When you get a group of kit and replicars together, you might be able to count to a few hundred before you run out of cars. But there is one series of events-actually, outdoor car happenings-that regularly attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 vehicles, with some shows topping the 8,000 car mark.
Although most kit car owners have heard about the Goodguys Association and the almost two dozen events they organize around the country each year, most aren't aware that many kit and replica owners are already attending these events with their cars. It is true that there are many vehicles registered at these events that are not kit cars. But a majority of the cars are street rods, and the bulk of street rods are based in the kit car world. Couple that with the more easily identifiable kits and replicars (typically the Cobra crowd) that also attend, and you can begin to see why the Goodguys series of shows could be one of the best-kept secrets for kit owners (as well as kit and replicar manufacturers).
As anyone who has tried to find out from a fiberglass street rod owner what kit manufacturer made their body, you'll get a wide range of answers, but rarely will it include the name you're looking for (and most of the other responses can't be printed here). That's due to the inability of the rod owner to associate what he does-build a car from a pile of brand-new parts-from what kit and replicar owners do-build a car from a pile of new parts. But having kit owners drive their rides into these shows and participate right alongside the high-dollar street rods only reflects well on the kit and replicar world. And what could be better to show how far we've come than to park along with the rodders at the fairgrounds and join in the fun?
There are many major rodding events around the country each year, but the Goodguys happenings are fairly unique as they reflect an organization that welcomes nearly all types of vehicles to their events, as long as they stay within their only stated requirement: it must be a pre-'73 American-design or -powered vehicle. It's too bad the kit industry doesn't have some sort of national club for kit cars that organizes events to help educate people on the virtues of kit ownership and the build quality associated with today's replicars, but the Goodguys does a great job doing just that, even though that isn't their main goal.
The sixth Del Mar Nationals, held on the historic grounds of the beachside Del Mar Fairgrounds and horse racetrack (where Bing Crosby and his buddies played the horses decades ago), located just north of San Diego, California, brought together a few thousand of the best hot rods, street rods, musclecars, customs, trucks, as well as some impressive kits and replicars for three days of fun in the sun. But the sun didn't cooperate the first day of the show, which kept some of the more finicky California-based rodders home because they saw a dark cloud in the sky. Normally a mecca for woodie enthusiasts, the off weather kept half of the normal group of 70 woodie owners from bringing their rides, but the lack of sunshine didn't seem to keep anybody else home, and the Goodguys were looking for a record level of participation.
The Goodguys, unlike some of the other national organizations for street rod shows, seem to bend over backward to provide a lot for those who pay to bring their car to the show. A swap meet, cars for sale arena, and a pedal car show were held all weekend, but the event really starts off with a poker run Thursday night sponsored by the Over The Hill Gang San Diego car club, one of the best-known clubs in SoCal. There is also a kick-off party poolside at the host hotel on Friday night (appropriately, a surf band played and swayed), but the main day for the event is Saturday.
In an effort to get everyone involved in the festivities, the Goodguys have broken up the fairgrounds parking lot into mini areas devoted to special vehicles. Deuce Doins is reserved for those who drove their '32s, while the Homebuilt Heaven area showed off the talent of those who built their own cars at home (curiously, no Cobra owners were to be found). Early in the day there was a meet-and-greet and interview with two hot rodding celebrities, '50s customizer Bill Hines and one of the early T-bucket creators, Norm Grabowski, while later in the day three different seminars (air-ride suspension, PPG paint tips, and chassis design) helped inform listeners on the dos and don'ts when building a street rod.
Meanwhile, outdoors there was a long cruising lane open for those who idled through the fairgrounds, some of them doing so more violently (possibly due to the lopey cam in their blown Hemi, or maybe it was just a quick twist on the idle adjustment screw!) than others, but all subject to the thumbs up and video capturing by those lined up in lawn chairs along the route.
Although most of the cars are parked outdoors, a few hundred secured spaces inside the several halls, where more than 200 vendors set up their displays. It was quite possible to visit a few of these booths and come away with nearly all the parts needed to build a car-everything was at your fingertips. And if you didn't want to build a car, just by being a spectator, member, or participant you could win a car (a new-steel '69 Camaro, a '32 Ford roadster, or a '06 Dodge Charger) with the Goodguys' annual car giveaway program. Not a bad reason to show up!
On Sunday, some 70 awards were handed out, and soon after everyone scurried off to the freeway to start their journey home. All in all, it's not a bad way to spend a couple of days-hanging out with like-minded individuals and seeing what is new. But for the kit owner, it might be one of the best ways to showcase what owning a replicar is all about in the new millennium.