Question for car show folks

[wdb]

This is a question for folks who take their 7 to car shows and park it where people can gawk at it.

 

1. Do you take the engine cover off?
2. If so how do you make sure it doesn't get scrunched?
3. How do you keep parents from asking if they can take a picture of their kid sitting in it?

 

[panamericano]

1. No, never was asked to.  Personally, I think cars with the hood up (or bonnet off) don't look good.

3. Get as many kids as possible to sit in the driver's seat.  It's their size and we need to get them addicted ASAP.  Besides, if there is a People's Choice vote, you stuff the ballot box with their family's votes.

[Vovchandr]

15 minutes ago, wdb said:

This is a question for folks who take their 7 to car shows and park it where people can gawk at it.

 

1. Do you take the engine cover off?
2. If so how do you make sure it doesn't get scrunched?
3. How do you keep parents from asking if they can take a picture of their kid sitting in it?

 

 

1) Typically not. If I do its brief and I put it back on after whoever was interested looks in

2) I typically hold it or tell somebody to hold it. I don't really leave it unattended. No good way to secure it from people or accidental damage

3) Anything for kids. Life is too short. I can be a core memory or a good photo for the future for them to look back on a "weird race car".  I just let them take it. Its usually very few requests here and there. Maybe less then 10 total after many years. 

[mrmustang]

37 minutes ago, wdb said:

This is a question for folks who take their 7 to car shows and park it where people can gawk at it.

 

1. Do you take the engine cover off?
2. If so how do you make sure it doesn't get scrunched?
3. How do you keep parents from asking if they can take a picture of their kid sitting in it?

 

I'll take the cover off if someone wants to take a look

2: I'll hold it, then reinstall

3: No matter which car I have with me, I always let the kids sit in the car, in fact, I'll usually ask them "do you want to get a picture with your child belted in"

 

They are, after all, the future of our hobby.

 

Bill

[IamScotticus]

Badgers.  

Badgers in the seat do less damage than children.

 

The bonnet can be placed in the cockpit wirh the narrow end resting on the tunnel and the wide end resting on the roll bar.

Edited March 10 by IamScotticus

[CBuff]

I brought mine to the carbs and coffee.  Enough people asked me to take the bonnet off a couple times that I just pulled it off. I was parked on the grass so I was able to slide it carefully under the rear of the car.  But I hear you on wondering about that.  There was also a convenient tree nearby that I propped It against.  
 

I was walking around so not sure if anyone took not upon themselves to sit in the car. 
 

one prospective buyer for a 7 asked to sit in it. Which I accommodated. A bit of pay it forward I guess. 
 

it was a pretty smancey affair so everyone was pretty well behaved. 
 

Edited March 10 by CBuff

[locost7018]

I rarely take my bonnet off. As for kids I always let them sit in it. But I make sure the main kill switch is turned off and taken out. One of my favorite tricks is when a parent asks if their child can sit in my car I say"SURE". Then as they are starting to get in I say"it's not mine". Then I have a big laugh. TeeHee. Russ

[wdb]

Thanks all so far. I probably should have added “how do you keep them from suing you for being burned by the exhaust “ but I  have a sign for that. And a lawyer. 

[slowdude]

Agreed with the majority above:

1. I take hood off when people at the show show interest in the car. You tell them the car is super light, then ask them to hold the hood. Then they get it. Their face is worth it.

2. Its thin aluminum, looking at it funny will bump it. Hammers or PDR kit will pull dents out. These cars arent worth a lot of money, if it doesnt have a few bumps, i'm not driving it enough. Since you're close ish, I can lend you my PDR kit.

3. Life is short, things are passing. Kids are the future, let them sit. I just dont want them getting burned. 

 

Car show pics someone took. Cars & Crumpets - May 26, 2024 - Photo Album it was fun

 

edit; you got me with burned first  

Edited March 11 by slowdude

[Christopher smith]

I usually do not take the bonnet off as the reinstall with the 2x40DCOE velocity stacks is tricky.

I encourage kids to get in the driver's (right) side-----a bit confusing for some---- "this car is just your size" but keep a careful watch for anyone who thinks the wings are seating

They just grab the roll cage and swing in after I remove the steering wheel, then reinstall for parent's happy photo session.

"this is not a show car" but I got a prize anyway.

Great fun!

[Taber10]

I rarely take the bonnet off, as it tends to get knocked about, blown over or otherwise mistreated.  IF someone shows GREAT interest in motor, I will remove it, but I hold onto it for the duration.  I have let "hundreds" of kids sit in the Cat over the years.  Either they think it is "their size" or it duplicates something in their games, stories, etc.  I have won the "Kids Choice" award a couple of times.  Letting kids sit in it makes up somewhat for my British car club buddies who get nervous if a child approaches their $30K paint job.  I have told a Mother, after her child was sitting in the car, when she asked if it were mine, "No, I stole it from the Walmart parking lot this morning!" Her look was priceless.  I always remove the "kill" switch and then check all switches when I get back in.  I did tell one mother--she was having problems with her three children--that her kids at that moment were more important than all of the sports cars I have owned since 1969!

[wdb]

14 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

The bonnet can be placed in the cockpit wirh the narrow end resting on the tunnel and the wide end resting on the roll bar.

