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Concourse Car Shows, What Are Your Views?

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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About the only thing I would like to see is, Trailer queens and drivers should be judged in different category's. A driver can not compete with a car that is never driven and is basically a trailered museum show piece. It isn't fair to the folks who drive their cars to the show and be judged the same as a trailer queen that only sees daylight during a show. They should be in a different class. Cars were made to be driven, not used as a mantle show piece. A one of a kind maybe, but we don't have those. JMHO. PJ
 
Paul, Problem I see with your statement is the word JUDGED. When you go to a popular vote car show there is no judged involved. Its a bunch of politics and friends voting without even really looking at the quality of the restorations done on other cars in the class. "yep, I like red and Johnny put a lot of work into it so lets vote for it". As long as you understand that the best car may not actually even place then just have fun being around the people at these events. If you want a trophy with meaning then go to a show with independent judges and see how well you do. Our local club puts on a event and there is one trophy given away by popular vote for all the MGs that attend. The other few are things like Lions club award (held at a Lions club and picked by one of their members)Founders award-Founders of the club pick a car or owner of their choice with no real focus on the cars condition. Then we try to have kids awards. Small home made awards like coolest color or most bugs in the radiator stuff. NO politics!So if you go to a popular vote show and a trailer queen IS nicer than your car who should win? You already won by driving there and back. The actual trophy is a secondary award. Now don't get me started on cars shows....See y'all at the Gathering in Dobson NC. I will not be sitting around my car dusting it or talking it up for votes. Bob
 
Before we got our '74 B-GT, we had a '61 Alvis TD21 convertible that I talked my wife into sending to Coventry to be restored. It was a beautiful car in Alice Blue (light metallic blue) with navy blue top and carpet and biscuit leather. At one show in Spartanburg, our beauty was second in class to a VW-powered Bugatti replica. At another Concours in Pennsylvania the car was awarded "Best Foreign Origin - 1940 and Later", over quite a few trailer queens (I drove from Charlotte NC area to PA - there and back, about 1200 miles). That show in PA was unusual in that the judges were told not to open hoods and trunks, not to crawl underneath. They were to pick cars that were truly "elegant". So over the five years we owned that Alvis, we learned not to go to any show with expectations, just to go and have fun, talk to people, explain that: "No, the car wasn't owned by Elvis!" Now we take our B-GT to shows and spend time with people like Bob (bob67bgt) talking about cars and everything.
 
Going to a car show with the desire to win a trophy is begging for a lesson in frustration. In judged shows, you will never agree with the judges' decision. In participant's choice, it's more about the owner's popularity than his cars. In public vote, the most flashy car will always win, even if it's a heap of junk.

I prefer non-competitive gatherings, personally.
 
Ah, the question is "Concours", which generally isn't a "Popular" vote.
The Jaguar Club a year or two ago decided to "adjust" the driven class......now you can trailer driven class, and I gave up.
They are supposedly fixing it, but why mess with it in the first place?

To do Concours, you need that competitive mindset.
I watched it 30 years ago in the Early Ford V-8 club, and said no thatnks.

I've always felt Concours should be as-delivered, but when the Judges can only place on kneee on the ground, and only bend so far at the waist, and undercarriage, and brakes, are NOT to be judged, what's the point?

I did Concours first year with the Jag club, actually won something, but now I go to the annual event for "display only".

The last big deal was pinstripes and floormats.
Apparently, no Jag came from Brown's Lane with pinstripes or rubber floormats......those were all "dealer options", so how do they judge that, as they were on the car "as delivered" to the customer?

I remember judging an EFV-8 National in Victoria...pouring rain....you laid on the pavement, slid under the vehicle, called out what you found.

Under-dash, same thing.

Can't touch a Jag, nor look under the vehicle or dash.

Looks like the one mentioned in PA was following JCNA's lead.

However, once the judging of you car is complete, the judges become regular club members again, and can touch, look and sit.
First year was a real eye-opener for MK2 judges, as they had never seen a RHD 2.4L before, and the differences are many.
 
I judge my car show results by how many friends I make and how much I can help someone get their car back together.
I do love to spend the time getting ready for the show, TLC a couple of times a year, surely my babies deserve that.
Hope to make it to Dobson this year, health has not been great. The Roadster had a long winters nap, hope she's in a good mood when she awakens.


Wayne
 
I, too, enjoy car shows for the folks I meet, catch up with, see for the first time in a year, etc.

