We missed the COPS car show this year

[electra225]

I went to Discount Tire this morning to have the tires rotated on the Tahoe. Across the street, was the COPS car show, our favorite show of the year. I have been kinda out of the car show business this winter due to the shop project and health issues. This show had been cancelled due to Covid, then rescheduled, but their advertising wasn't very good. They had about 175 cars this year, but had almost 400 the last year they had the show before Covid. We didn't get notified of the date. I got home, put the harness on Bentley, hopped on his buggy (golf cart) and rode down to the show to at least get some pictures. I realize this is a console stereo and record player forum, but we like old cars, too. I got 21 pictures in all. I hope you guys in cold country enjoy our gorgeous weather here today. Temps in the low 80's a little breeze, with high clouds shielding the sun somewhat. A beyond perfect day for a car show.

[electra225]

I suspect the little yellow Mini I posted was not stock under the hood. There were coolers and plumbing that I'm sure were not there when it left the factory. Cute little bugger in any case. The 396 Chevelle still ran a carburetor. The hot setup around here is fuel injection that looks like a carburetor. You can't get a carb rebuilt in Phoenix anymore. The last shop closed a couple years ago. Now you have to do it yourself or find an old hand still working on cars that knows how to do it. Bentley has had a hard day of buggy riding......

The '55 Crown Vic still ran its 272 V-8, Fordomatic trans, power steering and power brakes with Town and Country radio. Nice to see an original one,.

The '67 GP was nice. I see it has Pontiac road wheels, so may we assume that '66 was the last year for eight-lug wheels?

[electra225]

I see I got Bentley's head and the corner of the golf cart in a couple shots. I took them with my phone. Bentley chased a cat this morning, so he bunged up his wing again. I didn't want him to walk much, so we took pictures from the seat of the golf cart, so he wouldn't want to get down and walk. The pink Firebird is alleged to be a factory pink car. The green '70 Chevy next to the black Monte was a big block car, but, unfortunately, it had a horrible paint job and those huge wheels. The little '63 Fairlane still ran a 260 V-8. There is always a crowd around that old Edsel. I'd seen it before. Just a Ranger with crank windows, but it sure is popular.

[TC Chris]

I realize this is a console stereo forum, but we like old cars, too.

Seems to me that anybody who likes console phonos (most of mine are mono, so I won't say "stereo" console) is almost genetically inclined to like old cars as well as the other things we veer off into from time to time, like appliances large and small. Note that we rarely mention the intricacies of computer programs--it's the hardware and mechanical stuff that seems to be the common denominator. Besides, anybody NOT CLICK on subjects that don't look interesting, or hit DELETE if they disapprove.

I kept waiting to see the very small local car show down where the Chevy lives, preferably when I was driving by in the Chevy. I missed the gatherings. Your photos will have to do. Maybe this next summer I'll stop in.

Meanwhile, Hagerty has a big 1920 Rolls-Royce (a car with a flying lady radiator cap, at least) in the the corner display window, and a '30s Packard farther back in. I haven't been passing during business hours to wander in.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

There were no recent Corvettes, Camaros, Challengers, Chargers, Mustangs, trucks, tuners or bikes there this year. I have little personal interest in new cars you can see at any car lot in the world at a car show. I realize their money is as good as the next guy, but it clutters up a classic car show. I don't know if this was intentional or not. If it was, it will make for a better classic car show. The older Chevy "square body" trucks from '73-'80 are getting popular now that I sold mine.....

Somebody put a LOT of work into the Chevy cabover. I have to admire their ingenuity. I believe it was on a Chevy four-wheel-drive pickup chassis. There were so many people around it, I had to get my shot while I could. I should have paid more attention to their display signage.

[TC Chris]

The older Chevy "square body" trucks from '73-'80 are getting popular now that I sold mine.....

When I bought my '38 Buick in 1966, it was 28 years old and was really old, at least in Michigan where cars usually perforated with rust in 3-4 years and were collapsing by 6 years out. A '73 truck is 49 years old now and an '80 is 42 years old. They don't look old to me, since I'm 74 and they seem familiar. But for younger folks, say those who might be 35 years old, those vehicles are ancient. I have trouble grasping that, but I can do the math and think about how I viewed my Buick. So when I see "new" vehicles offered as classics, I understand. Now, for those who show vehicles younger than my trusty daily driver, my new vehicle (2005), yeah, I join the objection.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

In fairness, people put a lot of money into what I consider a new car, like the Corvettes and Challengers. They put on K&N air filters, turbochargers, fancy exhaust all kinds of doodads. 3/4 cams and three deuces are out of the question. Computer chips have pretty much replaced those items. I don't know. I reckon it bears on personal interest. You sure don't see many old cars with their original power trains. You can buy an LS crate motor with all the electronic goodies to make it work for thousands less than you can rebuild a 327. I can understand people wanting to use enhanced braking systems and radial tires. There is a place here in the Valley that is converting old cars to electric. I won't do that in my lifetime. IF I can keep the Buick running somewhat dependably, that's all I'll worry about. $5 gas is not helping anything, either. I don't consider a 2018 Corvette or Challenger to be a classis.

[William]

Greg, now I am jealous. If this was a normal year I would be there with you and Bentley. I miss the AZ car shows. You can usually find at least one if not more every weekend. Some of the cars you pictured I have seen in person. Where was it if you and Mr. Bentley took a buggy ride to get there?

Chris, if you have the opportunity, and if it's allowed, please take a couple of photos of what's on display at Hagerty.

Thanks for sharing, Greg.

