No luck at the local show!!!

[saywin]

Cleaned up the GN today, and got it looking pretty spiffy I must say. So a friend of mine talked me in to going to a midnight show, so I went there were 63 cars entered, they must have given out 62 awards and I came home empty handed. Man I can't figure this thing out? Our we the only ones that like our cars? Not to mention some guy who was about 35 dressed like he was 15 had a pretty nice pickup that drug the ground and threw sparks came by and said my car was pretty, but it would look better dragging the ground Oh well that's probably my last show for this year, it was a beating and I had to tell everyone my car was not a Monte Carlo.

Does anyone know about these shows, is it a good ole boy network? Please let me know. Thanks in advance.

[little]

Don't take it too hard, sometimes that's how it goes. A lot of times it is a good ol boy system. Next time just drive by and give the crowd a big smoky burnout

[TR Custom Parts]

Happens all the time here in CT BUT I must say that some of the shows I do get into I have a pretty good crowd around.

[Pronto]

A lot depends on the sponser of shows too, if it's a vote by other entered cars or sponser's judges. I got second place in the Turbo Buick class at a Pontiac/Buick show. There were 6 cars there, 4 GNs, a dark blue T and my sliver T. I think the only reason I got second was my car stood out in the row. It's not much of show car. At that time I didn't have my new paint either. I wasn't even paying attention to the judges when they called my name and had to go up later when someone said I won.

[RatFink]

I entered my car in a show back in 94-95, only 2 f-bodys, and I got beat by a 88 Iroc with a rainbow (napa/auto zone) sticker that said something like "bad azz" or "bad boyz club", it had louvers a braw and a few chrome pieces under the hood!. I got in front of him about 5 cars after the show, so I got a bit of justice... Wonder where that car is today?

[IMG][/IMG]

[Grimster]

I found out there was a pretty big car show coming up yesterday so I shined up my GN and drove up there yesterday morning and entered. 500+ cars, 5 classes, each class was awarded top 10 trophies, top 10 voting was by the contestants, the other stuff (best of show, best paint, best interior, etc I'm not quite sure how those were judged).

I was short on time so the interior was just like I drive it, aka kinda dirty and I didn't have time to clean up the under hood either so I just left the hood down and doors closed.

Here she sits (click for bigger and more):



Classes were 48 and below, 49-59, 60-79, 80+, and Trucks, I was gonna enter my 85 Silverado too but I tore the headliner out (it was drooping again, never try to glue vinyl to a "normal" headliner, it just don't stick in the heat!) but my new headliner didn't arrive before the show (and may not arrive this coming week either) so it stayed home. Kinda glad too, with 'trucks' being one class it would have been up against things like the truck shown above next to my car, and this (click them for bigger pictures):


and this:

and oh man I love this:


I think they should have split trucks into pre 60 and 60+ to level out that field some. I felt bad for the guys up there with REALLY nice trucks but when you compare them to the $80K+ pro built 40s and 50s model trailer queen show trucks it's just not fair really.

So anyway, here's how the show ended up for me:


I was quite pleased

There were 2 other GN's there, a 15K miles on the clock trailered beauty (TRAILERED? That's blasphemy!) who had a for sale sign in the window ($25K wowzers!) and it was missing the 8 on the driver side hood emblem so it wasn't perfect, and a rode hard, put up wet, not even washed, beat all to hell, road warrior (ROCK ON BROTHER) who left early (probably had a drag strip calling his name haha), no turbo T's of any other type or vintage.

So there's some love out there!

[russgoodman]

Chad, I thought you sold the GN?? Im glad you decided to keep it, its a nice nice car. Sorry you didnt get the trophy that you deserved, but hang in there. Ive been there too, my all original 53K mile 65 mustang got beat out by a purple 65 mustang with purple/yellow interior and a bunch of chrome oreillys dress up parts under the hood. I was pissed but I won the next one....

[saywin]

Hello Russ,
I decided to keep it because I got promoted at work, so now I have some extra cash to play with. I am glad I still have it. My wife is in a jam right now with her job, and in the middle of November we will know her situation. So don't be shocked if you see it for sale again. I looked your car over and it looks great especially for the price, so good on you for shopping around and finding the one you wanted. I also sent you a PM when you got it, I didn't know if you got the mssg.

Hey Dixie,
Good looking stuff there, congratulations on the award!

[GregInAtl]

The problem is IF you dont know what a GN is, its just a black old sedan. Also, alot of shows showcase older cars, and most judges honestly dont appreciate the 80s (Not much to enjoy in the 80s w/ cars) Drive a 68 camaro, 71 Mach 1, Hemi anything, mini truck on air, or a civic w/ a big intercooler and they recognize.....Also, the fad of having drasticly modded cars hurts a simple clean black GN.
Hey in the end its about YOU appreciating what you have, their ignorance is their loss.

[batmansbuick]

Yeah, don't lose sleep over it. It took me over ten years in my GN to get some recognition at shows, but by that time I just didn't care anymore. Its more important to enjoy the show and enjoy your ride.

I will say TR's are more respected in the good ole boy network than ever before. A lot less of the "All black, all the same Monte Carlo with twin turbo" comments like the early 90's

[russgoodman]

Originally Posted by saywin

Hello Russ,
I decided to keep it because I got promoted at work, so now I have some extra cash to play with. I am glad I still have it. My wife is in a jam right now with her job, and in the middle of November we will know her situation. So don't be shocked if you see it for sale again. I looked your car over and it looks great especially for the price, so good on you for shopping around and finding the one you wanted. I also sent you a PM when you got it, I didn't know if you got the mssg.

Hey Dixie,
Good looking stuff there, congratulations on the award!

Chad, I did get that message. Thanks for the kind words too. Good luck at the next show..

[saywin]

Thanks everyone for chiming in! I just can't believe some people don't have the same appreciation for our Awesome pieces of machinery. It really gets to me sometimes

That's why I want to make it faster and punish the other guys for not appreciating our mean little beauties!!!

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Remember, our cars werent really promoted out the yinyang like the vettes/camaros/mustangs were. Wanna good hint at where our cars stand? I was at a car show this sunday, and was walkin around in the little car accessory shop there. They have all sorts of car t shirts, hats, old car magazines and literature, models from the ones you put together, to the hot wheel die casts, to the big 10" all metal assembled models. Not a buick to be seen ANYwhere in this store. But low and behold, theres 5, count em FIVE monte carlos sittin there. (the nice 10" die cast versions) in every color imaginable. True, they looked nice...but a MONTE CARLO? The mass produced, 120 horsepower DOG, that every moron and his brother owns?? That car is pretty much just like an omni, or a cordoba, or a c4 vette. Plain, plentiful, and GOD AWFUL slow. That's just a small representation of how our buicks are on this planet. True, they still draw crowds at the local car shows, cuz they look soo dam mean, and most every racer has been whooped by one at one time or another, but that's just how it goes. The more 'popular' cars always win.

That's fine. Just find the meanest car there, with the loudest exhaust, and the widest tires, and whoop him senseless when everyones convoying out of the show at the end, and noone will ever forget who you are after that. When he loses to your car, everything will change.

And do you really want EVERYone to appreciate our cars? Kelly blue book
's already listing them for 22 grand and up. I sorta want another here soon if I can, and I don't want to spend 22 grand lol. Keep em obscure. The dumber the rest of the sheep around us are the better. I've come up on many 20 year olds in mustangs and camaros, that have ZERO clue what my car is. And then I beat them unmerciful, and they get madder than two cats in a wool sock.... lol.