31 replies to this topic

[Stien529]

Yes guys and girls... You saw that correctly. The Blues Mobile was actually SHUNNED at a car show. Quick story... I live in New Hampshire. I have had the car since 2007 and it's led a very nice life. I took the big boy to Hemmings Motor News Cruise in May 29 2008 and I had fun. This time, I was looking at my book and saw I had no jobs Thursday May 13th. It was the first show of the cruise in. Got in the car, filled it up with gas $70.00 and drove to Bennington VT. Along the way, had lunch at Dots in Brattelbourgh. On Route 9 coming up the hill to Bennington, a 1988 Red Ferrrari blew by me so fast that the big boy shuttered. Got to the show at 4:45pm, the show was from 5:30 to 8:00pm. As I pulled into the lot, the woman at the entrance laughed at my car and said to her fellow ticket takers... Hey look at this...... OH OH.... I thought this isn't good. The car was filthy, road work along the way with mud... Thats ok, the Blues Mobile isn't supposed to be clean is it???? I pull into my assigned spot, fill out my info sheet. I park next to this guy in a 1987 Oldsmobile 442 PRISTINE car..... He actually moved his car over to get away from mine. I should have just left at this point. The show starts, people are walking by the car taking pictures, I let kids sit in the front seat so the folks can take pictures... Ok its getting better. One guy walks up to me an says, " This isn't the Blues Mobile its a 1977 Plymouth Fury. The Blues Mobile is a 1974 Dodge Monaco with a 440 your has a 360. He then runs to the judges and tells them of my horrible lie... UM on my info sheet it says 1977 Plymouth Gran Fury Blues Brothers kinda Replica... I should have left then but couldn't the car was buried. The show goes on and the judges are now giving me the evil eye.... The fellow car show guys were giving me the cold shoulder. At the end of the show they give the prizes out The best Mopar was a 1964 Plymouth Valiant. Oh well. I left the show went to the hotel had some dinner and went to bed. I know that my car is cool and its a blast to own. But yes the car was shunned.. AND WILL NEVER GO BACK TO HEMMINGS>>>>>>

Jake
Nashua NH

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[cheoperative]

It happens... My bluesmobile is a 77 Newport. Every year I get a few folks who are just plain assholes about my car not being a 74 monaco. I just ignore them because for the 3 or 4 dicks, theres about a 100 or so smiling faces and flashing cameras.

[country bunker]

Like cheoperative said, it happens. Just the other day at the gas station I had a few guys telling me what a hunk of sh#t i had. That i should just derby her and junk it. yada yada yada. Theres always gonna be some ass hat out there thats gotta put in his 2 cents. (even if no one cares what thier saying)

But sorry to here that stien. its never fun when it does happen. I must say ive never gotten treated like that from the actual car show. I cant imagine. But hey.. Atleast you got to take the bluesmobile out for a nice ride ehh??

[Jo_Pierce]

Stien529 said:

The show starts, people are walking by the car taking pictures, I let kids sit in the front seat so the folks can take pictures...

And that's all that matters...



Still, sorry that happened to you. But don't let it get you down. After all, you're on a mission from god...

[TK826]

I'd say give it one more try at the next Cruise-in. (or even next years cruise-in)
Sounds like you just ran into a couple of schmucks... it happens.

Although, I am surprised that anyone who is familiar enough with the Blues Brothers, to know the correct year and model of car, would not be open to those who are working to keep the spirit alive.
But, I'm also guessing that every car show has a few "grumpy" people walking around, just looking for things to point out that are "wrong".

If it were me, I'd be most concerned by the actions of the judges.

I'm pretty sure that no event coordinator wants to see attendees turned away from their show.
I think I would write a note to the organizer(s) explaining the large difference between your first show...and this one.

I see you mentioned a hotel stay, so I'm guessing this event did cost you time and
money to attend. You also, in part, helped to promote Hemmings just by being there.
So, there is no excuse for being treated poorly.

Any self-respecting coordinator will express an apology and do some looking into the subject, to get you to keep coming to their show.

