I have to comment again, something I don't do much with you guys. But I am real close on finishing my drag X conversion to be my Tri-athlete. Drag, Road Race, and Street. And I be going to some of this shows you all talk about. Something I used to do and hate it, been there and done that in heavy competition with my other cars, that is why I went racing instead of sitting in a chair. I sit here typing thinking you are all right about the cruise-ins etc, I don't see myself sitting there very long talking to these type of guys, and listening to another minute of that 50's junk. LOL (and I'm 57). Since performance is the only reason I love cars and can't really relate to wooden wheels and or anemic running cars, but I do appreciate other peoples talent, admire and can relate to the hard work it takes to make things nice. One of these days I give a write up on the transformation that is taking.
I love car shows.. great sources of entertainment.. most folks don't recognize me, or know what I look like, so I wander around and talk to the Buick owners.. I can read the individual I am talking to pretty quick, most Buick guys are pretty cool, normal folk.. but I love the ones that start rattling off about this BS and that... I just stand there and act really interested, ask a few leading questions, and really get them going. It's wonderful fun.. Had one guy actually claim that he owned that "internet website" with all the Buicks on it.. He slipped that in while regaling me with the entire history of the GS, and how his 70 has super rare power windows. When I pointed out that the other 70 car a few rows over also had them, he then went into a 15 minute diatribe on aftermarket kits and everyone putting them in after the fact. I nodded my head a lot and the words " I see" were uttered a few times. After weathering that storm, I asked him what his internet site was named.. figuring it was some obscure picture site.. he replies "V8buick.com".. I swear I bit my lip so hard I drew blood. While the urge to throw down and inform clowns like this guy that I have forgotten more about these cars than he will ever know, is hard to swallow at times, it's worth it.. just to let them rattle on and on.. Everyone has fun, the show guy thinks he is educating the uninformed, and I get to watch folks make complete fools of themselves. Most Buick only shows have very few of this type of guy, they tend more to show up at the informal cruise night gatherings. JW
The flip side of what happened to you, Jim, happened to me at the GS Nationals. It was the 25th anniversary and Buick had brought down a lot of cool stuff including the turbo Nailhead cutaway. I was telling my Pontiac buddy what it was and a quiet gentleman stepped up and affirmed what I'd said, then filled in the rest of the story. It was Denny Manner. Just anothet reason to love the Buick (and V8Buick) community.
Yup, Denny is a mild mannered, reserved guy. You would never guess what he did for a living by looking at him. As soon as he start talking to you, "engineer" comes to mind pretty quick. That was my experience when I first met him, not knowing who he was, he just wandered by the car trailer here back in the late 90's when we were racing the Regal at BG. He's typical of the kind of folks that came from Minnesota's Iron range area in the first half of the 20th century. JW
The thing that riles me is watching the owners of the classic cars of the 40's, 50's, 60's etc sneer at a young guy who brings his car that may not be a typical classic. IDC if its 80's,90's, or foreign they are the next generation bringing the hobby along. Yeah, maybe its not my kind of car but I can appreciate the passion they have for what they like.... How many young people can really afford to purchase let alone restore a one of our cars
Like someone commented above, go to the races! I attended the Waterford Hills vintage races as a spectator with my dad last weekend (I'm 40, BTW, so roughly the same age as the OP). There was a guy with a rusty Dodge Demon and a guy with a beautiful '67 Vette roadster parked near me and my Corvair, along with some British TVRs and other cool stuff. All of these guys were friendly and everybody seemed to love each others' cars, no matter what shape they were in or what they were. I talked about the Corvair to these guys the whole time I was there. I enter local shows, but only because I get to park nearby (meaning inside the show). I've gotten pretty good at ignoring the tools, I guess.
Metro Cruise is coming here, in Wyoming/Kentwood, Michigan soon, August 25 & 26. It's fun until the road gets jambed with daily drivers full of idiots who make it more of a parking lot than a cruise. And everyone is tired of seeing way too many new Wranglers with the doors removed. I realize some need to use the route to get to their destination, but the gawkers would be better served parking and watching the cars pass by. You do see quite a variety of vehicles when the traffic can progress.
I enjoy going to the shows. I always run into some owners that like to visit like old friends even though we have never met. Yeah, you see some that are all stuff shirt, but just ignore them. Some of the friendliest were at the BOPC shows I took my car to in Albuquerque, NM. I was hesitant to take my car because it isn't in the condition usually seen at shows. But guys there made me feel welcome, and were actually asking about my car. Like others have posted, some cars I see at shows aren't my favorites, but I appreciate the work that has gone into them. I pretty much check them all out. It makes it a lot more fun when you go with some other people you know and can hang out doing the lawn chair rodeo with friends.
I love bugs in my radiator and bug splatter on my windshield. I also leave the rubber on my quarters from my DR's..... Those are my trophys!
