What impresses you at a car show?

[BKBridges]

I remember the old clear distributor caps too... nice light show at night!
Lately I think shows suffer from under hood boredom. Painted plastic LS intake manifolds make me want to throttle someone. The same old leather interior treatments purchased with big bucks and little taste freak me out. Big shiney wheels that make no sense make no sense.
I like to see different motors with unique build aspects, fabrication with a purpose, and some level of respect for the original cars design and engineering (unless its all home brew) Theres still a lot out there to see!
See ya at the GNRS...
BKB

[BKBridges]

Groucho,
Nice gold car! Thanks!
BKB

[bearphoto]

I guess I'm the curmudgeon here as pretty much all car shows bore me these days. What I enjoy is seeing these cars get out and drive, take a road trip. Much like the power tour, its enjoyable to see these things out on the road. Most anyone can make a car pretty and shiney. Let's see how they do on the road. I enjoy big blocks, but you don't see a lot of them on the road as they overheat, use too much gas ect, well thats what the owners of them say. I say DRIVE EM'!

[groucho]

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.

I think I saw that same Torino last yrs GNRS. LOTS of amazing fab work everywhere on it

[groucho]

Once in a while I like a little "Freak Show" type gawdy

[JOES66FURY]

what impresses me?

People who buck trends and build/drive what they like.

I am not impressed by a bunch of shiney tidbits and doodads bolted onto a car that only leaves its garage once a week for a parking lot show....


I am also not impressed by that guy who goes around and nit-picks every car in the show...

[groucho]

Race cars! OLD RACE CARS rock it for me every time. There should be some like this at GNRS tomorrow

[Turbo Regal]

Attention to details.

If a car is restored to stock, it has stock parts and accessories on it (no cheap, off brand white letter tires from Wal Mart!) If it's a modified car, I pay attention to custom built details, not bolt on stuff. Also, the more crap hanging off a car (drive in car hop trays, crying kid dolls, stuffed animals, etc...) the faster I walk by.

[JOES66FURY]

. Also, the more crap hanging off a car (drive in car hop trays, crying kid dolls, stuffed animals, etc...) the faster I walk by.

I am right there with ya on this point-- for sure

[Monk]

I am right there with ya on this point-- for sure

Man ain't that the truth........ditto.

[Deaf Bob]

That'd be an ERA PICTOGRAPH... Not a car..

I'm often asked at derbys what I think of other cars..
I try to focus on the positive, unless there are some (I feel) safety concerns.. (plastic boat tanks, uncovered batteries)
I will say "Here is what I would do". I am not the know all.. But I do have some experience, done or seen..
I always look over the top finishers afterwards to see what they did to get that result..

Show cars that did something unique will catch my eye..
Mirrors on the ground to showcase chrome is a clue to walk on.. I will glance at mounts and shifters to see if they are different..
I am more into how stuff was put together than I am with chrome and billet..
Yeah, I do have a chrome power steering pump cap on the flatbed...Only because I took it off a car being scrapped..

[groucho]

Also, the more crap hanging off a car (drive in car hop trays, crying kid dolls, stuffed animals, etc...) the faster I walk by.

I agree on all garbage. There's a guy with one of my old cars and he puts out cry babies, candy dishes, place mats, and all kinds of other weird shit. If someone thinks it's still my car it's embarrassing as hell

[Monk]

Or........the dude who shows up with his 2012 (you name it) and gets
up every 15 minutes to run the California Duster over it.

[bulletproof]

im not impressed with rat rods/shock rods, big wheels on anything..i do like pro touring as long as the wheels arent too shinny and the sidewalls arent to small.. no IFS on a fenderless car...no plastic rats,bats, cry baby dolls, spider webs and skulls...no 50s music ever!,,,unless youve won the ridler leave the trophys at home..im sure your really proud of the first place trophy from the moose lodge for the best red mid 80s corvette... but no one is impressed........
i do like details ,good metal work,correct wheels and stance are very important..

[Grumpy]

What impresses you at a car show? Maybe a Bad Ass street car that's driven but other then that not much!