Car show judging

[Cojohnso1]

Judging has been a problem thru the history of any sporting event. And classic car events are no exception.

If you want the most honest and least bias results? Hire a post H.S. vocational shop class of tomorrow's mechanics and body students. That have no vested interests. Explain the judging criteria and desired expectations.

JMO.

 

[Cranky]

I have judged at many local shows. It sucks when the participants are so jazzed about winning, they follow the judges around talking UP their car and stating the obvious. I get it. You are proud of your car! Sometimes when I see a car, something immediately disqualifies it but with the owner following me around, I have to pretend to give it a full inspection.
I do not claim to be an expert but there are a few things that I see at shows that drastically reduce chances of winning. I've made it a habit of putting my own preferences aside and focusing on build quality. If I walk up and see trash inside the dirty car, it is a turn off. Beautiful paint does not make up for poorly fitting body panels. I've shaken my head at JC Whitney quality "upgrades" that clutter the look of the car too. I'll stop here since I'm at risk of offending some members. Build your car to meet your desired outcome and let the others obsess about the trophy anyway.
For the record, My own car has been glanced at and passed over because the majority of people see these cars as Street machine drag racers, not Pro Touring resto-mods or whatever you'd call it....

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I don't care if a judge picks the pink Duster next to me. The drive to and from were fun, hanging out with friends is great and walking the show is a step back in time for me. THAT is why I am there.

We had a judging 'station' where everyone that wanted to enter brought their car to US. It was in the shade for one reason and another, who wants to walk all over the place to find all the cars that were 'entered' in the judging show? We had several classes like most do and we had a criteria to follow.

It wasn't concourse but it was based on original cars if the car was entered as an original car or original restored, modified and on and on plus we had a drag car class. It was based on the nicest drag car out there between door slammers, dragsters, open body altereds and the list goes on.

But, we did NOT have to walk all over the field and I knew that going in which made it more inviting. The ones with the the 'daily drivers' got recognition too and back then, there were plenty of them. Anything that had 100k+ miles got my attention since my really nice 70 Challenger had 90K on it when I got it and it still ran really nice. I could not see any evidence of the motor ever being apart and knew the rear end had never had a gear swap until I did one.

And no, I never entered my car for judging.....wasn't there for that.

 

[Under Pressure]

I like car shows, I like weekly car cruise-ins mostly cause I like cars, car people, and making mixed drinks in my trunk
Just sayin

 

[68BabyBlue]

Thanks Bud, takes me back to when Julie Clark handed the keys to me in 1970. Looks like the Demonstrator will make the pilgrimage to Carlisle this year. Wish you were there.

The stars aligned, and I drove the Demonstrator to Carlisle. Ice cold A/C, and no overheating with the new radiator core, even when the outside air hit 95 degrees on the way home. I met several younger guys who had recently acquired GTXs. They were amazed to hear the car was driven, not trailered, and said they would be checking with me next year for information as they got their cars sorted out. Better than any trophy.