The flower box coupe has a rumble lid, and it matches the car in condition. What is your's like Brucie??

Just like your lid, junk! It sounds like I need to start a flower box! :p

JunkYardDog - I hereby submit my application for the position of flower box number three.

Cool! You got it!

I think there should be a Junkyard Dog Hall of Fame. To qualify for membership you would have to explain in writing, maybe in the G&D, why you qualify. For example: Before I had been in New Mexico even one hour I had found a 1931 Chevrolet cabriolet body in a junkyard. (Tucumcari, NM, June 1975)

The passing of the traditional American junkyards is one of the saddest topics ever. I could spend (and did) the whole day in a junkyard even when I wasn't looking for a certain part. Never know what you might find and learn.

Today's 'auto recycling centers' are too sterile and unfriendly, give me back the 'good ole days'!!!!!

Hey Guys;

I've been busy with the holidaze decorating and new vehicle shopping. But I've read this entire string and I'd like to put in my two cents.

The restoration of my '32 is going along just fine, even if it is taking forever. If I find something that doesn't belong on the car it's removed and replaced with the correct item.

If I can't find the correct item it will stay there until I can afford to replace it. I think the judges should take into consideration "a car that is restored in good faith". Perhaps, considering the owner (club member) has a project in the works.

I know some will say "don't show the car until it's finished". Well fine. But, I would like to take part in the shows. If my car is halfway decent why not? So what if I haven't got to the rumble lid yet. It's still being preserved in an original state buy the current owner. Right?

I'd like to hear a reaction to that!

In regards to what and when options were installed on a car. I remember Dad saying that when the War was over everyone needed a car. Lots of guys bought what they could afford or find and added things to update the car. Maybe thats how hood doors got chromed, sidemounts were installed, and cowl light were added as directional blinkers.

Those things might be wrong when looking at a Deluxe vs. a Standard, but it's still history.

If the club is going to split hairs over hex head bolts, do it at the top levels for best of show in a National Event, not at your Local or even Regional meets.

Hey RGwiz! I think that it's really cool to see a car under restoration at a VCCA show. Looking at a car like that is extremely interesting........and it is also a learning experience, not only for the viewer but the car owner as well. In a lot of cases, looking at a car that is undergoing a restoration is more fun than seeing a completely restored car. And, sometimes the owner learns about cetain things that are on the car that are incorrect that he didn't know about, and the owner also learns different ways of doing the same thing from the "tire kickers" that stop by to see his car. Maybe there should be a class for cars that are under restoration, and that way the qualified judges could help the owner of the car in different areas of his restoration that he is having a problem with.

On the different types of judging for local meets vs. national meets, that is a something that shouldn't be done. All cars should be judged the same, using the same judging form and the same judging handbook at all meets.......both local and national. That is the only fair way to do it. You cannot in good conscience judge a car one way at a local meet and then another way at a national meet. That's what happened at the Rapid City National Meet with a '34 Chevy that was previously judged differently at a local meet and all hell broke loose over that one. Nope...I firmly believe that all cars have to be judged the same no matter where they are or what show they are in.

Hi RGwiz,

In reading your post I get the impression there is some confusion about definitions. Although your car is not completed/has imperfections, does not prevent you from SHOWING your car. Most events, even those that have formal judging, provide space for cars to be SHOWN. The only exception to this would be a meet that was limited in sufficient area to park ALL cars. As has been pointed out numerous times, HAVING YOUR CAR judged IS A VOLENTARY ACT. SHOWING and JUDGING are not necessarily synonymous.

The point is, that if you want to have your car observed for the purpose of getting suggestions for improvement, you may elect to SHOW it.

RGwiz, I suppose I'm roughly in the same level you are, and I can readily concur with you. As has been pointed out, anyone is welcome at a meet just to display. I've seen my share of un- or half-restored beauties in shows, and frankly, I enjoy checking them out because they truly show the proud marks of age while still going strong. I'd agree with Skipper - it's not meant to score show points, but so what? It's still great to see someone making a sincere effort at keeping it original.

Your point is a valid one. I recall an article in the Newsweek "My Turn" section sometime back where an owner of an old 50's sports car narrated how he drove it around daily unrestored, and even let people climb in or open up the hood. When more serious restorers expressed a bit of dismay at this, the writer explained that, for him, the whole reason to have an old car is to have fun with it, and further, he reasoned, why not let other people experience a bit of the same thing themselves?

Now that I have the '32 body getting into better shape, I have thought about driving her to meets and allowing people to gently feel how strong the fenders are, or climb in and sit behind the wheel. It's not ready yet to win any show awards, and heck, why not let someone younger get a chance to really feel what it's like to be behind a wheel of an old car? Maybe it might even inspire him/her to get one of thier own to restore - and isn't that one of the main reasons why we all promote this hobby?

Ed is exactly right, original cars and cars undergoing a restoration can be a big hit at car shows.......and his posting reminds me of something that I experienced years ago.

