Just got back from a cruise nite - STEAMING MAD!

[TR Custom Parts]

When are these stuck in the 50's guys going to realize that our cars are nice too and popular with the people attending cruise nites. The DQ about 1/2 mile from my house just started having cruises and I went last week with no problem. So, after cutting the lawn I decided to go fill up with some Sunoco 93 to get ready for my trip up to the NEBRA Buick BBQ in Mass on Saturday and drop by the cruise.

Drove thru the parking lot and there was one spot left open and one of the guys running the show guided me into it. Even spoke with me for a while about the car and a good amount of people came over to look at it.

Walked around looking at the cars and didn't see any of my friends around so was thinking about taking off. Overhear one of the other guys running the show bitching that people were complaining about my GN being a new car and it shouldn't be in the show. Unloaded on the guy and asked him why it was OK for me to be there last week but not this week?? His answer was that "We just aren't into musclecars KID". I told him that he didn't know what the fudge he was talking about and I am no kid and was probably older than him. (I am 50 btw). Soooo, opened up the ol electric dump so everyone knew I was coming thru and took off.

I just don't understand the cutoff mentality of some of these cruises, glad my son wasn't with me as I sort of lost my temper. Oh well, have orders to work on anyway. Rant over.

 

[UNGN]

A 20 year old car is a "new" car?

What were they driving Hudsons and Edsels?

 

[darkred87T]

My brother and I both have 87 TB's and we almost always get a hard time at the local cruise when we show up with them. However, there are plenty of later model cars there. I guess you just have to know the people running it if you want to get a spot.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Let's see, had a Nash Metro parked on one side and a 65 El Camino on the other. Majority of the cars were 60's and 70's stuff and they were mostly all musclecars. It was sort of nice being called "Kid" though, thought that was pretty funny. A newer Saleen Mustang with the weirdest exhaust and I both got on it going by the main street in front of the cruise.

Was going to call the DQ and complain to them that my family couldn't get a parking spot in their lot because of all the old junk cars parked there. :biggrin: :biggrin:

That's two cruises I got kicked out of this year because of my new car. :smile:

Went to one other this season that has an 84 cutoff date so when I pulled up I told them that is what it was and they welcomed me with open arms.

 

[Brer Rabbit]

Lol

:biggrin:

A 20 year old car is a "new" car?

What were they driving Hudsons and Edsels?

That comment made me laugh. Yeah that was clearly an uneducated comment at the show, I have only had my car at one event and that was the Iowa event(Quad Cities Cruz) and when we showed up (20 or so cars) we were treated very well, recognized by the organizer over the PA system and they put us right in the middle of he show so we drove right by everyone. It was really badass. I hope what happened to U is not the common thing. One more thing...I thought this post was going to be about a bad experience on a cruise ship at first! DOH!

 

[PaCemkr86]

wow, thats strange.. Did the others even know what a GN was?
Did you open the hood?

 

[wagon]

Hey Mark,
I know of a place that only Turbo Buick powered or Buicks are allowed. See you Saturday.

 

[RobsIron]

When I was younger and street raced there was always arguements, sh!t talk and even fights. Just part of competition.

Now its complaining at car shows. Cars are meant for fun, but there's always someone with a problem.
I've been avoiding car shows..especially club run ones.

Too much Drama. I think I miss the fights.

 

[GSX-PKV]

I also have a GSX and 15 years ago took it to a Buick Club of America show and they pretty much ignored it. The old guys never even took a glance at the GSX. I never renewed my membership to BCA because of that and will always think of that club as the old fart club - (even though I'm closing in on the old fart age group myself .

On the other hand... we moved to a new home in a new area last fall. I found a really nice cruise night spot where 200 cars show up weekly and when I bring my T-Type there (which has a lot of your cool parts on it Mark)... it draws more interest that when I bring my GSX there.

I admire and appreciate all kinds of neat cars. Paul

 

[ES1]

Same thing happened to me this year.
Drove the car 40 miles to a cruise and was told my car was not old enough but it was OK to show a newer Vette.

 

[1 RARE T]

If you really want to feel like you're being pissed on, try driving a white "T" with Weld Draglites.

All the looks I get, might as well be driving a Yugo.

 

[WLDWST]

If you really want to feel like you're being pissed on, try driving a white "T" with Weld Draglites.

All the looks I get, might as well be driving a Yugo.

