From the Volo site:
June 27... Nerd Car and Ugly Duckling Display - Gremlin, Vega, Pacer, Yugo, Maverick, Etc.
Pinto didn't even make the short list. Guess that's a plus.
What the heck is Maverick doing on that list? The car was Ford's stylistic answer to the Camaro. So it wasn't quite as fluid, it wasn't
that "ugly." I guess only we "nerds" who couldn't afford a Camaro drove the Maverick/Comet. I've no qualms with the others on the short list, though.
My guess is it's a display for people with interests that supposedly can't compete with mainstream cars. I dunno. The more I think about it, the more I think it might not be a bad idea to expose people to the cars you don't see every month in the pages of rodding magazines. Maybe if the concepts and histories of the cars are detailed, it could be insightful/educational.
Perhaps it's merely an unfortunate name for the display. At least, I hope that's all it is. I doubt if it were a competitive show that they would brand the cars/competitors thusly. For the general audience, such a name may be clever.
Only we who know and love such off-brand cars take offense at petty teasing. After enduring so much snobbery coming "down" at us, we probably should be the last to act in a snobbish way towards others (no, I'm not saying 78Pinto was being snobbish). And we probably have thicker skin about such matters, too.
Imagine someone going up to a Corvette owner and saying, "Jeez, 'Vettes are so underpowered and ugly, why would you bother?" The 'Vette owner, once he overcame a moment of stunned silence, would probably educate the dweeb with a fast start and a sudden stop (bouncing someone's melon off your dash is a heck of a lot more fun than just punching them).
Looking through the car show thread, it seems like there's maybe one Pinto at an entire car show. How many Mustangs? 'Vettes? Camaros? Deuces?
Yeah.
The problem I see is that many people, casual enthusiasts and hardcore motorists alike sometimes forget it's a lot harder to build a car where you secure parts by scavaging salvage yards and working internet contacts to swap across country or even between countries. Heck, how many suppliers make Mustang replacement parts? And how many make parts for the Pinto? Um. Yeah. I honestly think you could build a 'Stang from aftermarket fabrications without a single part being original (not even taking into consideration complete kit cars). I'd take that '74 Orange original Pinto over a car built from aftermarket fabrications any day.
Building a Pinto show car goes back to the very essence of the hobby. We won't forget that; but it's up to us to remind others around the hobby of that fact...lest we be doomed to "second class," nerd and ugly duckling status for good.
At any rate, based on their website the Volo museum looks like a pretty interesting vacation stop if you're in the Chicago area. I wouldn't know, because I've never been there, but looking over their website makes me want to go.
