I recently attended a Show and Shine for a local museum. Most people were very respectful and that's fine. BUT, one couple took it upon themselves to climb in my C Cab, move all that I had showing on the seat and floor and proceeded to take photos of each other. I asked for their car keys and was given a questionable look as to why I would want their keys . . Ahh duh, "so I could go and sit in their car and mess it up." They still didn't get it. I'm in the process of creating signs that I'm going to have to put up, because of the few idiots. Any good suggestions?
Well, this one would warn all lookers but Nudists; "Don't Touch This Car Unless You Are Nude!".
If that doesn't work, you could say, "If I see you even touch this car, My friend and Ex-Con, Earl, will give you a free facelift"!
Or another one, "This car is wired to shock anyone who touches it. Do you feel lucky, Punk?"
"If You Value Your Life The Way I value This Car. Keep Your Hands Off Of It And I'll Keep My Hands Off Of You"
There's a certain mentality (or lack of it) that think a Model T is an amusement park ride.
I took my coupe to one car show last year. It had a big sign in the window that read, "PLEASE TOUCH".
Frankly, if people don't want fingerprints or onlookers they should leave their cars on the trailer in the garage.
Sign:
"If you think you can afford it climb aboard it and if your caught consider it bought!"
Ross - I experienced the same phenomena the last couple years. I'm relatively new to T's but not to hotrods and classic cars.
I still don't know or understand it but there is something about Model T's that is inviting to people in a way that no other car is. I've come out of the hardware store to find one gentleman sitting in the passenger seat scoping everything out while his buddy was lying on the ground underneath the engine. It has BLOWN my mind. Just get used it. It's not going to change regardless of what signs you put on the car. If you don't believe me, try it. 90% of the people you are trying to deter are NOT going to read the sign in the first place, and the other 10% won't really care. There is a TINY, microscopic percentage of the population at large who were going to touch your car but changed their mind when they saw a sign.
It really doesn't bother me anymore except when folks like to get their greasy fingers on my freshly polished brass. Lol, about 50% of the time it's the radiator and they snap back with a quickness. Which is almost as good as having the car wired to shock people. If you plan on having your T out, expect to see people get familiar with it in ways that amaze you.
I use barbed wire, it is multilingual and even the real idiots understand.
I like this one. http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/8/6/8/0/ar135083077508683.JPG
Ross,
Unless you have it fenced off or stand guard beside it, unfortunately there are a chosen few that feel the need to climb all over vehicles at car shows. Some people don't have the "respect others peoples property" gene and need to be reminded on a constant basis.
I'm at the point now where I don't leave the car unattended anymore. Like you said, most of the people are respectful, but there's always one or two that "just have to touch it"
I think its a regional thing. I've been driving/showing Model Ts for nearly a half century and have never experienced any bad habits from the adoring public. And never felt the need for signage either.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the group I join for breakfast every week is their laid back attitude they have about their cars. I understand some people feel differently but I find the more relaxed, sharing outlook more enjoyable both for myself and the onlooker. I would suggest roping off your vehicle if you don't want it touched---just human nature wanting to feel as well as look. Getting into it without asking is a bit much but I personally wouldn't mind.
I was at a huge Cars and Croissants show on Fathers' Day. A few classic sports cars, but mostly VERY high-end modern iron, like Ferraris. There was a matched pair of Turbo Bentley convertibles. I drove my one-cylinder Cadillac. Guess who got all the attention? When people posed their kids in front of it, I invited the kids to climb aboard, sit behind the wheel and have their pictures taken. If some of the grins had gotten any wider, the heads would have fallen off. There weren't a whole lot of invitations to sit in the Bentleys. But if you want to see me get livid, just get into my car without being invited!
Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ
Coat your door handles with corn syrup and bring something to clean it off after the show. I guarantee nobody will open your doors. Many years ago, I used to show motorcycles at indoor events. My display was roped off with posts and chain. People would knock the posts over constantly. I started to coat the chains with corn syrup and suddenly, all the problems went away. It's also real funny watching peoples reaction once they touch the sticky goop. Give it a try.
I came back to a guy sitting on the tire of my open wheel speedster on wednesday. He got up and had tire tread marks across his white shorts. Couldn't be mad at that one
I found a young family taking shots of the '23 a while back and invited them to sit in it while I took their picture. Smiles as described by Gilbert followed and strange looks from the muscle car guys followed too.
Took my 15 roadster to my yearly employee's/retiree's appreciation day at the park last year and parked on the grass near the picnic tables. While I was chatting with friends at a picnic table I glanced over at the T and there was a women standing by my car watching here kid jump up and down on the front seat and folded down top like it was a trampoline!!!! I ran over and said &%#@&^! Then I said where's your car so I can jump up and down on it. They looked at me like I had two heads. Some people wouldn't know what class was if it jumped up and bit them in the ass!!!
