How to live to old age in the Mopar hobby

MY rule #3. Remember the title is how to exist in this Mopar hobby. Over the decades I have seen the ruin of many old car guys!!! Sometimes it is the car show that bites them.

The car show!!!!!
Before the car show people get all bent out of shape and get their clean panties all in a wad, let me say plenty of folk that love the show scene and that is great. But I will mention some of the negatives. I have seen the negatives drive some people out of our hobby!!
I see most guys want an old Mopar for usually two main reasons, either they had one in their youth or wanted one, OR they want a "show car"!! The seen to have this desire to own a great rare and desirable car that they take it to the local car show, that people will ooh and ahhhh over and they will will the little trophy. Or big trophy! Or they will have done or paid to be done such outstanding workmanship it will be the highlight of the event.
Negatives. The newbie takes his prize car to the show just to find these things he did not consider: All the judges are chvey guys. They want a GM car to win!!! Thus a GM car will win! No prize.
They find they bought and paid really good money for the done car, get to the show and find the car they bought and paid all those $$$$ for is not uniquely a rare, the show has more cars there that are way more rare and thus desirable. Then they find that there are cars there that have had way ore $$$$$ spent on them or someone put way for time, work, and $$$$ in their car. No trophy!!!
Then there is the Uncle Ned stories the newbie has to endure. "Yep ole Uncle Ned had one of those 73 Dodge Dusters, with that HEM-I motor, why that sucker would do 320 miles per hour in 3 rd gear, we done it many times. It came from the factory with a big ole wing on the trunk and a big decal on its side that said PLYMOUTH! Why did a Dodge have such!??????" Yeppers!!!" Newbie: One show done, NONE to go.
Then there is the "car is too nice to drive." It is a show car! So the newbie buys an enclosed trailer to haul the show car, then a new pickup to haul the trailer with the show car, the assorted tents, chairs, coolers........ Then after a while he sees his neighbor with the NOT so pretty old Mopar that he drives anywhere, takes it to the drag strip, out to cruises, and says "Wait, I am bored with this car show thing I want to drive MY car!" SOooo he tells is wife all this and she says " Dear, if we drive it won't we get it dirty, maybe a scratch or Haven help a small ding or whatever, won't it not be worth all those $$$ we have invested in this show car?" And the trailer? and the truck????? He replies yes we will just find a nice "driver" and set the show car back. She tells him, yea, right my ***.
Some will say, yes been theredone it. Others will say, they love the car show scene, others will say, all this is BS!! LOL