My rant *long*

[427TriPower]

Hello all,

I have a rant and I'm sure some here would share it. It has to do with the judging of Corvettes at shows. Since my dad and I restored our prize over the past 3 years, we have been taking it to shows over the past year and a half. Our car has been with the family for over 22 years. It IS a member of our family. We have turned all the wrenches on her, and have done all work in house. Time, sweat, blood, tears and our money has gone into it. We estimate the # of original parts on her to be at around 96% (asside from some suspension bushings and such). Yet, when we go to shows we get little respect. So maybe our engine compartment is not sparkling new, maybe our floor mat has 3 peices of dirt on it, maybe there is a bug stuck in our radiator. Why? BECAUSE WE DRIVE IT! Yes folks, we restored our classic vette, and we drive it. To and from every show. Sometimes on sundays! *GASP* But that car is worth over $60,000. some say. We hear it all the time. Well, so what. It was made to be driven. Yet, at every show, we lose to trailer queens. After talking to them, most don't even turn thier own wrenches. The weaton village show was the most recent one we were at. Yet, every car that took top honors was a trailer queen. It was funny to see, after the show, all the guys run out to thier trucks and drive thier cars the 300 yards and put them away. How can we compete with that? So maybe our bell housing has a few paint flakes. Wow. That completely puts us out of the running. It brakes my heart to see things like this when I know that my dad has worked SO HARD, spent countless nights, in the garage, only to get no respect. He comes home from being on the road for a living just to make car shows. He tells me "But I am just happy to be here with fellow vette owners and to let people see the car" but I know it bothers him.

There should be a totally sepereate class of judging for those who trailer a car in, and those who do not. Those who have painstakingly restored thier cars, and who DROVE them in. When a trailer queen pulls up, just ask them simply "how many cylinders in that baby?" and if they respond incorrectly or give you blank stares, just give them a lollipop and send them home with a teddy bear.

I need to get this off my chest.

[C5pilot]

It's not a waste of time if you appreciate all the hard work for yourself. It's just like everything else in life... Trying to impress others is an attempt at being accepted. Your father should be proud that he has brought you up to appreciate your own hard work no matter what other people think. Seems to me that is the biggest reward he could possibly hope for in life. Besides, you're getting 10 times the enjoyment out of your car than the trailer queens. They may get trophies, but you've got prized memories.

[YO-EL]

Ho hummmmmmm..

Been there..........Done that...........zzzzzzzzzzzzz......

Drive your car & don't worry about a meaningless plastic trophy.

If you win, what does it mean.....? You had more time to clean your car? Big deal...

Friends of mine who are real big show people tell me they do shows for the comroderie of the participants & the interaction of the people attending them, NOT the judging or the awards.

Maybe re-think your thinking and you won't be so ticked off...

[Mike Campbell]

You know I can totally understand your rant and where you're coming from.;yn But as Ellis said, "Been there, done that.." is true. Look, there's always some people out there that are better off or have an advantage, but, so what! Look, now WE all know your story. ;yn The real winners as far as I'm concerned are the guys that drive their cars. ;bt Let's face is, why own a Vette if you're just gonna keep it in a garage and pay some other dunce to detail it for you. That's like going out with Demi Moore & throwing a bag over her ! ;tt ;tt This goes for racing guys too! How many times do you see guys tow their cars into the track with slicks on them and all kinds of tune equipment....Gimme a break! And then these turkeys strut around like they've accomplished something.... yea right..;faz The "Real Winners" are guys like you & your Dad! You guys are the salt of the earth, so don't get discouraged! Here's to you!!! ;bc;bc

[Rick and Arleen Ball]

BEEN THERE< DONE THAT
So many times it doesn't make sense to even count the times.
Yes the trailer Queens are nice to look at, but thats all you can do with them. Can't drive and enjoy them as they were meant to be enjoyed for fear of a little dust or a nick. Just like you said, driven from the trailer to a show space AND BACK TOTHE TRAILER! :rolleyes: What fun is that :o
I understand where your coming from though. Certain people really should just display their cars and give the street driven BEAUTIES a shot. Like a certain 63 Split that shows up all the time. Especially if they are there just for the commeraderie.
I drive mine as much as possible and get a smile everytime I get behind the wheel. Thats the way it should be.
Yes, as the others have said, you should enjoy your Vette and be PROUD of all the work and LOVE that you and your Father have put into your Corvette.
Just ENJOY your Corvette and the company of the others who enjoy the hobby.
If you get a trophy, GREAT. If you don't so what. Your reward for all your HARD work is being able to go out on a NICE sunny day and drive the hell out of your car.
And, Trophies are a bitch to dust ;)

[427TriPower]

Wow you don't know how good it feels to see that I am not the only one that feels this way! Thanks for all the responses. :) ;bt

[Glennm27]

Originally posted by indypace78
Ho hummmmmmm..

Been there..........Done that...........zzzzzzzzzzzzz......

Drive your car & don't worry about a meaningless plastic trophy.

If you win, what does it mean.....? You had more time to clean your car? Big deal...

Friends of mine who are real big show people tell me they do shows for the comroderie of the participants & the interaction of the people attending them, NOT the judging or the awards.

