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  • What impresses you at a car show?

    I've been into cars since I was 15 years old, and now, I'm 36. A lot has changed over the years, within the hobby, as well as my opinions.

    I will admit, I own the asshole of muscle cars, the 1969 Camaro. To me, it was the best looking Camaro ever built, and amongst the best cars ever built, though that is my opinion. Opinions, like assholes, are to be had by everyone.

    Over the years, it has gotten a lot harder to impress me. Once I went from a small block to a big block, for the most part, small block cars no longer impressed me. I'm not sure all orginal, all stock, has EVER impressed me. I can appreciate the preservation I suppose, but how much thought really has to go into restoring a car back to the exact way it was built in the first place?

    I like seeing cars that have been given their own personality, by their owners. To the point, the more years that pass, the harder it is for a car to grab my attention when I walk by.

    To make matters worse, this whole pro-touring trend has gone a bit too far in my opinion. This, from somebody who is building a 1970 Challenger with pro-touring as our design plan What bothers me most is the size of the wheels. Take those away, and I actually like most of what pro-touring represents. Though when you stuff a 22" or 24" rim under a tubbed "pro-street" car with a little rubber band tire on it, it looks stupid...in my opinion.

    I tried to build my Camaro my way. Give it a personality that was my own. I have AFR heads, which I seldom see on BBC around these parts. I run an 1150 Dominator HP, which isn't all that common. And other little touches that I would hope would get people to stop and take a look.

    Pro-street still captures my attention, making me a little old school I suppose. A blower coming out the hood is like a magnet, pulling me in. The centrifgal blowers, with their hideous plumbing and carb cap, they just don't do it for me. Twin turbo setups stop me in my tracks too.

    Yet the car shows I go to, it seems that fewer and fewer cars catch my interest and impress me. For those who have been around this hobby longer than me, does it get even worse the older you get? Some times I just feel like I've seen it all, and dare I say, it gets a bit boring/repetitive?
    Motor City Muscle

  • #2
    I tend to agree. A prime example was last April I went to Faboulous Fords at Knotts with 2000+ cars, when I downloaded the pictures I took there were less than 20. I walked down entire rows without seeing one car that I thought was interesting enough to photograph. I know what I like and maybe your right, getting older you get somewhat jaded. Basically I like the cars that get driven, they're nice but not perfect and you can tell the owner put alot of thought into the build and didn't just throw a bunch of trendy crap at it.
    Just groovin' to my own tune.

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    • #3
      I'd be impressed with everything.
      the last car show I went to was in rhode island in the 1985 or so. I was 12.
      I am going on 40 in days.
      I hope to go the first hot rod reunion in new hampshire septmeber.

      in maine, anything done over by an owner is interesting.
      to answer your question..
      seeing alot will get boring...for me, its like picking up where I left off when I was 12...just walking slower.

      to me..if I hear an echo of the north coming from an old pile of steel, and my ears can tell.....it is going to get my attention. that is a hard earned pile of hobby around here.
      Previously boxer3main
      the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

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      • #4
        I'm not a fan of Pro Touring, I'm more of a Pro Street roots myself!

        Regardless of my preference what catches my attention is the detail done to the car regardless what style it is. Does it have clean lines, the right stance, wheel selection, simplification under the hood (wires hidden etc), no overuse of billet or chrome, etc. This is what catches my eye and makes me look at the car even more. Just a good old clean and well put together car makes me go "damn thats a nice car!"
        Nick Smithberg
        www.smithbergracing.com

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        • #5
          What impresses me is craftsmanship and enginuity. One car that stands out was a 90's Nissan PU. Don't get me wrong, I'm not into ricers but this stood out. It was a ratty, primered, faded truck with what looked like a crudely cut radiator support for some sort of crude home brewed engine swap. I wasn't even going to waste my time. But I did. The guy built his own retangular tube frame using a Subie WRX drive train. The quality of his work was on professional level! I was mezmorized at his craftsmanship. The guy was a little embarrassed that he didn't have a bottom to the bed showing the frame. I told him it was great.







          These pictures don't do it credit
          Last edited by Huskinhano; January 23, 2013, 10:36 PM.
          Tom
          Overdrive is overrated


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          • #6
            I should clarify. I still love going to the shows, and I take tons of pictures. At Detroit's Autorama next month, I will likely take 400+ pictures. I do the same at the dream cruise. I guess what I am saying though, is while I will stroll through a car show, and take plenty of pictures, I'm talking about stopping at a car. Something that stops me in my tracks, has me peeking under the hood, looking inside the car, and sometimes, even crawling on the ground to take a better looks. THAT is what seems to becoming more rare for me.

            I enjoy the shows and summer cruises more than ever, now that my car is finally back on the road. Sitting in the law chair next to the road, I carefully listen for that car cruising along with the perfect rumpity-rump.

