Major car, truck, tractor & farm power shows in North America, 2016

Trucks first:

Here are some of the better-known shows scheduled from March 31st through November, 2016.

Do visit the websites listed or call the phone numbers under each entry if there are any doubts about the dates and locations. Such are subject to change, especially the smaller, local, or regional shows. You don't want to drive a long distance to arrive disappointed.

MIDWEST PRIDE IN YOUR RIDE – May 6-7, 2016Tri-State Raceway in Earlville, Iowa. Call (563) 580-8200 or visit www.midwestprideinyourride.org.

SPOOLIN’ UP SHOW & DRAGS – May 15, 2016
Island Dragway in Great Meadows, New Jersey. Call (570) 807-8671 or visit www.supershowrigs.com.

ATHS NATIONAL CONVENTION & SHOW – May 26-28, 2016
Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center in Salem, Oregon. Call (816) 891-9900 or visit www.aths.org.

WHEEL JAM TRUCK SHOW – June 3-5, 2016
South Dakota State Fairgrounds in Huron, SD. Call (605) 354-2809 or visit www.wheeljamtruckshow.com.

SHELL ROTELLA SUPER RIGS – June 9-11, 2016Joplin Convention and Trade Center in Joplin, Missouri. Call (973) 588-2000 or visit www.shell.com/rotella/superrigs.

WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE – July 14-16, 2016
Iowa 80 Truck Stop in Walcott, Iowa. Call (563) 284-6961 or visit www.iowa80truckstop.com.

FITZGERALD TRUCK SHOW – July 15-16, 2016
Fitzgerald’s Truck Sales in Crossville, Tennessee. Call (888) 649-1053 or visit www.truckshow.com.

TRUCK FUNCTION IN JUNCTION – July 16, 2016
Junction City, Oregon. Get details on Facebook, call (541) 954-0762, or visit www.truckfunctioninjunction.com.

WORLD OF LARGE CARS – July 22-23, 2016
Gwillim Trucking in Carlinville, Illinois. Call (217) 415-3904 or visit Gwillim Trucking Inc. on Facebook.

TOP GUN LARGE CAR SHOOTOUT – July 29-31, 2016
Rantoul National Aviation Center in Rantoul, Illinois. Call (217) 202-1473 or visit www.topgunlargecarshootout.com.

COLOR & CHROME FANTASY TRUCK SHOW – July 29-31, 2016
Keith County Fairgrounds in Ogallala, Nebraska. Call (308) 883-5508 or visit www.ccftruckshow.com.

JOPLIN 44 TRUCKERS JAMBOREE – August 5-6, 2016
Joplin 44 Petro Truck Stop in Joplin, Missouri. Call (417) 621-6140 or visit www.joplin44.com.

GREAT SALT LAKE TRUCK SHOW – August 12-13, 2016
Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah (south of Salt Lake City). Call (800) 877-1320 or visit www.saltlaketruckshow.com.

WAUPUN TRUCK-N-SHOW – August 12-13, 2016
Waupun Community Center in Waupun, Wisconsin. Call (920) 324-9985 or visit www.waupuntrucknshow.com.

SHINE & SMOKE SHOW & DRAGS – August 13, 2016
Island Dragway in Great Meadows, New Jersey. Call (570) 807-8671 or visit www.supershowrigs.com.

NO COAST LARGECAR TRUCK SHOW – August 13-14, 2016
Hancock County Fairgrounds in Britt, Iowa. Call (641) 860-0867 or visit www.lifetimenutcovers.com.

EAU CLAIRE BIG RIG TRUCK SHOW – August 19-21, 2016
Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI. Call (715) 832-6666 or visitwww.eauclairebigrigtruckshow.com.

GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW – August 25-27, 2016
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Call (888) 349-4287 or visit www.truckshow.com.

CENTRAL VALLEY COMMERCIAL TRUCK SHOW – September 3-4, 2016
Fresno Fairgrounds in Fresno, California. Call (559) 684-1806 or visit www.cvcts.com.

THE BIG IRON CLASSIC – September 9-10, 2016
Dodge County Fairgrounds in Kasson, Minnesota. Call Jim at (507) 208-0222 or visit www.bigironclassic.com.

RICHARD CRANE MEMORIAL TRUCK SHOW – September 16-18, 2016
Little Bear East Arena in St. Ignace, Michigan. Call (906) 643-6950 or visit www.nostalgia-prod.com.

BUSTED KNUCKLE TRUCK SHOW – September 16-18, 2016
Wilkins Oklahoma Truck Supply in Tonkawa, OK. Call (800) 299-5308 or visit www.wilkinstruckchrome.com.

U.S. DIESEL TRUCKIN’ NATIONALS – September 17, 2016
Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ. Call (732) 446-7800 or visit www.usdtn.com or www.racewaypark.com.

GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION TRUCK SHOW – September 23-24, 2016
4 State Trucks in Joplin, Missouri. Call (888) 875-7787 or visit www.chromeshopmafia.com.

TRUCKIN’ FOR KIDS SHOW & DRAGS – September or October 2016 (TBD)
Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California. Call Frank at (208) 448-2811 or visit www.truckinforkids.org.

PDI’S CUSTOMER APPRECIATION TRUCK SHOW – October 6-8, 2016
Held at Performance Diesel’s headquarters in St. George, Utah. Call (800) 511-1231 or visit www.pdidiesel.com.

DYNAFLEX MONSTER STACK SHOOTOUT – October 21-22, 2016
Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California. Call (888) 349-4287 or visit www.truckshow.com.

CALIFORNIA TRUCKING SHOW – October 22-23, 2016
Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California. Call (877) 281-7758 or visit www.californiatruckingshow.com.

A Modern Surrey

Here's an attachment for the drawbar of your Ford 9N.

What is a "Brougham"

Here is one of the best definitions we've found lately . . . from Richard Bennett, Founder of The Brougham Society.

"Brougham" is a style that we most likely will never see again. I suspect that the combination of stately, elegant styling and luxurious, over-the-top interiors, combined with the smooth, quiet ride still speaks to many today. I know that's why I love them so much!  A look through our membership ranks will show quite a large number of members that are in their teens, twenties, and thirties.  This is encouraging to me, in that it ensures that TBS has staying power.  Broughams are beginning to increase in value, but compared to the average muscle car they are still bargains.

A lot of magazines/shows/blogs speak negatively of American auto industry from 1975-1985, going so far as to even call it "The Malaise Era."  Yet, this seems to be a golden age for brougham cars. How do you reconcile that?  Some of these cars had some pretty serious flaws.

It's true that quality control took a dive during those years.  The reason for much of that I feel is a combination of government regulations forcing the automakers to have to develop cars that were cleaner, more fuel efficient, and safer, all at the same time. It was a massive undertaking for the Big Three.  Combine that with record sales, and the need to produce more cars faster caused the quality control to lapse in many cases.

Now, the reason Brougham took off then?  It is believed that as members of the Greatest Generation were hitting middle age, they wanted something that coddled them during their commute and truly showed that they had "made it", as they were well within their prime earning years.  What better way than to drive a big, stately automobile!

Why did cars like this fall out of style in the U.S.?

There are a number of reasons.  One, like most generations, the Boomers by and large didn't want to be seen driving the same thing as their parents.  The gas crisis of the 1970's caused larger cars to become undesirable.  Adding the quality problems that caused many to flock to cars from Japan and Europe, the damage was done and there was no going back.

People love to say that "if they still built cars like this, I'd buy one!" but how true is that? It seems like America has moved on.

There are some signs that touches of Brougham are returning, but they are mainly found in high-end luxury cars from Europe, of all places!  But when it comes to seeing Ford, GM or Chrysler build a traditional "Brougham", it's not going to happen.  Sure, there are a few that would snap up a new, rear wheel drive, body on frame, V8 Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac Fleetwood, but the numbers would be so small that they would be massive money losers for the manufacturers.  As much as we like to think otherwise, automakers are in the business of making money, and their research shows that currently it's all about the SUV and pickup truck.

Another interesting thing about The Brougham Society is the emphasis on keeping automobiles “stock.” While TBS is very friendly, they don't seem to take kindly to a lot of car modding.

During the past decade, many sub-cultures have beginning to take an interest in Broughams, but instead of seeing them as the stately, upscale cars they are, they have began turning them into rolling caricatures, complete with giant, oversized wheels, garish paint jobs, and obnoxious stereo systems.  This concerns me in that I am seeing clean, original Broughams becoming more and more extinct as they are being transformed into these things!  Because of that, a main goal of The Brougham Society to share and show how the designers intended for these cars to look, and hopefully many will see the true beauty of them and leave them the way they were meant to be.

I think that's something a lot of classic car groups face—the conflict over how much modification can be done before it becomes tasteless. You and I both seem to be fairly conservative; although I'm all for things that increase drivability, like radial tires and aftermarket fuel injection, which still preserve most of the original car's intentions.

A number of purists would cry blasphemy over the idea of changing so much as fan belt, but this is where I will differ slightly. There are cases where some cars were known to have drivability issues or were problem plagued, so in order to keep them on the road a mechanical modification would be appropriate, such as a new engine or better tires.  In these instances I don't see it a problem, so long as "the look" is kept intact.

Actually, I have several cars that could considered my "favorites".  But for the sake of our time here, I will select the one that has been my dream car since I was a young kid, the 1980's Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe!  I was blessed to have a 1987 model when I was in my early twenties, and it was my ultimate inspiration behind TBS.

