Drivers Or Showcars

[Powerhouse]

Drivers are my favorite..after all that's what they were made for...and in my opinion it's the most fun thing to do with the cars...DRIVE 'EM! I like show cars too, but not for me. TOOOOOO much money and not enough reasoning behind it. Why spend tons of money and time(if you Do your own work like me) if yer gonna let it sit in some garage space somewhere...drive it once in a while ...and WORRY your head off about scratches, dings, theft, etc... NO THANKS!

I drive my 39 P7 daily now...I used to drive i only on weekends and to club meets...but since I moved it's my only car. The 87 Reliant is now someone elses beater. GREAT little car though.

I guess it helps that I have a 54 Dodge truck 6 engine with a 37 chrysler floor shift OD and 2 bbl progressive carb. It ALL really helps for modern drivability. Soon it will have a backup electric radiator fan and a dual points setup. Drives great....brakes not so great...gotta work on it. And the paint is nice...really quality black paint...not such a good prep job though by the former owner/seller. So i don't worry about the paint...I like it to look like a car did in 1939 as a daily driver...blackwall bias plys and all. With the exception of cow horns I mounted in the nose...

HAPPY MOTORING!

[Frank M.]

See----There we go. Powerhouse likes to drive his. OK but some guys LIKE to spend their money and time on a car and let it sit in a garage to look at itWHENEVER THEY WANT TO. Whats wrong with that? Why does it always have to be brought up about how useless a show car is? So you want a car you can drive. Fine. So do I. I also like a Showcar. I have two Showcars and two drivers,and I respect both likes. Couldnt a guy with a driver just say" gosh thats a nice car" when looking at a Showcar and LET IT GO AT THAT!

[Young Ed]

I doubt that will happen. The people who like stock restos will always scoff at the rodders and the people who like rods scoff the stock guys. Probably the same group between drivers and people who trailer. At the POC meet we just got back from there were more car problems for the guys who trailered then those that drove.

[Frank M.]

Yes ,you are probably right . In the 35 yrs that Ive been involved in the car hobby, its been that way. I still say its a darn shame . I dont believe that just because a car is trailered that theres gonna be trouble. And what if there is? the owner is the one who has to put up with it. This animosity between showers and drivers is totally stupid and does NOTHING to help the hobby!

[Young Ed]

I agree. But no matter what you are talking about there is always someone who believes what they do it right and anyone who is different is wrong. As far as the trailer cars having trouble on the way to the meet I just found it kinda funny. One car probably would have had the same issue either way-his roof insert blew off in the wind. However the other guy put his chains on wrong and put a hole in his gas tank.

[Frank M.]

Best thing to do with narrow minded people at car shows is turn around and walk away. Works for me every time. Im there for fun! Most are easy to get along with whether they have a driver or a show car. Again I say its just too bad that these feelings appear at times.

[Don Coatney]

At the POC meet we just got back from there were more car problems for the guys who trailered then those that drove.

Ed;

I did have one big mechanical failure while driving to Detroit. I was zipping along at 70+ miles per hour with my arm resting on the open window sill and kept seeing what looked like bugs (really big ones) attacking my arm. Of course as soon as I saw them and turned my head for a better look they were gone. This went on for a couple of hundred miles. Finally I truned my head quickly (dam it hurts to do that) and saw a slight opening in my headliner just above my arm and something looked like it was moving. What I thought was really big bugs was actually the insulation in my headliner dropping out because of the high speed wind coming from my open side window wings. I then looked up and discovered my big mechanical failure. My ancient original headliner had finally broken down and developed a split allowing what ever was above it to fly out. The headliner had dropped several inches (not yet touching my head) on both sides and was falling down.

So now I must get out my stick and move my line in the sand. I have never installed a headliner and I think I am too old of a dog to learn new tricks espicially as I dont like working on stuff above my head. I need to find someone close by (read cheap$$) who knows how to install a headliner.

[david lazarus]

Interesting thread... I spent tooooo much on my '38...stopped keeping count and at that point it wasn't even on the road. We drive it almost every weekend, and a few chips and bugs are just fine.

I do not show my car (happy to drive it to club events, or to car shows where there is no judging), for some reason the idea of competing against others with the car does nothing for me. To me, I just enjoy having, driving and working on the car.

[62rebelP23]

i'm so middle of the road it ain't funny then. i love nicely restored cars and i appreciate that to kkep it that way, it can't be driven much. that's a sacrifice for the owner to decide on, not me. i don't have lots of money to spend, nor do i have a real shop or even an enclosed garage, so a restored car in my hands is wasted. i do what i can to keep mine operational; i do most of my own work, farm out the rest, i learned to weld so i could actually repair rust instead of look at it. my cars ain't real purty, but i like 'em; i know that they're not show level so i don't enter them. if they were, i'd actually have to sell them because i would be scared to drive them!

i never scoff at a trailer queen.

