What's your take on local Mopar shows?
#3054106
06/28/22 02:20 PM
06/28/22 02:20 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 447 Knoxville, TN
YGBSM
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 447
Knoxville, TN
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I'm not talking about Carlisle, Nationals, or Woodward Dream Cruise. I mean the local or regional Mopar shows. I've been going to them off and on for more than 30 years. But the last 2 years especially, my own personal observations have been that the regulars are almost all in their 60s, 70s, or older. I'm 49, and one of the younger ones. Very few participants or spectators under the age of 40. The cars are almost always the same year after year (I'm guilty of this as well) so there's little variety.
I know we've all speculated what will happen when the baby boomers age out of the hobby. And the decline of the "regular" car shows in favor of Cars and Coffee, etc. I'm NOT trying to reignite that debate- just curious if y'all are seeing the same thing. And if you are seeing stagnation, what are shows doing to fight it?
1968 Charger R/T 2015 Charger R/T Scat Pack 2017 Durango Citadel
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: YGBSM]
#3054111
06/28/22 02:33 PM
06/28/22 02:33 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,369 Marion, South Carolina [><]
an8sec70cuda
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,369
Marion, South Carolina [><]
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There are a lot of younger people into Mopars...they have newer chargers and challengers. I'm 41 and probably one of the younger ones w/ an old mopar around here. The older stuff is slowly going away, unfortunately.
CHIP '70 hemicuda, 575" Hemi, 727, Dana 60 '69 road runner, 440-6, 18 spline 4 speed, Dana 60 '71 Demon, 340, low gear 904, 8.75 '73 Chrysler New Yorker, 440, 727, 8.75 '90 Chevy 454SS Silverado, 476" BBC, TH400, 14 bolt '06 GMC 2500HD LBZ Duramax
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: an8sec70cuda]
#3054116
06/28/22 02:47 PM
06/28/22 02:47 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 447 Knoxville, TN
YGBSM
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 447
Knoxville, TN
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There are a lot of younger people into Mopars...they have newer chargers and challengers. Glad that's been your experience. Around here, it's mostly older guys driving new Chargers and Challengers- at least to the local shows.
1968 Charger R/T 2015 Charger R/T Scat Pack 2017 Durango Citadel
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: gtx6970]
#3054138
06/28/22 04:17 PM
06/28/22 04:17 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,813 A collage of whims
topside
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,813
A collage of whims
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No local Mopar shows near me, but I've done enough of that anyway. Here it's 1 big "everything/anything" show a year, and Cars & Coffee once a month. I do the C&C as I like to see variety, and the crowd is aged 20-80 or wider. Just sent some parts off to a 24-year-old with a '69 Road Runner. Obviously darn few 20-somethings can afford $40-$80K cars, but some are getting there the old-fashioned way. I'd hate to be a youngster trying to buy a home and/or a 1st-gen musclecar. FWIW the calendar says I'm 70. I think that has to be incorrect
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: Dcuda69]
#3054176
06/28/22 06:10 PM
06/28/22 06:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,141 A Red State
SNK-EYZ
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,141
A Red State
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I'd rather go to a cruise where people bring whatever they have built or late model. To me it's more about hanging with car guys and socializing. I'll look at everything but prefer to look at the Mopars both old and newer. We've got old and new, but these days I'd rather go to the cruises in my late model Challenger SRT. I'm comfortable, it handles amazing and on a hot summer day it's for more enjoyable driving with the A/C on.
Kayse can't keep up at all now. lol
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: Neil]
#3054209
06/28/22 09:21 PM
06/28/22 09:21 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 15,119 85086
moparpollack
Lil Herman
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Lil Herman
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 15,119
85086
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They are good. Swap meets are more fun for me, most car shows have stopped having swap meets.
56 Plaza 63 D100 step side 67 Coronet, 68 Roadrunner, 69 Super Bees, 69 Coronet 500 convertible, 70 Roadrunner Post, 79 D150 360, and a severe case of Mopar a,d,d
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: moparpollack]
#3054228
06/28/22 10:31 PM
06/28/22 10:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,586 Freeport IL USA
poorboy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,586
Freeport IL USA
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My family, me and my wife with either the 48 Plymouth coupe, or the 49 Dodge pickup, my son and his family with a 5.7 Hemi in a 57 Dodge wagon, my daughter in her 2016 Grand Cherokee, and up until last year, her son with a 64 Chrysler New Port (he sold the car), all attend one Mopar show every year. It is a family event for us.
About 1/2 the cars are modern, there is a swap meet that is usually decent, and its at a fair grounds with sun and some shade. Attendance is usually pretty strong, lots of Mopars and Mopar decedents, and generally a lot of people (both young and old) wandering around.
