Dans2011gs

Did 2 shows this weekend that were non NCCC events. I never win place or show at these. My 2011 Inferno orange C6 gets a lot of attention and plenty of comments, but when it comes to judging... NADA- NOTHING. When I do NCCC events that are properly classed, I do very well, and have been lucky to get recognized. I know I shouldn't care and should be doing it for the fun, etc... but its a bummer feeling like you don't stand a chance right off the bat. Too hard to compete with the 60's models when it comes to judging, and in most cases verts are classed together- regardless of the year. As much as I enjoy the events, I think I will not show at any non vert events, unless I have a clear understanding of the classifications. I don't think I should compete with these early models and while I can blow there doors off, they have the nostalgia factor only time will give to my car. I was asked at one show what to do in regards to this and I said that verts need to be seperated somehow, but could offer no resolution. Any ideas? Anyone else feel this way, or had this issue/problem?

Captain Richard

A few years back, my Dad entered his 1979 Harley Davidson Sportster into a car show & motorcycle show. He'd brought the bike home as a basketcase, meaning more of the bike was in boxes than not. He spent the better part of three years restoring the bike to like-new quality, doing all of the work himself, except for a shop re-chroming some of the parts and redoing the Harley logos. He was very proud of what he had accomplished and was hoping it would do well at the contest.

He took second. You know who won first? Some guy who brought his brand new Harley that didn't even have 100 miles on it. We never attended that show again.

Later on, he took third in another show in the best restoration category, a show that had over 100 bikes entered, some of them being restos done by professional bike shops whereas my Dad has always been just a hobbyist. While validation was unnecessary, he was still pretty happy with his award.

In essence, if you're upset that your newish Grand Sport isn't bringing you home trophies, you should either customize it to where it really stands out...or just take it to one of the aforementioned car shows where the judges are people who know nothing about cars. Your car's "ooooh, that's pretty" factor might win them over.

Not a sermon, just a thought.

got2hav1

King, happens to us all the time. Our club sponsors and competes in NCCC events as well as some open shows. Just accept the fact that you are not going to compete with the classic vettes even though your car is probably pristine in comparison. Have fun and don't let it bother you.

jackhall99

Dan, you sound like the 'entitled' generation. Get a grip.

A car show is for fun, to socialize with new and old friends, and to admire other cars at the show. My '06 coupe doesn't win anything, nor do I care.

Also, paragraphs are your friend.

VatorMan

Most corvette shows are like walking on the dealers lot-except for the cars that look like an Ecklers catalog threw up on them.
I have a great appreciation for someone that can keep an older model car on the road and looking good.

Captain Richard

LOL!

Truck Guy

How true. Buy a car, get a trophy. Good for you

Raazor

RedLS1GTO

Wow. Just... wow.

dvilin

Exactly. If you have a newer Vette completely stock why would you expect a trophy, I mean for what??

BillH2121

I've never really understood the concept of bringing a new, un-modded car to a car show. What's the trophy for - best use of soap and water????

JW Motorsports

Do it for the cause or fun. Older Vettes will always win against new ones.

peter pan

VatorMan

I'm gonna suggest this trophy title for our next Corvette show.

RJRSW

I couldn't agree more and that is how it should be.

Been driving vettes for 50 years and have had around 25 of them and never entered one yet. I currently have a pristine 2007 LMB loaded convert that is literally perfect and just like it rolled off the assembly line with 4k miles. I wouldn't enter it or even consider entering it in any show and I go to them all the time.

What would I win a trophy for:

Not driving the car in the rain?

Driving the car only on weekends?

Best wash and wax job?

Having enough money to buy it?

The older true unrestored survivors or nicely restored C1, C2 and c3's are the ones I go to see, not the late model C5's and C6's. If I go to a show and all there is to see are late model newer vettes I'm gone very quickly.

Rbohno

I agree, several years ago I bought a brand new hummer and was excited about it so went to a local event and thought what the heck and entered it in the 4 wheel catagory of the car show and won first place.

Afterward I felt like a heel because there were 10 to 15 vehicles ranging in year models that were beautifully done (some of them 100's of hours to build/modify/paint) and in hind sight they should have won.

I continued to go on the toy runs and attend the shows but refused to enter after that.

Gannet

I don't understand judging in shows at all. Why does everything have to have winners and losers? Why can't it just be for fun? Shows would be better without trophies imo.

As to "buying your way in" with a new car vs "working your way in" with an old one, that's no guarantee at all. On many of those pristine early cars the owner did nothing but write the check - and whether the owner put in thousands of hours, or tens of thousands of dollars paying someone else, or even buying a show-winner completed, makes no difference to the judging. Me personally, I just like the coolest car, and having a Vette just be old doesn't guarantee cool. I'd rather see a IO GS then a base '64 coupe with a Powerglide in a lousy color.

The other perversion that judging causes is people emptying the Eckler's catalog all over their cars. In some cases that's actually what they wanted, but in many cases they are just trying to score "show points", yes, you get judging points for every doo-dad, and a stocker gets zilch. Crazy.

The problem with show judging is that it either is subjective, "People's/Judge's Choice", or they try and make it objective, either giving so many points for chalk marks, and so many for how clean the inside of your radiator cap is, or giving points for how many tacky doo-dads you managed to stick on - and let's not forget the die-cast of your car, on a spinner!"

Blech. Buy or build what you want, show it for the fun of it, and ignore the trophies or lack thereof.

jackhall99

True. And true.

One thing I am doing for next year is 'dolling' up my 2006 Corvette 'display', if you can call it that. I have this



in VR to go along with this



this



and when I get it back from the builder, a 1:18 model of my car with all the correct details.

None of these additions to my car display at a show will make my car deserve to win anything. It will just add to the fun and open up a few additional conversations.

Bill Dearborn

It shouldn't be about competing against mid 20th century cars with 21st century cars or who has the most chrome or spent the most money on their car. It should be about how the owners have cared for their cars and how much elbow grease they put into them getting them ready for the show. If a 60s Vette with shiny chrome side pipes and dirty windows, dirt in the vents and dust ***** on the carpet is being judged against a new car that has a clean windshield, no dirt in the vents and a pristine carpet the new car should place better whether it is a popular car or not. Most car shows nowadays are not worth attending since they are nothing more than cruise ins with some trophies handed out. I can go to cruise ins and not pay any money and nobody gets any trophies. By the way after you get 40 or 50 trophies the wife will tell you to get them out of the house. They are hell to keep clean. Everybody I know gives theirs away unless they are something that is useful.

Bill

RedLS1GTO

So by your theory I guess I should just start doing 24 hour test drives from the Honda dealer and entering them whenever there is a show. Who cares if it isn't popular, I guarantee that there won't be a car there that is more pristine than my Civic.

Screw that '63 Grand Sport. There are chips in the paint. That POS looks like somebody drove it on a race track. Idiot. What the hell was he thinking trying to go up against my Civic that has never seen a speck of dirt. Best in show here I come. A clean windshield, no dust, clean carpets... that's all that matters, right?





People showing new cars with the expectation of winning something is stupid. Why am I supposed to be impressed by something that I could drive to the local dealership and see a dozen of?