The Ford Barn

phonconn · 12-23-2016, 09:46 AM

Where did this term come from and what does it mean.
Some shared research from days gone by(late 50's early 60's). In the early days of Judging Fine Point cars it was not necessary to have your car run, make the vacuum wiper work, or any function of it running or driving.
Thus some restorers would do a "Trailer Queen" and never rebuild the engine and in fact many would not even run or if they did they were not road worthy.
The were trailered to the meet. Backed out of the trailer(using gravity) and pushed back into the trailer after they were judged and "looked at". Since they didn't run and were just pretty to look at but had no function there were jealousies that arose from those who did in fact do a complete restoration back to factory standards and tolerances.
If was decided that any "show car" should start, run, and drive as it did when new and so some additional requirements were added to the judging rules.
Now start and idle is our test of the cars ability to start and run and at the same time lights, horn, and wiper are tested. Also a mandatory tour of some miles was added. From this time on the "Trailer Queens or Trailer Babies" were unable to compete and so they all but disappeared from the scene. But as with many labels the term continued and included those cars that were just too pretty to drive out on the open road susceptible to gravel pecks, mud, dirt and grim.
Now we have two classes of "Show Cars". Ones that are driven on a regular basis or touring cars done to a set of standards and Fine Point done to assembly line standards, but in both cases both types must prove their ability to start easily and go down the road and stop(very important).
So do the Trailer Babies or Trailer Queens still exist? I guess so but they are certainly not restricted to a life of trailerdom. They do run and can get out and go with the best of them all things being equal.
Just a Christmas thought to share. Don't think there are any Trailer Queens left as I think all are now restored to run.

12-23-2016, 09:46 AM	#1
phonconn Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Kansas City Area Missouri Posts: 396	"Trailer Baby" or "Trailer Queen" Where did this term come from and what does it mean. Some shared research from days gone by(late 50's early 60's). In the early days of Judging Fine Point cars it was not necessary to have your car run, make the vacuum wiper work, or any function of it running or driving. Thus some restorers would do a "Trailer Queen" and never rebuild the engine and in fact many would not even run or if they did they were not road worthy. The were trailered to the meet. Backed out of the trailer(using gravity) and pushed back into the trailer after they were judged and "looked at". Since they didn't run and were just pretty to look at but had no function there were jealousies that arose from those who did in fact do a complete restoration back to factory standards and tolerances. If was decided that any "show car" should start, run, and drive as it did when new and so some additional requirements were added to the judging rules. Now start and idle is our test of the cars ability to start and run and at the same time lights, horn, and wiper are tested. Also a mandatory tour of some miles was added. From this time on the "Trailer Queens or Trailer Babies" were unable to compete and so they all but disappeared from the scene. But as with many labels the term continued and included those cars that were just too pretty to drive out on the open road susceptible to gravel pecks, mud, dirt and grim. Now we have two classes of "Show Cars". Ones that are driven on a regular basis or touring cars done to a set of standards and Fine Point done to assembly line standards, but in both cases both types must prove their ability to start easily and go down the road and stop(very important). So do the Trailer Babies or Trailer Queens still exist? I guess so but they are certainly not restricted to a life of trailerdom. They do run and can get out and go with the best of them all things being equal. Just a Christmas thought to share. Don't think there are any Trailer Queens left as I think all are now restored to run.