I prefer touring over car shows

[Great Lakes Greg]

When I have an opinion the only people interested in listening are my dogs...and they aren't really people, they just think they are. But here I am spouting off anyway. I took the coupe to a car show today and remembered why I don't go to car shows. Two Model A's and 80 '57 Chevys, Corvettes, and Mustangs. All nice cars to be sure, but I really felt the odd man out. Combined with an award announcer more interested in hearing himself talk and a show schedule an hour behind with no end in sight. I packed up my lawn chair and drove home, relizing on the way that driving to and from the show was far more rewarding than the punishment of sitting and listning to kids say how boss the car would be with a small block shivvy in it. It's too late to make a long story short, but I intend to tour all I can and stay away from shows. There, I said it.

[Jack '29 Sport Coupe]

I feel your pain! Too bad you live so far away, 'cause I'd love to do some touring with
you in a convoy of two.

Jack

[Tim]

I'm with you as well. Cars are for driving, chairs are for sitting, toys are for playing, and livestock is for showing. Too bad you are not closer we could have alot of fun.


Best Regards,

Tim

[Kevin in NJ]

I have done one car show this year.

It was a free show at a local city park with music and activities for the kids.
I found out that a 65 Must conv does not have the room needed to take my 5 year old, 6 month old an wife with the car seats and such. Had to shoe horn the car seats in the car.

Still have not figured out the I pay to go to a car show with my expensive car so others can look at it for free. I know I am being a grumpy middle age man.

[WTSHNN]

I go to a car show every now and then, nothing too fancy. I started getting really turned off because a number of the shows near me are open to all cars. The one time I was parked next to a normal, base model '95 Corvette and a couple cars down was a normal PT Cruiser with no modifications on it.

The club I belong to is real active in touring and whenever someone says "how come I never see a Model A at these shows." I say "didn't you see hear us honk as we just kept on driving by?"

-Tim

[jimalabam]

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Right on Tim, REAL Model A's are for driving and not sitting in a hot parking lot or on/in a trailer. Just one old Model A'ers opinion. Took an A on a 122 mile tour today, Best regards to all and Happy Model A'ing jim...

[peters180a/170b]

Well , I have done show cars most of my life. I have the better of both worlds , having a show car and a driver.. I love doing both. I know what you mean Greg... I will have covered by tomorrow [Sunday ] 4 locale car shows in 2 weekends. I thought i might of heard of everything before when being judged. TWICE in 1 week question on my horn at 2 different meets? At both meets judged by Model "A" owners too. Question was -where is the horn tag on your horn? One judge thought he had me on forgetting to put it on...Hello there's NO tag on a Stewart Warner !!! The next question- "O" there was more then one horn on a Model "A"? Record [1] i wished not to be judged [2] i did not place 1 ,2, or 3 place and today 100 awards with 300 cars and i recieved [0] .The guy judging Model"A"s gave himself First place with a rat of a roadster. So $20.00 to enter , 2 -$4.00 @ hamburgers , 1- $1.00 1/2 pt. water', $10.00 in raffle tickets BUT put alot of smiles on old people and believe it or not very young kids.. Got a nice red color in my face and met some very nice people from 3 states. Will post picture's in a few days. And with a 1930 Model "A" i was the earliest car there.

[1931 flamingo]

Been to cruiseshere probably 5 nights a week and several shows, one show today and a cruise tonite, simsbury, CT airport tmrw for a fly-in and car show. Most cruises I'm the only A and have a great time and answer LOTS of questions. Most are free and great fun, and I don't feel isolated, it's amazing how many with t-buckets etc are interested in the A. It's fun, put my model A day patch on a piece of cardboard and put in windshield proclaiming today INTL MODEL A DAY.
Paul in CT

[Rem/Mo]

The last car show I attended the '40 and older stock class was won by a 1976 built replica of a '35 Auburn.
Fiberglass body and 1970 429 ford engine trans.
That wasn't my class but I'd say it made the choices suspect for all classes.
Let's cruise.

[MCHinson]

I have attended local shows for years, National AACA Shows for a few years, but Touring is more fun. I still do shows but I do as many tours as possible.

[tuneman]

Yes I agree 100%. I go to very few car shows.
Sometimes i drive thru them with my 30 town sedan. They say pull in . But i just keep on
driving. Model A's are for driving!!! If just to go get ice cream. I'am always looking for a excuse to take Old Gerty for a ride!!!