A beautiful example of this "brougham" business. These models, regardless of make, usually were priced at a premium. True broughams of this modern American automobile sported a full or partially padded roof. We drove a 1983 Olds 98 Regency Brougham for a few years we found in a service bay at an Olds dealership. Had a slushed transmission but with a full padded roof. Wonderful ride in matching tan leather superior to a Cadillac we also owned a few years ago. Wish we'd held on to that one.

Strictly speaking, broughams had a cab or driver's section outside of the passenger compartment and open to the weather. So another term misapplied over the years and as auto language has changed. But, hey, we who belong to the Society don't care. We just like the looks and the term adds a nice accent. Consider joining Richard's The Brougham Society if you value classic style and a bygone era of American or European auto design.

What is a Landau?

1.  a four-wheeled covered carriage with the top in two sections, either of which can be lowered independently.  2. a former style of automobile with a top whose back could be folded down.

But here's the 1979 Chevrolet Caprice Landau. Hmmm. Could it be GM or Chevy misappropriated a catchy, marketable, automotive-ish term to describe cars where the roof––neither the front or back–– could be folded? 

Chevrolet is not alone in this. Chryslers were badged with "Landau" for one as were other makes or models that have since disappeared. Ford Company used the term for the Lincoln once upon a time, I believe. 

"Landau" has lost its clout in modern car badging and trim versions. Now we respond to GTO, GTX, STS, or Taurus, Fury, Monza, Sierra, Santa Fe, Outback.

The 1936 Chevrolet

The photo above is of a Chevrolet sedan, circa 1936. Note the vertical grill, so common in that era yet roundly lampooned in the 1950s when the Edsel appeared. Vertical grills lent themselves well to the styling restrictions of the day, namely narrow in-line six or eight cylinders mostly and pontoon fenders. 

When V-8 engines appeared, wider engine wells were needed to accommodate such. Fenders were blended into the hood assembly and those swollen pontoons shrank accordingly. 

Note, in this example, the Chevrolet 'bow-tie" is making its appearance quietly in the emblem between the headlights. Not the first time, though, for this familiar symbol. It made its debut in 1913 according to GM historians.

Dodge Ram's "Daddy"

Here's what's needed for winter's feeding. Put it in "Grandma" gear, hop out, and spread your hay while you and the truck walk leisurely though the pasture.

And should one run it into a ditch bank or high-center on a dike, there's a winch to pull you out. Providing you can find something to hitch to. Perhaps a congenial cow.

The Power Wagon of the Chrysler Corporation made its appearance in late WWII and was produced until 1981. A power-takeoff unit was available for operating auxiliary equipment. A no-nonsense rig that fit its times until something more exciting and comfortable came along.

Hudson . . . Still Revered

Post-war Hudsons seem to be coming out of the woodwork these days. This August we spied one at a McDonald's in Erie, P. A.  Then, last month, one showed up at the Frontier Cafe, Stevensville, Montana. Pictured is one that surprised us while photographing a herd of Red Angus, near the Mission Range, western Montana.

This convertible appears to bear––at first glance––its original factory paint as did the others we ran across. Forest Green in P. A. and in Montana, black with a white top. Convertibles are quite rare. This 1948-49 example wears the distinctive headband that became a clue to quick identity when meeting oncoming traffic. 

Hudsons were attractively styled, especially pre-and post- WWII versions, and later, the marque led the way with its innovative Step-down body and chassis design, giving the car a sleek, long, and lower profile that appeared to hug the highway. This "torpedo" styling incorporated "Monobilt" unitized construction with perimeter frame rails and a lower center of gravity than its competition.

Hug the road it did. Coupled with power plants that delivered good top end on the track, 1950 Hudsons dominated stock car races around the nation. They were recognized for their track-savvy manners and handling, beating most entries of the Big Three. Not until the Rocket 88s fielded by Oldsmobile, did the Hudson face a real challenge during those few years, the heyday of its glory. 

A dignified 1940-41 coupe that seated three. A modest rear seat could be installed as an option. Below are several 1946-47 models: to my mind some of the most attractively styled of all makes and models available after WWII. Note the hidden running boards.

Even a three-quarter ton pickup was marketed. 

The company merged with Nash-Kelvinator in the mid-50s to survive against the Big Three. Despite its innovations in cabin comfort and size, industry-leading transmission options, and advanced suspension and steering engineering, Hudson's fortunes continued downhill even under the banner of American Motors Corporation, headed by George Romney. The badge disappeared altogether in 1957 but is still honored by such auto clubs as the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane owners who enthusiastically keep the memories alive and interest growing.

Here is a Hudson Terraplane, a lower-priced Hudson marketed as an entry-level vehicle, competitively priced in the mid-to late-1930s. I found this one at a Hermitage, Pennsylvania car show.