Topic: Local Car Show

[bill440cars]

      Yeah, we have one here every April on the last Saturday of the month. I had thoughts of putting the GTX and maybe the CBX in there. Then, the GTX really isn't show material and the weather didn't seem like it was going to cooperate. I had had a few friends tell me to do it, but I wasn't sure. So, Joey and I go to the car show at about 9:30, weren't many there yet and it was a bit rainy off and on, but was supposed to clear up and be nice, So we were walking and looking and I saw 3 or so that my GTX looked at least 150% better than them. Then, I told Joey, "Come on, we've got a show to enter!" So, we did it! I was entered in the "Unfinished Category". Even though the car didn't win anything, it WAS a pretty cool experience (I had never had anything in a show before). They were giving away things for answering trivia questions and such and then , if someone could produce a coin that was minted in 1969, they would get certificated for appetizers from a place called Logan's Road House. Well, it just so happens that the gear shift knob on the GTX has a Quarter super glued to it (in place of the shift pattern) and so, I unscrewed the shift knob and went up there. Someone else had just shown up with a 1969 coin as well but, when he and the announcer saw the quarter glued to my shift knob, the guy happily told ME to take them because my situation was so unique. Then they went and announced the winners of different drawings and gave away door prizes and all (didn't win any of those either) and then they called all of the Veterans out in as a group and had us face the American flag, played Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud To Be An American", gave us a round of applause and then got on with telling how the cars placed in the show.

         So, being recognized a veterans And with the GTX getting attention from all ages AND folks telling ME THEIR stories, along with asking about the car or telling me that they'd seen the car coming and going an being nice to see just what the car was like sitting still.    

[Don R]

I put on a car show for 27 years, the best part was handing out trophies for the cars the worst part was deciding who would get one. Every car is special to it's owner and it is very difficult to judge them against each other. I wanted to give everyone a plaque. What made it worthwhile for me is the smiles on peoples faces and kind words of someone that appreciated seeing all of them together. My car was built to suit me but it is still nice when your handiwork is appreciated. wish I could have been there.

[bill440cars]

I put on a car show for 27 years, the best part was handing out trophies for the cars the worst part was deciding who would get one. Every car is special to it's owner and it is very difficult to judge them against each other. I wanted to give everyone a plaque. What made it worthwhile for me is the smiles on peoples faces and kind words of someone that appreciated seeing all of them together. My car was built to suit me but it is still nice when your handiwork is appreciated. wish I could have been there.

    Yeah, while the GTX didn't get anything, officially, it WAS cool to see just how many of them actually looked the car over and then for a number of them to ask about the car and/or tell about cars that THEY had had and THEIR experiences. It was a VERY long time to be in one basic place and VERY tiring, but I'll do it again because it WAS cool to be OUT THERE (and it took my mind OFF of all the things I have going on in MY life and on MY mind everyday). There were some folks who came by, that I knew AND THAT was uplifting as well!    Wish YOU could have been there as well  

[Alan F.]

That sounds like a great day Bill, nice story too.
-Alan

[bill440cars]

That sounds like a great day Bill, nice story too.
-Alan

  Thanks Alan, it WAS a nice experience and I wanted to share it. I NOW know what I've  been missing. Something else I enjoyed was easing along while moving the GTX into the area to park it AND doing the same as I was leaving. I enjoy hearing the 440 loping along (alot of people don't expect THAT sound from an old car like this, they think it will be quite and not get their attention and are SURPRISED to HEAR it like that  ) AND it seems OTHERS do too.

[Don R]

around here we are doing more cruises, where you roll in, park, have a good time, look around, show off and roll on. there are two nearby that get cars in the hundreds, There have been claims of over a thousand. Monmouth Il. closes the downtown for a half mile long and blocks wide. Galesburg is getting close also.

[bill440cars]

around here we are doing more cruises, where you roll in, park, have a good time, look around, show off and roll on. there are two nearby that get cars in the hundreds, There have been claims of over a thousand. Monmouth Il. closes the downtown for a half mile long and blocks wide. Galesburg is getting close also.

  Whoa! That's Cool! There used to be Cruises here but, that has been awhile back, when all I had to cruise in, was my Grand Caravan (had a few of these since 1993 Maybe they will start back up, with some nudging?

[cb350twin]

around here we are doing more cruises, where you roll in, park, have a good time, look around, show off and roll on. there are two nearby that get cars in the hundreds, There have been claims of over a thousand. Monmouth IL. closes the downtown for a half mile long and blocks wide. Galesburg is getting close also.
/quote

Don't forget Am boy IL Depot Days that's ones a good one too. They even have bike show. But the judges are biased Harley riders and a brand new bike will place before a classic will  But it's still a pretty fun show.

I wish Quad Cities cruisers would do something with motorcycles but it would probably just a bunch of Harley's nothing classic that would show up around here.

[HondanutRider]

Around here, cruises are very popular in the summer months.  One place has become famous for their hosting separate auto and motorcycle cruise nights every week. http://www.haugensbbq.com/cruise_in.html

[HavocTurbo]

Bill-

No one has said it.... so I will.

I demand pics of the champion shift knob.

  Glad to see you're out and about in that monster!!

[bill440cars]

Bill-

No one has said it.... so I will.

I demand pics of the champion shift knob.

  Glad to see you're out and about in that monster!!

       Havoc, soon as I can get some pictures of my own, of the car made, I'll oblige. But, it's just a leather covered gearshift knob with a 1969 Quarter super glued on top of it, in place of the shift pattern. Now, THAT is screwed onto the shift lever of the original Hurst Shifter that came with the car.