Thread: Last trip to nats?

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Originally Posted by iceburgh

I did see a guy in a 70's 4 door maverick and 24" spinners try and get in early on Saturday. They stopped him but there were a bunch of people around so I am sure they were buddies just seeing what would happen

On Saturday while walking from our tent into the main building I saw a Prowler sitting under a large tent with a couple street rods. When I asked an NSRA official how it got in he said, "Well its almost old enough."

What a crock!

Deuce,

Nice to see you again. Really enjoyed our talk. Maybe next year we can do this at the Shades of the Past since neither of us will be at the Nats.

Back in the old days when I went to NSRA events I had a 40 Chevy that was (at the time) 35 years old. It seemed like a very old vehicle to me at the time.
Now I'm working on a 70 Chevy. It doesn't seem all that old to me even though it's older now than the 40 was back then.
This has nothing to do with anything..... I just feel old all of a sudden....

Sold it in December to a guy I met at BJ in Vegas. He live near Philly and is driving the nuts off of it.
All I have left is my truck and looking for an old wagon to do next.
After being at the Nats I would think it would be wise to look at incresing the car count at all other events. Space will be a premium at Louisville for another 1500-2000 cars. That is what Bob Reynolds said they are expecting next year.
We were tol 11003 this year as of mid-day Saturday

Originally Posted by iceburgh

Sold it in December to a guy I met at BJ in Vegas.

Oh well ...
he went to the Nationals on Saturday ... but was overwhelmed by the number of vehicles for sale. He found two he really liked ... but one has since been sold ( he waited when he should have pulled the trigger ) and the other is about 15 grand more than his budget ( 40/45 grand ) This is his first old car purchase and he is somewhat concerned about the price of the cars falling ... due to the future forecasted down turns in the economy .

I will make sure he goes to the Shades of the Past event in September ...
Always a lot of stuff there for sale. He wants a 3W ... Ford or Chevrolet ... no fenders and a 32/33/34 looking ride with good to nicer paint and A/C. Steel or glass ... but figures that a steel cars like he likes, are out of his price range.

.

Got there Thursday--spent most of the day fixing my car from hell. Had a great time otherwise. Met an NSRA rep(fixed his car in motel parking lot)--he was passing out flyers similar to the shirt. Met some old friends--made some new--I hope friends. To me that is what it is all about. Made motel reservations today for next year. don't know which car I will take--hopefully my ragtop sells and I have another streetrod--if not I will drive the 55. Enjoy

Going to shades of the past as a spectator....never been so I am looking forward to it. I will look for your car

Originally Posted by iceburgh

Going to shades of the past as a spectator....never been so I am looking forward to it. I will look for your car

On Saturday of the Shades event, I will be in the " ALL Deuce " show.
I will be in either the roadster or the 3W ...

Looking forward to meeting you

Let me tell you this year the quality of the cars were tops ... I ran my ass raged around taking over 2,000 pics and I can count on 2 hands how many glass cars were there ..not counting 32's

This year was the year for primed stuff ..years & models I thought I would never see. Great seeing Iceburgh & Duece as always.

I thought the overall quality of cars was up also. Fewer cars with tweed interior and 90's wheels....and also fewer "poorly built" rat rods.

It made me even madder about the 1980 year change. That and the announcement at the give away that 25 people had been to all 40 Nats and 6 of them had done it with the car they started with. ....I can't believe they are going to screw with that much tradition.

DB here is what I was telling you about

If that is not it .....it is very close

The fact of the matter is, I have fun wherever i go. Car people are car people... doesn't matter if they drive a 79 Camaro or a 32 Ford, if they're into it they're one of us. When I was 16 I had a '72 Nova I built myself with part time working money. I was as "into" it and the whole car cruisin'/showin' scene as anyone. I met lots of guys at local cruises (and major shows) who had what you old timers consider "true" hot rods... learned a bunch from them, and actually got interested in pre-48 cars as a result... ultimately ending up with my '32. While its "just" a 'glass car, that will one day change too, as I make some more money and can afford a real steel car like Deuce has a pair of. If everyone who owned a pre-48 car treated me and my car the way I hear some folks speak here, I don't know if I'd have ever got an interest in pre-48 "hot rods" at all. I've come a long way, and owe alot of it to the older guys who were cool enough to allow me into their "circle" and showed me the ropes.

I have a younger brother who has a really nice 70 Chevelle he fixed up himself, and he's really excited to be able to come to the York show next year with me, and be "part of the action". He loves 32 fords and hot rods in general as much as anyone, he just doesn't have the means (yet) to afford to buy or build one. I think having him get the chance to hang out with, talk to, and learn from the seasoned hot rod veterans will really help build his desire to one day have a pre-48 car. If everyone mocks him and makes a fuss that he "doesn't belong there" that whole idea might change. I sure hope not!

I guess this is why I don't think its a terrible idea to let folks without the premier pre-48 stuff into NSRA events... in most cases, these folks don't own 79 Camaros or 75 Novas because that's their premier ultimate ride, its because they aren't in a financial position to own the car of their dreams... cars like they'll see at the NSRA shows (if you guys that have them still come!) Instead of making fun of them, of shutting them out and refusing to associate with such "lesser" enthusiasts and cars, take the time to show them around your car, compliment them on theirs, and encourage their dreams.. you never know, in the not so distant future they might built or buy their own hot rod like I did, and will owe it all to the courtesy and helpful friendships of you guys.