            Something else that always stops me in my tracks are tunnel rams, and especially any type of Kinsler, Inglese, or Hilborn system. Sometimes it's even simply the stance of a car, or even the wheel/tire combination they went with. The billet, the chrome, that doesn't get me to stop...and I'm to the point I damn near up-chuck my car show hot dog when I hear somebody say "It's all chromed out under the hood." I can't wait to get my black AFR valve covers, paint my chrome alternator bracket black, and cover up, remove, or paint anything else shiny under the hood. I like it to look good, but in a black stealth sort of way, not a I've-shined-up-under-my-hood-for-10-hours good. I'm all about purpose, forget the show.
            Motor City Muscle

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            • #7
              In a nutshell. I'd take that Daytona over that Mustang any day of the week, and I'm a Ford guy.

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              Just groovin' to my own tune.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Gary 351C View Post
                In a nutshell. I'd take that Daytona over that Mustang any day of the week, and I'm a Ford guy.

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                I couldn't agree more and I'm a Ford guy too.
                Tom
                Overdrive is overrated


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                • #9
                  Slotted Mags and Fender Flares? Oh lord!
                  Nick Smithberg
                  www.smithbergracing.com

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                  • #10
                    Rad Rides by Troy:




                    To me this is borderline Pro Touring. I like how it is so race inspired and the detail that goes into one of these I could look at for days. This is from their FB page.
                    Last edited by BOSSMAN; January 23, 2013, 11:05 PM.
                    Nick Smithberg
                    www.smithbergracing.com

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                    • #11
                      I have pictures of that Gran Torino in bare metal from last year's Detroit Autorama. It was simply amazing the amount of work that went into it. Aside from the hood, which I thought was a little over the top, I liked almost everything about it. Again, I don't care for the rubber band tires, and would much rather see a little more tire, and a lot less wheel. You don't have to go down to 14's and 15's, but once you start getting up around 19"-20", it's a bit much for me.

                      Troy also had a 3rd gen Firebird or Camaro, I believe it was a Camaro, on display as well. It had nearly as much work done to it, as no panel was left untouched. Let me see if I can't dig up pictures of both.
                      Motor City Muscle

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                      • #12
                        Here is the Camaro he built.


                        2011 Detroit Autorama 177 by southof8mile, on Flickr


                        2011 Detroit Autorama 178 by southof8mile, on Flickr
                        Motor City Muscle

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                        • #13
                          Here is the Gran Torino in raw form...if you can even call this raw.


                          249 by southof8mile, on Flickr


                          250 by southof8mile, on Flickr


                          251 by southof8mile, on Flickr


                          252 by southof8mile, on Flickr
                          This one was a bit blurry unfortunately.


                          253 by southof8mile, on Flickr


                          254 by southof8mile, on Flickr


                          255 by southof8mile, on Flickr
                          The Fuel Cell

                          This car was absolutely over the top, and yet, I didn't view it as a show piece, or a future trailer queen. I had a deep level of respect for it. The amount of work is one thing, but the level of talent to build such a car is more amazing to me. I am sure that it will be back this year, competing for the Riddler. You would think such a car would be a shoe in for the Riddler award, but that's the thing, this is Detroit. There will be more than a few other cars with an equal amount of effort, gunning for the prestigious award. Only weeks away, I can't wait!
                          Motor City Muscle

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                          • #14
                            Cars that get my attention are first and foremost ones I have a snowball's chance of building. In essence, the ones whose budgets are not in orbit. I'm also a guy who likes different body styles. Belly button cars are just that boring. A street rod built out of a catalog? Snooze. Alright, I admit it, I like the big fat cars.

                            Lately, I've been going to car shows as a photographer and I am now trying to put myself into the minds of the readers and what they like. It's pretty obvious that red, small block Camaros aren't not a big draw reading posts around the internet. There isn't anything wrong with them. Obviously, there are many many people who want them by the numbers out there and the prices they ask. So, I try to shoot pics of cars you don't see everyday.

                            As for the high zoot cars, I am not interested in them as a whole, but I look for details that are cool. Some of their details are affordable to copy. So, I take pics of the details I think are cool.

                            I talked to Troy Trepanier last year at the GNRS about the Torino. He was very approachable and easy to talk to. Eager to show the work. Same with one of the Ring Bros with that wide body Mustang they built. It was there as well. That is what I love about that show. You can talk to the big builders and they are all happy to show the cars they build.
                            BS'er formally known as Rebeldryver

                            Resident Instigator

                            sigpic

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                            • #15
                              Scott,

                              Will you be at this year's Detroit Autorama?

                              ...my bad, just saw you stated it was at the GNRS show. I assume that's out there on the west coast?
                              Last edited by Supersport350; January 23, 2013, 11:48 PM. Reason: added a line
                              Motor City Muscle

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