I do not understand car shows...

[72 OJ]

Please post pictures of your Lime( Nissan/Datsun/Dealer Resto) Z,,,,,,please,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,BTW ,I was very lucky to get the attention from the judging panels on those events , it might have been a factor that my current Z was not shown at those venues before.

Edited October 23, 2012 by 72 OJ

[EuroDat]

I quit entering car shows. It worked for me.

But, I feel your pain. Arbitrary. The only 'class' I ever care about is People's Choice...

Im with conedodger. Stop doing that to yourself and go cruising with your friends, more enjoyment with poeple that understand what effort you put into your car to get where it is.

PS. OJ, your so entertaining. You get first prize for enthusiasmLOL

Cheers

Edited October 23, 2012 by EuroDat

[26th-Z]

" Please post pictures of your Lime( Nissan/Datsun/Dealer Resto) Z "

Best looking Vintage Z of all of them and the ONLY picture of someone else's Z I have framed and hanging on the wall. Superb car. This car is on the cover of my Vintage Z research essay.

[Diseazd]

I have a very nice 72 240Z (Lime) one of the 37 that was part of the Z Vintage Program from back in the mid to late 90's. Since owning it (4 years now) I have redone much of the engine bay area and cleaned up some of the small stress cracks in the paint. It is truely a "show car".....not a trailer queen as it does get driven. When I first started doing the show scene with it 4 years ago I couldn't understand why I didn't get 1st place in the Import/Foreign Class every time. When I didn't I would come home all pissed off about it. Finally, my wife had enough......"did you buy this car to win trophies or because you love Z's?" needless to say I was embarrased....she was right.....WTF was I thinking?? Anyway, I go to shows now to enjoy all the folks who like to talk to you about "their" Z and how much fun they had with it when they owned one. Not all judges are going to like our cars and I have accepted that. The ONE thing that I do take very seriously are the Z convention shows and the quest for a gold medallion. You are not being judged against anyone....it's your car vs. 300 points (actually 290 or better). I have been lucky enough to participate in the Z convention's from 2010 and 2011....and in 2013 it's close by in NH. Local car shows are a chance to relax and talk about the cars that we all truely love....trophy or no trophy!!

Trophy or no trophy my butt.....you win first place at ZCON two years in a row.......no wonder you don't worry about it Mader.....and with legs like yours, you need a nice car to get a girl like Sue! Just remember.....in Savanah, I finished 2nd and you finished next to last!

[hls30.com]

One of the awards I am going to add is the DIM (Did It Myself) award for interior/exterior/engine for each car with proof the owner did much if not all of the work in at least that one area. Racing has gotten to the point the deepest pockets usually win, and to a great extent car shows too-I think the guy who does his own work should be recognized as well as the guy who can clear a bigger check. I know how hard it is to get the things on my own cars just the way I want them-and I recognize that effort in others.

My belief is A passionate person spends Money and serious time on what they are actually passionate about.

Chatting with a shop about details and signing a check means you know what you want, not necessarily that you are particularly passionate about it-the same way paying to have the yard taken care of, the house painted, or the daily driver washed. A person who loves cars is different from a person who wants to look like he loves cars. As I said on a thread long ago, a true car guy gets stuff on his hands that has to wear off because he is more passionate about doing something to the car than keeping his hands clean. That "While I am at it" gets more dirt on Car Guys and their clothes...That is not to say there aren't many levels between a car guy and a wanna be or plenty of room for both.

I have been amazed by an intake cast by Mr. Cunningham, and several other things in the archives in a good many Z forums-The cars they were made for may, or may not be, show ready, but those owners did what they did for the love of their car. That passion for a Z is what this hobby is all about. Ask Carl Beck about restoring his Rally Z. You will see the smile and the tribulations of that adventure cross his face in sharing it with you. That passion is what the Z hobby is all about. That passion in all cars is what I want celebrated in the car show I will be hosting.

Edited October 23, 2012 by hls30.com

[Marty Rogan]

I am with conedodger. I quit entering car shows. Oh, my car won plenty of awards and even a couple of Best in Shows. It is very stock (maybe 3-4 not totally stock parts on it) and nicely detailed engine bay. The last show I entered, first place was given to a two-tone brown 240Z, with tons of aftermarket parts, and the engine bay that looked like a circus. The fuel rail and the manifold and various other parts were painted blue and red (and I am not talking about aeroquip hoses either). It was then that I realized that these local shows were very political. They vote for their buddies more than for a deserving car. Two people who were attending said that I had the nicest car there and were stunned to learn that I didn't even place in the show.

