Car Show - Road Trippin.

[wulos]

Driving home from Sydney late this afternoon, I couldn't help but notice the amount of nice cars on the road heading South. No doubt making the pilgrimage to Canberra for this years Summernats.
Nothing real unusual in that, it IS that time of year after all.
The thing that struck me after seeing so many on the road (must have seen 20-25 from Wahroonga - Gosford interchange) was that all bar one of these cars were riding on the back of flatbed trucks, or being towed.
It got me wondering as to why this is???
Is it that owners of these cars, no longer 'trust' their vehicles (or themselves) to make the distance? Not wanting to deal with the potential arguments of defective vehicles? Being a double demerit period would no doubt weigh on some minds.
Are the owners concerned about fellow road users targeting their vehicles for unwanton attention? Or worried about their pride & joy being damaged by poor roads / stonechips etc?

Are the days of the 'road trip' whereby you & a few of your mates would jump in a car, & simply drive a few hundred (or thousand) k's to attend a motoring event still here? or have they gone the way of leaded petrol, & drive in movies?

How far have you driven(or trailored / towed your pride & joy) to attend a major motoring event?

[xisled]

My mate purchased a tow truck mainly to tow his car to the track. His thinking is, if the car breaks down on the track and not able to be repaired he would be stuck where he was. So he got the truck to take his car to shows and not worry about braking something. He can go all out on the track.

[The Yeti]

theres a number of factors, I'm not in to eliet cars NUT you have to admire the attention to detail that goes in to them, and once youve gone to this extent you cant realy drive them down.

the law knows the event is on and is out looking, and I know its easy to say if your cars leagal and engineered its no porblem, but your away for a weekend do you really want the BS of having it all checked over?

Also its not just Summernats the Kustom Natts is on in VIC at the same time so its furnter to drive

and if its a long drive its nicer in a late model air cond power steered tow car than a car thats built for performance than long distance driving

[poppa smurf]

I'd agree with Yeti, once you get the vehicle to a standard then why risk it driving it down

some of these things are a mona lisa on wheels!

[u2canb12]

For me the idea of towing a car everywhere is missing out on what I consider the most rewarding experience in car ownership and that's driving it! I only spend my hard earned dollars, blood sweat & beers for one reason and that's to to experience the thrill and satisfaction of taking it on the road.

I'll take the odd stone chip and the extra washing & detailing needed over leaving my car in the garage and putting it on trailer whenever I take it out.

[The Yeti]

That said, when my mates and I head on a run to a distance event its meet up at a central point and cruize down together, for me thats the best part of the event

this is our last trip to Canberra



the second one is on the road on the way down.










But our cars are hardley eliet show cars

[XBROO]

But Yeti they're the way I like them. Can't understand show cars, I like driving mine and you get better comment from the general public, then at a car show. And I agree the cruise is the best part of going to a show.

[wulos]

That's the stuff I'm talking about Yeti.
Doesn't HAVE to have a mirror finished flawless paintjob. Doesn't HAVE to have ridiculous amounts of cash thrown into detailing bits that will never see the light of day. Not saying that there is anything wrong with modding cars like this, was more wondering where all the 'road warriors' had gone...

[The Yeti]

yea, but the thing is in this day and age I dont know how many people you would get to summernats if it was just street driven cars.

the trailer sailers arnt my bad, but they definatly have a place in the seen

[Quasi]

Originally Posted by wulos

Or worried about their pride & joy being damaged by poor roads / stonechips etc?

Pretty much, this is the main reason. There is way too much emphasis on trophy hunting, and judged points for more and more entrants each year.

In some cases it's just the dirt and grime of the drive, and owners not wanting to give up their time cleaning once they hit the venue.

Originally Posted by wulos

How far have you driven(or trailored / towed your pride & joy) to attend a major motoring event?

Never, but then again I've always enjoyed driving my cars, not just presenting them as a showpiece.

I scrutineered the first 20 Summernats, and an ASMF nationals before that, and as far as I've always been concerned cars entering scrutineering on trailers and in transporters, or enclosed trailers, is a joke.....but then again I haven't bought a copy of Street Machine magazine since they stopped featuring street machines....that's a lot of years.

[JimStone]

Keep your eyes open for "Fugly", a rather potent matt black Centura driving 3,000klms from Far North Queensland to compete in the burnouts - and not a trailer in sight...

[Vincenzo]

My new acquisition was bought to drive and enter a show or two with. If I cannot drive the vehicle there what is the point of attending. I am not after trophies just to remind people what a good example of the breed can look like and run efficiently, cleaned to the average user's level.

Would love to cruise with Yeti and mates so long as Euro trash is OK

Cheers Vincenzo

[FTE217]

I think the main reason road trips are slowing up is that you just can't get out there on the open road and "enjoy" your ride as you once did - I suppose I'm talking being an a older enthusiast who has expereinced epic times on our roads back in the day but the risk is an utter joke when on a perfectly smooth 2lane freeway you get pinned badly for just 20k's over the limit etcetc......

[Neale]

I love road trips!! I treck down every year from Bathurst to Melbourne for a big show down there called Small Ford sunday. Theres usually about 10-15 of us convoy down & all drive.

In the past few years I have taken my focus, but now I have my cortina on the road I will be taking that.

I also drove my corty down from Bathurst to Sydney for a big show (the cortina nationals) in Albury last june. There were cars there that had driven from every state in the country & only a hand full had been trailered down.

