[Bob with the 66]

Last weekend I had a guy come up and ask me if my car was an original hemi car, and then proceed to ask me why it had two air cleaners.

I smiled and just said no it's not a hemi car and it came with two air cleaners from the factory.

The world is full of interesting people,

[6TEE8GTO]

I never get thru a cruise night or show where I bring my red '68 with the column shifter and bench seat without some expert telling me that it can't be a real GTO, because they never made them with bench seats or column shifters, but I suspect that's a common thing for those that have one.
One of my cars is a '94 Mustang Cobra. I put a 347 stroker in it several years ago and added a cheesy "347 High Performance" emblem to the car... My wife and I were sitting by the car at a Ford show and this guy walking with a group was kind of holding court, commenting on every car they came across. He stops his group by my car to tell them about my "very rare 347 Cobra" "These are extremely rare and valuable cars!" I just smiled. When they walked away my wife says "maybe we should have asked him if he wanted to buy it honey!".

[Greg Reid]

If they are genuinely interested and asking questions, even though they may sound stupid to us, I say take the time to educate them.
Now, it's different if the guy is a self professed know it all who wants to educate YOU about your own car...I totally get that....but reading through this thread (Which is very entertaining) half the time you guys rip these folks a new one for not knowing anything about these cars, yet you may intentionally give them wrong information when they ask what some perceive to be 'stupid' questions. That may be exactly how the 'know it alls' get their wrong info- From other car guys at other car shows.
How are they ever going to learn?
It's really a different generation now. Modern cars rarely have the hoods raised and even when you do, you can barely recognize what you're looking at. A lot of these folks just don't know anything about 50 year old cars.
Some of this stuff is pretty funny though...

[spartazoo]

Put red fender liners in a Marina Turquoise 66 GTO and sit back and watch. You could sell tickets watching people...

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by 6TEE8GTO

I never get thru a cruise night or show where I bring my red '68 with the column shifter and bench seat without some expert telling me that it can't be a real GTO, because they never made them with bench seats or column shifters, but I suspect that's a common thing for those that have one.
One of my cars is a '94 Mustang Cobra. I put a 347 stroker in it several years ago and added a cheesy "347 High Performance" emblem to the car... My wife and I were sitting by the car at a Ford show and this guy walking with a group was kind of holding court, commenting on every car they came across. He stops his group by my car to tell them about my "very rare 347 Cobra" "These are extremely rare and valuable cars!" I just smiled. When they walked away my wife says "maybe we should have asked him if he wanted to buy it honey!".

Your post reminds me of the 400 2bbl "Economy" GTO engine option - imagine the reaction?

[6TEE8GTO]

Originally Posted by Alvin

Your post reminds me of the 400 2bbl "Economy" GTO engine option - imagine the reaction?

No doubt! I had one back in the 80's and yea.... "No GTOs ever had a 2-barrel carb".

[FirebirdHank]

I had a guy talking my ear off at a party one night and he told me all about his Mopar
('69 or 70 Challenger if I remember correctly). It had a 440 and was built but still streetable. He went on to tell me about somebody in a nearby town who had a 2 mile banked track in his "back 40". Supposedly this guy was involved with NASCAR somehow and used the track for testing.
Anyway, the guy I was listening to was able to get his car on the track and got it up to 200mph. I asked him what he had for a rear end gear and he said "4:11s.
I asked what he had for tires and he said Street slicks.
I also asked him how it was that nobody else had ever seen or heard of this test track which was less than 30 miles away and his reply was that it was hidden in the woods.
I asked him where the bathroom was and walked away.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by 6TEE8GTO

No doubt! I had one back in the 80's and yea.... "No GTOs ever had a 2-barrel carb".

Continuing theme of this thread, your comeback comment could've been:
"Yeah, it was a 'Tri-Power DELETE' optioned GTO!"

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by Alvin

So after mentioning your latest esoteric vinyl turntable & cartridge combo, do you then discuss your vehicles?

Why yes, very odd combination of hobbies and one that wives didn't care for one little bit.

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

If they are genuinely interested and asking questions, even though they may sound stupid to us, I say take the time to educate them.
Now, it's different if the guy is a self professed know it all who wants to educate YOU about your own car...I totally get that....but reading through this thread (Which is very entertaining) half the time you guys rip these folks a new one for not knowing anything about these cars, yet you may intentionally give them wrong information when they ask what some perceive to be 'stupid' questions. That may be exactly how the 'know it alls' get their wrong info- From other car guys at other car shows.
How are they ever going to learn?
It's really a different generation now. Modern cars rarely have the hoods raised and even when you do, you can barely recognize what you're looking at. A lot of these folks just don't know anything about 50 year old cars.
Some of this stuff is pretty funny though...

