jgcable

Its every Sunday afternoon/evening. Its a classic car cruise night. Very popular!! Most of the cars are 60's through 70's Muscle cars but the newer Mustangs, Challengers and Corvettes get a pass I guess. Anyway.. its my first cruise night here in my 77 Vette. I have been to this cruise night many times over the last 25 years mainly in Mopars and GM products. Barracuda's, GTS Darts, Dusters.. nothing fancy.. just normal late 60's early 70's muscle cars. So... my wife and I show up on the early side to get a place to park. We bring our folding chairs. I park in the "Corvette" section. Most of the Vettes there are late model... 2005 and up to brand new. All mint condition low mileage cars. A few of the older cars had their hoods open. There are a few late 70's, early 80's and a really nice 71 convertible but the majority of them were newer cars. Here is my observation...
When I had other muscle cars I would park somewhere near other cars with the same brand and immediately we would start striking up conversations and meeting people. It was automatic, unforced and a lot of fun. Yesterday however was a different experience. I was parked next to about 8 or 9 other Vettes. Mine was directly next to a 2005 Yellow and 3 up was a 71 yellow convertible. Mine is a 77 yellow. There was a group of Vette owners all standing or sitting around talking and hanging out the entire time we were there. Not one of them even glanced at my car or attempted to introduce themselves. Obviously these people go to this cruise all the time and all know each other. Most of them were showing late model Vettes. I would have thought that a new Vette to the scene would be a welcome addition. I didn't feel welcome. We stuck around for 2 hours and left. Funny thing is this.... I drove my car around all weekend. Just about every place I parked it I had somebody come up and ask a question or strike up a conversation about my car. At the gym, the diner, the restaurant, the shopping center parking lot, the gas station... everywhere EXCEPT the local cruise night parked next to 9 other Vette owners.

Oldriceguy

We recently joined a vette club with our '77 and I was a little concerned about the same thing, but fortunately for us we've joined a pretty friendly bunch. Sometimes it kinda seems like you have to be under 15 or over 55 to appreciate a nice C3. Sorry to hear about your experience.

Alan 71

Hi jgc,
I find your observations interesting.
I'll ask you a question…. did any of the people who just came to look, but didn't bring a car, talk to you?
As someone who doesn't bring a car but attends small shows and cruises quite often just to look, I find that I pass by any car that doesn't have it's hood open.
I think the open hood is more of an invitation by the owner to stop and take a closer look and make at least a comment if he happens to be sitting there…. even if it's just a thumbs up sign.
Was your hood open… did your car generate some interest from people other than the other Corvette owners?
Regards,
Alan

I think that if you want to ensure there will be people around your car bring a Viper or a complete chassis/running gear without a body on it!

bj1k

You see that more and more at the car cruises anymore . Sometimes it just looks like a WalMart parking lot because there are so many late model or brand new cars and the classics are almost hidden in the crowd and the people with the new cars are not there for the classics and have no interest . Not that I don't appreciate some of the newer cars but for that reason I feel that the " Classic " car cruises should be limited to 1982 and older since anything after that takes on the newer technology in styling and engineering and is a totally different animal , some good and some bad but there should be a time and place for each group. Post 1982 cars need to start their own cruises or just meet in a WalMart parking lot then people wouldn't have to waste their time walking past rows of cars that they are not even remotely interested in. We attend a large church cruise and that is a common complaint among classic owners but the answer is that " It is a church and they don't want to turn anybody away " .