Hey Bud,
I have been tempted to use an electric fencer, as I have a couple of them. I set up a display of hand grenades about a year ago. I had them tied to the table cloth so they could not wander off, and the first day of the show, I had "do not touch" signs in the display. I do not know haw many time I had to yell at people, and rearrange the display after some one picked one up and pulled the table cloth out to knock over most of the display. The second day, I put my barbed wire around the display and removed the "do not touch" signs. I did not have a single problem the second day.
I was sorely tempted to use the fencer the next time, but I am not sure if you can get enough conductivity through a concrete floor.
The electric fence unit sounds great until a fool with a pacemaker comes along!
From experience I can tell you it is worst with motorcycles.
Hows this sign:
I dont touch your wife so dont touch my car!!
It doesn't bother me if the people are respectful and careful. I don't like kids using fenders for a slide or sitting on the hood, but I don't mind when people want to sit in it for a picture. The only thing I show them and ask them to be careful about is the starter button. Don't step on it!
None of my cars are "show cars". However, I occasionally show them and people are surprised that I let them touch. Most people are so careful shutting the doors that they don't latch. They need to be slammed gently to latch!
Norm
I have the solution, I DO NOT DO CAR SHOWS.
I do a lot of car tours with different T groups. I have not had problems on the tours.
I spent over 5 years meticulously doing a frame off restoration of my late 1931 Slant windshield 160A where most of the hours were sanding and priming the metal and then shooting the final coat of Enamel. Two weeks after finishing I was at a local church event and walked away from the Model A for only a minute or two. When I came back there was a woman letting her 5 year old climb up the front left fender and use it for a slide. I had dozens of deep 3 foot scratches from the top of the fender down to the running board. I still get a bit angry when I think of all the extra hours it took to take the fender off, re-sand, prime,sand,prime and paint again, then assemble back on the car. Some folks have no respect for others property.
I'm pretty good about letting people climb aboard for photos, but nobody should touch a car without permission. I was at a show a few years ago where this gorgeous White was on display.
Some woman just walked right up, stepped over the ropes, put a foot on the Prestolite tank and climbed aboard past the brass levers and spare tire. Her male companion also crossed the ropes to take pictures of her as she repeatedly blatted away on the dried-out horn bulb. That made enough noise to attract the attention of the owner who was within earshot. He returned, incredulous that someone would feel so entitled. Her reply? "Hey, I paid my admission!"
I can't explain that kind of attitude. Heck, when I'm at a show and checking out a friend's car—a guy that I know—I still have my shirt over my belt-buckle, my cross tucked in and hands clasped behind my back. Common courtesy.
When we still lived in Aiken, we'd take the 26
roadster down to the local brewpub since they
had outside seating. We'd be amazed over the
course of an hour, how many people would stop
and do the "touchy, feely" thing. We never had any
problems and enjoyed sharing the T hobby with
those interested. Being disrespectful of others
property seems to run rampant but we continue,
like Craig to be the "please touch" type.
Ooops, meant Danial, not Craig
Many people forget that Levi's have rivets!
I truly sympathize with all of you who have nicely restored cars. "Ask first, then touch" is nothing more than common (obviously not so common) courtesy.
I'm lucky in this regard. The ol' TT is just an old farm truck. There's nothing much you could do to it to cause damage, so I don't worry about it.
If you have spent hours polishing brass to have a person admire it with a touchy feely, you'll know why I thought of a sign: YOU TOUCHA MY BRASS AND I'LL KICK YOUR A@@. Wife won't let me!!
We did a new road opening a fair few years ago, EASTLINK, at the end was a car display, l wouldn't move away from my car and as it turned out for good reason, the car next to mine while the owner was out looking at many of the other cars, became the mecca for "hey lets get a photo of you driving/steering this car ",it only took one cheaky Asian couple and it seemed like open slather, that was right up to the point the owner came back and rightfully blew his stack...
The sign aint gona do nuthin......
You walk away from an opened car at your peril.
Henry, it looks like you tried to drive that TT under a low bridge, it top is missing. It should look a little like the picture posted
Willie,
That's how it was when my grandfather acquired it in 1946 as the orchard truck on a ranch he purchased. The roof was cut off (I always assumed) so the truck wouldn't damage the fruit trees when it was used in the orchard.
Love that wrecker, Willie!
Au Contrare. That orchard truck is really a convertible. Henry just didn't install the top yet.
A Model T that can't be touched has ceased to be a Model T in spirit. I like the signs that say "Touch, but don't look."
I don't have any problem with people who want to get into my car, stand on the running boards, or take peek under the hood. As long as they have the common sense to ask first. Unfortunately, common sense is a little like deodorant. Those who need it the most, don't use it.