Checking in from Louisville

[348tripower]

Thursday morning and all is well. Weather is for a shower about 9 am then cooling off a bit. 102 degrees yesterday! 92 today. See ya all at the meet and greet on friday.
Don

[lofat46]

Just for curiosity's sake lets us know how the 30-year rule is impacting attendance.

[Carnut]

Humm, there appears to be another 'type' of car show going on in Louisville this weekend out side of the fairgrounds.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=CARZONE&template=fullpage

Sure hope whatever that 'Art Car' group is up to won't cause any problems with the Street Rod types if something happens outside the fairgrounds and gets blamed on those danged 'Street Rodders'.

[58Apache]

Hi Don,
          It was nice seeing you today from my car. Will have to make a point of coming over to visit tomorrow or Saturday.

I too would like to hear an unbiased assessment. I have my opinion but I'm not exactly unbiased.

My personal opinion was very few cars that I would whip a "You ain't right!" out on them. I seen a lot of awesome cars come through the gate today. From awesome 59 Impalas of every variety, tons of awesome tri-fives, some unusual iron you rarely see, but most were very pleasant to watch.

Last year and previous years I seen a lot of cars come through that in MY opinion weren't "Street Rods".

[enjenjo]

Well, I am back home. We left here at 4 am friday morning, got to Louisville about 10 am. By the time we were registered, checked in at the motel, and got the car unloaded, it was 1130 before we got to the show. Don had a spot saved for me, and I needed it, it was pretty full on the east side.

I took a young fellow and his girlfriend with me, first show of this type they have ever attended. He has a 67 Camaro he has owned for about 10 years, primarily he drag races it. The show impressed him enough, he wants to join the NSRA, and he is making plans for a more streetable gear.

I talked to a bunch of people I know, 58 Apache, who had his 69 Chevelle out for the first time. It is his first build, mostly done by him, and very impressive. I saw the car when he started, it's hard to believe it's the same car. Also Papa'stoys, ChevyGirlRox, 348tripower, Faatrod, Race, Steve, who's handle I don't remember, and several HAMBERs I know. NitroFC left a card in the car, but I did not see him.

I think the car count was probably up this year, at least the parking looked more crowded than it has in the past. I did not hear any car count, so I can't say for sure. Both the east and west parking was pretty full. I know the swap meet was bigger than it has been in the past, and the prices were pretty good this year.

I am glad I hauled the Marlin down on the trailer, even with the hassle of loading and unloading. The brake booster took a dump friday night, I still had brakes, but it took both feet to do it. I would have hated to drive 300 miles home like that. Put a car together, and 20 years later you have problems, nothing is built to last any more.

[348tripower]

Here is my take on the show. Just over 10000 cars. I think the lower number is mainly driven by the economy.
Steve, I too saw a lot of very nice cars. I lost a lower a arm bolt and during the repair I was parked next to a very nice young man with a nice Camaro. I will welcome these guys with open arms.
The guy with the 1970s Winnebago needed to go!   A bit too much strutting stuff with the open headered muscle cars, but you can tell the ones with the Attitude. There was some junk here, but it was like that before the change too.
I also think that this show will clean itself up without anybodys help.
So ,will I return? H#$l yes. I have made some great friends over the years.  Steve, Frank, Bob, Ken, Pappastoys who finds me every year. We met a group from OZ 2 years ago, They were back and we had a ball. After all, it's not all about the cars.
Sunday at 7:09 am and all is well. Sun is coming up. Low 90's today. We will be off to the show for two to three hours today and the head 7hrs home.
See ya all later,
your roving reporter Don

[papastoyss]

Left Louisville at dark 30 to take in a small swap in Nashville Tn. What a waste. Can't believe I pd 5$ to see that small pile of junk. Official registration was 10,180 something.Down about 1,000 from last year. Nats had a nice selection of cars, the muscle car folks w/ the 3" turn down header mufflers need to show a little concern for others, got a lot of gravel dust blown on my car.I enjoyed the meet&greet ,had a nice talk with "* Joe". I could have posted this under "Close but no cigar". At the giveaway the 3rd # called was 1708. I was 1709. By the time 170 was called I had my hat in hand &was gonna make sure they knew where this fat boy was sitting. Oh well, I didn't have a way to get the car home anyway.As close as I'll ever get.

[reborn55]

Got home yesterday around 8 p.m. Didn't do as much walking or visisting as in years past.  Don't know why---probably cause wife wasn't up to walking too much after her surgery.  Net up with 348tripower,Papastoyss.Enjenjo and Steve on Friday, for a short time--great guys. Learned some interesting stuff. Pretty good show all in all.  Guess I will go back next year.  later

[58Apache]

nice meeting with you guys again! It was great being able to bring my car in to this show.

I know it upset a lot of guys having newer cars come in, but there was some awesome cars from the 50's and early 60's as well as some cool muscle cars. Seen a black convertible GTO ...WOW!  The black 57 convertible ...the holly grail...I wasn't sure if I should have bowed in front of it? Some awesome 59's and 1960 Impalas! ...and the list goes on!

If the object was to bring more younger people into the show, it worked! I seen younger people of all ages. I am glad they came and it's an opportunity to introduce them to the world of rodding.

My daughter brought my grandson, who was born in February, so he has had his introduction and he seemed pretty happy to be there

Yeah there might be a few growing pains but the good far outweighed the bad in my opinion.

I already paid and registered for next year

[57larry]

I was there Wed thru Sunday, didn't make the meet & greets. Swap meet seems a lot smaller, but bought a few things for the projects

[Carps]

Interesting views, sounds pretty much as I expected it would be.

Can't wait for next year, just booked the vacation time and travel.

Appreciate if all the folks who made it this year can keep the candid comments flowing.

[n.c.rodder]

I only had one complaint while working the NSRA Booth about the late models. Asking around with a few of the other Reps, most said there was very little complaining....way more compliments.

Sure there was some "JUNK" running around. Like the for mentioned Winnebago or the mid 70's cab over International Dump Truck or even the rusted out mudded Jeep Cherokee. But in the long run these people only embarressed themselves. We'll look back years from now and say........remember that year the idiot was running around with the******.

Personally I had a great time & really enjoyed the event. Some of this late model stuff is cool

In the end - Car guys are car Guys!! and after this many years with many of us, its as much about the people as it is about the cars!

Mike

[slocrow]

Well said................