When is a car good enough for a show?

[65x2]

I've taken my cobra to shows, but never my Fairlane. Its a clean car, but the paint is no where near 100%. It has trash and dry spray etc. Its all one color and looks great from 10 ft. But up close, you can tell the age of the resto.
People pull up at stop lights all the time and compliment it, but I've never put it in a show as I don't think it looks nice enough. But I paint for a living, so I'm picky when it comes to paint and bodywork. What one person may look at as spotless, I don't see it that way.

I keep talking myself out of painting the fairlane as I have too many projects all ready. If I'm at a show, I always park where the onlookers park. Its not a show car.

So what's SVTPs take on it? How nice does it have to be before you'd take your car to a show?

 

[Mulldune]

To me it wouldn't matter , if its a judged show , I avoid them , just take it to a cuise in and have fun man , those are the best imo


edit : I love Fairlanes , pic plz? Iused to have a '67 500 , loved it

 

[KingJacobo]

My 66 Bonneville has amateur bodywork (my doing, first resto) and a maaco paint job. My teenage self couldn't afford a 5k job, and I wanres to do all th3 bodywork myself even if it wasn't perfect. I keep her waxed and pristine all the time. Every single person says the car is in amqzing shape, and onky 1 guy has ever even noticed flaws in the bodywork enough to say anything. I take her to all the non judged shows I can, everyone loves old cars!

Be proud of what you have, even a ragged out original with rust has a certain uniqueness as long as its not a POS and from the right era. Wash, wax, vacuum and pokish interior, go to the show and CRUISE.

 

[ElscottHavoc]

Unless its obviously apparent, other people won't notice 90% of what you do, most of which you don't realize is there until a good detail and then suddenly its all you can think about. Can't believe how many times I've bought a car and got home to realize there was something I didn't notice...

As long there's a fairly obvious reason why a car fits in at a show, people are going to appreciate it. It maynot appeal to everyone, bit there have been countless times where I've seen people look at a classic hunk of junk in my eyes but it brings them back to memories. Like Mulldune up there, he'd probably appreciate the nostalgia of seeing a decent Fair lane at a show!

If its a newish, 90s plus car at least, then significant body issues in my opinion really have no place to be shown off, especially if its nothing special to begin with, but rarely do I give a care about what others bring yo a show...its all fun anyways. I take that back, there's a kid with an a stock Dodge Neon, lime green, cai, and red tape holding his tail light in...I think its asking a bit much to expect people to enjoy that. Maybe I wouldnt have such harsh feelings, but he's always saying I'm chicken for not racing him when I see him at a stop light, but usually I have a 5 month old with me and don't really like street racing the Cobra. One of these days though! Sorry for that rant...

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[65x2]

To me it wouldn't matter , if its a judged show , I avoid them , just take it to a cuise in and have fun man , those are the best imo

edit : I love Fairlanes , pic plz? Iused to have a '67 500 , loved it

I didn't think about the difference between a judged show and a cruise in. Excellent point there.

Here is a link to some photos of the Fairlane:
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/pics-videos-buffet-149/957655-62-fairlane-pics.html

My 66 Bonneville has amateur bodywork (my doing, first resto) and a maaco paint job. My teenage self couldn't afford a 5k job, and I wanres to do all th3 bodywork myself even if it wasn't perfect. I keep her waxed and pristine all the time. Every single person says the car is in amqzing shape, and onky 1 guy has ever even noticed flaws in the bodywork enough to say anything. I take her to all the non judged shows I can, everyone loves old cars!

Be proud of what you have, even a ragged out original with rust has a certain uniqueness as long as its not a POS and from the right era. Wash, wax, vacuum and pokish interior, go to the show and CRUISE.

I can appreciate when you have a garage job or an amateur doing everything they can in their budget to make it look as nice possible. My complaints come from the big car shows where you know someone paid for this and while its not bad, it wouldn't have taken that much more work to make it so much better.

I agree though, I'd much rather see a clean car even if its not perfect than something dirty that someone doesn't even care enough about to keep clean.

Unless its obviously apparent, other people won't notice 90% of what you do, most of which you don't realize is there until a good detail and then suddenly its all you can think about. Can't believe how many times I've bought a car and got home to realize there was something I didn't notice...

As long there's a fairly obvious reason why a car fits in at a show, people are going to appreciate it. It maynot appeal to everyone, bit there have been countless times where I've seen people look at a classic hunk of junk in my eyes but it brings them back to memories. Like Mulldune up there, he'd probably appreciate the nostalgia of seeing a decent Fair lane at a show!