jgcable

I wasn't looking for or expecting a crowd of people around my car. I did.. however think that 10 Vette owners who all know each other would show some kind of interest or support for a new local 40 year old Corvette on the scene. Especially since I spend 18 months working on it. Yea... I had the hood open, windows open, T-Roofs off and my wife and myself sitting on camp chairs next to the car. We were literally surrounded by Corvettes. All their owners standing around talking to each other in little groups not 10 feet away from us. My car was parked directly next to a dumpster where people were walking to throw away their coffee cups and such. Several of these Vette owners came over to throw things away in the dumpster and not one time did any of them even glance at my car.
My car is built to look like a late 70's street car. Black headers and side pipes, original paint, moon eyes decals on the rear glass, white Hurst shifter ****. My engine compartment, chassis, suspension, steering and braking system is extremely clean and detailed. Its not a show car at all.. its a street car. What I did notice.. and this is strictly my own observation.. is that most of the Vette owners who had late model cars (2005 and newer), didn't appear to be owners who actually turn a wrench or even own a tool box. The only hoods open on any of the Corvettes were a 71 convertible, a 76 that was really ratty and mine. My engine compartment is pretty much spotless.
No biggie. I love my car. Maybe I should just put a blower on it.

69L46

As someone who owns half a dozen collector cars of various marques, I can you tell your experience is not unique to Corvettes.

Don't let it discourage you, the car hobby has some very nice and genuine individuals...just need to seek them out sometimes...

Richard Daugird

I go to a local cruise night occasionally. I am just the opposite; I don't even give a passing glance at the late model cars. I would not shun the owners, however, and would surely talk to them if they struck up a conversation. I see where Alan is coming from about the hood thing. I always considered it kinda silly to open the hood on a relatively stock motor, unless it was something rare. I prefer to look at a car's lines with the hood, trunk and doors closed. But I do see where that could be an invitation, although I always figured the whole purpose of cruise night was to meet and greet other car nuts, no invitation needed.

P.S. I haven't taken the 'Vette to the local cruise night yet, it's pretty ratty, wonder if anyone would be interested? My '65 Buick Riviera always garners lots of attention, even though the custom paint is of poor quality. Maybe because not many people have seen one?

65GGvert

Did you go up and talk to any of them? If not, they may be thinking the same thing about you. It's not all one sided, takes two to talk.

Edit: Correction, takes two to have a decent conversation, one can talk all by himself.

jgcable

I had my hood open because I think its important to let spectators see what an old motor looks like. Especially one that has been detailed. After all.. my car is 40 years old. That's older than many of the people walking around the show. Especially in this world of plastic covered 4 cylinder motors. If I had to guess I would say that the majority of the late model Vette Owners only know what they read about their cars. To give you an example.. my friend knows EVERYTHING about his Dodge SRT Challenger but he doesn't have a clue how to open the hood. Same thing I bet.

Richard Daugird

I hear ya. Mine are dirty under the hood!!!

jgcable

I would have had to bust in on a crowd of people that obviously knew each other. Its possible but I doubt it. When I rode Harley's and we saw a new person we always were first to extend the olive branch especially if they were riding a Harley.

blue67ragtop

My guess is that they didn't intend to offend you but were just club members enjoying some time with each other. My club is a very friendly group but some are better than others at seeking out fellow Vette owners they don't know. Next time go over to one of these guys and introduce yourself. You may find that your first impression was wrong. I know many of the newer Vette owners really know very little about the older models. Be proud of your car and next time say hello and I bet you will make some new friends.

kevinll63

We took our 77 to cruise night /car show a few years ago it's just a every day driver car didn't want to get in the show part but we did just for the fun of it
It was the only c3 there all the other was c5 and up didn't get to talk to anyone either. Didn't win anything but I know you don't put a 40 year old car in the same class as the new ones

ENCSDOUG

I went to a cruise-in with my 72 and had the president of a local Corvette club approach me and wanted me to join the club with my 72 being the oldest in the club. I've been in a club before and I'm sure not all clubs are like this but, way to much Drama for me. Our local cruise-in people all talk with each other no matter what they are driving.

7T1vette

YOU were not the problem, here. Over the last 10 years or so, folks with newer vintage Corvette (C5/C6/C7) seem to hang together and NOT want older vintage Corvettes to be near or involved with them. I'm sure there are clubs that are not this way; but I have found them to be mostly this way..in Phoenix, AZ and everywhere in TN.

They are just a different 'breed'. They want to party and drive to weekend outings. They don't really work on their cars; they just have them washed and have them serviced at a dealership. "Working" C1-C5 Corvette owners have little in common with them.