[Jo_Pierce]

TK826 said:

Any self-respecting coordinator will express an apology and do some looking into the subject, to get you to keep coming to their show.

... not to menton rectifying the bad press they are getting here!

If you do complain (which you should) mention that members of the largest Blues Brothers site on the net are appalled. This is, after all, the main meeting place of Blumo owners and addicionados.

[Mr Mercer]

Stien , TK is right .
I would call someone that's in charge of that show and tell them of your experience and the future non participation . There lucky to have a gathering anymore for all the other car shows out there . Here in my area I could go to a cruise night every day and an actual show each weekend within a 80 mile radius . There's so many now that the numbers are low in cars or spectators . Ask them how many 77 grand furys do you see at your show versus mustangs and camaros . Yous is definitely different and for those that don't get it , make a sign for your dash . Mine reads " BLUESMOBILE (replica) , Remember the movie , the car has dirt , rust , dents etc... " Just for those that criticize my Monaco .
But I've never had that happen before , kind of ... I was at a local yearly show that has TV and movie cars as the theme and a 76? grand fury blumo came from out of town and parked next to mine . Well these guys go all out with blues brothers toys , posters , music ... Well onlookers kept saying that's not a replica look it a Plymouth with Dodge emblems , now the other one looks like the posters (mine) that are on that car . I felt bad because some morons were real obnoxious and loud about it . Got to the point they wouldn't talk to me anymore , and the year after stayed away from mine .
What makes me mad is the Dukes of Hazzard references . I mean you no nothing about either show/movie so keep it to yourself .

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Edited by Mr Mercer, 25 May 2010 - 05:29 PM.

[HumanBiped]

Yeah, I have yet to take my car to any cruse-ins, which my Uncle John who is helping me fix up is trying to get me to do, but things like that make me timid........

A very short story as far as an experience I've had....... so the local bar that I frequent and my BB partner have performed as the Blues Brothers for YEARS on karaoke nights and with bands that perform there has a regular who almost 2 years after we started performing there shared the story of how he's a giant BB fan and was at the show that they recorded the Chicago HOB CD from. The way he told the story was like he didn't feel the need that we were good enough to share the story with at that point, which slightly ticked me off..... So, when I bought my 1973 Ford LTD bluesmobile, which wasn't in the best of shape, we stopped in the bar, which was pretty much dead except this guy and one of his buddies, and we were bragging about the fact we now had a Bluesmobile for our act! He was like "NO WAY!" and seemed pumped, and we were kinda proud that someone who knew the movie backwards and forwards seemed interested in our car, so his buddy and him went to see my car. They came back a few minutes earlier and as we drank our beers he picked the car apart. It was extremely disheartening.......

I've also had people who act like I'm Dan Aykroyd and we're taking a break from filming the Blues Brothers movie and they get to chat with me.....

So I feel for ya brother! I get the regulars at the gas station who give me the "That's not a Dodge!" or "That's the wrong year" or "That's the wrong model", at which point, I reply "Good Eye" sarcastically. That usually shuts them up, haha!

I've also had people who realize I have a 73 LTD, and that the Blumo was a Dodge, but still dig it! So such as life, with the good is the bad.

[TakkunEG]

That really blows. I would complain too.

I actually ran across a '84 (?) Crown Vic on craigslist the other day. It was so cool, like the original and BB2k Blumos had a lovechild together. It would have made a decent replica too.

[AZ Blues]

Personally, I'd laugh it off. It seems the show goers liked the car, and that's all that really matters... especially the kids. The Grand Fury is similar enough, and I've seen more than one with a '74 Monaco front clip and taillights, so obviously that can all be done if you feel so inclined... but you would do it for you and not some pissy judges who want a field full of sterile muscle cars with correct rally wheels and redline tires just like the ones in all the calendars.

-AZB

[2FAB]

AZ Blues said:

The Gran Fury is similar enough, and I've seen more than one with a '74 Monaco front clip and taillights

They must have had Monaco front end parts but not fenders; the contour lines on Monaco fenders wouldn't line up right with the doors. And I'd wondered if anybody has tried Monaco taillights on a '74 Fury / '75-'77 Gran Fury, and if that would require any modifications to anything. Do you have any pictures of those ones you've seen, AZB?

