Went to car show today and OMG

[ratdog]

I drove two hours to Charlotte to the car show and took my camera to take pictures of cobras there,I checked out the corvettes, camaros,mustangs. They were very sharp and detailed for the show, walked over and checked out the cobras and was very disappointed. The ones that had there hoods up,(were sad looking), NONE had done any detail work on the engine department, oil leaks,rust,very very dirty.I was upset and disappointed. One was so dirty it looked like it had a dirt floor on drivers side and the driver side seat was were he put his feet. This was at a car SHOW what the hell..I didn't take any pictures and came home. I'm trying to understand why anyone would build and spend hours doing so and then take a car and show it this way. sad

[blykins]

Sure it wasn't an original?

[vatdevil]

Maybe Cobra drivers actually have FUN with their cars?

[cobradvm]

Originally Posted by blykins

Sure it wasn't an original?

Agreed - some of the originals have a lot of patina and the owners like to keep them that way.

Of course they may just have been one of those rebodied rustang kits!!!

[Jerry Clayton]

So you probably passed on an one in a life time chance to photograph an driven original car

[ratdog]

none of these were original,they were Factory Five and Super Performance and I think one lone star. Most were Factory Fives of which I have one.

I love car shows. I love going to them and having fun, but honestly, I do very little prep. I have too much fun driving it and I could care less about winning something at a show. I wouldn't say my car is a pit, but it's far from detailed.
__________________
Originally posted at www.automotomedia.net

[67JET]

I agree with the driving it and having fun part -- but if you are going to take it to a car show i think you should a least vacuum it out and wipe off the mud (unless it is a jacked-up 4 wheel drive). If you don't want to clean it up you should just leave it in the parking lot and enjoy the show. Now if it is an actual car that is raced and has road rash and chunks of black rubber hanging off it the leave it there and talk to the others there about the last race you were in. Most of these cars are not raced but all of them are fun. Clean it up and take pride in what you have. I mean -- I don't own a Kirkham but I run the crap out of it and then clean it up for the next time out.

[ratdog]

I just didn't understand if they wanted to show them at a show this big why they didn't clean them up a little.I have seen trailer queens but opening your hood at a large car show and your car isn't detailed and setting right behind new vets and camaros that has been detailed to the max, isn't showing or helping others with there image of a nice cobra.

[lamaluv]

When I go to a car show with my Cobra it is only to the ones that I can sit by my car and talk with people about cars. I go with no expectation of winning a trophy. My car is 30 years old and the paint job is over 20 years old. It goes to each show clean and polished but the paint has rock chips and scratches. The engine compartment is clean but looks its age. My real pleasure in owning my Cobra is cruising and open tracking the car. For me attending a car show is an excuse to talk cars and be with other car nuts. If showing is your main thing then you need have everything perfect and an expensive paint job. If that is your thing, thats cool, just don't knock those of us that are I little more layed back about it. I know of one guy that his Cobra just sits in his garage. Since he finished it he is afraid that if he drives it something bad might happen to it. Have fun with your car in whatever way that turns your crank. To each thier own!

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by ratdog

I drove two hours to Charlotte to the car show and took my camera to take pictures of cobras there,I checked out the corvettes, camaros,mustangs. They were very sharp and detailed for the show, walked over and checked out the cobras and was very disappointed. The ones that had there hoods up,(were sad looking), NONE had done any detail work on the engine department, oil leaks,rust,very very dirty.I was upset and disappointed. One was so dirty it looked like it had a dirt floor on drivers side and the driver side seat was were he put his feet. This was at a car SHOW what the hell..I didn't take any pictures and came home. I'm trying to understand why anyone would build and spend hours doing so and then take a car and show it this way. sad

On the flip side, spend hours cleaning and polishing the car so you can win a $3.00 trophy....Sorry, no.........When I take one of my cars to a show, I wear the dirt and grime as a badge of honor showing I drive(race) my car for the sheer enjoyment of doing so....Most people get it, some like yourself do not.


Bill S.

[cobraguy1163]

Did you go by Dennis Olthoff's display of Superformance? He usually has only topshelf display cars, mine used to be that way but 17500 miles later "OH WELL"

[mr bruce]

never did understand why some guys buy/build these things, only to "save them for the next guy", if you're not goin' to use the friggin' car, don't bother gittin' one, just give the money to your wife and let her buy furniture

[vector1]

Originally Posted by mr bruce

never did understand why some guys buy/build these things, only to "save them for the next guy", if you're not goin' to use the friggin' car, don't bother gittin' one, just give the money to your wife and let her buy furniture

x2........

[Tommy]

I am not a car show guy. I much prefer cruise-ins like the one I attended tonight. But, I have some good friends who annually pressure me to attend the car show hosted by their club. I dust my car off enough to look like I tried a little, but it is not detailed. ... Some of the most popular car shows in my area now give no trophies at all. They only give back a part of the entry fee with money trees and similar drawings. My point is that not everyone enters a car show with the expectation of winning best of class. Some enter for other reasons. To each his own.

[timsullivan]

Couldn't agree more. "Trailer Queen" Cobras are a disgrace to the cause. I just got mine on the road less than a year ago and already my brand spanking new Superformance has a stone chip in the windshield and a front end containing several stone chips all directly attributable to driving it hard. If the local car show spectators can't handle a few imperfections on my Cobra than screw 'em. I'm going to continue to drive the snot out of it and continue to enjoy every ounce of its superior performance regardless if the local poseurs don't appreciate that it isn't always in concours condition when I stop by the local car shows with it.

[Sal Gerace]

As long as my windshield is clean I'm good to go!

[littlewave]

The only car shows that are worth entering are the ones that the entry fee goes to RELAY FOR LIFE or CHILDRENS HOSPITAL. Spray it,wipe it off,and clean the windshield! Then DRIVE IT DRIVE IT DRIVE IT!!!

[Jamo]

I only park it as "Exhibition Only" and all patina remains in place.

[Excaliber]

SAAC-35 I was running the track and the rear brakes were getting to hot. When I pulled into the garage I started ripping out the carpet behind the seats so I could open up a panel and get some air to the brakes for cooling. The various wives hanging in the garage were aghast, almost scared, as I tossed pieces of carpet here and there, cutting away with a razor blade.

The guys hanging around never missed a beat, totally understanding you gotta do what ya gotta do when it comes to track time.

Oh,,, I didn't enter the show part. I suspect I would have lost points for the carpet, not to mention that shoe lace repair dangling from the throttle linkage when a bolt broke. Hey, at least it was a racing shoe, shoe lace, a guys gotta have some dignity.