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Car Show Politics?

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Randy Harris

Randy Harris

Jedi Warrior
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I spent a very nice day in Palo Alto this Sunday. Since my Healey is in the shop, I showed my '68 E-Type. The car showed well and I was happy. I left early, before awards were given out. By far the nicest Big Healey on the grass on Sunday belonged to our own Roger Conte (AUSMHLY). The level of Roger's work, as many of you know, is as good as it gets. His car is very nearly Concours Gold level.

There were some very nice cars there to be sure. But none approached Roger's in terms of accuracy, attention to detail, body/paint work and overall presentation. Yet - a 1st place trophy was awarded to another car. I know the owner, he's a nice guy. And his is a very fine car. I've seen it many times over the years and it is worthy of praise and admiration. I hope that if he learns of this post, he won't be too upset with me. But, in my opinion, AUSMHLY's superbly restored '64 BJ8 was the cream of the show.

Roger is too classy a guy to ever make an issue out of this. But, hey, I'm not. In my opinion, the best car did not win on Sunday. This was just lousy judging.

Congrats Roger - your car is simply stunning.
Randy '66 BJ8, '68 E-Type /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Let's face it. Car shows are mostly a popularity contest, not of the car but the owner. The main thing is not to take the awards, those plastic trophys, too seriously. Besides, I see nicely restored cars, but with non original paint and interiors beat more correct cars all the time. And who is to say that a restored car, even correctly, is better than an extremely nice original.
 
I play the car show game because my son (age 12) loves to get the trophies, and it gives me some good quality time with my son. But I was recently in 2 different brit car shows run by the local MG club. In the first one, I didn't place at all. In the second, a much bigger more prestigious show, I won first place in the driven class. Try explaining that to a kid. But it's a life lesson. At least I didn't pay $50k to create a trailor queen, only to lose out to the judge's drinking buddy.
 
[ QUOTE ]
...I left early, before awards were given out...

[/ QUOTE ]

That's my usual M.O.

Shiny bits of extra chrome & brass usually beats correct.
Restored better than new usually beats original w/ patina.
Friends & locals usually beat strangers.

Like he said... you can't take it too seriously.
 
Well, if you repeated those shows on the following week end you would probably get an entirely different set of results.Not guaranteeing that the most correct car would win though.---Keoke-AZ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cowboy.gif
 
Kind words Randy, thank you.

I really enjoyed being a part of the show. It was the one that I looked forward to all year.

Palo Alto was only an hour's drive and what a fun drive it was. Playing tag with Randy on the way to the car show. Picture this. A wicked shinny red 68 XKE and a just Finished, (at 2:00 am Sunday morning) 64 Austin Healey 3000 Mk III weaving together through traffic!

The weather was a bit chilly in the early morning, but by late morning, the sun came out and it turned out to be perfect California day.

I talked with a lot of Healey owners. How sweet was that! Friends of owners, people who grew up with Healey's and those who wished they had a Healey when they were younger. Everyone had a wonderful story. I'm lucky to be a part of it.

Cheers all, Roger
 
It seems to me that the resale red cars take most of the prizes. I've seen many cars with pealing paint and tired/sagging seats take high prizes. I don't get it either. It IS a popularity contest. Car owners should not be allowed to vote for their own model car. They know the owners and vote for the owners and not the car. The more you go the more you get popular with other owners. My Healey is for ME and pleases ME. That's what is important. That and the RIDE!
 
Randy / Roger,

Glad to meet you both at the show. Hope to see you again at the Autumn classic. There is a run the day before as well.

As far as nice rides, all were great. Good to see another one restored and on the road. As for judging well what can you do, I do not think it was politics as much as perhaps the judges liked 100Ms better than BJ8s. I don't know. It will mean more when you have a panel of Healey owners doing the judging. You both have my vote just for coming down.

Congrats!!

Tracy
 
Well this needs a bit of looking at BH.How many trophies and how deep did they go?,1st, 2nd, 3rd? and were they awarded for each marque class? or just by Marque.This latter case would lump all Big Healeys together in one class. Im just curious--Keoke-?
 
I've got a bunch of trophies in a box. Anyone can have 'em if it will make them feel better.

We've had poor cars do well, and great cars get ignored. Sometimes the results of judging may have raised my eyebrow a bit, but not long enough to lose sight of why I'm in this hobby.

Some of the best fun attending was with the worst looking car I ever had. Eventually one day it did win a great trophy. But that is a different story.

Enjoy the drive. Enjoy the people. Enjoy the tinkering. And enjoy the handywork and joy of others with whom we share this hobby.

And if you don't like how cars are judged, volunteer to be a judge. Or start your own car show.

BTW, the Palo Alto winning Healey received the award, as the presenter explained, for more than just the car, but the embodiement of Healeydom the car represented--all the driving and dedication to the hobby that that particular car has been, to many event attendees and Healey enthusiasts all over the county and Canada for many many years. I doubt if one can readily find another Healey that has been as many places, to as many events, and covered as many miles as that one. Personally, I don't find a bit of a problem with that notion, and recognizing all of that is a rather nice gesture. Or at least a forgivable one.
 