Maybe re-think your thinking and you won't be so ticked off...
..... I agree............... good answer! ;bt

[92RAGTOP]

I bet everytime you and your Father walk passed your Vette you stop, give it a look and a grin. Like all the rest of use do. Thats because your car is the Trophy. I bet you would'nt give a shelf full of $25 Trophies the same grin. Right?

[427TriPower]

Originally posted by indypace78
Ho hummmmmmm..

Been there..........Done that...........zzzzzzzzzzzzz......

Drive your car & don't worry about a meaningless plastic trophy.

If you win, what does it mean.....? You had more time to clean your car? Big deal...

Friends of mine who are real big show people tell me they do shows for the comroderie of the participants & the interaction of the people attending them, NOT the judging or the awards.

Maybe re-think your thinking and you won't be so ticked off...

Oh I missed this one. Indy I know what you mean and I agree. I am just saying that I get upset seeing my dad so often overlooked, you know? I just want to see him get some recognition...I know I know...that is not why we restored the car, but I just want to see him get some form of official recognition for it. But overall I do need to tweak my thinking and remember the true spirit of going to shows.

;bc to all of you! :)

[427TriPower]

Originally posted by ninetyred
I bet everytime you and your Father walk passed your Vette you stop, give it a look and a grin. Like all the rest of use do. Thats because your car is the Trophy. I bet you would'nt give a shelf full of $25 Trophies the same grin. Right?

Wow you are so right! Amen ;bc ;bc ;bc

[Stephen DeFazio]

I hear what you are saying. I have a custom vette and I get all the crap why did you do that and all of that stuff. But the thing is the time you spent with your dad is what it is all about. When I go to a show it is for the people that come to see the show not the judges. At one show a kid about 10 years old came over to me and said how much he liked my car. That made the show for me I asked him if he wanted to sit in the car he said yes. I put him in it and his dad took a pic. I think it made his and his dads day that is what the show is about. If you go to cruise nights with it you will get a lot of people that would like what they see and there are no trailer queen there. because you got to drive them there. Enjoy your car some day you mite be able to work on it with your kid.

[Mike Campbell]

Oh yea!! I have one more final comment to make. When all the trailer queen owners are pushing up daisies, some people will say, "I wonder why they never drove those nice pristeen cars for all those years. Oh well, auction them off and maybe someone else will buy them that knows how to appreciate these cars. Alot of good they are doing them now!".......;jj;jj;jj;jj

Remeber, life is short and enjoy every moment you have buddy! ;bt

[C5pilot]

I'm not disagreeing with you guys about driving your cars, I like driving more than showing too, but let's not be too hard on the people who don't agree with us. Next time you're at a car show, stop and ask the owners of a trailer queen what else they own or drive. That trailer queen is seldom all the person lives for or appreciates in life. The fact that someone can keep a vehicle in such great condition and not be tempted to drive it, says a lot about a person. It usually says they have way too much money to be worried about what others would rather they do with their own vehicles.

Let's have a reality check... How many of you use your fine china, crystal, and silverware everyday? Yeah, that's what I thought. What's the matter, wasn't that china made to be eaten off? I bet that flatware doesn't cost as much as your Corvette, but you're saving it none-the-less. People who live in glass houses..., remember? Everyone has their own priorities. I guess people who collect coins and stamps are idiots too because they're not enjoying spending that money. They should spend those rare coins, that's what they were made for! Anyone own furniture that they don't let their kids sit on? Starting to see a pattern here?

I'd rather see members tell a fellow enthusiast that we understand his disappointment and have all faced the decision to show or drive. Like he and his father, a lot of us choose to do both and wouldn't have it any other way.

Me?... I drive it like I stole it! :D

[YO-EL]

Joe...

The way your car is running, that would have to be "petty theft"...


Sorry, couldn't resist.. haha!

You 'll get it together soon bro!

[Ed Bonk]

427TriPower - Thanks for venting on the this forum. As you see this club is best for support and as always the members will take the time to respond back and present different ways to view things.

My thoughts are that you have the best trophy you could want. And that's your Dad. He does things with you and you both have a common ground you share, which is your Vette.

I bought my first Vette back in the 80's and I asked my Dad if he wanted to help me work on the car. He said sure I could wash and wax it but I'm no mechanic. I said that's fine with me and I felt good knowing we would be doing this together. Unfortunately he died shortly after that conversation and I never got the chance to share the time together.

The plastic trophy is nice but the real trophy is your Dad.

[C5pilot]

Originally posted by indypace78
Joe...

The way your car is running, that would have to be "petty theft"...


Sorry, couldn't resist.. haha!

You 'll get it together soon bro!

:D El, That WAS a good one. You got me laughing at something that really isn't a laughing matter. BTW, it's being taken care of Wednesday and tuned at JD's on Thursday. I'll have the whole story posted when I get it back. I'll be looking for some time trials too. Keep you posted.

Ed, you hit the nail right on the head. ;bt

[Joel Fellman]

ED:
I couldn't agree more!! Listen to Harry Chapin's "Cat in the Cradle" or Luther Vandrose's new song: Dancing with my Father". I miss both my dad & father-in-law!! They were great guys & always there to help out with the Vette or anything else! When they're gone, there's no replacing them!!
Joel