The L. A. Roadster Show, 2018

David G. Fox

Fortunately, my enjoyment of the L.A. Roadster Show in June each year is based on more than simply the volume of hot rods to see. Even when attendance is down, there are a few new cars and products and people to see. As important as anything? There are old friends to catch up with. Plus, as a fly-in, there are, potentially, lots of other southern California attractions to visit. As usual, there were blue skys, good friends, and a great time.

Roadsters

Not

Later Models

Can the L.A. Roadster Show Be Saved?

Once again, big changes. Once again, I fear the changes were to the further detriment of the show. Show dates were changed from Saturday and Sunday to Friday and Saturday, thus this was not a Father's Day event. Yes, Sunday has been weak in recent years, but I would estimate that, by comparison, Friday this year was even weaker, both in terms of numbers of cars displayed and numbers of viewers present. Why would one trade a weekend day for a work-week day for such an event? (So-Cal elected not to have an open house; likely because having it occur on Thursday would have interrupted work too much.)

If you have attended the L.A. Roadster Show before, some of the photos, including the one immediately above, are telling. The first 50% or so of the roadster photos shown in this article are from Friday, the rest of the roadster photos are from Saturday. Saturday seemed a little better attended than Friday.

I gather that the swap meet really is its own thing. Again, activities there seemed to be on par. But it is also worth noting that the vendors hall in the main show area was little more than half full this year.

I've had this heading for a couple of years now. And I've sensed a problem for longer, so changes undoubtedly were in order. The club website says it has reclaimed control for 2019, and that new changes are coming, including a return to a Saturday and Sunday schedule. I hope for the best.

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