That's when I decided all of the money and time and fretting over every paint chip just was not worth it to get a plastic trophy. I started putting on more and more improvements like electronic ignition, grippy steering wheel, etc. and I enjoy driving the car a whole lot more. Anytime there is a choice between going to the race track or a car show, the track wins every time, hands down.

Zeddy, you already have the right answer. Modify your car the way that makes you happy and drive the hell out of it at the Texas Rally!! And if you want to go to a car show for some good car conversation, go for it, but don't bother paying an entry fee.

Well that my 2 cents worth anyway.

Marty

[John Coffey]

If you want objectivity, go to a race track. If you want subjectivity, go to a car show (or a drifting event).

[Zedyone_kenobi]

I think this thread is so full of great advice not even sure who I should thank first.

But the joy of going to car shows for me is getting to talk to others 'who have not seen one of these things in forever'

And the fact that I was almost losing my voice at the end of the day talking to people and thanking them for their complements was just the best way to spend a sunny Saturday Afternoon.

The most memorable part about the whole Car Show for me?

When a 16 year old kid came up to me and started a conversation with me..."hey, do you know where Datsun started? It started when the Son of Mr. Nissan wanted to start a car company so he could build the Z, and his dad made Datsun for him..."

I looked at him and smiled and this was my reply, "It is great you are so into automotive history, keep it up!!! But I maaaaaaay have heard a slightly different version of that story.."LOL

[Stanley]

As a spectator (this might sound selfish) to me it's all for the spectators. Sure participants feel different, but I just want to see the cars. Don't give a damn who wins what, just want to see something cool, or different, or classic. Maybe a shocker, like that 510 with the big rotary engine, or something I've never seen before like a Z432 or a nissan Cherry. And of course the Z's. Always pick up a few ideas for the engine bay or something.The only real gripe I've ever had about a carshow is the price of sandwiches

[rubrbulits]

Since my 71Z is almost done I thought I would enter it in a local car show in Moline, IL. There were over 400 cars entered. A friend told me this was a car club show, and if I wasn't a member don't expect any awards. Since this was my first car show ever i didn't have any high expectations. In the end over 40 awards were handed out. I noticed that there really wasn't any category for foriegn cars anyway. However, as my wife and I sat by our Z car that day, I noticed something kinda funny. Although we were surrounded by old hotrods, 67 Camaros, Mustangs, 57 Chevys, ect..ect...Almost every person that walked past our car would stop and talk to me about it. I even noticed the people on either side of me were acting a little jealous that I was getting so much attention. In fact I found it difficult to get away at times. I think since I'm here in the Mid-west, you just don't see these cars around here. Even with over 400 cars, I had seen everything in the hour or so. It turned out to be a really long day waiting for the awards to be announced. My wife and I agree that we will simply enjoy this car on our own terms, and maybe pop into a car show once in a while if we have nothing better to do that day.

[conedodger]

I think this thread is so full of great advice not even sure who I should thank first.

But the joy of going to car shows for me is getting to talk to others 'who have not seen one of these things in forever'

And the fact that I was almost losing my voice at the end of the day talking to people and thanking them for their complements was just the best way to spend a sunny Saturday Afternoon.

The most memorable part about the whole Car Show for me?

When a 16 year old kid came up to me and started a conversation with me..."hey, do you know where Datsun started? It started when the Son of Mr. Nissan wanted to start a car company so he could build the Z, and his dad made Datsun for him..."

I looked at him and smiled and this was my reply, "It is great you are so into automotive history, keep it up!!! But I maaaaaaay have heard a slightly different version of that story.."LOL

Oh I still go... I love to chat it up with the gang and see the cars. Heck, I live in Reno. Hot August Nights is NOT to be missed. Single marque events are better and I do enter the Porsche Club events. In fact, I have never failed to take home something from those. In fact, once I beat a gal who cried and said she put 14 hours into cleaning her car and I won because I had raced my car that year. Well, first of all, why enter Competition and Special Interest if you haven't competed? But, I handed her the trophy and told her 'you take this, it obviously means more to you than me.'

[Arne]

Drive more, show less. That's how I look at this these days. I don't own my cars to impress other people, they are intended to impress me. They do that by providing driving pleasure. End of story. I'd rather go on a 300 mile backroad cruise than attend a car show.