If its a newish, 90s plus car at least, then significant body issues in my opinion really have no place to be shown off, especially if its nothing special to begin with, but rarely do I give a care about what others bring yo a show...its all fun anyways. I take that back, there's a kid with an a stock Dodge Neon, lime green, cai, and red tape holding his tail light in...I think its asking a bit much to expect people to enjoy that. Maybe I wouldnt have such harsh feelings, but he's always saying I'm chicken for not racing him when I see him at a stop light, but usually I have a 5 month old with me and don't really like street racing the Cobra. One of these days though! Sorry for that rant...

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None of its obvious. Its white, hides a lot. The cars that attract my attention the most are the ones that are laser straight and have been cut and buffed to perfection. I know none of these cars rolled off the show room like that. But those are the ones that I can relate to. The countless hours that went into creating it.

A couple of my buddies and I went to World of Wheels a few years back and man, we could have counted on one hand the amount of cars that actually looked great. Lots were nice, but the ones that stand out (that have been restored) are the ones that have perfect gaps, smooth paint in those PITA areas that a buffer can't get into. But again, those are usually trailer queens.

I remember I was cruising by a car show once in my old Mustang and this guy said "bring it in!" I told him it wasn't in good enough shape to be in the show and his response was, "Well, its in perfect shape to be working on!"

Always liked that attitude. I don't have a problem with cars that aren't 100% being in shows, just my take personally, I want to be able to explain to someone that amount of work that went into the car, especially being that it would be at my own time and expense.

 

[jerrad]

I say take it. Most of the time when I go to car shows I want to see anything and everything. I don't care if it's perfect, I just was to see cool cars and trucks.

 

[Stroszek]

I'm more interested in learning something when I go to a show or a museum than I am in seeing the best specimens. Your Fairlane may not take a prize but I'm sure it would pique some interest. I know I would get a closer look at it. Looks great in the pics despite the abundance of doors.

 

[jfsram]

Depending on the show is a big part here. Let's say it's a Mustang show. So automatically, no Fairlane.

An unjudged cruise night. The Mustang should stay home. Even if it's mint and clean, it's just a Mustang. Similar to seeing 3 year old cars at shows.

The classic is different and appriciated for it's age.

 

[Mulldune]

Man , I just checked out the pics, I would have zero problem rocking it at a cruise night .Car looks good

 

[hoamskilet]

Man , I just checked out the pics, I would have zero problem rocking it at a cruise night .Car looks good

this. I think it also depends on what you're getting into the show for. Are you going to try and win a trophy or just be part of the show and hang out? If it's the latter who cares if the car isn't perfect. When I go to a car show I couldn't care less who wins....I just like looking at all the different old cars

 

[CobraBob]

I saw your car in your other thread just earlier. Good looking car. I would enter her in a show just as she sits. And be proud.

Love that first photo, by the way. It looks just like a '50 postcard.

 

[DaJoker]

I say take it. Most of the time when I go to car shows I want to see anything and everything. I don't care if it's perfect, I just was to see cool cars and trucks.

This! I am the same way tho OP, my Foxbody needs paint and has some dents so it doesn't usually go inside the ropes at the carshow.....Edit....checked pics and I'd have no problem going to cruises in that! PS Cruising the Coast is next week you should head down with it.

 

[65x2]

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

This! I am the same way tho OP, my Foxbody needs paint and has some dents so it doesn't usually go inside the ropes at the carshow.....Edit....checked pics and I'd have no problem going to cruises in that! PS Cruising the Coast is next week you should head down with it.

Never heard of it, what kinda distance cruise and where is it at?

 

[wvmystichrome]

Take it to a show and see. I have seen cars take top spots and you can see a half inch of painted over rust. Don't worry what it may look like to you to a majority of the judges they do not know what to look for. I went to one yesterday and a big yellow station wagon parked next to me. From 6 feet away or so it was awesome. Then the owner got me close and pointed out flaws. Who cared. Everyone loved the car. I have only seen 1 or maybe 2 Fairlanes in the last year. Yours would be a rare sight around here.

 

[Mr.Bolt-on]

Like it's already been said just take it and see. Being a bodyman/painter I usually am too harsh on myself. I don't consider my car show worthy even though I've taken it a few times. Nobody really notices the bad parts anyways unless they really know what to look for.

 

[MDShelby]

Cool car! Take it to the shows and don't worry about it.

 

[Never_Enough]

Apparently, any car can be entered. At the AM Mustang show there was a car with destroyed paint, dirty as hell & cracked windshield in the show.

 

[raustin0017]

Clean is mean. Take it to a show the next time you get a chance. You never know what the judges are looking for. A while back I took my wife's 1978 Caddie, Coupe Deville. It was Red on Red with those Caddie chrome spokes. Spent the better part of a week detailing and cleaning everything. It was a big hit with the older crowd and placed 2nd in the Street Driven category. The winner was a brand new 86 SS Monte Carlo parked right next to Big Red.