It Pays To Advertise

I know from where you speak. I recall an HET meet that I went to one time (names and places omitted to keep the peace - tho the guy has passed on) I asked this fellow why he didn't bring a Hudson as he had several very nice examples. I quote the following reasons:



Road was to rough;

Looked like rain;

Getting to old to drive any distance (he lived about 30 miles away);

Sun's to hot (no AC);

Car's are getting to old to drive;

etc, etc, etc, etc



So why, I wondered, did this fellow have any Hudson products??



I know a chapter that I belong to (name omitted to save embarassing anybody) that was religious about having Hudson meets in peoples back yards so nobody among the great un-enlightend could actually see their wonderful Hudsons - tho how they got them to the meet without people seeing them I have no idea.



One time in the spirit of fun and games I posted on the old Hudson chat (those of us who've been around a couple years can remember when the chat page ran 24/7) that anybody who didn't feel like driving their Hudson to a meet, any meet, let me know and I'd drive the car to wherever. Not supriseingly I didn't have a single taker.



(Everybody please pardon my spelling - my computer doesn't spell to good tonite.)



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

Browniepetersen wrote:

So where was Joe Stennett--he is not far from Cocoa? Not traveling to NASA is about the only thing that I miss about being retired. The last few years I spent a great deal of time there for work...



What usually dictates if I take my car out is if it is free or not. Locals are big on charging money for car shows and then giving the money to charities. That is all well and good, but I have a hard time paying good money to let people see my car. I can usually draw a crowd where ever I go, so we just call a few local folks and cruze on down to the In N Out......

I dunno how it is in your area but there's enough free crusie nights and shows in my area that you shouldn't really need to pay to be in a show. Your right sometimes they have the entry fees for charity or for paying for the trophies (if you care) or T-shirts and goodie bags they hand out (at least you're getting something).

I did once run into a guy at a cruise who said it used to be different and he remembered most shows back in the day giving owners free food or other incentives to show their cars without charging anything under the assumption that when the cars were present the money the nearby businesses would profit more than enough for any expenses they incurred running the show.

I once actually got $100 for being in a local parade... didn't expect it at all but I don't think the town in question had a clue what was involved in running a parade followed by a car show. But then I felt obligated to stay until the end of the show at 5:00 in the afternoon. LOL

I mostly go to mixed make show to talk cars with other hobbyists, learn, and to get Hudson in the public eye. I can see where owners, having put so much into their cars already would feel that, to pay to show it after the expense already incurred is insensative on the part of organizers. Luckily there's enough events that don't require that so you can take or leave those shows.

66patrick66 wrote:

I've been saying this forever! The people that DO limit themselves do two injustices - NOT expose their cars to other audiences, and NOT expose themselves to other people., cars, projects, and ideas! Kinda hard to get the Hudson message out, if all you are talking to is fellow Hudnuts in a fellow chapter members' back yard, isn't it?



About shows...So what if you have to pay to enter a car in a show - so what? Doesn't that club or sponsoring body have expenses? Is it wrong for them to raise money this way, for whatever reason? You expect that club to pay for it all out-of-pocket? Roll that idea past the HET National body, or any Chapter sponsoring a Regional Meet...see what I mean? So, to some of you, a local car show should be free. National or Regional shows have expenses, local ones don't, I guess...Weird, twisted logic there. There are plenty of free local events to attend, as well as paid events. But, to not to go to one just because you have to pay to enter a car...one word comes to mind. Cheapskate.

Little harsh there 66 but point well taken...besides, the average entry fee I've encountered is either $15 or $25 at the high end. Most people spend that much on a Pizza and a few movie rentals.

66patrick66 wrote:

Aaron, I'm a firm believer in not beating around the bush. I have been known to be blunt:D

Cheapskate works well for me. I love titles. Let me explain why I feel this way. I joined my first car club in 1959. I still belong to the same club today-as well as a few others. Our club called "Bonnevills" (Google it for some fun hot rod photos) has had a car show every year since then. Some years were lean but then the last few decades the show has grown and grown. We do trophies (200 plus last year), T-shirts to the first 500 and on and on. We run around 1000 to 1400 cars each year now. We have it in connection with a small city holiday (popluation 18,000) and run a poker run (winner got $500 last year). And we do a number of other activities. Where do we get the money? Simple--the city is the big winner because of the draw we generate, so local merchants donate and the city chips in some funds. We are a small city, but we figure close to 200,000 people walked through the show last year and it did not cost a spectator or car owner a single penny. By the way, we had 11 Hudson's there. There were a few of us that worked our butts off, but that is part of the fun. This is the spirit of a car show that I have come to enjoy and expect. This and the example that Walt sets for all of us.... Come out the second weekend in September some time and I will pay for your motel.



If you want to make me up a t-shirt that has a Hudson on it and the words "Cheapskate" on it I would be proud to wear it--if I did not have to buy it?