[Frank M.]

Atta boy Rebel! you sound like the kind of guy I like to meet at a car show.

[old woolie]

Nothing wrong with show cars or trailer queens,just not for me. Real cars have stone chips,just drive them and enjoy. Remember,paint and chrome won't get you home.

[Frank M.]

Woolie; Areyou saying Showcars are not real?

[old woolie]

No' I said they are not for me.

[NatesSedan]

Are they?

Trailer queens look real good and without doubt the money spent on them they should. But....most of these cars never get driven so how do you know how good of a build it really is? I like looking at them but I REALLY admire a car like BlueSkies or Don's and many of the other cars on the forum that can make a 1,000 mile trip without problems. That is a good car in my book. As said...shiney parts wont get ya home. Test runs work the kinks out and to me thats whats fun about working on these cars. The more reliable it is the better job I have done.

[Powerhouse]

See----There we go. Powerhouse likes to drive his. OK but some guys LIKE to spend their money and time on a car and let it sit in a garage to look at itWHENEVER THEY WANT TO. Whats wrong with that? Why does it always have to be brought up about how useless a show car is? So you want a car you can drive. Fine. So do I. I also like a Showcar. I have two Showcars and two drivers,and I respect both likes. Couldnt a guy with a driver just say" gosh thats a nice car" when looking at a Showcar and LET IT GO AT THAT!

hold on there bud...I'm NOT KNOCKING SHOW CARS...don't get yer panties in a bunch...

I just said they are not for me.....right now that is...i am not at the stage of my life to do that. When I am older..hopefully I can...god willing. I like STOCK RESTORATIONS, MILD CUSTOMS, FULL CUSTOMS even the Rat Rod. If it's NEAT... it's NEAT! I NEVER SAID SHOW CARS WERE USELESS. But, I know the mentality your talking about...and I agree with you.

By the way Frank M. Your cars are really swell...hopefully someday I can do the same....especially with my 31 chevy rumble roadster...someday

[Dennis Hemingway]

What differance does it make? Some of us drive, some trailer and some do both drive & trailer. I know I drive to some shows and I trailer to other shows, my cars have chips and bugs on them.

When I see another classic car, I don't ask if they drove or trailered their car. I know that Friday morning my 48 will be on a trailer headed for the Big Bear Lake Fun Run, if you want to hold that against me, so be it.

Dennis:mad:

[NatesSedan]

You dont usually have to ask. IMO there is a difference between trailering your car for comfort and trailering your car because you want to impress people with 30,000 dollars worth of bolt on stuff and 15,000 on the paint. I enjoy looking at both but if I had a car that won the Riddler...you can count on it having rock chips afterword.

[steveplym]

Well I consider both my cars show cars and drivers. I drive them to all shows, near and far, and enjoy driving them on the weekends.

I have mildly modified both of them to make them easier and safer to drive on the road. Both of them can take first place at any show as well as get me home on a 500 mile trip if needed.

They both stay in the garage when not in use, but never have been on a trailer unless they had to be. I have good friends who have muscle cars, street rods, stock vehicles, and original cars. We all have decided, after many years of doing the all day go to a show and wait to see who wins thing, that we like the cruises and night shows the best. There is nothing like driving you car to a meet, hanging out with friends, eating a good meal, and not have to worry about who beat who. Let's just get together and hang out. That's what's fun for me.

[55 Fargo]

I doubt that will happen. The people who like stock restos will always scoff at the rodders and the people who like rods scoff the stock guys. Probably the same group between drivers and people who trailer. At the POC meet we just got back from there were more car problems for the guys who trailered then those that drove.

Some folks would have us all on a "straight pepper diet", and some would offer "no flavor for there fare".

Different stokes for different folks, okay as simple as that, if we all had the same stock P15, or only hotrodded D24s, that would offer no variation, and become very boring.

I like both, Rods and Stock, but I will always have a propensity to lean toward driver cars, especially if someone did it with "there hands", and did it "there way".

This is about my blue collar roots............

[55 Fargo]

Yes ,you are probably right . In the 35 yrs that Ive been involved in the car hobby, its been that way. I still say its a darn shame . I dont believe that just because a car is trailered that theres gonna be trouble. And what if there is? the owner is the one who has to put up with it. This animosity between showers and drivers is totally stupid and does NOTHING to help the hobby!

