Damn am I glad I don't go to shows or even understand that the weird baby doll means.
Damn am I glad I don't go to shows or even understand that the weird baby doll means.
TheRX7Project said:So if any one of you reading this are in charge of hosting car shows, let it be known that if you want to appeal to the younger crowds (which you do unless you want to die out), get rid of the 1960s music. I'm not saying you gotta play Snoop Dogg or Ariana Grande but for the love of God, at least update to 1970s or 1980s music. Otherwise we'll just keep avoiding your shows, and as the old codgers with the restored tri-five Chevies die off, so will your attendance.
The youth go to Cars & Coffee events with no music but a wider variety of cars. I wish more of the '30s to '50s cars would show up at those, so we didn't have just the common stream of late model Corvettes and Mustangs and Challengers to see, but it is what it is. The reason the '50s car shows stick with the do-wop music and theme is because there are already shows for late models, shows for rockabilly cars, shows for sports cars, shows for lowriders, shows for trucks, shows for restored cars, etc. Let them have it so THAT doesn't die out. It isn't about keeping a particular show going but keeping a genre alive. It'll be a sad day when that genre is forgotten by car fans.
There is some movement in the Americana show experience - witness the autocrosses that some do. But in general I agree with Chris. To each their own, and we all lose if a genre dies away. I really appreciate diversity. Cars are more interesting when shown in contrast. A row of very similar vehicles only appeals to the hard core.
I'm a to each their own type of guy. I have asked a few folks what the deal is with the doll and every guy gave the same answer....their wife liked it.
AClockworkGarage said:Took my autocross car out to another local car show. Had a great time and saw a lot of really cool cars.
I also saw this:
What is this? Why? I've seen it before and it's always creepy.
It just needs to stop...
I guess I'll have to redo the birch splitter on my Miata. Remove the black paint and varnish it up ,all purdy like. There's a car show in Gainesville in late October. A varnished splitter will go over big time, now to find a doll........
If you must bribe your wife to go to a car show with a stuffed doll, you married the wrong woman.
The whole car scene/drive-in show is just kind of a joke to me anymore.
I put one of my cars in one show and because it didn't have a crybaby kid on the bumper, or $85 worth of Spectre chrome decorations under the hood (which, incidentally, buys their entire product line), no one cared.
They're too busy being impressed with "ahooga" horns on a 69 chevy pickup with 1-7/8" exhaust and Thrush glasspacks, or the chrome skull shifter on the T-bucket (which is neither a Ford, nor a model T). I am currently awaiting the inevitable death of Max and Dot and all of their squirrel-tails on antennas, their garfield stuck in the trunk, and then maybe car shows will actually be about cars, and not how many baubles can be bolted onto an otherwise perfectly reet 51 Merc.
On the other side of the coin, what will be the Millennial generation's equivalent of cry-baby dolls, poodle skirts, doo-wop, and giant stuffed animal co-drivers?
I, for one, look forward to the 2057 10th annual local 80s/90s Classic car show. Complete with trap music, stanced out 240sx's, Miatas with keychain stuffed animals hanging from the tow hook, and the STi owners vaping under the shade of their flat-brimmed hats.
Wow, why the irrational hatred for cry baby dolls. They do nothing for me, I'd like to know the origin, but I don't hate them. Hatting on something seems like a whole lot of wasted effort.
I can possibly understand 'hatting' on Stance, VIP cars, street racing etc. Those are popular 'car culture' fads that negatively impact car culture for the rest of us, but why the berkley do people car what people put by/against/ their cars at a show?
Shrug.
I don't mind the poodle skirts, raccoon tail antennas, and do-wop music at the American car shows. What annoys me is the guy SELLING the do-wop music CD's at these shows. It's always a guy in a small trailer stand who insists on keeping the volume at eleven through the entire show. That's the guy who gets on my nerves......not the folks on the lawn playing Jan and Dean. Same goes for the "stance" shows. I don't need blaring music to enjoy a car show, be it do-wop, or hip-hop.
The Turkey Rod Run here in Daytona holds most of the stereotypes found in this thread. It's still a great show, and a fantastic swap meet, but we do make fun of the "official uniform" guys. i.e.---- Hawaiian shirt with cars on it, big straw hat, at least 100 lbs overweight, driving a "rascal" around, not because they are disabled, but rather because they are lazy. They stop..... get out of the rascal, look at something, walk back to the rascal and putter away......
What is Hatting?
I hate them because I thought I knocked over a real live 2 year old and stepped on them. That's a shock I don't want at a car show.
What's a "rascal"?
In reply to DeadSkunk :
Mobility scooter?
Why must we have a reason to dislike something? Can't we simply dislike something and leave it at that?
Is there no room for dislike in our tolerant society? 
Appleseed said:I knocked one over at a show about 10 years ago. Thought I hit somebody's kid. When I found out what it was, I wanted to find the "owner" and light it on fire in front of him.
Seriously.
Another car magazine called out for this trend to end about 15-20 years back. These things are cringe-worthy and just plain weird. They are faceless, creepy children dolls dressed up like real toddlers. Why someone hasn't made a horror movie about these things coming to life and going on a killing spree is beyond me; it's a layup!
Also, on the doo-wop crowd: as the younger generations are trickling into the "antique car" scene, you will see this change in the near future. Goodguys just gave the green light to let cars up to 1987 participate in most of their events. Prior to this, only cars built from 1970-back could participate in their shows. You WILL see a time where the ubiquitous 1969 Camaro will be supplanted by the IROC 350, the 1977-81 Trans Am, and Fox Mustangs, and Whitesnake will emanate from fairground speakers instead of Dion. Personally, I can't wait.
Up here in Redmond, in the land of the software millionaires (and sometimes billionaires), there is a weekly exotic car show. It is kind of like a giant cars and coffee but where basically anything worth <$150k is turned away. Hard to explain exactly, but mostly late model, and for example, a 911 GT3 would get in but a "plain" 997 would probably get turned away.
Anyhow, one weekend there was this older couple who somehow charmed their way in with their chromed out tri-5 Chevy. They had set up their regular little display with the fake tray of food on the window, airbrushed sign, a portable post with drive-in movie speakers on it, etc. They stuck out like sore thumbs from all the other Gucci-wearing FerrarPorschLambo owners and it was great. I made a point of telling them that I liked their car.
But it's a BIG BLOCK!!!
Seriously, went to my last car show in 1994. The whole baby boomer Jan & Dean (or is it Dan & Jean) set just creeped me the berkeley out.
cars n coffee is different. Like the last one I went to in the Woodlands north of Houston. Huge variety, knowledgeable and friendly folks, no music, wild Mustang antics at the end. Check one out.
In reply to SEADave :
Houston area CnC doesn't turn anybody away. And I bet their exotics are on par with the Redmond exotics if that's your thing.
I thought it fascinating that one of the cars getting a disproportionate share of attention was a '74 Torino replete with Cragar S/S wheels that looked as if it had been pulled right out of 1980. I love those shows.
I'm gonna make one of these fake babies and bring it to the challenge.
In reply to Robbie :
Bonus points for conours?
Here is the answer. The creepiest display gets the trebuchet treatment:
In reply to Robbie :
Double bonus points if it resembles a youthful j.g.
I get nothing out of the dolls. Don't particularly care. The thing that will make me avoid a car show is the stereo douchbags trying to crack my ribs with their sub woofers. If you want to have a bit of music, fine. Don't make it hurt.
I'm gonna tape a picture of Johnny Depp to the grill of my Falcon next time I take it out. 
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