Me thinks this must be a dream you are relating, when do you ever see another Buick at a car show...lol
I was previously into corvettes and that crowd has its own share of tools and special individuals. There were some good folk there and I often hung out with the drive it like you stole it, work on it yourself crowd. We were a minority and looked at 'differently'. I had a C4 corvette at the time and loved it. The C5 was pretty new still and the throw your wallet at it crowd was all over it, trying to be the fastest. The C5 owners, and especially the C6 owners later on, typically looked down on a lowly C4. At corvette specific events I loved watching the faces after I'd hang loss after loss on them at the autocross. Running mid/low 12s in the 1/4 I wasn't the fastest but it was fast enough to beat a few of them and make the others question if their car was running correctly. Funny foot in mouth story time... I was a tech at a chevy dealership at the time and did all the corvette work at that specific dealership. At one all corvette event in Bowling Green I was attending, early 2000s I had brought my C4 (a 1996 LT4 coupe 6 speed) to pick on some newer vettes per usual. It was a 3 day event and I was spending the night at the Baymont where the party had been the night before for all the other owners and participants. As I wandered downstairs for my free breakfast, clearly still feeling the effects of too much Jack Daniels the night before I found the only empty table and proceeded to nurse my body back to life. A quiet, unassuming gentleman a few years senior to me asked if he could sit across from me, everything else was taken. The ensuing conversation: Him. You here for the cruise in? Me. Yes. You? Him. Yeah, I like to see people enjoy these cars. (should have been my first clue) me. Yeah, me too. I really enjoy working on and driving mine. Autocross, drag racing, cruising you name it. Him. Oh, Cool! What year? Me. A 96 LT4 car. Him. Do you like the C5 or just prefer a C4? Me. I like the C5 alright, it has its share of issues but is a fine car. I've had my 96 a while and know it back and forth so I'll stick with it for a while. its not stock and I like to tinker with it. Him. So you work on yours? Me. Yes. I am a tech at a dealer and work on vettes quite often. Him, now leaning forward on the table, arms crossed on the table intently scrutinizing me. (should have been a clue). What issues with the C5? Me still not thinking clearly or picking up on body language or clues. I'd like to talk to the idiot that decided to /list of things I
Don't know why it cut off my post but here's the rest. Me still not thinking clearly or picking up on body language or clues. I'd like to talk to the idiot that decided to ///list of things I think they did wrong/// Him now a bit redfaced and taken aback. We did those things for ///xxx reasons/// (Alarms now going off in my head. He said WE) Me now fully alert and attentive. Who did you say you were again? Him. Dave McLellan (he was the chief engineer for the C5 corvette) We had a nice conversation after that about all things corvette and he was actually pretty interested in my thoughts on the C5 from a tech perspective. When I got back to work I was halfway expecting a pink slip.
I can take the 50's music (i'm 54 and listen to classic rock), I can take the rice burners, and I can even take the cars that someone paid someone else to build. What I can't stand are all of the new Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, and Corvettes. I walk down row after row of brand new cars with the hoods up. What's the point of that? I don't think that there should be an age limit as to what car is in the show, but there needs to be some custom work on the car.
I really don't have a problem with a "bought" car especially if a person is a tad older and possibly cannot do work he/she was once capable of doing. It is actually good for the hobby when someone like my uncle pays out for an older car. It also keeps the supply/demand for our cars value in check with a bit of reality in a world that tends to lean to the socialist side sometimes. What I can't tolerate is the guy who wants to school the real car guru on "everything" that he has no clue what he is talking about. It's cool just to sit back and look at other people's dreams and labors, but if you don't know the difference between sh$& and stuff it is really difficult to discuss it. It would be like hearing "Runaway" for the 930th time....just gets old.
Met up with Larry at the big cruise night at Bellmore train station last night. One thing that no one (I think) mentioned was the guys who put the drive in tray on the side window with the plastic hamburger and fries. Same types that have the creepy crying stuffed kid on the fender
Funny you mention the drive in tray. I was at a cruise in Tuesday night and a guy had one of those on his '90 camaro convertible. Didn't seem right. Also those creepy "taxidermy children" give my wife nightmares.
In Sacramento Auburn and around here you can go to Mels diner on Tuesday nights and feel like your at a Happy Days dinner. I like to check out the Low Riders in San Jose. They appreciate a Riviera , still always want to see it bagged as they say . But they get it rite. Hot chicks every ware, The smell of weed in the air, beer in every cooler. May not totaly like the style but do appreciate the hard work they put into it.
I could probably reconise you blind folded even though I have never seen you or heard your voice. All I would have to do is vaguely mention the Langiliers and you would actualy know what I was talking about!
I have no problem with those who buy completed vehicles IF they are just regular guys and they buy because of physical or ability limitations, or they get a good deal. Who can pass up a good deal? It's the ones like the guy in one of my previous posts (and others as well) who act like total asshats that I avoid.