I'm never worried about being stuck somewhere either because when you are with a bunch of guys, if something basic goes wrong chances are there will be someone who knows how to help you out.
Failing that, as part of the classic Car insurance I have with the NRMA, if I'm over 100km form home they will get the car fixed & help me get to where I'm going & back to get the car. Or put me & my passengers up for the night while the car gets fixed



The only reason I go all the way to these shows so far away is because the trip is more fun than the show.

[tankclare]

A lot get trailered as the risk of damaging them on the road or breaking down at an event can be high depending on what they are doing.

On the upside there have been a few high end cars driving to the show like Mark Schwarz in his HQ monaro HANFUL. He is doing skids then driving back home. There was also a falcon doing the trip with him from Queensland I'm pretty sure. Also Brenton Miller with his Centura has driven the distance and is doing the burnout masters and driving home. These sort of blokes need a good pat on the back for effort.

Another thing that turns people off driving to Summernats are the police. Anyone who has been down there will know just how hard the police are on trying to defect everyone. There has even been cases of officers forcing people to take cars of trailers and defecting them on the road. No I am not trying to start any cop bashing but it's just how it is down there. If I had the option to safely trailer a show car down or drive it and risk not even getting to the event I know which option I would be taking.

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by Vincenzo

My new acquisition was bought to drive and enter a show or two with. If I cannot drive the vehicle there what is the point of attending. I am not after trophies just to remind people what a good example of the breed can look like and run efficiently, cleaned to the average user's level.

Would love to cruise with Yeti and mates so long as Euro trash is OK

Cheers Vincenzo

Mate we don't care where it was built, wether or not it's "technically" classed as a restored car, hot rod, kustom, streetmachine, or classic, what bread it is or it's actual date of birth, it's more about the people inside and their attitude than than badge on the front

[FTE217]

Well said Yeti.....thats it its the people and getting to the venue and back is more fun than the actual show or whatever....well thats my feeling.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

Mate we don't care where it was built, wether or not it's "technically" classed as a restored car, hot rod, kustom, streetmachine, or classic, what bread it is or it's actual date of birth, it's more about the people inside and their attitude than than badge on the front

can I bring my caravan?????.....

[XBROO]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

can I bring my caravan?????.....

Why not mate, as long as the stove works so you can make the coffees.

Well said Yeti that's our car club all over as well, I suppose we are more of a social group, but the cars a the main attraction.

[poppa smurf]

Bewdy......I'll tell the caravan club.....we have 140 members

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

can I bring my caravan?????.....

mate it doesnt bother me

I have 2 X 15amp all weather power points on the back wall of my shed near the bathroom so friends & club members passing through can hook up and stay for a bit.

I love vintage Caravans, I would love to get me a bondwood one when I finish a few projects

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by XBROO

Why not mate, as long as the stove works so you can make the coffees.

Well said Yeti that's our car club all over as well, I suppose we are more of a social group, but the cars a the main attraction.

Thats it exactly I dont care what car you own / are building / aspier to own, the interest in cars is simply the common interest. Sure my preference is modified pre 65 and more so late 30's but that doesnt mean I dont have an interest in a mini truck or restored skoda

Besides last time we did a long distance cruize we had a mate bring his FG XR6, it was great becasue

[XBROO]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

Bewdy......I'll tell the caravan club.....we have 140 members

So we'll be right for coffee all day then.

[Kable72]

I wanna go on a real road trip these days. Take a week off work and just drive with a bunch of like minded people. Have some fun, meet some new people and admire some of the beautiful cars we got on this island we call Australia. AFF ROAD TRIP YO!

[Bearman]

I love a good road trip, always have. These days a few things have detracted from the experience particularly the extreme over emphasis and enforcement of speed by the nanny state. Couple this with roads that are now "too good" and no longer a driving challenge.

You'd be on the Hume, glued to 100 or 110km/h droning along at 3,000rpm for hours on end drives you nuts.

When I was a kid and teenager we used to travel between Bairnsdale and Canberra quite a bit. The Cann Valley Highway between Cann River and Bombala used to be a real driving challenge. Narrow, twisty, mostly gravel surface and throw in log trucks and bad weather and it was really something. When we or any relatives arrived at our destination one of the first questions was "how did you go on the Cann?".

Now the Cann is a very good and pretty straight sealed road all the way. Nothing like the challenge it once was.

Thankfully we have some great cruises with the club. We had one through South Gippand which turned into a 300km epic.

Nothing like a good road trip!!

[XBROO]

Yeah this is one of our BBQ out at a dam.





See not just coupes LOL

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by XBROO

So we'll be right for coffee all day then.

no worries, you'll have home made scones and biccies coming out of your ears,........ but you'll have to keep it down after 6pm.......we tend to get a bit tired

hope you dont mind a 100 CPAP machines buzzing away all night!

nah!......you're a great bunch, following what mates have done for as long as I can remember.....well done, .....you got your lives sorted!

[Kable72]

I would be kinda embarassed if I went on a cruise with you guys! I don't have anything anywhere near as cool as them things.

[The Yeti]

thats a really good mixed bag there XBROO, and a good mixture of road going pretty cars and road worriers

thats how it should be IMHO

[XBROO]

Kable72 never hide your pride, mate everybody's welcome and don't worry we have some new cars as well. They just don't get photographed as much.