as amazed as myself.

I don't like to see trailering. but sometimes there is no choice. say you have a coupe or a 23 T and the family is going to the Nats with you. you got the wife and two kids and luggage. You can see where i'm coming from.

But on the other hand if you enjoy driving your ride then why not show it off going down the highway. I think it looks great to see 10 to 30 rides going down the highway all together. Sure can't see 10 to 30 trailers.

The only thing i have a hard time with trailers is they take up so much parking spaces at the hotels.
The you have the guys that say i drove it. and you know there lieing. because there trailer is parked in your hotel parking lot.

Lately, I have been amazed by how many trailers there have been in the hotel parking lots... With all the murmerings I hear at the shows, there are definately a few guys that aren't owning up to towing their cars...

I drove to The Midwest Nationals, but If I were to have someone ride with me I would have had to pack light... Those of you who have seen my available storage space know what I am talking about...

Dave Brisco

Dave i know what your talking about. i have about the same space as you in my 34. What was hard is telling my wife to pack light. I quess her light and my light mean two different things.

When I lowered my truck, I had to take the hitch off. So there went part of the equation. Then, not sure where I'd park a trailer anyway. And I don't have anything made out of unobtainium (though the '33 grille comes close). So, I guess I'll just keep drivin'.

As long as I've been doing this, there's been a trailer "contoversy". I'm not sure it's the trailering part itself. If all the guys that trailered had fmj's attitude it would likely be a non issue. But what happens is, human nature pops up again. It seems that most of the people with "attitude", you know, power parkers, boors, loud mouths, neurotic trophy hounds, etc. also seem to be trailer queens. That's not to say all trailer draggers are jerks, and certainly, not all jerks tow their cars, there just seems to be enough of a coincidence of behavior that the two are lumped together. Fair or not, that's just the way it is.

Subject for a whole new thread!!! ;)

I am the King of Power Parkers, just ask Dan J... I was parked right on the corner of the paved area in Springfield... Power parking does not get any better than that!!! :)

Dave Brisco

All the cars and trucks I have built for myself have always been constructed with the intention of being driven cross country (and most have made at least one 3000+ mile trip). That being said, I also have a 31 year old Harley that has been to Sturgis twice on the back of a trailer (you think there a stigma trailering to a car show, try it at a bike rally).

There are some cars out there that realistically would be hard pressed to make some of the trips that I have due to compression ratios, inadaquate cooling systems, extreme gear ratios etc. Other cars with extremely expensive paint jobs/plating etc are also good trailer candidates.

Of course there are the people who would rather show up with a perfectly clean car and not have to go through the prep that is associated with having driven the car.

I tend to agree with Bob, in a lot of cases it not the fact the car is trailered, but the personality of a few of the people invloved. But then again it takes all kinds.

Here are a few more good reasons...

One of my best buddies here, builds 2 or 3 cars a year speciffically to sell... He is trying to build a reputation and aspires to start a buisness building Hot Rods... There are a couple of reasons that he trailers almost everywhere...

1st is the fact that he is building these cars to sell... It makes total sense that a person that is willing to lay down a pile of cash for a custom built rod would prefer that it is fresh as possible... You don't get any extra credit for rock chips and road wear!!!

2nd is that, often times he has magazine shoots scheduled at many of the major events throught the country... For those wanting to know how to get into a magazine, it is quite simple... Built some really nice cars and travel to the biggest venues in the country... Yep, you are right, it cost lots of money, but that seems to be what it takes to get the attention of the Magazines these days...

BTW, for anyone headed for Goodguys Indy he will be there with his latest rod a 33 Ford Roadster... Here is a photo for anyone interested... Ummmmm, powered by a stroked 409 for a total of 472 awesome cubic inchs... Unconfirmed HP rating at about 600!!! This car will only run on about 110 octaine fuel, kind of hard to get at the road-side filling station... Another reason for trailering to events!!!

