General Observations at Car shows/cruise nights.

[Jibber]

We've all been to them. Car shows... Cruise nights....
I've started to notice that the people there are intersting. In Carlilse, I was parked next to a '71 Mustang. While watching the people walk by, it was intersting to see how they responded to the two different cars from the differnet time periods.

My car seemed to get the younger guys and gals or power junkies looking and pointing at stuff.
The '71 got the older guys and gals looking and pointing. (And taking walks down memory lane I'm sure)

It's obvious as to why this happens..... cars are generational.... so are people.

Anyone else have different ideas on this?

[chachee52]

At World of Wheels and the Lowell Great American Race show (not the race cars) there were quite a few older teens/20ers that were eyeing my car/ similar cars as well. Mostly because it was pretty. They didn't know much about it though.
But noticing that the older cars are getting fewer and fewer. Turning more towards the newer cars and "tuners". I think that Carlisle is a different type of show that can't be compared to a local cruise night.
But I do agree that cars are generational and people like what they were brought up with. That doesn't answer why I have mine, but I always said I was born in the wrong era

[SVT10th]

I've noticed that my '90 gets more thumbs up/waves on the road than my Cobra. It's almost an "antique", so I think Jibber's note about Memory Lane is true. People my age were buying them as first cars out of college, and people slightly younger might have had them as a first decent late-model used car. (My first new car was an 87 GT -- coincidentally the very first one sold in New England. I had ordered it 4 or 5 months ahead. My Dad had a "connection.")
You can tell the people who thumbs-up the Cobra know what it is and why its special, they're not waving just because it's a pretty Mustang.

[TorchredSVT]

^^^^ I can agree with Jim's statement
When I had my fox, i got 20x the attention than I ever have in my cobra.

I myself have a soft spot for car's from the late 50's era, I love them. They are rolling works of art....you just don't see that today and I think that's reflected across generations of car people.

As time marches on, the "customization" aspect of the car scene is changing dramatically and I think the car show/cruise scene reflects that.

[ToplessPony94]

I see a different side with my car. It's called the "Stealth Fighter" because it looks pretty much stock on the outside.

Those who don't know much about cars or those looking for flames, side exhaust and big hood scoops ignore it.

Those who know a little about cars see the big Trick Flow intake plenum and the chrome CAI tubes always think it has a blower somewhere they can't see.

Those who really do know cars see it for what it is, a carefully modded N/A car and they come over and talk at length and always ask, "so what else have you done" and we get into lengthy discussions about suspension mods and chassis stiffening. These are the people I want to talk with and they are the ones that stop.

BTW, one of my favorite memories of Carlisle this year was a couple in their mid-twenties walking by. The lady said something like "Oh! That's a pretty car. And look at the little ponies!" (I have a couple of red pony decals on my chrome CAI tubes running toward the throttle body.) She stopped to look at my car. The guy just kept walking, made a shake of his head and a disgusted face and said in a disparaging tone, "those are just stickers!" LOL!

[whtmare]

People just seem to love my car don't know if it's the black and white theme or what it is it's kinda funny to drive by someone and have there jaw drop while looking at your car. C'mon we all know we love it lol

[TorchredSVT]

^^ Ryan your car sounds badass...probably my favorite 3v I have ever heard.

[fredfordguy]

I'm not around our car at a show much as I am busy taking photos, but I seem to notice young and old checking it out, probably the oldsters looking at an OLD Mustang and perhaps the green paint attracts the younger folks. The sound of the car seems to turn some heads also, thanks to the 3" pipes and flowmasters. Interesting thread....

[SVT10th]

I'm not around our car at a show much as I am busy taking photos, but I seem to notice young and old checking it out, probably the oldsters looking at an OLD Mustang and perhaps the green paint attracts the younger folks. The sound of the car seems to turn some heads also, thanks to the 3" pipes and flowmasters. Interesting thread....

your car also has the unique rattle/tap sound of the old V8 engines. Very distinctive, and very awesome if you know what you're hearing.

[chachee52]

^^^^ I can agree with Jim's statement
When I had my fox, i got 20x the attention than I ever have in my cobra.

.

That's because you drove your fox 20x more than the cobra EVER :p

I think that older cars will always get the thumbs up more than newer cars. Just tonight I was driving around taking in the full moon and a younger guy in a WRX that had a can on it and his backwards hat drove up next to me and gave me a big thumbs up.
I would only imaging if I was driving a newer mustang that he probably wouldn't have done that.
It's one of those things that my era car is getting rarer to see on the road. More and more people aren't driving their older cars, so that when people see them, the remember the day that they had one and the others say "wow, you don't see those often any more".

[Jays66gt]

There are less and less of us driving the 60's and 70's era cars.

You should see the looks I get when I tell people I drive my 66 GT to work a few days a week.

[07 stang gt]

I get the thumbs up from all generations. I think because its got a lot of flash and the Vista Blue color really pops.I hear people talk about the "beautiful paint" a lot.I hear so many comments on the cleanliness of the car and most people love the engine bay and the airbrushing under the hood. I think its the "retro styling " of the 05/09 years that gives it a little old school look and the modern look of today, a cool mix of both new and old.It is interesting to hear the comments from the "power guys" and the need to have the most horsepower and then the "OMG !!" people that are about attention to details and the many mods that are on my car. Thats one reason why I love going to the shows and cruises, comments are interesting from all generations. It is really about personalization. Some like "the show" ,some people like "the go", its all up to the individual. One way or the other, its all good !!!

[390gtconv]

As an owner of a rare classic and having been in club a long time, I'm sad that there are few & and fewer classics both on the road and showing up at shows. Ya I get the attention any nice classic gets but wish there were more of us driving them. It is a lot of work keeping a classic detailed, but love it. I notice a lot of women love my color Clearwater Aqua. Both young and old appreciate classics but I love to watch the reaction of older car guys look inside my car to see it's a factory 4spd, which is rare for most any classic. As Jay Leno once said something like " a true sports car has a standard shift".

I love to watch the double takes while driving. :o