I rarely wash my car prior to putting it on a show field. I drive my MG to and from the event, whether it is a 30 mile drive or a 3000 mile drive.

I've gotten a few awards, one a truly judged event; the others popular vote. Sure, the attention is nice albeit temporary. It is the people that count.

Because of my MG, I have friends on three continents and numerous countries.

My MG is the catalyst that created these friendships.
 
I don't really see what fun it is to trailer a car to a show
especially if it's just accross town (unless the car is very uncom-
fortable to drive long distance in).It's always more fun to drive to
the show.
And then there's the whole "matching numbers" thing.



- Doug
 
TOC said:
<span style="color: #FF0000">Ah, the question is "Concourse", which generally isn't a "Popular" vote.</span>


To do Concourse, you need that competitive mindset.
I watched it 30 years ago in the Early Ford V-8 club, and said no thatnks.

I've always felt Concourse should be as-delivered, but when the Judges can only place on knees on the ground, and only bend so far at the waist, and undercarriage, and brakes, are NOT to be judged, what's the point?
Click to expand...

<span style="font-size: 10pt">When a judge can't get down to look at the undercarriage, it's his undercarriage that needs attention and shouldn't be in the position to be judging that part of the car. Remember, I'm talking CONCOURSE, with concourse judges! Not the average popularity voting that we see at most shows where a piece of after market chrome will win over an original part, that took many hours to restore to like new condition! After market accessories, even though their pretty, do not impress me one bit, sorry. JMHO. PJ
</span>
 
BTW...it is Concours. A concourse is something you walk down at an airport, etc.

:smile:
 
Tomatoe , tomato
grin.gif
 
rick_ingram said:
BTW...it is Concours. A concourse is something you walk down at an airport, etc.

:smile:
Click to expand...

Yeah, my original post says "Concours", but when it gets quoted, must be some spell check somewhere.
 
I have been showing Concours cars for years. Even if you have a 100 point car their are still the personal favorites of the judges. If you go expecting to win, you will miss the enjoyment of looking at the other cars, sharing details about yours and ususally the sunshine and food. Even when you win, the trophys are cheesy to say the least, maybe a silver tray or somethng of that nature. My wife makes me keep most of them in a box in the garage.

I was invited years ago to Amelia Island, Florida. I had my car trailered from California, not cheap. I did not win anything. There were five cars in my class, three were not complete in terms of restoration--works in progress. One even was pushed onto the field. My car and another were the only "show quality" cars. The three incomplete projects won--it was about "donations" to the foundation or if you are someone famous. Live and learn but go for the fun.

Bill
 
It has to be fun!!! So, why don't you come to New Orleans on the 24th?? Just for the fun,of course! :savewave: OOOOPS!!!!! I mean the 19th! See,I'm already having fun. :whistle:

Stuart. :cheers:
 
bob67bgt said:
Its a bunch of politics and friends voting without even really looking at the quality of the restorations done on other cars in the class. "yep, I like red and Johnny put a lot of work into it so lets vote for it".
Click to expand...

Well gee. I've shown my MG all over the place at shows where I've known absolutely <span style="font-style: italic">nobody</span> and have a ton of 1st and 2nd place trophies. One club even gave me an additional award because I drove 2 days to get there. I guess I must have made a bunch of friends along the way to have done that, but then again I do have a red car :smile:
 
Re: Concours Car Shows, What Are Your Views?

rick_ingram said:
BTW...it is Concours. A concourse is something you walk down at an airport, etc.

:smile:
Click to expand...
Ah, Sorry for that 2nd grade mistake. Only need one of those when we run out of gas! :jester:
 
Re: Concours Car Shows, What Are Your Views?

I really dont understand the point of this post. Concours has always been for the elite cars. Many cars in the class are big toys for big boys and have had huge money put into them at quality restoration shops,but some cars that show up are built in small home garages by dedicated car lovers.Some people like to call them trailer queens,but having a trailer is a great luxury,being a portable garage with security. One of the problems sometimes of having a concours car,is where to show it. At shows with a concours class it's easy to figure out. General type shows,the people choose. What if you have a car that won many concours division shows and it's getting on in years with a few flaws from having been used? Drop down to the popular vote show and you'll be hated for it. If you want to be in concours,get working or writing the checks. Popular vote is for everything else. Just enjoy your car. I really never thought I might own a trailer queen.Since my car is a Triumph,I always considered my car with a masculine personality. Maybe a Trailer King?
 
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