Frank, the majority of us have an appreciation for both "camps". I do not have a bias toward showcars, drivers and show cars all have there place, and are both enjoyable and provide a lot of entertainment for all carnuts.......Fred

[55 Fargo]

Ed;

I did have one big mechanical failure while driving to Detroit. I was zipping along at 70+ miles per hour with my arm resting on the open window sill and kept seeing what looked like bugs (really big ones) attacking my arm. Of course as soon as I saw them and turned my head for a better look they were gone. This went on for a couple of hundred miles. Finally I truned my head quickly (dam it hurts to do that) and saw a slight opening in my headliner just above my arm and something looked like it was moving. What I thought was really big bugs was actually the insulation in my headliner dropping out because of the high speed wind coming from my open side window wings. I then looked up and discovered my big mechanical failure. My ancient original headliner had finally broken down and developed a split allowing what ever was above it to fly out. The headliner had dropped several inches (not yet touching my head) on both sides and was falling down.

So now I must get out my stick and move my line in the sand. I have never installed a headliner and I think I am too old of a dog to learn new tricks espicially as I dont like working on stuff above my head. I need to find someone close by (read cheap$$) who knows how to install a headliner.

Hope it ain't Termites, hey Don, you are a fab genius, how about making here into a touring car........

[55 Fargo]

Well I consider both my cars show cars and drivers. I drive them to all shows, near and far, and enjoy driving them on the weekends.

I have mildly modified both of them to make them easier and safer to drive on the road. Both of them can take first place at any show as well as get me home on a 500 mile trip if needed.

They both stay in the garage when not in use, but never have been on a trailer unless they had to be. I have good friends who have muscle cars, street rods, stock vehicles, and original cars. We all have decided, after many years of doing the all day go to a show and wait to see who wins thing, that we like the cruises and night shows the best. There is nothing like driving you car to a meet, hanging out with friends, eating a good meal, and not have to worry about who beat who. Let's just get together and hang out. That's what's fun for me.

Now Steve, you have got the right idea Buddy, getting together with friends, all with the cars, having a few and eating a good meal, now that is what car life is about.

I was thinking about this on my home, I would love to be able to drive my car down and meet with some of you guys on here, I have been on here 3 years, and have not met any of yall face to face.

I hope to be able to someday get down and join some of you, and hopefully bring the car.

Being fairly far away in central Canada, I am a ways from a lot of even your Northern events, Detroit is about 1200 miles from my door, so it is a bit of driving I would have to do.

Again, we all have differing ideas, likes and dislikes, but this Forum is like a Brotherhood of old Mopar guys, a lot of us have become good friends on here, I talk about you guys a lot with my own friends up here..........so no more squabbling or I will stop the car......LOL

[Robert Smith]

My P-15 is a show car... it steals the show at all the gas stations I pull into. lol

4 years now and love the way she is now that she's painted and respectable.

These cars are for driving, not for judges and bolt counters. But, if that's what you enjoy, so be it, I enjoy hearing the purrrr of my flat head 6 and getting all the attention from all the squares that hang out at IN-N-OUT.

Enjoy your cars, drive them! So much more fun then looking at a dull trophy on a shelf.

=R

[Howard Tarnoff]

I've had an absolute trailer queen, I bought the truck built on the old TNN Show "Shadtree Mechanic", a yellow 54 Chevy 3100. We would start it up, move if from the garage to the trailer, two to the show, unload, bla bla bla. I did that for two full seasons and collected a ton of plastic trophy's which litter my garage. One Saturday night I jumped in with my wife and drove it to the largest cruise night in the Boston area, every asked where I had left the trailer. I drove it home and made arrangements to sell it at the Barrett-Jackson auction. It drove way too nice, a rocket ship scary fast, and I knew the value was in the recognition of it as a TV vehicle so I sold it before I trashed it.

It was almost like playing with a model car/truck. Take it out of the box, set it down and let people look then put it back in the box. Not fun.

I sold my trailer in FL this past winter and will ship my Plymouth to FL with Intercity Lines (going to stop in Charlotte on the way down), I cant drive both the family car and the Plym down plus my dog goes nuts when she sees another dog and would tear up the interior.

My point is that it does not matter how nice you build your car or not. If you paint the chassis or not. DRIVE EM. Paint chips are badges that can always be touched up.

So as they say: If you see My Way in a Trailer please do call police and report it stolen.

[Allan Faust]

You dont usually have to ask. IMO there is a difference between trailering your car for comfort and trailering your car because you want to impress people with 30,000 dollars worth of bolt on stuff and 15,000 on the paint. I enjoy looking at both but if I had a car that won the Riddler...you can count on it having rock chips afterword.

I agree with you on that one..... I know with me, if I get to do what I want to, the paint will look like a 15,000 paint job.... however, it will definitely be getting its battle scars after.... I can appreciate the looks and the money and the "possible damage" that can occur and the fact that some want to keep them pristine, and that is fine, but it is not for me either.... Just like I'd salivate at driving a new SRT-8, or an old original AC Cobra.... I'll repair em afterwards and keep them in pristine shape anyways..... how you enjoy them is your business....

Allan