[AZ Blues]

You know, I never noticed that, it would appear that you would need to swap all four doors to get the right body lines for the Monaco front clip. I've seen two done, both well in the past, and I remember that one guy said he used a wagon for the front clip and parts. He didn't mention changing the doors, but I believe the wagons used the same front and rear doors as the sedans, so he may have. The other one was at another show, sloppily rendered Bluesmobile made from a '76 Fury with green interior left in place. I didn't pay attention to what doors it had, because until a few minutes ago, I assumed they were all the same, but it may have had a modified Monaco header panel to match up to the Plymouth fenders... I didn't take pics of either car as this was before digital cameras were in wide use.

-AZB

[2FAB]

AZ Blues said:

You know, I never noticed that, it would appear that you would need to swap all four doors to get the right body lines for the Monaco front clip.

I never thought of switching the doors out for Monaco doors. I guess the question then would be whether the contour line on the back doors would match up to the Fury quarter panels.

AZ Blues said:

it may have had a modified Monaco header panel to match up to the Plymouth fenders...

This seems more likely. Another member on here, "dodgemonaco," is in the process of converting a '74 Fury into a BluMo, and he is going to put a Monaco front end on it. He wrote, "Going to keep the Fury fenders so the side lines don't look odd."

Some time ago there was a car on eBay that had this done... except they went the other way. It was a '77 Royal Monaco with a Gran Fury front end grafted on to it, but it still had its original fenders.

[AZ Blues]

It's hard to tell by these photos, but it does look like the rear fender lips are a bit different. Could be the reflection, but if they are, there is no easy way to make a Fury into a Monaco. I actually think the Fury is a little cleaner, more Mopar-ish and less Buick-ish than the Monaco, which always reminded me of a '72 LeSabre. You learn something new everyday, and this was a bit unexpected to me as Chrysler didn't have a lot of money in those days, and body panel sharing would have made more sense than buying separate expensive stamping dies for very minor styling variations.

-AZB

[djpauly]

I have a 77 Fury Blumo and if you change out the front end you'll have to change out the front hood also.. add in the fenders and doors.... ugh!!! My brother and i decided to just to find a Monaco it would easier to restore one than make our furry a dodge.

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Edited by djpauly, 28 May 2010 - 12:07 PM.

[Mr Mercer]

I'm almost positive the wheelbase is shorter on a Fury than a Monaco .

[Steam McQueen]

2FAB said:

And I'd wondered if anybody has tried Monaco taillights on a '74 Fury / '75-'77 Gran Fury, and if that would require any modifications to anything.

I can't recall ever seeing a pic of it done. This is bastardization talk you guys are getting into. lol. Swapping doors and stuff. A Fury can be a Bluesmobile but a Fury can't be a Monaco ... or a door. Unless it's ajar. But I digest.

http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum2/public/style_emoticons/default/icon_cool.gif

[2FAB]

AZ Blues said:

this was a bit unexpected to me as Chrysler didn't have a lot of money in those days, and body panel sharing would have made more sense than buying separate expensive stamping dies for very minor styling variations.

I agree. Front or rear end differences between models would be one thing, but it is strange that the side body panels are so similar but aren't the same... not like the '80s Diplomat and Gran Fury (same panels) or even the K-cars, Aries and Reliant (same panels).

Steam McQueen said:

A Fury can be a Bluesmobile but a Fury can't be a Monaco

Agreed! Personally, if I had a Fury, I think I would keep the fender emblems and the Plymouth letters, and embrace the fact that it's a Fury!

[ChiTownJohn]

I'm thinking you should ask the boys on "The Board" about this one.

And I'd be willing to bet all those twelve year old's would say "Stick'em!!!" w/ middle fingers raised.

john

[Blues tats]

I took my Bluesmobile to a small show a few years back about 100 miles from where I live and got the same look that said what the hell is this and why do you want to show it. After 2-4 staff members at the gate shook there heads they put me in the unfinished class. And after about the third old street rodder guy came by and said that would be a cool old car if you would restore it,we left.