Dave Brisco

It's just shi& load of fun to drive it, nuff said. Joker

I drive my hotrod everywhere, but I don't care if some one wants to trailer. I think the more the merrier no matter how you get there.

bumber sticker at the good guys NWN Pullayup.....
If you see this hotrod on a trailer, call 911 it's stolen!

To me, I don't mind trailered cars as long as they still get driven sometimes. I don't understand why some people build cars and never drive them. In my opinion a car is built to be driven, wheather its a few blocks to show it off, A spin around the field at a show or a few hundred miles to a show, it needs to be on the road.
I just don't understand the people that push the car on and off a trailer and into its spot. The car needs to be driven in its life. Its like a baby, you can't just let the baby lay there its whole life, sooner or latter the kids gonna run, you gotta let it run every now and then.
but this is my opinion, I just love to hear and see cars run.

trailer??? I'm still using a tow-bar.....

I always drove my cars to the shows but now I take more then one with me so 2 get trailered and 1 gets driven. I use to hate to see trailers at shows but I see why now you need them. I drive my prostreet 31 to work everyday in MA even when it is freezing out, Street rod heaters work but not good enough for MA

I think the non trailer guys should just be happy that the pro-trailer guys are into hot rods. they could be driving those stupid import thingies that the kids all like. my father has a 41 ford truck that gets driven and trailered. its just good to get out to the meets and meet new people and see the cars.

yunnie!

i'm more a pro drive it guy myself. i feel if you're gonna have a car drive it. all the cars i've either built or had a hand in building are all driven. i think i might change my tune after i get this vette done. but it's a little different than the others and you can bet your ass i'll be driving as far as the power tour once it's done :)

I guess everyone has their own way of getting off on hot rodding - personally I REALLY enjoy building it then driving it everywhere, and the people I hang out with know that. That said I wouldn't drive it on bad roads just so I can say I drove it either! Guys want to trailer their car, let them, but make them park the trailers WELL away from everything so nobody miises out on a parking space for their hot rod, and DON"T let them be eligable for a long distance award!!!! My wife and I DROVE all the way from Victoria, BC, Canada to the Nats in Oklahoma and back (5700 miles) and lost the LD award to a guy that shipped his car from Australia to California then trailered it to Oklahoma! BUMMER!

I have one I've never trailered, and one that has never left here except on a trailer... Neither of them are finished, but the trailered one doesn't have a motor (installed) yet, so its difficult to move it any other way. Actually today it might take several trailers, since its in pieces...

The other is my daily driver and gets lots of comments at shows and cruises. People say things like 'patina' and 'potential' or 'unusual'.

No one seems to notice that it has bug guts in the grill and on the windshield. But people talk to me about my rod and that's something I enjoy. I doubt it would be much different if I trailered it, unless I left the trailer in someone else's way.

I hope the day comes when one will follow the other to shows because they are both done. They one of them will almost certainly be trailered.

I don't mind if someone trailers their car or not. My big beef is with the people who don't have a hot rod (or they do but they don't know what it's like to bust yer knuckles under the hood) and they say anything negative about any other hot rod at the car show. My buddy had a really great 426 Hemi Cuda. It used to sit in his garage because someone pointed out that 2 of the bolts were not OEM. He kept it in his garage for 4 years until he finally sold it. Now he doesn't want another hot rod.

Those are the people that need to stay home. For every season, there is a reason... turn turn turn...

Streets is right, its his car and his pleasure. I said earlier in the thread that its my car and I'll tow or drive as I see fit. Dubya30, yer bud should have asked the guy if he wanted to pull whatever he had out and race. I bet that would end it. I don't understand why people can't just go to a show, cruise or whatever, and enjoy it. Look at the cars you like and talk to the people about them. My wife and I go to a car show/cruise and see people we haven't seen in a year, and meet a bunch of new ones. Thats what makes this hobbie so enjoyable. Its too bad that thoes people hurt your buddy so much he couldn't enjoy his ride. I can guarantee it won't happen here, as I'm not the quite type. I hope you can convince him to try again.