When I first purchased my '32 Special Sedan back in 1972 it was barn fresh! It had sat in a shed type of barn on a 300 acre ranch about 9 miles from my house since 1953, and the old girl was totally all original, and untouched by human hands so to speak. I was the proud second owner. Anyway, my soon to be wife and I towed the car home and checked it out. The paint was faded, the windows had green moss on them, the front floor mat was missing (it still is), the muffler was full of acorns stored there by some small critter, the radiator leaked like a sieve, several of the tires would only hold air for about a day, and basically the car looked like it had just been rescued from a barn where it had sat for many years. It was!

At that time, every year the Sears Shopping Center in Medford (about 20 miles away, and where my '32 was sold new in 1932) had a "Back To School Days" sale in the open air portion of the mall and to celebrate the occasion each year they had a big car show. So.....I got the old '32 running, removed the moss from the windows, filled the radiator with water (took several gallons of water along to fill up the radiator for the return trip home..it leaked that bad!), aired up the tires and away we went. The car was smoking all the way into town but it ran great! The '32 was parked in the middle of all of these nicely restored cars....some were show cars.........and the old barn fresh '32 was the biggest hit there! The car was mobbed by people all day long. Sure, they looked at the other cars, but......they absolutely loved the barn fresh '32 because of what it was........unrestored, freshly out of a barn, and totally all original....including the mouse nest in the front seat!

The car made several of those Sears "Back To School Days" car shows for about the next three years......and it was the same every time. It was the biggest hit at the show. The only difference was that my girl friend and I were now married. Anyway, one year, along comes this great looking blonde (single of course), and she took a fantastic interest in the old '32.......and the car was still looking barn fresh. She was delighted with the car.........so I gave her a personal tour of the '32 Chevy....under the hood, inside the car and etc. She even wanted to sit in the back seat, so I obliged....we sat in the back seat together! She and I spent an hour going over my car and she totally loved the '32, and she wanted to know everything about it.....the car's history, where it was sold new, how I found it and etc. While all of this was going on.......the other dudes that were at the show with their cars wanted her to come over and check out their restored cars as well. Nope........she loved the old "barn car" and she wasn't interesed in looking at any other car except for mine. Man....was she ever a "looker" too.........a regular "pin-up" model if you will.

The Sears "Back To School Days" car show was canceled the following year, and it never occured again. And, even today, I often wonder whatever happened to that great looking blonde?

Man.........those were the good old days!!! Ya!

Junkyard Dog, I had the exact same thing happen to me.......sorta.......it was an ugly guy, though........and he wanted to tell me EVERYTING that was wrong with the car. But he too, stayed for an hour. Or several hours - it was all kind of a blur after a while.

Wow! Lucky me! I like my story way better than yours. ha ha! And, the time really flew by when I was giving that great looking blonde a tour of my '32 Chevy. Sorry that you weren't as fortunate.

Sigh.........Skip you lucky guy you. Some guys have it, some don,t I guess.

Yep......and ya gotta be a Junkyard Dog to find out I guess! ha ha!

2 cents worth. Show your old beat up cars too. We have to find the kids of all ages and get them enthralled or there won't be a new generation of old car nuts. It's hard when I see "do not touch" signs all over the cars. I have a "please touch" that got a lot of smiles. I see more and more of these cars in museums and less and less being driven around. Kids love old cars,so let's enthuse and cherish the seed corn.

Agree, agree, agree............. show the cars whatever the state of disrepair or condition.

I let my kids and grandkids crawl in and out and in the bed of my pick-up. Some people don't understand that but it's there for fun not something to keep yelling at kids about.

When I told my kids I wanted to put a sign saying "please touch" they agreed totally.

The only problem is that out of hundreds of people who handle the privilege with care, it only takes one knucklehead to "belt buckle" your fender. So you have to walk a fine line to meet both objectives.

Hi All;

I agree with your comments, and enjoyed reading all of them.

JunkYardDog, your story was a good'in! Only you forgot to mention were your wife was while the "back seat tour" was going on...mmm.

I've seen works in progress at many shows. I realize those cars are not going to be judged.
I was thinking along the same line as the JunkYardDog, and perhaps we should have a rookie judging team (judge trainees) go over the "works in progress", for their betterment as well as ours.
I think, if enough guys (and ladies) interested in becoming judges, take part we could start this sort of class.

The idea of seeing a car before the interior was closed up, or bodywork uncovered would be a learning experience.

By the way. I found a 2000 S-10 Blazer LS 4 door, with 17,000 mi. at the local Chevy dealer and bought it. It's my first 4 door vehicle!

RGwiz: Glad that you liked my story! Where was my wife while all of this was going on? Well.......she was standing right there the whole time........smiling! Yep! I was having a great time, and she knew it, and she was glad that I was having fun, but she kept her eyes on me though! ha ha! The main thing that helped was the fact that my old barn fresh '32 Chevy was such a big attraction at the show with everyone. Otherwise, if that blonde had come along at any other time.......well, my wife might not have taken it so lightly.

I like your idea of a rookie judging team. Great idea! That way every one can learn together, including the car owner. Ya!

Since this topic has turned down a new but interesting side road, perhaps we should move it over to General Discussions.

One curiousity I have on my mind with this subject is how to conduct some of things mentioned in the most recent postings without alarming or upsetting those who have fully completed cars.

Mr. Moderator - should we keep going here, or shift over?

Good idea Ed;

Let's shift gears to General Discussions.