I've been going to car shows here locally and some national events for
years. I've also been working on restoring my car for years. You'll
notice that I mention those two (cars show and restoration) together,
because I think of them hand in hand.
When I first started restoring this car in 1986, I scoured the shows for
parts: used fenders, NOS knobs, literature, etc. I picked up three of my
four replaced fenders at shows here locally. I entered my car with a
bent eyebrow over the headlight, rusted fenders, scratched glass.
I came to look at the annual show here as my motivator. 1) I saw friends
that I didn't get to see otherwise all year. Next, my car is too much
fun not to drive all summer, so 2) I actually got all of its parts clean
(at the same time!) once a year. 3) I pledged to myself that each year
for the Labor Day All-British show SOMETHING on the car would be better.
I never had the money to do it all at one time. They have a space on the
windshield plackard you fill out for comments about your car. One year I
wrote in, "Better than last year." One man came by, looked at that and
said, "I remember this car from last year, and you're right ... it IS
better!" And we both laughed, because it still wasn't good. 4) You can
get parts and help. You can look over cars like yours, talk to other
drivers, show them your problems and see if they have solutions. Heck,
some of them will even have the parts you need. Some of them will grab
their wrenches and fix it.
My husband and I have discussed it: in the 1980s there were more cars
entered in the shows that were in pre-restoration condition. We don't
know why this is so. Some, like mine and his, are now restored. Are the
others (15 years later) not running at all? Do people feel intimidated
by restored cars? I don't know the answer. I know that the shows have
lost a certain, well, democracy about them, a certain variety is missing
along with the camraderie of offering someone else help. It's fun for me
to see someone else's car get better ... year by year.
Pat Fischer
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