Depends on where I'm going and what I'm taking. I like the shows that have a cruise along with the show, that usually separates the "trailer queens" from the drivers. If you drove it or trailered it doesn't really matter as long as you can fire it up and cruise when you get there. For me the push it out and push it in car guys are just missing the other half of enjoying a car-- driving it. If the show is any distance away, I usually have to drag so much other "stuff" along that the trailer becomes a necessity, not counting the deals occasionally found at a show. Sometimes it is nice to be able to pack up all your new goodies in the trailer, then let whoever came with me drive mine home. Good points to either side of the issue.

Streets, I checked out you ride and I think that it's very cool. I think that cars are different than music. With music, you might like ole time rock and roll but you don't like country. Course I'm a little different in that I really like cars that are different. There's just something about seeing a car that you very rarely see that makes you go ... WOW that's cool.

Myself, I love to drive my toys. I don't know if I trust my mechanic skills enough to drive 3000 miles but I'm really looking forward to driving my wagon up to St. Ignace car show next year. (If I can talk my wife into it).

I trailerd the model A to the Pac. NW Nats so i could put my whitewall slicks on and go racin' when i got there....did'ent think that driving it 800 miles on slicks was a good idea....took a little flak from a guy who thought i shoulda "tied those slicks on top of the car and went".....yeah right. I have a friend who wants to build me a small trailer to tow behind the A , not a bad idea..... but for a couple of events a year? Screw 'em all, i'll load on the trailer and go racin! The rest of the time my car gets driven.

I dont hold anything against anyone who wants to haul their car, what do i care? Some of those cars cost more than my house...not my thing, but its thiers and i can see why they haul 'em. Thats why its called a "Free Country".......

I build two types of car...drivers and toys

All drivers are toys, but all toys are NOT drivers.

My f100, for example, would be miserable on a cross-country voyage. It has A/C, but the Smitty's glasspacks are loud and the severely lowered suspension rides like a schoolbus.

The fuel tank only holds 11 gallons, and I get 14mpg so you do the math.

The f100 is an in-town cruiser that gets parts-hauler detail when needed (the new air ride is sweet...I can carry more than 100lb without scraping now!!!)

The Corvair is a reacher. I designed it for reliability and overengineered everything. I will convert to a Pertronix unit soon, but not until I wear out this set of Blue Streaks!!!;)

Corvair: driver with "toy" status.

f100: toy that could be a driver if needed.

i don't see why you can't trailer a really expensive car a long distance... but there are cars i see that guys spend who knows how many thousands of dollars on some blown ten billion horsepower engine and the farthest it gets driven is from the trailer to the show.... if that! now if your building an automobile... it justseems logical to me you'd want to drive it right? it should be illegal or something... and it makes me mad anyway! old guys buyin up all the old cars makes them out of my pricerange! and then to top it off they don't even drive the things! just upsets me to see such a beutiful car being built just to look at....

nothin against old guys with cars though... i'm just jealous!

nothin against old guys with cars though... i'm just jealous!


As well you should be:LOL:

Seriously, a lot of my cars started out as $200 shells purchased where I could find them, or were dragged off to get them out of someones way. Us old farts just tend to look a little harder.

It would take me a week and a half to get to Hershey driving the 12 T. I would much better prefere a trailor. A lot less accidents also!:D

Hell, who said I had any teeth? Good pair of goggels and a WWII German helmet and a nice white scarff, we be GONE!!!!!!!!!!!

I got into cars Cause my dad is a wrench and I love spendin time with him, but more importantly, well its wicked fun, I have towed to some places, I had a nova I would take to the track every weekend MT Slicks are spendy So I would tow her, most of the time I would drive her around town. My neighbor when I was growing up (He stills lives at that house I moved) Still owns a 1957 Pontiac 5 Star, He put $10,000 in a solid oak, hand carved Dash alone, He parks her on the street so passer bys can see his beuty and he drivers her every where he goes. Why? Its a car she was ment to be driven (Its doesnt help hes loaded, if I put that kind of money in a car I would hire armed gaurds.)
What I'm trying to say who cares how it got here check her out and enjoy.
Otto