Never truer words spoken. I get zero attention at the local cruise scene. The very few really know and appreciate these cars. The odd informed onlooker will venture over to take a look. It's even worse ( or better depends on how you like it) now that I have the stock looking rims on her.

 

[loki993]

dont know how it is here, in florida, as i do not have a TR yet, but there are a few cruises in the "area" that have cut offs around 74 i believe. I always figured when i got my car i would go up and they would realize what it was and be ok, dont know. I also do not understand the cutoff mentality either. especially not with the old musclecar prices going through the roof, youre average guy on a budget has to be looking at "newer" stuff. I truly believe in the next 5-10 years g bodies will get huge. car shows are about varaity for me, i like to see everything, from old model ts all the way to c6 vettes and everything in between. there are some sweet 3rd and 4th gens camaros out there also.

 

[RobsIron]

Year cut offs is to probably keep newer Ricer stuff away.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

The thing that pissed me off is I drove right by the entrance to the cruise and no one said a word. One of their guys even helped park the car. When I opened the hood I had a big crowd around the car.

I can understand the ricer thing but all that would take is a no imports notice but I myself don't mind looking at those if they are done right. Any high performance car is of interest to me as well as antiques.

This is pretty much the standard here in CT, most shows do have a cutoff date. Funniest one is a a nearby university that has a 72 cutoff date. They have a HUGE parking lot AND the show is for charity. Why would you turn away "newer" cars that would generate more donations to their cause.

Will be good going to a Buick event on Sat! :biggrin:

 

[UNGN]

The '72 cutoff made sense 10 years ago. It makes zero sense today. 10 years from now they will result in just a bunch of old rich guys telling everybody how fast their cars are (though they have never raced their cars and even the ricers they hate are faster).

They are cutting their own throats.

If a charity car show falls into this trap, they need to find a new organizer, because their current one is an idiot.

 

[phillyturbosix]

When a show or cruise night person tells me something like that crap Mark I just say... shame is'nt it.. My GN is damn near 20 years old.. 2 cylinders less then any car in this lot.. and it can kick the sh!t out of any car in this lot as well! Never do they have a response to that! Actually one guy pointed to a 72 Gutless 442 I looked at him and said.. please.. Allot of these shows and cruises try to keep the "ricer" crowd out and I appericate that. What they do around here is advertize it as "american rear wheel drive only or classic import" and that seems to let the kids know they are not welcome.

1 rare t: Another good one.. Roll into a cruise with a TTA. You get the same reaction just about.

 

[phillyturbosix]

The '72 cutoff made sense 10 years ago. It makes zero sense today. 10 years from now they will result in just a bunch of old rich guys telling everybody how fast their cars are (though they have never raced their cars and even the ricers they hate are faster).

They are cutting their own throats.

If a charity car show falls into this trap, they need to find a new organizer, because their current one is an idiot.

You hit the nail on the head.. I could not agree with you more. They need to adjust the numbers with these shows. I landed in a class with some ricers at a recent show with my TTA because they just bundled up 89 and newer FI!! So I saw a special intrest class and jumped in that. I don't know what was worse. Being parked next to the Ghostbusters car or being next to some rice bucket that's jumping up and down on the street.

 

[batmansbuick]

Wow, surprised this is still happening. In the early to mid 90's my GN always was considered too 'new' at the shows, cruises, etc. You would think that with the climbing values, auction results, magazine articles and television shows covering Turbo Buicks that there would be more respect. I've noticed a lot more public interest in our cars over the last few years. The typical cutoff at 1974 or whatever is outdated, at the very least the 80's should be included.

I guess because of the rarity of our cars people just don't know about them, which is fine in my book.

 

[Whut]

That seems to be the case with a lot of the smaller local shows. It seems that people at a show feel compelled to vote for what they would consider an old car. I have put my GN in probably 30 shows this summer and out of those shows I think maybe 4 of them had cars that won that were newer than 1969.

There is a big cruise night in North St. Paul every Friday night through the summer. They actually close down a stretch of the old main street and do not allow normal traffic to drive through. This is supposed to be for muscle cars, classic cars, and custom cars. A Grand National fits two of those BUT its to new, they only allow 1974 and older in the show. The one night they let our club in we filled an entire corner lot with turbo Buicks and even had a few on the other side of the street. They got a LOT of attention because they were different, there was a crowd around them all night and if any of us were around we were talking about the car with so many people you would think we were putting on a seminar.

I just dont know why we are not accepted as an old car. I have collectors plates, some of those guys dont even have them.