AGREE!!!! I play around with a smile. I can see that they're not totally sure whether I'm pulling their leg or not so I always straighten them out before they move on. No way Jose on throwing attitude, especially to a young person who is truly curious and interested. We need all the folks we can get to sustain the hobby when so many of us will be too to drive and soon.

Ok, now I will admit that I have told a few kids that it's actually called a 'carbonator' .... yeah kid ... that's right .... just like the soda machine .... soda and syrup just like fuel and air ..... carbonator ..... got that. Can't wait until he tells his dad or someone else old enough to really know.

[6TEE8GTO]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

If they are genuinely interested and asking questions, even though they may sound stupid to us, I say take the time to educate them.
Now, it's different if the guy is a self professed know it all who wants to educate YOU about your own car...I totally get that....but reading through this thread (Which is very entertaining) half the time you guys rip these folks a new one for not knowing anything about these cars, yet you may intentionally give them wrong information when they ask what some perceive to be 'stupid' questions. That may be exactly how the 'know it alls' get their wrong info- From other car guys at other car shows.
How are they ever going to learn?
It's really a different generation now. Modern cars rarely have the hoods raised and even when you do, you can barely recognize what you're looking at. A lot of these folks just don't know anything about 50 year old cars.
Some of this stuff is pretty funny though...

I'm with you on the education part, it's just that some of the know-it-all types can drive a guy crazy. I don't get ****ty with them, I usually try to work my way out of talking to them... maybe open the cooler and rummage around, or start talking to someone else if they are nearby. Sometimes if you just stop talking they get the hint. Usually I find if you try to educate them, they just dig in their heels to convince you that you are wrong and they know everything. It's funny because most of the time they don't even own a classic or a Hotrod, they just have all sorts of opinions and facts about cars they don't or never have owned... For example, I mentioned to one of the experts that told me my bench seat/column shift GTO is an impostor, that it can easily verified as a GTO by the 242 vin number. "it's probably the vin number off the car you got the GTO hood and bumper from". (!).
That right there tells you that someone has personal problems with envy or jealousy or I don't know what... Best to just let it go... I'm already anticipating being educated on Judges and how they never made white ones... .

[Alvin]

Back in 1998 I got schooled by this iconic Pontiac "onlooker!"

I noticed Jim Wangers stop and look over this rag-top '69 from top to bottom amd over again that we towed to the DAPA Pontiac Southern Nationals w Glen and Joan Duncan. I introduced myself to Jim and he asked about the car and any documentation...was really interested in options as presented and cordially advised CR factoid (Jim is great at being diplomatic)

Jay Gould (was) the owner of the trophy winning 1969 Carousel Red Rag-top GTO. Jim Wangers pointed out that this GTO was a special ordered 'Judge Delete' optioned Goat - "that was the only way to get the Judge specialty color of Carousel Red on a non-Judge Goat." HERE

For me this was a very pleasant exchange, a great intro meeting to Jim, and I did in fact "get schooled" by a GTO expert! Every time I see a non-Judge CR GTO I remember that great meeting and conversation.

[craigs69]

I attended a car show on Saturday right here in my hometown. They had a pretty good turnout despite the rain that fell for a good share of the day. There were a few nice Pontiacs there, including a very nicely restored numbers matching 68 ragtop GTO with column shift, bench seat, power windows, and AC. I spent about 15 minutes talking to him about the car, and the whole time I was thinking about this thread. I resisted the urge to ask if it had the 400 "big block" and tell him that his car wasn't a real GTO due to the column shift and bench seat.

[67drake]

Entertaining thread! I always get a chuckle out of these,as I've pretty much dealt with the same type people before.
I'm no car guru. I'm not an expert at anything. If I'm at a car show or cruise in and see a car I'm interested in,Pontiac or not, I ASK questions about it,I don't TELL the owner anything. I heard years ago that the day you think you know everything is the day you stop learning.
I'll tell people my cars life story,if they ask,but if they start in with their "I used to have a car just like this" crap,I just smile and brush it off.
I had my GTO and '62 Mercury at a show last year. A guy walked up and told me he had a stock drivers side mirror that mounted on the front fender on my AMC, if I wanted to buy it. I told him this is a '62 Mercury Meteor,not an AMC. He went on to tell me how rare this mirror is,and what great shape it's in. I again told him my ORIGINAL door mounted mirror is just fine. He didn't hear a word I said,insisting what a great deal it was. I just walked away.

