I agree - It has always struck me as funny, that we can pay $5.00 a day for cigarettes, or $7.00 a day for beer, or whatever vices we might have, (should you have any), pay $3.00+ a gallon for gas, when the company makes 40 billion profit a quarter, pay $200 for a piece of windshield trim (or dome light, or whatever the ONE thing is you need to finish your truck), yet, feel you are being ripped off to pay $25 or $50 to go to an all-day event, wander around, and take all the pictures you want, as well as eye the trucks and girls.

Then there are those that say "I'll NEVER pay that much for parts". But, they've been working on their truck for 15-20 years, and it doesn't look much different than when they got it. And when you say "this hobby costs money, period!" they argue with you until the sun goes down and the cows come home, that it doesn't.

It's a HOBBY, folks!!! And, like ANY hobby, it costs money. Period!! Compare it to a day of golf, a day of bowling, heck, even a day of fishing on a National Park lake. Or a day of skiing in Aspen.

If you don't like the charges to put your truck in the show, don't put your truck in the show. If you don't like the amount they charge, to get in, don't go to the show at all. I personally don't bitch for one moment, at the money I put into my hobbies. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't be doing it! If it costs $XX amount of dollars for something, I either have the money for it, or don't. If I do, I get it. If I don't, I don't get it, until I do. I'm not wealthy by any means, but my hobbies don't take any food out of my familiy's mouths. And, there's ALWAYS something I can be doing, when I don't have "new" parts to put on. I get something done every single day on the truck, no matter how small, unless I'm just plain out of town, or something like that. Then, of course, I'm looking through the fields for trucks, so i guess that's SOMEthing getting done...

I'm not in the hobby, to show everybody MY truck. It will NEVER be concours, although I have had several cars in that condition, and did the "show" gigs. Now, it seems more a "Look at the car I spent $XXX,XXX to BUY", instead of "I spent X amount of time, building this myself!!". You folks here would appreciate my truck, just as I would appreciate yours. But, the general public won't, unless it's perfect, and has dollar signs all over it, and came in an enclosed box trailer!

I'll hop off the soap-box, but it just seems to me it's alot of whining. When all hobbies are free, everyone will have a hobby...

Back to your regularly scheduled programming...

 

AMEN!!! Once was enough!! The people were rude(staff) and the show was poorly run. It was THE MOST over rated show I've ever been to!!! I do alot of local shows for around $25 entry fees, but most of them are fund raisers for something that I believe in.

 

I might have missed something from the original post. I would pay $25 if it was an all day show, especially if for a fundraiser. I wouldn't want to pay $25 for something that is a few hours like some shows around here are. I like when the shows are fundraisers. I even paid $25 or so to go to a motorcycle charity for kids even though I don't have a bike, but my friends did and they rode and still wanted me to come and I got to follow them all home to make sure everyone made it. That was an all day thing, well worth the money. I would rather pay $25 than $60 for a show though, unless it was a whole weekend thing, like Carlisle or some show like that. I wish there were some more good shows locally here.

 

[EDIT] Ooops, thought that was Terry's post...Same reason, different name[END EDIT]

Were they Harley's?? If so, they REALLY wanted you and your truck along, to pick up the pieces as they fell off.......



R

 

Our local car club puts on a show every year and charges a modest entry fee($15-$20) per vehicle. The income from the show supports the clubs local charities and scholarships. We try to have a number of door prizes and dash plaques etc for entrants plus a large number of trophies. It takes a huge amount of work(donated by members) to put the show on and you run the risk of having put out all the expense and then have bad weather bust the show. $10-$30 for an entry fee is reasonable for a good local show and the opportunity to show your vehicle and see all the other folk's stuff. I have never had a real "show quality" vehicle, but still enjoy having the opportunity to visit with spectators about what I have done and the history of my car or truck.

 

HAHA that's funny and yes they were harleys. No one has had much trouble with them though.

 

You pay to enter because they are paying to use the ground, pay to have people work the show, etc..

Not to sound conceited or anything, but how many of you guys have actually put on a show?

Its kind of expensive, and a lot of work. We count on admission fees(if charged) and entrance fees for the participants to cover our costs. We also use a lot of money raised to fund community events, help charities out, and are trying to start scholarships for up and comming enthusiats like myself. Honestly if you don't like paying to participate, don't do it, don't worry about it..no offense.

