Indy Concours - Event in Decline?

As an attendee with a car in the very large Full Classic Class (the largest class I beleive), I am surprised at this post. I thought the event was a very nice event, and well attended. I believe that since it is held on the Circle the city will not let the organizers charge admission. Yes you have to watch your cars since many of the attendees are not car people and don't "know the rules" when it comes to personally addressing cars of this magnitude, but this is really a minor inconvenience. I know of no cars that were damaged in any way.

It is kind of refreshing to have a show where regular people get to see cars that would normally be only viewed from behind ropes in a museum. If we are to increase the interest in our cars by future generations we need to open things up a bit. If the admission charge was 30 bucks I can guarantee you that we would not have had 40,000 people through the event.

I actually thought it was a very nice show of a variety of eras and classes of cars, was well organized, and I left with just the opposite opinion-That this event will continue to flourish and grow since it isnt such a elitest affair.

Shawn Miller

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The central Indiana region is rich in autmotive history but without a decent automotive museum (that I know of), a shame in itself.</div></div>

Have you been to the Indy 500 Museum? I think it ranks with some of the best auto museums in the country.... and it's certainly full of unique cars. If you're lucky enough to get a "basement" tour, WOW!

While I am not a member of CCCA, nor any other 1:1 car club anymore, I have to applaud the organizers of the Indy Concours for what they are trying to do--and that is to expose as many impressive and important cars to the public at large.

Regardless of the motive or purpose, once organizers create an event where the admission charge rivals or exceeds that of say, any theme park, or raises their admission charge to "country club" levels, then the only spectators who show up are either dyed-in-the-wool afficianados, or the "see and be seen" beautiful people types--and a great opportunity to share truly great cars with ordinary folks is gone.

Having attended more than a few concours, and other types of antique and classic car shows, I am very pleased to be able to visit with knowledgeable and outgoing car owners, and extremely disappointed to the point of being "put off" by owners who either are too haughty to deign to talk about their cars to anyone whose checkbook balance is less than theirs, or even worse, are simply the current speculator in possession of whatever car it is they are showing--and don't know a damned thing about their car.

Granted, it can be quite tiresome to keep repeating the same litanies over and over, spectator after spectator after spectator, but it seems to me that is part of owning a special car--your chance to share with others, and also to shine a bit in the limelight. But, if all you want to do is hobnob with a special clique of like-minded, equally funded friends, then why not ensconce your classic in your living room, as an object d'art, so you can invite them over for cocktails before dinner?

Time was, in the old car hobby, when owners were restorers for the most part, and when on parade, or on a show ground, they seemed quite eager to discuss their rides, to share their experiences with not only their fellow enthusiasts, but to just about anyone who came along. What's missing in the picture nowadays, HUH?

Art Anderson

Good old fashioned upbringing Art. It's happening all over this country. I think it began when some individual told you not to "pat" your kid on the behind when he did something wrong. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Wayne

Thanks for sharing, Wayne I sure wouldn't have figured that one out! So if we pound on the kids we'll have more sociable car shows?

Great, I'll get started on that right away.

Wayne,

In my days of owning antique and collectible cars (several Model A Fords, couple of late 50's Chevrolet's) I always figured that children weren't near the problem their parents and other adults were. Oh sure, at a show once, I went off to get something cold to drink, came back just in time to see a 5yr old kid starting to use my A's front fender as a slide, but is that worse than adults who come up, and prop their size 10's on the freshly replated front bumper (and become irritated when you suggest they remove their foot from my car, PRONTO!)? Truly, those things do happen at car shows of all sorts, not just where antique or classic cars are the attraction.

However, on the other hand, I truly enjoyed showing my cars--if I still had one, I'd do it in a heartbeat--for the opportunities to connect with people are immense.

Now, as primarily an automotive miniaturist, when showing off miniature cars, kids are not the problem--most of them know better than to touch, and if they forget, they are easily and diplomatically reminded, and they GET the message. On the other hand, their "blue-haired" grandmothers are a completely different story!

Art

Just trying to say that unresponsible kids become unresponsible adults. Adults of today don't repair their cars, they just buy another one. Bend a fender, trade it off. Property doesn't mean anything to them, has no value at all. That's one of the reasons antiques are being rodded. Pretty paint, shiney wheels, that's what's getting their attention today. Just my opinion, mind you, but our liberal society is beginning to come back home to roost.

Wayne

Art Anderson's right as rain. There's a paucity of venues where we can share our cars with the general public, many of whom might have deep appreciation, even knowledge, for and of them, but not be clubbies, or have other interests. It's nice to see events like this free of retro rods, customs, muscle cars and plastic. Several times, "civilians" have asked where all the "real" old cars have gone, why they no longer see them, detesting the growing cruise night/nifty fities/muscle kar miasma.

Meanwhile, can we stick to cars, and leave the down-home politik to the bloggers (Mr. Burgess' prescriptions)? Didn't realize whacking children and keeping Paul Newman out of vintage car events were the answers.

Concours events come in many shapes and sizes, as do Classic Cars. Some are not for everyone, though as someone w/an eclectic garage of CCCA cars, I must say that I have the best time at the Indy Concours and would not miss it. What I noticed most about the classic class was that there were many a great car and the event rivals the best of Concours in regard to CCCA cars. This year I judged the English and German sports car classes and these classes were also full of outstanding cars.