[glenn in camino]

I like touring best too but there is one show here in Northern California that I really enjoy. It's the Ironstone Concours at the Ironstone Winery and gardens in Murphys. The variety of cars is amazing with everything from horseless carriages and Classics to exotics. There's a class for Model As and even a truck class. All stock, NO hotrods or customs. Judging is very low key, based on overall looks without opening of hoods or trunks. On Friday evening they have a wine tasting with a dozen or so local winerys participating and an outdoor gourmet dinner. The concours is on Saturday with 350+ cars and trucks arranged throughout the gardens. In my opinion, it's the best car show I've ever participated in. The concours is next Saturday, Sepember 25th. I'm taking 2 of my Model A tour cars.

[Special Coupe Frank]

My favorite regional show is Das Awkscht Fescht in Macungie, PA, first Saturday in August.

No judging, no Rods or Customs ( their day is Sunday ), just thousands of great old cars, ranging from Horseless Carriages & big Brass up through (gasp) the 1980's !

And all vehicles must drive onto the show field under their own power.

I like the occasional local cruise night; you never know what will show-up.... one night back in June, I felt sure I 'd have the oldest car there.... but I was trumped by a '25 Studebaker Special-Six Roadster .

I do feel a certain obligation to take my old iron to local shows, because "if I don't, who will ? " ( Then it'll all be Vettes, Camaros, Firebirds, etc.)

Haven't done any group touring yet; but plenty of driving, and that's my biggest joy: whether it's my Special Coupe, '41 De soto, or '61 Rambler coonvertible.

None of my cars are trophy material ( the Rambler could be with a little work); they're to use & enjoy.

[PC/SR]

Driving the car is what I like, but took the speedster to 2 local shows. The first was typical, muscle cars dominant, seems if you did not have a 350 cch-vy in it you were kind of strange. The winner of the pre-1930 modified was a Brookfield with, yep, a 350 and lots of chrome. It was pretty, but my bet is that most of those cars did not have 100 miles on them. The other show was a charity fundraiser, limited to 1942 and earlier, barn finds to concours. Had some real fine, rare cars, and some real "junkers" and they were neat too. Judging was voting by the peoples choice. They had some fun classes. The speedster won in 2 "classes", One was car Flash Gorden would drive (age test-who remembers Flash Gordon) and the other was Favorite dirt track racer (it is not set up for dirt track racing, and I would not race it on a dirt track, another guy with an A speedster there should have won that one, but hey...). One of the Club guys with a clean, stock A driver won a prize as well. I like touring, hill climbs, and just plain driving, but mostly just dicking around with the car. I just dont understand guys who will put $50,000 up in a car and not drive it. I mean I understand it, its the money, they do not want oil or nicks on the car, but if you dont drive it, what's the point? The exception is the guys who do fine point restorations of the A's (and other old cars.) That degree of restoration is not for me, but I am glad someone is doing it as a history of automobiles and the venerable A.

[TedG]

The last show I entered was a benefit for one of the local Firehouses and cars were parked randomly as they came in and believe me you have not lived until you are parked next to a youngster in his Jap Tuner with the stereo and sub-woofers cranked up along with a portable TV and CD player in the open rear hatch playing the Fast and the Furious at near full volume.

[RockHillWill]

Model A's are for having fun! You should do what ever you want to do with your Model A to enjoy it. I really enjoy driving the cars. You get to meet other folks with similar interests and compare stories and notes and new ideas and see new places. I also am interested in authentic restorations for the same reason. I get to meet other folks with knowledge that are willing to share, learn more history and get to travel more as well. With Model A's you get to have your cake and eat it too! Doing research and looking for original parts is just thicker frosting on the cake. It all tastes good!

[cradlescyth]

Just got to get my 2/cents in. I would love to see cruise or show of just old cars not
rods. I'm not against rods they have there place in the world of cars. I would like talking and looking at the old cars (Model A's ) and others. For some reason just can not seem to get a bunch of A's togeather one night a week ???

[John LaVoy]

I have found that about 95+% of the hobby is more interested in driving the cars rather than "showing" them. When we attended the MAFCA/MARC meet in Dallas TX there were over 1000 registrations. I judged in the blue ribbon class and there were 33 cars. It shows you that more people are wanting to drive than show. While it is nice to see the blue ribbon cars and we should support their efforts perhaps more events should be designed around driving.

I know the folks that have gone on our Summer Tours seem to have a good time!

[john in illinois]

Mywife and I like to tour. We just sold both of our Harleys so we will have more time for Mabel(Our Tudor). 1320 miles to Vicksburg in July. 190 miles
yesterday to Nokomis for Model A Day.Model A's are fun.

[NealTX]

Model A's are the real old cars. The 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, and even the 70's cars are just USED CARS.