Well Dave, it looks and sounds like it was a fun thing. Almost a slap at the poor folks that labored to vie for one of whatever prizes they were offering at this meet. But I'm sure it was outwardly recieved as a fun thing. Thanks for sharing
]
I've NEVER endeavored to make a show-winning Stude. I don't like stress and stress is the difference between ENJOYING your Studes ("Enjoyment" defined as driving it casually and often) and having it be an anchor around your neck! Of course, that's just MY opinion[:I] Your opinion(s) may vary.
In a world (the tropy-chasing circuit) where cars have to be WAY nicer than they were when new (to compete) it's lunacy to try and achieve AND maintain that level of perfection. I can appreciate the bucks and sweat that get spent in pursuit of such - I just don't see myself expending either of those outlays. Not to achieve what I want out of my Studes anyway.
I know I risk wearing it out, but I'll state once again that having a guy or gal - in traffic - flash me a thumbs up is better than a whole showcase fulla totally useless trophies. That's totally useless as in "totally useless".
Having a young gal in a Miata chase me around a parking lot - so she can tell her dad about seeing a REAL Studebaker on the road that day - is more rewarding than having our resident 16-year old Studebaker lover pull up and dump a 2R16-load of trophies on my lawn!
Of course, I'd love the visit of the young fella and his truck. The trophies would be a pain tho.[}
]
My Transtar's paint has really gone dead. It actually lasted longer than I'd have predicted, given I used cheap paint back in '96.
For "care", it gets hosed off when the notion strikes me (and the hose is handy[xx(]). I can't remember EVER waxing it in 10 years - although my paint guy DID buff and detail it just before my aborted drive to South Bend in '02. He managed to make it LOOK better than it had when freshly painted - and I was right proud of it. But I knew that the run to SB was gonna take it's toll on it.
Anyway, the paint's fading fast now. And yet.... I was pulling out onto the main drag the other day, when along comes two guys in a big, new, Ram monster-truck. In spite of the sun's glare off their windshileld, I can easily see the two thumbs up they're gesturing towards me. Would I rather have that or a trophy? What do you think?
Sorry for the rant, Dave. I didn't mean to diminish the levity of your post. But we're a society that's hell-bent for competition. And in my view, that gets in the way of having fun.
Miscreant at large.
1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS
]I've NEVER endeavored to make a show-winning Stude. I don't like stress and stress is the difference between ENJOYING your Studes ("Enjoyment" defined as driving it casually and often) and having it be an anchor around your neck! Of course, that's just MY opinion[:I] Your opinion(s) may vary.
In a world (the tropy-chasing circuit) where cars have to be WAY nicer than they were when new (to compete) it's lunacy to try and achieve AND maintain that level of perfection. I can appreciate the bucks and sweat that get spent in pursuit of such - I just don't see myself expending either of those outlays. Not to achieve what I want out of my Studes anyway.
I know I risk wearing it out, but I'll state once again that having a guy or gal - in traffic - flash me a thumbs up is better than a whole showcase fulla totally useless trophies. That's totally useless as in "totally useless".
Having a young gal in a Miata chase me around a parking lot - so she can tell her dad about seeing a REAL Studebaker on the road that day - is more rewarding than having our resident 16-year old Studebaker lover pull up and dump a 2R16-load of trophies on my lawn!
Of course, I'd love the visit of the young fella and his truck. The trophies would be a pain tho.[}
]My Transtar's paint has really gone dead. It actually lasted longer than I'd have predicted, given I used cheap paint back in '96.
For "care", it gets hosed off when the notion strikes me (and the hose is handy[xx(]). I can't remember EVER waxing it in 10 years - although my paint guy DID buff and detail it just before my aborted drive to South Bend in '02. He managed to make it LOOK better than it had when freshly painted - and I was right proud of it. But I knew that the run to SB was gonna take it's toll on it.
Anyway, the paint's fading fast now. And yet.... I was pulling out onto the main drag the other day, when along comes two guys in a big, new, Ram monster-truck. In spite of the sun's glare off their windshileld, I can easily see the two thumbs up they're gesturing towards me. Would I rather have that or a trophy? What do you think?
Sorry for the rant, Dave. I didn't mean to diminish the levity of your post. But we're a society that's hell-bent for competition. And in my view, that gets in the way of having fun.
Miscreant at large.
1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS
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