Thread: Grand National Roadster Show

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Just finished watching the Roadster show video, Thanks for posting Bob

[QUOTE=Bob Parmenter]

Originally Posted by Big Tracks

Since you're the eldest member of the site some babbling is allowed............we understand.

Absolutely correct, Uncle Bob!

It is a God-given privilege of all card-carrying geezers to babble. Veracity and factuality are not requirements when a competent babbler is holding forth.

Personally, I studied babbling under the G.I. bill of rights in the early fifties and I do appreciate babbling when it is properly done.

Jim
Elder Geezer

[QUOTE=Ken Thurm]
I can't wait for next years show, wait till those white glove, mirror laden judges see my new roadster!


Oh oh, Ken's been bitten by the GNRS bug!!! This oughta be GOOD!!


Don

Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

Well, I didn't sleep to well last night. I kept thinking about all the post in this thread and all the people who respond on this site. I'm going to try and respond more to treads, not that my input will help anyone more but just the friendships that develop from this place is amazing.
I can't wait for next years show, wait till those white glove, mirror laden judges see my new roadster!
Don, you are right on, the camaraderie in this sport and actually using these vehicles is the real fun.
I think I'm going to take a nap.
Ken

Ken I finished my 34 last Spring and have shown it 4 times.I have won 1ST.in 2 shows,IBM Employees Show and Automaniac Car Show,these are local 1 day shows.I won Best Of Show at the local SPCA Road Dog Show.I just finished a 3 day(Austin Auto Show 34th anniversary) show competing with the central Texas cars.I finished 2nd in the altered street coupe class.I toured the show and just knew I would not even place,after looking at the displays.I only had wood pedestals and rope.I was scared when they came and judged the car with the flash lights,looking into every crack and crevis on and under the car.

I am debating whether to sell the car as I cannot drive it without having to clean it each time I take it for a spin.It is nice to talk to people at the shows and especially when they say nice car.If I had it to do over I would have built a driver,as I ant no spring chicken and want to feel the thrill at the wheels.

Don, you know your motivations best, but just some thoughts on what you're debating with yourself. Often people will build a "once in a lifetime" high quality car. They pamper and show the car for the first year or so in the more highly competitive arenae. Then..............they learn to embrace road rash and just enjoy the heck out of it. Having once owned a car that I avoided driving because I "didn't want to lower it's value" I can appreciate where your head is. It sucks. In my case it was a low volume, low mileage "collectible". I ended up selling it, but in retrospect, when I did drive it I enjoyed the heck out of it as it was a drivers car. Since then no matter how nice I'll finish a car, my mindset is, drive it. It's all attitude and expectation..................you control those.

I don't usually make it that far... By the time I get one at about the 90% stage I'm ready to sell it and move on to the next project.....

As for People's Choice, that becomes a mixed bag too. The things the general public see as cool are usually the things we rodders snicker at. I have heard civilians make some of the strangest remarks about cars and the things that catch their attention (Oh look Harry, they have stuffed animals even in the trunk!! )


Its funny you should mention this don, cause thats the one thing i always noticed about the merc. At local shows, it got mixed reaction, the seasoned rodders liked it for what it was, a fun driver, a car you did not have to worry about. They did not care that it was not top notch craftsmanship. Now the high dollar guys hated the sight of it, you know ,the guys who are all about bragging how much there car is worth. But the general public, and kids just flat out loved that car, i dont know what it was ,but people loved it , they acted like it was the neatest thing they ever saw. And the cool part was it did not matter what walk of life either. Thats what made it worth it to me.

Unfortunatly, the negativity i received from alot of my fellow rodders has made me loose sight of the original enthusiasm i had when i started building it, i find my thought process thinking i need to do things to my car to please the masses, instead of the old "i dont care " attitude i used to have! I guess it boils down too wanting to be admired for the work we do, but in the grand scheme we cant please everyone. Look at the toppic of this thread, a masterpiece of a car even gets likes and dislikes!

Actually, I think "ugly" describes it very well. While it undoubtedly has excellent craftmanship, all it is is a rich man's accumulation of the fads of the last two or three years, especially those REALLY UGLY 20 inch wheels with the rubber band tires.

I believe I'm the same type of car enthusiast as most people are on this site. I build drivers, my new car is by far the best one yet. It could make it to Ft. Meyers without any problems and look good doing it.
I wish I could write like some of you, and have the dedication to post on my build as I go along. I have really enjoyed reading all the progress people make and bet when they are really tired, they still make time to let everyone know what they have done.
I'm really going to make an effort to start doing this, and maybe some of you will enjoy watching this thing take shape and possible help someone with ideas for there build, I certainly have taken a lot from here.
Hopefully I will be able to describe what I'm doing with my choppy writing.
Ken

My mailbox overfloweth...............here's some more.................

http://www.pbase.com/xl1ken/gnrs081&view=slideshow

Ken, I'm sure everyone on here will agree, your builds and your posts are both done extremely well. Every time you would post something that you did on your truck it was exciting to see. The level of fabrication skills on these cars is really top notch..........I just wish you had done lots more of these.

I've saved this picture since you originally posted it because of it being such an example of how neat something like a frame and running gear can turn out with a little thought and lots of attention to detail. It is one of those cars that you could look at for hours and still be finding new details.

BTW, did you take your Grandson to the show? If so, I bet he loved it. Maybe your display next year should include his mini roadster.

Don

Don,
Thanks, you have motivated me on this site numerous times, I threw stuff away because of people like you and others. This site has made me a better builder.
Matthew went everyday, I had to leave the show, drive home and pick him up and take him out there Thursday and Friday. Believe me I didn't mind.
He has driven his car everyday since, this was yesterday with one of his little friends from school.
It's really neat to listen to him, he wants to so something to it but doesn't know what he wants to do, so he waxes it again.
Ken

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

My mailbox overfloweth...............here's some more.................

http://www.pbase.com/xl1ken/gnrs081&view=slideshow

Bob;nice slide show and thanks for the comments.I am leaning toward driving the car and enjoying it come what may.

Dave;I wish I was not so possesive,but having waited so long to build another car and it turning out so well,it's going to be a keeper.I know once I start driving it it will lose some value,but I'll get over that (I Hope).

Hehe. Ken, that picture is CLASSIC !!! Just what hot rods were made to do, take a pretty girl and go riding.

It has become my new screen saver.

Don