How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

[Stoneshrink]

A Question:

Before you shoot me for announcing so soon, a moment to explain. Next year we, some car junkies, are having our 2nd annual Unfinished Car show - the concept is that the only finished car is a new car, and there are some tie-ins with the church that sponsors the festivities.

Because I'm so qualified, read - have a car(s) that is (are) perpetually unfinished and unable to say no - I am in charge (Impressive resume, no?).

So here it is - if you, the reading public, were to put on a family friendly show - what would you like to see in such an event?

[Scott Liggett]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

The first thing I was wondering was where the heck it is going to be. No city mentioned in your post.

[Stoneshrink]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

I know you'd expect that with my impressive resume and all.....

Maltby Washington. .... 10 or so miles north and east of Seattle.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

Since it's sponsor by a church; I would suggest you skip the bikini contest.

If it's a charity you may be able to get a restaurant or local BBQ joint to cater the event. Get one anyway.

A lot of local cruise ins have a raffle of car parts, tools and even cash.

[Mr.WFO]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

tell your local radio stations.

[HotRodLadyCrusr]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

50/50 drawings are always popular around here. Organized games for the kiddies and if there is enough room, driving games for the adults. Swap areas are always a nice addition to a car event, along with decent priced food vendors and clean bathrooms.

[Stoneshrink]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

Here are some pictures of last year - the Pickup is an international pickup that would be considered a "rat rod" - but it's a very well engineered pickup - 4 wheel disk brakes, etc.... It won 2 catagories - Coolest car, and Most likely to cause death or serious injury.

http://www.nccfwired.com/index.php?option=com_na_gallery2&g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=493&g2_page=3

[BangShiftChad]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

I've put on and/or sponsored a lot of car shows, and can tell you the most important thing is getting the word out. So first thing is to contact radio stations, the newspaper, etc. Put a cheap ad in the classic and antique car section of the newspaper and it will get noticed. Also put up an ad online. Contact every local car club you can, and make sure the church goers are telling their neighbors. They all know CarJunkies and don't even realize it. Cheap food is good, raffles are good, trophies are good. All these things can be had with some phone calls. For trophies, either make your own, or collect old ones from the congregation and then take them to a local trophy shop. They will usually donate whatever extra parts are needed or at least the labor to assemble them and do the plaques. My experience shows that a guy would much rather have an old big block cam resting on the timing gear with a plaque. Do as you like. Crush a car. Get a car from someone that has no glass in it and let people smash it for money. We did $1 for 4 hits or $2 all you can swing. Bring mostly large sledge hammers, but a smaller one for kids. Safety glasses are good too. Most will pay the $2 cause they think they can swing a sledge a lot. They can't. We made over $400 on a half day show just beating up the car. PM me if you want more help, I would be happy to advise. .

[DanStokes]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

Chad -
Too bad you couldn't have gotten Rusty BEFORE the car smashing event. Better luck next time.

(SORRY - I couldn't resist)
Dan

I've put on and/or sponsored a lot of car shows, and can tell you the most important thing is getting the word out. So first thing is to contact radio stations, the newspaper, etc. Put a cheap ad in the classic and antique car section of the newspaper and it will get noticed. Also put up an ad online. Contact every local car club you can, and make sure the church goers are telling their neighbors. They all know CarJunkies and don't even realize it. Cheap food is good, raffles are good, trophies are good. All these things can be had with some phone calls. For trophies, either make your own, or collect old ones from the congregation and then take them to a local trophy shop. They will usually donate whatever extra parts are needed or at least the labor to assemble them and do the plaques. My experience shows that a guy would much rather have an old big block cam resting on the timing gear with a plaque. Do as you like. Crush a car. Get a car from someone that has no glass in it and let people smash it for money. We did $1 for 4 hits or $2 all you can swing. Bring mostly large sledge hammers, but a smaller one for kids. Safety glasses are good too. Most will pay the $2 cause they think they can swing a sledge a lot. They can't. We made over $400 on a half day show just beating up the car. PM me if you want more help, I would be happy to advise. .

[Scott Liggett]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

Hey, Chad, the smashing the bit was a great idea. I did it at a car event and was to keep what I knocked off, a bent up bumper and steering wheel. What a great way to work out ones frustrations. I often thought of buying some fifty dollar dirt heap, put in the driveway and go at it whenever I had a bad day. I figure I'd be ripped in a couple of months. My neighbors, on the other hand, would probably want to string me up after the first week of hearing me bang away at it.

[Stoneshrink]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

Good idea on the car bashing.... I'd thought about it, but there are some kinks to work out with that. I was also thinking of getting a road plate and doing burn out contests.... again, no experience so it could be pretty entertaining finding out those "so that's why the other guys didn't do that at their show" moments.

Has anyone had experience with commercials. I advertised last year on Spike, and while some of the attendees saw the commercials - none seem to think that it was a determining factor in their attendance... what do you junkies think?

This is done on the same weekend as Good Guys NW, but that is 35 miles away on the other side of Seattle - so it might as well be in California as far as taking away people from the Unfinished Car show. (Seattle traffic is 2nd or 3rd worst in the nation so that 35 mile drive easily takes an hour or two - not a lot of fun in a barely streetable car).

Also, how about commecials on CarJunkieTV?
Thanks so far for the ideas.... I'm most certainly taking lots of notes.

[bowtiemonster]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

Don't limit the classes or put a participant in a uneasy situation. one show I went to enter made me open my trunk to see if there was any weapons in there. guess what i turned around and left also there are shows that do not like newer vehicles. I spend the same amount of time effort and money(that i can) as the next guy.

[Stoneshrink]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

I'm still working on keeping the name, yet getting all cars to come.
Autocross sounds intriguing - as no one is doing it up here..... but talk about a learning curve, I've never even seen a competition (although, that doesn't seem to limit people own Honda hybrids from telling me how to run a car show)....

[BangShiftChad]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

Contact your local SCCA chapter. They put them on all the time in your area and will gladly help organize it. They help out with the Air Rid Technologies autocross events that are held at the Goodguys shows.

[NJSPEEDER]

Re: How to do the Unfinished Car Show - July 28, 2008

sounds like a fun idea. i woudl suggest going with classes to seperate late models, rat rods, classics, and the prewar stuff.
there are so many styles of "unfinished" that it would be fun to leave the judging to the spectators and participants.