I understand the whole "tradition" thing, and why it upsets folks to break a tradition of a pre-48 show... really I do, but at the same time, don't blame the folks who show up in post 48 cars or look down on them... in most cases they're just workin' their way up the hotrod ladder and are just car guys the same as you. Like it or not, these old cars are going to outlive you, so it would be a much better scenario to encourage and inform the "next" generation about them, and give them a reason to aspire to, and be interested in them, so that the whole hot rod thing can live on forever. Younger folks who don't currently own a pre-48 car are not going to pay to walk into the NSRA shows to LOOK at your cars, but if they can bring the car they currently own and can afford they will be way more likely to show up and see/learn about how cool the pre-war hot rods are. Even the ones who DON'T aspire to own a pre-48 car aren't bad folks, and share a common passion with you, they just drive something a little different than you "like" to see.

If the NSRA shows turn into a big free-for-all drunkfest of rowdy kids in ricer Hondas and brings out a bunch of disrespectful, immature, and impolite punks well THEN boycott the events and come back and say "i told you so" and I'll retract my statements... But I personally doubt that's going to happen, and believe most of the folks who pay to join the NSRA, pay registration fees, and bring a post 1948 car are actually going to be nice folks who are truly interested in the hot rod scene. I believe most will respect the fact they're allowed in to an elite group of rodders, and will fit right in with the rest of ya'll.

Sorry for the long post, I've heard and understand both sides of the argument and just felt like speaking my mind on the subject. Give 'em a chance, that's all I'm saying.

bingo!! you broke the code!!! nicely said!!! thanks pete

Originally Posted by joeybsyc

I've heard and understand both sides of the argument and just felt like speaking my mind on the subject. Give 'em a chance, that's all I'm saying.

Every one has a right to their own opinion ... BUT if you look back at most of the posters on this thread ... who are for the NEW RULE ... They them selves could get in the shows if they were a car. ( meaning they were born after 1980 ). Or they have a vehicle that will be able to now get in with the new rules.

GoodGuys lets in up to 1972 ... and the atmosphere at their events is NOT the same as it has been at a pre 49 NSRA event ... IMHO. I rarely go to a GoodGuys event ... and the Charlotte event is only a little over 100 miles from my home. Got TIRED of wading thru rows and rows of Chevelles, Camaros, Mustangs and Tri 5 cars.

I suspect that the new NSRA events will be even worse than the GG events ... with the Pintos, Vegas and BIG Donks added.

This was my first trip to the nats and I have a fresh perspective on the show and atmosphere of the show itself.
I want to start out by saying that I am one of the young guys (21) and love all old cars (72 back). I have attended the past four goodguys shows in Columbus and have enjoyed them a great deal. I was told by the local rod shop that I really need to go to the nats because it is one of the best shows around. I had heard about the +30 year limit for next year but did not put a lot of thought into it. I was really looking forward to the fact that there would be no 50's cars and no muscle cars, I have never been to a car show like that and it sounded great. I arrived at the nats and there was cool hot rod after cool hot rod and it could not have been any better. There is no way to describe how cool the show was. The people were great and laid back (not loud and annoying like some shows; but not all), the cars were the best I have seen in a long time, the feel of the car show can not be described. This show was as close to the time when rods ruled the roads as I could get close to.
When I left the nats I could not help but feel sad that next year the show would be different. The next visit to the local rod shop I told the guy that it trumped the columbus goodguys event. I have never been to a cooler car show than this years nats and I will always remember this years show. That weekend was by far one of the best weekends in my life so far.
In short if it is not broken don't mess with it and the nats was not broken from what I could tell from my first trip to it.

Originally Posted by 68Chevelle

This was my first trip to the nats and I have a fresh perspective on the show and atmosphere of the show itself.
I want to start out by saying that I am one of the young guys (21) and love all old cars (72 back). I have attended the past four goodguys shows in Columbus and have enjoyed them a great deal. I was told by the local rod shop that I really need to go to the nats because it is one of the best shows around. I had heard about the +30 year limit for next year but did not put a lot of thought into it. I was really looking forward to the fact that there would be no 50's cars and no muscle cars, I have never been to a car show like that and it sounded great. I arrived at the nats and there was cool hot rod after cool hot rod and it could not have been any better. There is no way to describe how cool the show was. The people were great and laid back (not loud and annoying like some shows; but not all), the cars were the best I have seen in a long time, the feel of the car show can not be described. This show was as close to the time when rods ruled the roads as I could get close to.
When I left the nats I could not help but feel sad that next year the show would be different. The next visit to the local rod shop I told the guy that it trumped the columbus goodguys event. I have never been to a cooler car show than this years nats and I will always remember this years show. That weekend was by far one of the best weekends in my life so far.
In short if it is not broken don't mess with it and the nats was not broken from what I could tell from my first trip to it.

Wow, a "young guy" that gets it.

That was the same way I felt about the nats. I went back the next 15 years...mostly as a spectator (yes, I drove to Syracuse, NY to just look at cars).