There are 2 or 3 other Mopar shows about the same distance from home, but we do not attend them. The people at the show we do attend seem to be more pleasant and easy going. The other shows, not so much. One is the numbers and paint spot crowd and they are not friendly with people that bring in non-matching cars or trucks (which all of our stuff is). The other Mopar show in the area is at a drag strip, if you car or truck is not drag racing related, they pretty much ignore you.
I can tell you that I don't believe that if I wasn't an old Mopar guy, and had many years of good times with Mopars (at shows or not) that was shared with my children, probably none of us would be attending the one Mopar show we do. Frankly, you need to be a pretty hard core Mopar person to attend a Mopar show where 1/2 or more of the show is new cars that are no longer produced by the Old Chrysler Corporation.
Other then a few "car night" events at local drive ins, we don't attend many shows. Before the price of gas went nuts, we would have all rather go on a cruise in the country then spend a day sitting at some fairgrounds or a parking lot waiting for the plastic trophy presentation. After the 2nd or 3rd round of looking at the cars or walking through the swap meet (that your not looking for any parts from), car shows get pretty boring. Gene
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: Sinitro]
#3054290
06/29/22 09:07 AM
06/29/22 09:07 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,987 new jersey usa
11secdart
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,987
new jersey usa
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I have been taking my D150 to a few shows and cruise nights when I am not racing there are a few old Mopars that show up at weekly cruise nights some really nice! There was a Mopar only show a week or so ago , I attended on a rain date a few years ago and thought attendance was good. With this years show being on a Saturday I couldn't attend because it was a points day and I was racing. I attended a big show Memorial Day weekend and there was a few nice old Mopars I had never seen before. The last few years I have really been getting into old pick ups at shows and cruise nights around here old Dodge trucks are practically non existent.
68 Dart 410 / 904 92 D150 original owner 21 Ram 1500 Quad Cab, Big Horn , Hemi ,4x4 23 Audi Q5 16 Honda HRV
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: YGBSM]
#3054297
06/29/22 09:26 AM
06/29/22 09:26 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,154 Benton, IL.
DaveRS23
Special needs idiot
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Special needs idiot
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,154
Benton, IL.
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Our cars are dinosaurs and we are quickly turning into dinosaurs ourselves. And while we all may not completely go away, we are becoming a mere shadow of our former selves.
The Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals are held about 20 minutes from us and as such, we have always attended. One thing we have noticed is that it used to be populated primarily with muscle cars. The newer stuff and oddball stuff were very much the minority. That balance has certainly changed. This year, for instance, I counted only 4 E body Cudas at the show. I may have missed one or two, but still that is an abysmally small number and reflects the fact that muscle cars are now in the minority.
Another thing that is very noticeable is the fact that the number of guys that actually build their cars is shrinking just as fast. The majority just buy their car vs those that build their car.
And I am part of the problem myself. I don't put even half the miles on my Cuda each year that I used to. Part of the reason is that I don't have that many muscle car buddies to run around with like I used to. Heck, my most frequent car show buddy is a Pontiac guy. That is how far I have fallen. And I haven't raced the last few years at all. And the reason is, to be perfectly honest, that I just don't want to work on the car if I hurt something. Just old and lazy, I guess.
The most painful part for me is that this is a trend that is likely to continue which begs the question; when to sunset my lifelong Mopar passion/hobby? Well, it's been over 50 years, so it's been a good run.
Master, again and still
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: DaveRS23]
#3054326
06/29/22 10:43 AM
06/29/22 10:43 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,987 new jersey usa
11secdart
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,987
new jersey usa
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Good point about buying vs building on a few occasions recently we see a really nice car at a show and we start asking the owner questions about the car and they know very little about it. Recently a beautiful 56 Chevy came into the local cruise the owner knew practically nothing about the car just that he liked it and bought it.
68 Dart 410 / 904 92 D150 original owner 21 Ram 1500 Quad Cab, Big Horn , Hemi ,4x4 23 Audi Q5 16 Honda HRV
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: bobby66]
#3054346
06/29/22 12:31 PM
06/29/22 12:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,464 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,464
north of coder
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the last friday of the month from april to september, the local harley shop has a cruise for all makes. it usually brings out 100 or so cars and 200+ bikes. lots of socializing with a band and refreshments. the usual suspects attend, but there are a surprising amount of youngsters there as well, and they are not looking at the new stuff.
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Re: What's your take on local Mopar shows?
[Re: YGBSM]
#3054353
06/29/22 12:54 PM
06/29/22 12:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,858 Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,858
Rio Linda, CA
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The last local one I attended was a total fustercluck, horribly mismanaged, same cars year-after-year and too many LX's. I won't be back.
The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
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