The Hot Rod & Restoration Show (www.HotRodShow.com) that takes place in Indy March 22-24 is a great venue for hobby professionals to attend. If you sell parts, restore cars or write stories about cars you may be able to get credentials through the event's website.

The first thing you need to understand is that the trade show opens Friday after breakfast. There are no vendors open this day or no show cars to see, except lobby displays! But the seminars are great. For instance, in 2010 I was part of the panel at Egge Machine Co.’s vintage engine seminar. I did not know that so many parts were being reproduced by them and other companies for Rocket V-8s, Buick “Nailheads” and early ohv Caddys. (However, I wondered why the people in the audience weren’t too interested in my Pontiac straight sixes and eights?)
After absorbing all the seminars on Thursday, you’ll want to get over to the free Grand Opening Breakfast on Friday morning sponsored by Meguiar’s. This year Barry Meguiar will be interviewing legendary hot rodder Ed Iskenderian, the winner of the Robert E. Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award this year.
After breakfast, the doors to the Hot Rod & Restoration Show open at 10:30 am and you can visit about 100 exhibit booths set up by companies that help you with your restorations. You will also see some cool hot rods and custom cars on display.
There are also restoration skill demonstrations right on the show floor, such as Ace Eckelberry’s “Cut and Sew” workshop. Last year I met Ace during breakfast at the Meguiar’s table. I also met Mark Bowler of Bowler Performance Transmissions (www.bowlertransmission.com) who I’m going to have upgrade the 700R4 in my ’89 Caprice 9C1 trooper car as soon as I can get it to his Lawrenceville, Ill. shop.