First timer at car shows.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 480
Likes: 0
From: Springfield MO
First timer at car shows.
Hey, its just about that time for car shows around my area and this will be the first time i will be able to enter one with my corvette, but i just wanted to get some advice.
Is there anything i should make sure i do pre-show? any tips or tricks?
Then when i get to the show any adivce there like how to set up my vette?
Im just a little nervous being the only 18 year old in a group of men as old as our cars, so any adivce would be great.
Is there anything i should make sure i do pre-show? any tips or tricks?
Then when i get to the show any adivce there like how to set up my vette?
Im just a little nervous being the only 18 year old in a group of men as old as our cars, so any adivce would be great.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,172
Likes: 86
From: State of Confusion
Hey, its just about that time for car shows around my area and this will be the first time i will be able to enter one with my corvette, but i just wanted to get some advice.
Is there anything i should make sure i do pre-show? any tips or tricks?
Then when i get to the show any adivce there like how to set up my vette?
Im just a little nervous being the only 18 year old in a group of men as old as our cars, so any adivce would be great.
Is there anything i should make sure i do pre-show? any tips or tricks?
Then when i get to the show any adivce there like how to set up my vette?
Im just a little nervous being the only 18 year old in a group of men as old as our cars, so any adivce would be great.
one Corvette Show I used to go-to had a 'fun'-section, where people could admire and 'vote' on a simple ballot for a 'People's Choice' award.
Go and watch WHAT is being judged, HOW it is being judged, and ask plenty of questions:
the Show I went to, the judges would 'look' until they'd FIND something-wrong (back bumper-cover on a late C3 not-quite fitting perfectly by less-than 1/16", wrinkles & folds in weather-striping, etc. ), just so nobody ever got a perfect 100-of-100 score.
See how-much effort goes into winning an event like this, and ask yourself are you willing-to, and capable-of, matching, and exceeding, that effort.
Jusy my $.02 worth.....
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,930
Likes: 11
From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Detail the entire car including the engine compartment...bring a folding chair, sun screen, cooler with drinks etc and go have fun. You'll be meeting car guys....don't worry about your age.....it's all good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,217
Likes: 1
From: End of the Ike IL
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
It's a great way to meet others and talk cars. Be ready for the wish-they-had-one-know-it-alls who will talk a lot of BS. Just smile and hope they keep moving along.Get a "Look But Don't Touch" card or two to put on the dash. This still won't prevent some fingerprints or ice-cream gooey hands from touching your paint, but you should have some touch-up spray polish and a couple of clean cloths ready for those instances.
And watch for the double-wide strollers. Those darned things make me nervous when they squeeze by. In fact, I pass on a couple of shows that tightened up parking spots just to avoid a potential accident.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 3
From: Florissant MO
Clean Clean and then Clean some more. Inside and out. Clean that engine bay out like you would be serving dinner off of it.
One recommendation. Go to a couple of cruise ins in your area where cars are not really judged, but you will see loads of people wiping and buffing. Take note of the products they are using.
As was said above, don't forget your folding chair. Don't worry, you will get the hang of it after a couple of shows. Enjoy the company and the eye candy. Take pictures while you are there.
One recommendation. Go to a couple of cruise ins in your area where cars are not really judged, but you will see loads of people wiping and buffing. Take note of the products they are using.
As was said above, don't forget your folding chair. Don't worry, you will get the hang of it after a couple of shows. Enjoy the company and the eye candy. Take pictures while you are there.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
I'm burned out on car shows...now I just go to "display" and chew the fat with old friends & looking at others vettes...
It is a bit of a learning process and particularly what shows to enter/avoid...
It is a bit of a learning process and particularly what shows to enter/avoid...
Last edited by rihwoods; Jan 26, 2007 at 11:59 AM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Grand Rapids Michigan
Bring your Mp3 player along so you can listen to some tunes while sitting back and watching the folks go by. Cooler and folding chair a great idea, and get there early so you can get a spot with some shade if possible. Don't know what your weather forcast is, but I remember one of my first experiences at a car show sitting in the sun on an 85 degree plus day for hours with high humidity is not all that enjoyable! Have fun, that's the most important thing, clean and detail the car as much as you can, it's a learning by doing thing. If it's a peoples choice show, ask for the vote if you see someone stopping by with the scorecard!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 957
Likes: 6
From: Burlington wisconsin
Detail all aspects, clean the wheel wells (nobody does this) when you park it, if possible make sure it views well, you know not in a dip or pointing down a hill, try to keep the stance level & angled nicley towards foot traffic. Wax it good & pick all the lint, blades of grass, etc off the carpt. Believe me it takes alot to stand out from the norm. Details matter.
Goog luck
Goog luck
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,637
Likes: 27
From: Norwalk Ct
Just go and have fun and dont be disappointed if you dont win a trophy, there's politics in alot of these shows. Its not a big deal, most trophys are $2 trophies, but the friendships you can make at the shows are priceless.
Nick
Nick
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 11,891
Likes: 3
From: Kansas City, MO ...I'd like to go fishing and catch a fishstick. That'd be convenient. - Mitch Hedberg
I don't care if my car was built by the likes of Chip Foose, I will never enter a judged car show. They are almost always biased in some way or other. I only go to non-judged or cruise in shows. I'm there to enjoy cars with other car guys and gals not worry if my tires are shiny enough.