Well Brian that answers some of my questions I put to BH. I do find a bit of a problem with that. I think that this award should have been handled as a separate achievement award independent of the car judging . It is done that way at most of the Rendezvous and Conclave shows, in some cases the achievement award is a traveling trophy and is awarded on an anual basis. On the other hand, I find no fault with honoring a deserving individual and his car using the achievement concept at a major car show.--Fwiw---Keoke
 
All of the threads are the reason that I do not show my cars or bikes anymore. When DMH built his cars he did not build them to show, he built them to run and run hard and fast. Do anyone think that Donald wanted his cars restord and kept in garages for once a month jaunts? There seems to be some link between people who spend $$$$ on their cars and an expectation of awards at shows. In my humble opinion most of the cars that win best of show or first place are over restored and never looked that good coming from the factory. I could argue that there should be shows for cars driven less than 2000 miles annually and one show for people who actually use their cars. Every thing is politics, and life is not fair.
 
>>>BTW, the Palo Alto winning Healey received the award, as the presenter explained, for more than just the car, but the embodiement of Healeydom the car represented--all the driving and dedication to the hobby that that particular car has been, to many event attendees and Healey enthusiasts all over the county and Canada for many many years. I doubt if one can readily find another Healey that has been as many places, to as many events, and covered as many miles as that one. Personally, I don't find a bit of a problem with that notion, and recognizing all of that is a rather nice gesture. Or at least a forgivable one.<<<



Apologies if my original posting offended. Like I said in the beginning, I was not there for the awards presentation. Thus I was not aware that the 1st place award was given for something other than strictly the car. I know the winner and I'm aware of his considerable contributions to the Golden Gate Club. He's been very generous of his time for years and his car is wonderful. No doubt he deserves the recognition for his contributions.

I guess my feeling is that if an award is to be presented for "lifetime achievment" or some such, it should be a different award than best in show on the grass that day, because some people take these shows more seriously than others. When someone sweats hundreds of hours on the details pursuing authenticity and perfection, while at the same time being careful to not over restore, and the result is stellar, well.. it's always nice to be recognized for the effort.

Cheers to all who attended. Congrats to John Trifari for his recognition. The important thing is we love our cars and the passion for our Austin Healeys is alive and well!

Randy '66 BJ8, '68 E-Type.
 
Dave,I ment only that red stands out in a group. Not a bad thing just that it is easier to remember a red one. They look "hot". They repersent the "little red sports car" we all wanted in out youth (and today). I'm told it also called "ticket red".
At one show I wrote "not in judging" in the comment box. But I found myself filling out the voting forms for other cars I really liked. I just go for the people who share my interest in fine British cars.
 
cars owned by attractive females usually get my vote regardless of color...well maybe blonds get me vote more often.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Let's face it. Car shows are mostly a popularity contest, not of the car but the owner. The main thing is not to take the awards, those plastic trophys, too seriously.

[/ QUOTE ]

I could not agree more. I enjoy showing my car just for the fun of having people come up and chat about it and marvel and some of my war stories LOL. If I win an occasional award, great, but if I don't, that's ok too. I just enjoy the day yakking with other enthusiasts and showing off my baby to the admiring throngs.

Basil
 
Hey Basil reads this stuff! We'd better stop talking about him.
I got a plack at a show once for having the SECOND shortist drive to the show. It holds the same spot as my other Healey awards. I love the shows but I've become indifferent to awards. I've met Roger and I've seen pictures of his baby. He gets first place for personality and best of show car.
 
I enjoy attending the shows and looking at everyone else's cars. Finally got the Healey I've owned for 30 years back on the road after two years of two engine rebuilds, a paint job (not-for-sale-and-never-gonna-be red), severe brake problems and a fall off the tow truck (don't ask). Did a 1000 mile round trip to the Palo Alto meet last weekend, parked in the mall parking lot across the street and went to the car show. (My Healey and I have an agreement - she doesn't enter me in beauty contests, I don't enter her in car shows.) Saw a lot of beautiful cars, and everyone has an interesting story about their restoration and hard work, but my favorite was a TR4 with more patina than mine ever had or will have, that made it to the show under it's own power.

Driving the Healey is the big thrill for me, with Highway 1 up the California coast to the sound of America's Ventura Highway on my little boom box my favorite route. After I got the car back from the paint shop, I was nervous and uncomfortable driving her for several months, but I'm over that now, and she gets driven and treated the way she did the first 28 years, which isn't going to win us any gold medals anytime soon, but is a lot less stressful!

Sharon
BN1
 
Different shows have different types of judging. Some have judges who are supposed to know the car and go over it. Some have judges who vote on the visual impact of the car and correctness is not the (expensive)issue. Others have a popluar vote by entrants. Others have popular vote by visitors. Some have all. Bottom line is it is all subjective. Even a show like Pebble Beach has subjectivity although it should not.

I mainly enjoy looking at the other cars and talking to the owners. Winning is a plus though.

Bruce
 
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