I often walk over to look at the newer cars; they rarely walk anywhere but the area where their cars are parked. It's just a 'closed' social event for them.

If you can start a conversation up with them and they are friendly...great! If you can't, you would be better off parking with folks having similar interests...whether Corvette owners, or not.

Rky Mtn C6

I find it interesting that you said you've been going to this cruise night for 25 years, yet nobody knows you.

When I want to meet people, I go to them and ask about their cars. Eventually I get the question "Which car is yours?" Sitting in chairs waiting for people to come to you, may make them feel you're on the snobbish, unsocial side.

Mooser

Vette guys are said to be snobby and I usually find the newer vette guys are not "corvette guys" as much as C5, C6 or C7 guys.
As always there are exceptions to any rule and numerous C5-C7 owners may also own / have also owned an earlier version and they are more likely to come talk to us lower lifeforms.

I've been to more than one cruise nite and watched some vette-group (even c3s) pull in, park together, pull out the corvette emblazoned folding chairs and sit right down there and talk to each other and at the end of the nite pack up and leave, having not once left their area to see what else might be around.

That said, I've seen lots of rodder's pay zero attention to the muscle, muscle might tolerate our tupperware cars but we're not really "muscle". No-body wants those imports coming in, and don't get anyone started about the race cars (drag or otherwise) sport bikes, ratrods, military vehicles, just off the lot new cars, exotics, tribute cars, clones, kit cars, late 70's caddys, etc, etc, etc, etc...

Go with a pal, have fun, check out and appreciate what's been done and have a hot-dog.

I read a great lien somewhere on some other forum (maybe it was fishing) and it applies to a lot of these hobbies

This is supposed to be therapy, not the reason we need therapy.

M

cv67

Next time yell out, "Hey am I late to the Tupperware party?"

Ran into that problem with my C3 and both C4s.

There is a huge snob factor in the crowd unfortunately
even GTG here on the forum with maybe a dozen cars same thing. One dude brought stands and some big plaque, jacked his then new C6Z06 up in the air put it ..this in a mall parking lot. Little proud


Just quit going rather be out driving than stand around with a doughnut in one hand and a dyno sheet in the other which seems to be the trend or arguing who this weeks favorite tuner is.
"


So, left. Last "show" was maybe 10 yrs ago? Entered just to get good parking just returned from a night of drag racing the ZR-1 literally just got back. Was directed to park between a very nice C1 and C3; all I heard was "Oh no, hes going to make us lose look at that dirty old car now we'll NEVER win!" :

Guess it goes two ways man I dont like plastic motor covers or late model anything;esp the "thats not correct" expert and his butt buddy walking around playing amateur judge

Like the cars, the crowd not so much

brick1234

I have had someone what of both between shows and cruise ins. I personally just pop the hood and go look at other cars then when I get back people start asking me questions. One of the cruise ins at the 1st Sat of the month I went so far 3 times and I'm the only c3 there and 1 c4 it's about half and half with classics and new cars. The one thing I don't like is going to car shows for the most part especially when there are only 2 or 3 other c3s or they put c3 and c4s in the same categories. Maybe if I go to other shows a few hours further from me but I don't like driving over 2 hrs on the highway to a show as anything can happen.

The13Bats

I can relate to it and the more time passes the more I sadly relate,
My wife reminds me I am not the typical corvette owner whatever that means but I have sure seen some arrogant cats floored when I started spewing knowledge of the c3's, some just can't believe that I own a vette, what in the world are they basing that on.

Cruises, I do not believe I have ever met even one nice vette person at a cruise that I didn't already know,
Some are just low end arrogant others are total taco dbags,
Oddly I am friendly and try to chat to some especially those with modded cars and of course they are arrogant asses to me.

The nice people to me at shows were non vette owners or just the looky lous with no specially car.

Our monthly Eustis fl cruise within a mile seems to have a fair percent of vettes to the number of cars, some with the vette club some not, so when my 69 is running we will see how those cats treat me....as you see I am still hopeful.

But too many people both at cruises and on this forum forget the camaraderie.