 

And a gust of wind will send it into the car I'm parked next to. Maybe I worry too much. I take that back, I definitely worry too much.

[jbcollier]

I own a Seven to use, not collect and show.  Lots of people see it in action, no worries there.  My never-to-be-forgotten car memories from my youth all involve cars found in the wild, not penned up at a show.

 

I encounter a lot of interest in my cars and I always respond in a friendly manner.  If they ask and are not obviously filthy, carrying ice cream cones or knives, I have no problem with anyone getting into the car.  What annoys me is finding people already in the car when I exit the grocery/store/restaurant/etc.  I try not to fall on them and slay them on the spot but it is a difficult urge to control.

 

YMMV

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Yes to the kids and ambivalent on taking the bonnet off.

My wife (1924 Ford Model T) and I are engaged in a campaign to get all entered cars to have explanatory plaques. A paragraph or so naming the car, why it is significant, and a bit of its history. Most of the visitors at our shows cannot even name a Lotus 7, but they are interested in cars and want to know more. 

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Climbing into the car when it's in the wild? That's awful. Get them out of the gene pool before they reproduce. Never happen in this part of the country.  People are much too polite for that. Lisa asks if "the kids" would like to sit in the Model T for pictures.

[Joe Petty]

Some shows may have specific instructions.  If there is a judging team, they will probably inspect the engine and may even want to see lights, wiper, horn...

Generally, you are on your own.  Looks around and see what others are doing.  Most of the C&C folks are gearheads and may have never seen a 7 much less the mechanics!

 

Hood off - Yes

I have 2 square pieces of tool box liner/cushion that I put on the clamshell fenders to keep the front corners from gouging into the paint.

If anyone asks to help my standard reply is " Thanks, but I would rather do the damage myself".

Once off, I stand it on end behind the car straddling the spare tire and secure to the rollbar with a bungee.

 

Guest seating - Yes

Kids do great!  Only problem I ever had was a 2-3 yr old who screamed when his folks tried to take him out.

Be careful with grownups, many don't know realize getting in is like going down a slide and get their inside leg trapped between the tunnel and the steering wheel!

 

Good Luck - Joe

[Vovchandr]

37 minutes ago, Timothy Keith-Lucas said:

Never happen in this part of the country.  People are much too polite for that.

 

Not to get off on a tangent but I wouldn't be so confident in the absolute statement like that based on your personal experiences.

 

Your part of the country is credited with having such a wild/uncontrollable creature that it even has its own moniker known as "the Florida man", who whom simply in somebody elses convertible car is the least of the extremes that he's capable of. 

 

Florida Man - Wikipedia

 

With that said I've personally seen at least one drunk? girl do that to my car outside of a bar. 

Edited Tuesday at 02:41 PM by Vovchandr

[theDreamer]

20 hours ago, wdb said:

This is a question for folks who take their 7 to car shows and park it where people can gawk at it.

 

1. Do you take the engine cover off?
2. If so how do you make sure it doesn't get scrunched?
3. How do you keep parents from asking if they can take a picture of their kid sitting in it?

 

1. If it’s a daylong event I’ll pull it off for about an hour midmorning and again about hour midafternoon. Car looks much better with it on to the general public. The gear heads want to see the power plant so on occasion it will come off to expose the hamster wheel. If it’s a judged event I follow the rules. Usually that means leaving it on until asked to remove it.

2. If it’s for a short time the wife holds it. For longer periods I lean it up against the spare tyre then place a folding chair behind it. (see image Bonnet Off)

3. As other’s have said, let the little ones have fun and feel they are part taking in the show. (see image Next Gen Driver)

As to Timothy Keith-Lucas’ comment re: “…campaign to get all entered cars to have explanatory plaques.” You’ll notice in my show photos there is a plastic covered sign under the wiper blade which does just what Timothy is promoting. Furthermore, you’ll see in some images the purple binder that is always with the car and on display. I’ve mentioned it other threads. It has copies of all the documents and even colour pages from the article that the UK Caterham and Lotus 7 club published in the May 2024 issue of Lowflying called “A Glass and a Half.

 

As a side note, I grew up with antique and classic cars. No matter how rough it looked, you never went near a car afraid a button or zipper might scratch. Most of the cars had signs like “I’ve been tubbed, scrubbed and rubbed so please don’t touch me.” Or, “Do not lean on this car unless you are completely Nude!” My father on the other hand was more than happy to let anyone and everyone sit not just in the car but climb up into the rumble seat of his 1934 LaSalle.

Also, the wife has been known to dress up the car, (and ourselves) to celebrate special events like our 50^th wedding anniversary.

 

[wdb]

8 hours ago, jbcollier said:

I own a Seven to use, not collect and show.  Lots of people see it in action, no worries there.  My never-to-be-forgotten car memories from my youth all involve cars found in the wild, not penned up at a show.

 

Oh I use mine -- perhaps you haven't heard about my two ruined oil sumps!

 

And yet I've found that, when going to a car gathering, the very best parking spaces tend to be in the midst of the event rather than eight blocks east.

 

[wdb]

8 hours ago, Joe Petty said:

 

Once off, I stand it on end behind the car straddling the spare tire and secure to the rollbar with a bungee.

 

 

That's one I have definitely considered. I have the spare tire mount but no spare so it could even sit up off the ground. Might be my go-to, at least until I cut the spare tire mount off.