What I learned at my first car show, take a chair, bottle of water, your sunglasses, sunscreen and a camera.
What I learned at my first car show, take a chair, bottle of water, your sunglasses, sunscreen and a camera.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 303
From: Lansdale 19446 PA
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '10-'11, '15, '19
It's ALL Fun!
I can't add much to what everyone else said but - JUST HAVE FUN. If it is a judged show, learn all you can from the "veterans". Some shows want to knock you down because on a wrong bolt of paint color - who cares. Just kick back and enjoy it and enjoy the new friends around you - that's what it is all about.
Oh, I'm almost twice the age of my car! Thanks for bringing it up!
Oh, I'm almost twice the age of my car! Thanks for bringing it up!
Pro
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 671
Likes: 0
From: McCook Nebraska
We use to enter them for years. Got tired of baking in the sun. So now we cruise the vette to them, check out the cars, say hi to all our friends, and leave when we want to. Cruising the vette to them is the most fun for me anyhow.
greg
greg
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 5
From: Salisbury Maryland
Everyone always then says "Why didn't you enter"? That's a much better feeling, and is more often said. Plus, you can leave whenever you want.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,201
Likes: 2
From: Frederick Md
There are many different kinds of Car shows...and even if it is a Corvette Only show there are several different classes ...
Honestly I no longer bust my tail preparing for ANY show.. I go for to relax and take in the other cars..
I just make sure my car is pretty clean..NOT SPOTLESS
but darn clean..
As for the OP being 18 years old... COOL... I'm in my mid 60's and It would be nice to see some young guys show up driving a real Car...
Bob G.
64 72 & 98 Verts
76 & 79 Coupes
Honestly I no longer bust my tail preparing for ANY show.. I go for to relax and take in the other cars..
I just make sure my car is pretty clean..NOT SPOTLESS
but darn clean..
As for the OP being 18 years old... COOL... I'm in my mid 60's and It would be nice to see some young guys show up driving a real Car...
Bob G.
64 72 & 98 Verts
76 & 79 Coupes
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 18,640
Likes: 121
From: Farragut,TN
My wife and I show our jaguars ('99 xk-8 conv and my '93 xjr-s coupe) in national jcna shows. the trick is know what the judges are looking for and what the rules are. in our case cleanliness and originality. both cars get trophies. we stuided the rules and get the cars as close to them as possible. the '99 has never finished worse than 2ond and the 93 has a 3rd and 2ond.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,304
Likes: 278
From: Ocala FL
I wish I was as old as your Vette. And still knew the things I know now.
For your first show, you have received a lot of good advice. Make your car clean. Clean things you wouldn't think to clean. Take things to make you comfortable (chair, cooler, sun screen, umbrella). And get a frame of mind that you are there for the fun, and no one can say anything that will ruin it.
Because there will be many who try to ruin it. You will have those who know every detail to a 1980 Corvette and how you have the wrong air in the tires, license plate bolts are incorrect, etc. You will also have the idiots, who want to know why you didn't order yours with the 427 or 455 or the turbo option.
Ignore them, smile, and go on. Never try to correct them. Nod politely and hopefully they will walk away.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Cohutta GA
The church chose some guys to judge the paint, body, interior, undercarriage, and trunks ( yes...trunks).
I have my vert C2 sitting there and the guy judging the trunks comes up to mine and says "if you want full points I need to see the trunk". I thought he was joking. So I say " I can raise the vert decklid and let you look back there."
When he replies " I really need you to pop the trunk so I can judge it"
I then realize he is serious and has no idea mine has no trunk.
I reply "Sir, this car does not have a trunk. A lot of corvettes do not.
He says "Oh, I don't know anything about cars anyway, they just needed a judge."
We still laugh about that to this day.So, if it is a judged show, remember most folks do not know what they are looking at anyway. Just have fun, meet some folks, and keep the little kids off the car
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,304
Likes: 278
From: Ocala FL
Wrong answer. First, at 18, most of us would consider him a kid.
But unless you are some **** retentive type, the best thing you can do at a show is to let the kids get in them. They need to be told what to touch and not touch, but tell their mom or dad they can have their picture in it and you will change the course of the car hobby. Those kids will remember that.
Now it takes some character evaluation, the hyper jumping ones you don't want in, but the calm ones, why not?
And when we are 80 and need to finally sell that Corvette, they will be at an age to buy one. And remember how they sat in one when they were 5 or 10 or whatever.
Or do you want them to think "I would never buy a Corvette. Only jerks own them, like that jerk that yelled at me when I was 8 looking at his car."
But unless you are some **** retentive type, the best thing you can do at a show is to let the kids get in them. They need to be told what to touch and not touch, but tell their mom or dad they can have their picture in it and you will change the course of the car hobby. Those kids will remember that.
Now it takes some character evaluation, the hyper jumping ones you don't want in, but the calm ones, why not?
And when we are 80 and need to finally sell that Corvette, they will be at an age to buy one. And remember how they sat in one when they were 5 or 10 or whatever.
Or do you want them to think "I would never buy a Corvette. Only jerks own them, like that jerk that yelled at me when I was 8 looking at his car."