From The Desk of Tray Smith - March

Well here it is March already and show season is in full swing. Our team in the Graphic Art Department is knee deep in 2017 catalogs and as I am writing this we are loading the show trailer to head to Goodguys in Arizona. So with that all being said here is my rant for the month.

As this hobby continues to grow and evolve we have to be acceptant of newer and different types of cars and trucks. I know the diehard older car group I just totally offended. No I am not sorry for that. Why you may ask am I not sorry? Well there is this thing called the graying of the industry. Where us 40’s age guys are considered the kids of this industry. But like the pioneers that came before us, we are getting older and graying. So we have a legacy to pass on to younger generations. Now those generations may not be interested in T-Buckets, and 32 fords, or God forbid in Trifive Chevys. But that’s ok they don’t have to be. They just need an interest in the hobby itself. So the younger guys are going to be interested in whatever their dads drove. Whether it be a Camaro or a truck, or a Bronco or Mustang. So we as a hobby have to adapt to what they want and can afford.

So you ask where all this is going Tray? Well I am getting to that. This past month in my beloved state of Arkansas we had a state legislator introduce a bill that would redefine what a classic car or truck was. He was saying for someone to get antique tags and register their car or truck as such it had to be 45 years or older not the normal 25 years. He also made the comments that no one was going to be interested in cars that new anyway. Well hang on there just a minute buddy! This goes against everything I believe in. If we start thinking that way then come sundown on our great hobby and industry we are going to look around and see that there are no new generations interested. No one wants to mess with cars anymore, because no one considers them cool or classic anymore. That’s just what will happen if this type of thought process goes on and we all start trying to force or personal belief of what is classic or cool on someone else. Now I will admit I am and die hard Chevy guy and always will be. But that doesn’t mean anyone that is into Ford, Mopar, British, or even Japanese cars are wrong. If you believe that ask my friend Wade Kawasaki from Coker Tire about his trips to China and Japan and how big the classic car market is there. They set up displays over there to help cover those events. To the point that H&H is considering doing a show or 2 outside the US in the coming future. Don’t push off from some young guy that has an 87 Camaro and he is working his butt off trying to make it cool again. That is his baby and he loves just as much as you love your 64 Impala SS convertible.

Well enough I am off my soap box. Have a great month and you will hear again from the desk of Tray Smith.