Bill

[electra225]

It was in that big lot behind Big O tires, across the road from Walmart. To the east of Freddie's. If we get this shop situation under control pretty quickly, I need to get back into the old car scene again. I miss that. Today was a very rare day that you could sit out in the sun at a car show in AZ and go home with your hide intact. I tried to take pictures of cars I hadn't seen before. The Edsel I had seen. And I think the Crown Vic and the Pontiac GP looked familiar.

[TC Chris]

You sure don't see many old cars with their original power trains. You can buy an LS crate motor with all the electronic goodies to make it work for thousands less than you can rebuild a 327. I can understand people wanting to use enhanced braking systems and radial tires.

The real fun of old cars, it seems to me, is restoring them. That is, making them pretty much like they were. I'm happy that my Chevy has her original 283 and all two speeds of Powerglide. If you look at my Parade video at 19:28, there's a '46 Ford in sort of a "rat rod" style with some un-original sounding power plant. It's rather see a restored '46, myself. But who knows. This one may have been found in bad shape, without power train, and not worth a full restoration. Maybe this version is better than a trip to the scrap yard. Not maybe, certainly

I do wish I had gone to a dual braking system on the Chevy. At the time I just wanted brakes that worked. And the new tires are radials. They look period-appropriate unless you see the little radial sidewall bulge, which most people don't notice. The performance enhancement is drastic, except for the slight additional harshness.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

The fun, to me, with old cars is putting up with all their flaws, remembering that they were the best there was in their day. Kinda like me, I guess. And old country song had the verse that said "I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was". That pretty much sums it up. The Mini does EVERYTHING better than the old Buick does. It's faster, it steers better, it rides better, it stops better, it goes where you head it. Everything better but one thing. Being an old Buick.

[TC Chris]

No argument about the new cars being superior in function. But I do wonder how they will hold up into old age, given their reliance on electronic controls for just about everything. My '86 Mustang, a relative antique, stopped running one day as I was driving down the street. I had a work obligation so I called the office and a colleague brought her car for me to drive while the Mustang was towed to the dealer. It was the thick film (thin film??) ignition module, a failure-prone device on those cars. I hope the new one is an improved model; it has lasted longer than the old one by now by 2.5X. But the point is that the car won't go without the electronic part. Not like replacing a fuel pump and having the old one rebuilt. What happens if nobody has one on the shelf? And now everything is electronic, transmission, braking, etc. All those little chips which can get fried.

Chris Campbell

[William]

My big question with the new vehicles, how long will the car companies support the electronics, or anything for that matter, down the road. My guess, not nearly as long as they need too. There is always after market, and with a new vehicle that may turn into a classic you might have half a chance. But, your average daily driver not so much.

With my retirement job, I needed to find a part for a 6 year old Audi. This was their top of the line model in that year costing just over $100,000.00 when new. I called the Audi dealer and said I need such and such part, it was for the HVAC system. I was told it had been discontinued. I said what, it's only 6 years old. Their response, for anything that does not pertain to driveability, Audi starts to discontinue after 5 years. I had to go junk yard shopping to fix that car. Needless to say, I will never own a Audi.

Bill

[Firedome]

There was at least one newish Mustang, the white 'vert behind the Crown Vic. I tend to see those newer ones too since my bride has one.

That pink Firebird was a Mary Kay car I'd bet, MK could order them in that color from the factory.

I too like the, say, '79s cars or older, preferably in original condition. I'm 85% done on my '69 Cutlass and it's 100% original so far. I was lucky that GM went to dual-circuit brakes by then so that wasn't needed, and the newly re-built manual drum set-up works just fine. It has factory A/C so that's nice for the hot & humid months. The only change I'm going to make is replace the vinyl upholstery with original matching green '69 Olds brocade cloth from a 98, I really dislike vinyl and I love brocade, and it'll be correct Olds cloth for that year, just from a different model.

Nice weather in AZ from Oct to this time of year, but guess you'll fry outside for the other 6 months?

[electra225]

I like original cars, even if they are not perfect. I like heavily optioned cars. I can understand using brocade versus vinyl. Vinyl is best used on school bus seats.

[electra225]

When I started showing collector cars, there would be a group of '55-'57 Thunderbirds. You seldom see one anymore. Ditto with Model A Fords. And original drivetrain Chevrolets from 1955 to 1970. I don't remember when I last saw a 327. Those things were thick as thieves when I started showing cars. What happened to all the 1957-'58 Fords. You see Edsels, but not Fords, or Mercury for that matter. Rust got the Chryslers, even out here in sun country. I believe there was an old Dodge at the show on Saturday. You seldom see an Olds, Pontiac or Buick big car. It's really sad. These community car shows are big on hot rods. There are always several rat rods at this show. This year, I saw one. Where did all these old cars go?

[Firedome]

I can appreciate rods and the workmanship, but imo way too many nice old cars have been turned in to one. The pits was when I saw a '39 Packard 120 convertible and a '47 Cadillac 60 Special turned into rods. There's a '36 Cadillac 62 in an old barn near me I'm afraid may end up getting that treatment. I'd seen it 10 years ago and would restore it if I were younger and had the major $$$ it will take, the energy and space. And way too many cars have had SBC engine transplants, mainly because it's way cheaper than rebuilding an original engine. To me the one part of an old car that I want to see is a correct original engine, and one more boring SBC under the hood is just not interesting. One nice thing about shows like Carlisle, Hershey, and locally Stowe VT is you don't see the rods much there. Single marque shows are also great, when thee's one nearby.
I wonder what it will be like in 10 years, I suspect many of those kind of shows will be gone.

[19&41]

I wouldn't say you missed out on the show if you got to take it in. That's fun on it's own!

[electra225]

It was a perfect day for a car show. It would have been more perfect with my black Buick sitting in the lot with the rest of them.