[Formulabruce]

I keep my hood down, and people have crawled under the front to look at my oil pan and fuel pump !. I tell them the hood hinge wear out is for the Mopar people who cannot get their hood up fast enough at a cruise night! On Firebird many folks will be 10-15 years off on a guess of its year, and some beg to guess while their GF watches him get all flustered.

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by 67drake

Entertaining thread! I always get a chuckle out of these,as I've pretty much dealt with the same type people before.
I'm no car guru. I'm not an expert at anything. If I'm at a car show or cruise in and see a car I'm interested in,Pontiac or not, I ASK questions about it,I don't TELL the owner anything. I heard years ago that the day you think you know everything is the day you stop learning.
I'll tell people my cars life story,if they ask,but if they start in with their "I used to have a car just like this" crap,I just smile and brush it off.
I had my GTO and '62 Mercury at a show last year. A guy walked up and told me he had a stock drivers side mirror that mounted on the front fender on my AMC, if I wanted to buy it. I told him this is a '62 Mercury Meteor,not an AMC. He went on to tell me how rare this mirror is,and what great shape it's in. I again told him my ORIGINAL door mounted mirror is just fine. He didn't hear a word I said,insisting what a great deal it was. I just walked away.

Everyone knows that Mercury bought out AMC. You missed the connection. It's rare because it's the only mirror he owns.

[400 4spd.]

Last weekend two guys who appeared to be in their early 60's stopped at my house. They wanted to talk about the 72 GP for sale in my yard. Turned out one of them used to "own one like it but it was the LJ with the 455 and 3x2 option". The other made a low ball offer on my car and I told him I would think about it. He walked away about 5 steps and I told him I was finished thinking about it. I added "Thanks for stopping in."

[TedRamAirII]

Originally Posted by 6TEE8GTO

No doubt! I had one back in the 80's and yea.... "No GTOs ever had a 2-barrel carb".

I had a guy with a 2 bbl 400 67 GTO Convertible come into my shop. I took the engine out and resealed it. Could not talk him into putting a 4 barrel on it. It was in good shape and Mayfair Maze.

I have had people say I had one just like that, 67 Firebird.....Um that's a 68, "oh yeah, same thing"

What year is that? 1968. "Yep I had one just like that, but it had the triple carbs" I think to myself "sure buddy".

A good friend and I were at a car show in Colorado Springs, He's into 69 Camaro's. Another guy was telling us how he took out a 327 from his Camaro and put in a 350, and it barely fit and all the modifications he had to do. Then went on about how much more horsepower it had when he installed the 3/4 cam and the new "Edelbrock Racing Only Carb" with a special K&N filter that he had custom made. Thats when we turned and walked away.

[bignate]

Originally Posted by 6TEE8GTO

I'm already anticipating being educated on Judges and how they never made white ones... .

I've heard plenty of times they never made two tone Judges also... It probably doesn't help that mine doesn't have stripes on it now, either.

Originally Posted by TedRamAirII

What year is that? 1968. "Yep I had one just like that, but it had the triple carbs" I think to myself "sure buddy".

Hey now, my best friend has a '67 Firebird that had a '63 "50Q" 421 with '65 heads and tri-power installed in the early '70s complete with iron bellhousing and cobbled together clutch linkage. I have all the parts in my garage to prove it.

Nate

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by TedRamAirII

I had a guy with a 2 bbl 400 67 GTO Convertible come into my shop. I took the engine out and resealed it. Could not talk him into putting a 4 barrel on it. It was in good shape and Mayfair Maze.

I have had people say I had one just like that, 67 Firebird.....Um that's a 68, "oh yeah, same thing"

What year is that? 1968. "Yep I had one just like that, but it had the triple carbs" I think to myself "sure buddy".

A good friend and I were at a car show in Colorado Springs, He's into 69 Camaro's. Another guy was telling us how he took out a 327 from his Camaro and put in a 350, and it barely fit and all the modifications he had to do. Then went on about how much more horsepower it had when he installed the 3/4 cam and the new "Elderbrock Racing Only Carb" with a special K&N filter that he had custom made. Thats when we turned and walked away.

Fixed it.