 

cmon now there fifty fourd we are expressing our views and not intending to ruffle peoples feathers . i think if you read most of us agree a good show yes , we will pay gladly , but a small local show or poorly run one no . i beleive that was the general concensus . yes roger our hobby is expensive and some give up a lot to participate in it and therefore they might consider the 25 a little steep due to what they have given up or done without to be a part of it . i personally think 25 is a lot of money still and i am a notorious tight a-- but have become a little more relaxed about the money . i would not want to run or help run a show as i can be very short and cranky with people when they are being " rude " or if they are plastered . i'd probably end up on someones hit list !!!!!!!!!!!

 

I would like to list a couple of other things that I find annoying at car shows other than the entrance fees. These are irritants for me at events other than cars.

First, I find it somewhat rude that as soon as the awards are handed out all you hear are the cars kicking up gravel and squealing tires getting out of the show grounds. Vendors at swap meets that are suppose to run Saturday and end Sunday at 5:00pm. If you can't get there Saturday your SOL, most of the vendors will be gone by 10:00am. This rudeness carries over to other events like home improvement shows.

Second, no matter how what condition our vehicles are in we all still put a lot of work into them. I think most of us don't build concourse vehicle, we build the nicest vehicle our skills and budget can handle. I really like to the knuckle heads that come along with a buddy and pick apart your truck. "this truck shouldn't have this part, the original had this." It's OK to discuss this but do it out of ear shot of the guy who busted his butt getting what was probably a rusty piece of junk back on the road. I have seen this happen numerous times, it's just plain rude. I just consider this type of jerk an eunuch, he knows how it's done, he's seen it done but he just can't do himself. A person who has done this kind of work really knows how much work is involved and I don't think would be so rude.

Third, no matter how amateur the work no one wants people crawling all over their vehicle. I've had people pick their kicks up and put them in the box of my truck for them to run around in. If I'm nearby it comes to an abrupt end very quickly. My truck is by no means a concourse truck but the very least is ask if you want your kids to stand on the running boards to look inside the truck. Heck, if you want them to sit on the seat just ask.

The last point I want to mention is there have been a few mentions of charging admission to the spectators to come to the show. I have always thought it was unfair to charge the exhibitors to display the main drawing point of an exhibit and charge the spectators little or no admission but if you think about it the exhibitors, us, have more reasons to pay than the spectators. We like to show our trucks, it builds our egos to have people come by and fawn over our trucks and to ask about them. We get to talk to others with the same interests. What does the spectator get out of the experience? Sure they get to look at pretty cars and trucks but they can get the same type of thrill out of a thousand different events. If you start to charge a fee, or equal fees as exhibitors, to look no one is going come. They'll find some other place to go. It's all supply and demand. I think most of the posters have it absolutely correct, if you don't want to pay don't play. If I don't want to pay $25 for a show I won't go.

 

One gripe I have is that when I enter the local show I have to enter in the "2 wheel drive stock truck Class up to 2007." They said in order to enter the Antique Truck class I had to have Antiques plates. Doesn't seem right but again I did not enter to win just to show.

 

i wont and dont attend shows where i have to pay to get in as a spectator ! bob i agree 100% with your "complaints" . especially the butt munches who talk trash !!!

 

Frog Follies Evansville IN. 3 day 4000 cars and truck ,swap meet .just $15.00 for all days...
www.frogfollies.org/
http://www.frogfollies.org/photos/2007/index.htm pictures nice ford coe coke truck

 

Hmmm, I agree. You might talk to them, I would think the correct standard would be ELIGIBLE for Antique Plates. Here in Indiana, with Historic Plates, I believe you aren't allowed to drive except in parades and stuff. Maybe I'm wrong, but that would defeat the purpose, in my book...

R

 

I can get antique plates, but I don't want to. In PA there are restrictions on when you can drive it, how many miles and so on. I just think it is funny to have my truck sitting next to a 2007 new truck and a 1998 Chevy truck. I go tmore looks and comments than the new trucks did.

 

Amen to that! So, the plates are similar to Indiana. I looked into it, but decided to not go that route, I want to drive it! I heard from the local car club, that now we can have the original year plates on our vehicles, as "vanity plates". I have one, but it's a car, have to find out if that's passable, until I can get the truck plates. Hen's teeth, though, as they used the same plate in '51-'53, due to the Korean War, with just metal tags for '52 and '53. So, 1/3 less plates made, 3 times as many looking for them. Not to mention, a LOT of '53's being restored, and looking for the '51 plate with '53 tag. Found a pair, mint, guy wanted $225 for them! Whew!!

R