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I didn’t want to know the compression ratio of his rebuilt 396. I didn’t need to hear how many mouse nests he found while replacing the interior or why the correct NOS hood hinges took him three years to locate. I just wanted to admire his beautiful Camaro.
But with every step I took toward the car, I could feel it. His excitement grew. His posture straightened. He leaned forward in his folding chair. We hadn’t spoken a word, but he already knew. This was finally going to be his conversation.
Then it happened…eye contact. And there was no turning back.
I have a confession to make. I’m guilty from both sides of this story. As someone who attends plenty of car shows, I’ve become remarkably good at avoiding eye contact with owners when I’m simply trying to admire their cars. But as someone who also occasionally displays a cool car, I’ve caught myself sitting in a folding chair beside my own vehicle, quietly scanning the crowd with the hopeful expression of a lost puppy waiting for someone—anyone—to stop and ask about my car. It’s a contradiction, and I’m convinced almost everyone in this hobby is guilty of it.
There’s a phenomenon at nearly every car show that nobody talks about, yet everyone understands. I call it The Car Show Stare.
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The moment eye contact is made, an unwritten social contract springs into existence.
Without saying a word, the spectator feels obligated to ask a question, and the owner instinctively prepares to answer it. Neither person consciously agreed to this arrangement, yet both somehow know exactly how the interaction is supposed to unfold.
The spectator offers the universal opening line: “Beautiful car.” The owner smiles, knowing this is merely the first chapter of what could become a surprisingly detailed discussion about restoration, options, production numbers, or the six different fuel pumps General Motors used that model year.
It all happens in just a few seconds, and by then, there’s really no graceful way out for either side.
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Once you’ve made eye contact, your brain immediately starts doing math.
“How much time do I have?”
“If I ask one question, will that lead to ten more?”
“Can I still make it over to the Shelby display before lunch?”
Every spectator knows there’s a sliding scale.
A simple, “Beautiful car,” usually costs about thirty seconds.
“What year is it?” might turn into a three-minute conversation.
But if you make the rookie mistake of asking, “So…what’s the story behind it?” you might want to text your family that you’ll be home a little later.
That’s because most owners aren’t just showing you a car—they’re sharing its history, their ownership journey, the restoration, the hunt for impossible-to-find parts, and the occasional story involving rust, rodents, or a repair that took three times longer than planned. They’re great stories…provided you have the time.
Experienced spectators have developed survival techniques. They admire the car while continuing to walk. They suddenly become fascinated by another vehicle across the aisle. Some even pretend to read the information board with the intensity of someone studying for the bar exam. Anything to avoid accidentally asking the question that turns a quick stop into an unexpected documentary.
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The owners aren’t helping either.
After spending months—or sometimes years—restoring their pride and joy, they have every right to be proud of it. They’ve washed it the night before, wiped it down again that morning, and answered the same three questions dozens of times already. Yet every time another spectator walks by, hope returns. Maybe this is the person who truly appreciates how rare the optional wheel covers are.
From across the show field, it probably looks like a nature documentary. Owners quietly watch the herd of spectators migrate from row to row, patiently waiting for one to wander just a little too close.
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Veteran spectators have perfected what I call the Car Show Drive-By.
Keep walking. Offer a thumbs-up. Smile. Say, “Beautiful car!” Never…break…stride.
It’s the collector car equivalent of waving to your neighbor while backing out of the driveway. The owner feels appreciated, the spectator feels polite, and nobody accidentally commits to a twenty-minute conversation about date-coded hose clamps.
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When the Stare Actually Works
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As funny as The Car Show Stare can be, sometimes it’s exactly why we attend these events.
You stop to ask a simple question and discover the owner bought the car brand new, inherited it from a parent, spent twenty years restoring it, or drove it halfway across the country just to attend the show. Those conversations often become the most memorable part of the day because, as much as we love the cars, it’s the people and their stories that make this hobby so special.
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Whether you’re the one walking the show field or the one sitting beside your collector car, especially as we head into Monterey Car Week, let’s give each other a little grace. Spectators aren’t avoiding conversations because they don’t appreciate your car, and owners aren’t hoping you’ll stop because they’re looking to trap you in an hour-long history lesson.
The truth is, we’re all there for exactly the same reason. We love great cars, we enjoy the stories behind them, and we want to share this hobby with others. Sometimes that means having a wonderful conversation, and sometimes it simply means exchanging a smile, a wave, or a thumbs-up as someone walks by.
So if you accidentally make eye contact, don’t panic. Say hello if you have the time. Ask a question if you’re curious. And if all you can offer is a quick compliment before moving on, that’s perfectly okay too.
After all, today’s spectator is often tomorrow’s exhibitor…and tomorrow’s exhibitor will quickly discover just how hard it is to resist The Car Show Stare.
#CollectorCars #CarShow #CarShowLife #ClassicCars #CarCulture #AutomotiveHumor #CarCommunity #CarEnthusiast #CarPeople #MontereyCarWeek #Concours #CarsAndCoffee #CarStories #ClassicCarLife #TheCarShowStare
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If you enjoy the stories behind the hobby just as much as the cars themselves, there are two more ways to keep the conversation going this week.
📖 The Enthusiast’s Guide to Collector Cars continues to find its way into garages, concours events, museums, and coffee tables across the country. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, now’s a great time to discover why enthusiasts, collectors, and industry experts have been calling it a must-read for anyone who loves the hobby.
🎙️ This Week’s Podcast: 430: The Hottest Collector Cars Right Now
The latest episode of The Collector Car Podcast is now available wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube. Whether you’re driving to your next car show or relaxing in the garage, it’s another opportunity to hear the stories, insights, and personalities that make the collector car hobby so much fun.
Who knows…the next time you’re caught in The Car Show Stare, you’ll have a few new conversation starters of your own.
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One of my favorite parts of writing this newsletter is meeting readers in person. Whether it’s a concours, museum, bookstore, car club, dealership, or private collector event, I genuinely enjoy sharing stories, discussing the collector car market, and talking with fellow enthusiasts.
If you’d like to have me at your concours, museum, dealership, automotive club, corporate gathering, or private event for a keynote presentation, collector car market seminar, book signing, podcast recording, or moderated discussion, simply reply to this newsletter. I’d love to explore how we can create something memorable for your audience.
As always, thank you for following along on these automotive adventures. I truly appreciate your support and look forward to seeing many of you somewhere down the road.
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Need Help With Your Collector Car?
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If you’re considering selling a collector car and would like guidance, I’m always happy to help.
Whether it’s a blue-chip car for a live auction or a modern enthusiast car better suited for an online format, just reply to this email and I’ll personally walk you through the options, timing, and next steps.
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Then catch up on some of my previous blogs:
As always, thanks for listening, watching, reading, liking and sharing fun automotive content. I will talk to all of you this Thursday on The Collector Car Podcast.
Greg Stanley
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