Dont take this wrong but my opinion of corvette clubs is that they are a bunch of snobs with too much money. went to a corvette show today and believe me i am not a trophy hunter. But when the 2 vettes that win are really bad it is wrong . my car is not stock but clean and and well maintained the winner today did not open his hood Why? The 2nd place winner had the dirtiest engine at the show but guess what they were in ths club that sponsers the show At the end of the show they said come back next year and bring more cars they had less than last year and we know why.

 

Ha ha , welcome to the real world...

 

The only shows my Vette goes to are fashion shows.

 

Works for me...

 

Let it slide, both of mine are 95% perfect and I could care less about a dumb trophy. For what these cost me I could have bought alot of trophys. Drive them, enjoy them, frig the trophys. My cars are what and the way I like them, and could care less what anyone else thinks.

 

Just to put a little different light on this, I spent 31 years moving from one duty station to another. One of the first things I would do was join a local Corvette club. It was for me and my family one of the best introductions into a new community. I know I saved more money over the years than I ever spent on dues just by have good insight into what business to deal with and which ones to avoid. The bain of the military is that by the time they have this information, much of it learned at great expense, they're off to another duty station.

The clubs that I have been associated with were for the most part outstanding, so I do consider myself lucky. They are made up of a broad spectrum of local people and yes even a few snobs. But my experience with them is that the snobs rarely stick around for long because they're usually not real Corvette people anyway. I now have Corvette friends all around the US and even in Japan, so I always have a place to bunk if needed...

One of the hardest things to do when organizing a car show for a club is ensuring that just the type of thing you experienced doesn't happen. It's not easy and we're not always successful. One of the things my current club has come up with is that members can not enter shows that we host. This avoids preferential treatment (most of the time) and means you have a lot more help not focused on their own car to run the show. It has worked well for us.

I would urge you to join a local club and make your mark. It is a lot of work but can also be a lot of fun. And besides you get to hang around a bunch of great people... most of the time...

Save the Wave... GUSTO

CaroVettes

 

Went to a car show today myself. About 25 cars total. In my opinion, I had the second nicest car there and I didn't even enter. Should have. But I wouldn't have won. There was a red '65 coupe there that took it all home. The only Vette in the show. There was a Nova, two Chevelles, two Mustangs, and a 383 Demon. The rest was rice stuff with all the gadgets that I hate.

 

Wait, wait...I'm getting a vision...tell me if I'm close:

A bunch of older guys (late 50's ~ 70's) wearing "Corvette" ball caps to cover their snow-white balding pate. ALL own C2's or early Chromie C3's. Slight paunch hanging over their pewter "Corvette" belt buckle. Hag for a wife (who they've bullied into polishing the car while they BS with their buddies). "Sears" brand jeans, topsider shoes (also from Sears), white "Corvette" t-shirts. Permanent expression equal to that of sucking on a lemon (which rapidly changes to that of sucking on a dog-doo flavored breath mint upon seeing your car). All are named "Chuck", "Pete" or "Junior".

???

 

Been There also... Took my 7 year old to our first car show (he worked very hard on shining "his vette")... only to no place...was clearly a nicer car than the other 2 in the class.

Guys on this forum shed some light on this... these shows are generally judged by the contestents...which are usually club members... who usually vote for their own member cars.

So we now go to the shows, park the Vette, raise the hood, go inside to get some dinner, walk around and look at the other cars then leave. I bought my 7 yr old his own trophy...he was thrilled.

Hang in there...and enjoy your Vette.

 

Or they all have brand spanking new C5/C6's straight off the showroom floor.

-Fed

 

I agree with you about the snobs. I just make fun of them since we weren't going to get along real well anyway. Like Gusto I spent a lot of time in the military and found car shows a great way to make friends. Even the snobby ones like cars so they do have that going for them. As for the trophies. My wife keeps telling me it's ok to not win everytime. I don't mind, much, loosing if it's a fairly judged event but when the trophies all go to the local club or to new un-modified cars I don't go back there. I just drive away in my incredibly well restored vette and enjoy the ride knowing that my car is better than most.

Bill

 

Learned about this back in the eighties..I avoid "peoples choice" club shows like the plague..only shows I enter are judged to class using point system..each car is judged to same criteria.Stock are in thier own class,modified(chromed up,etc) in theirs...but these shows are few in number out here..I'm down to two a year...

 

And golf jokes. Don't forget the golf jokes.

 

hey Dude, careful there's a beverage here. Know where I can get a good sasparilla? (sorry, I couln't resist) I guess I've seen "the big lebowski" too many times.

 

Its the age old problem. It will NEVER go away. I refuse to enter myself or any of my cars into a club or show. Just like to keep to myself and cruise around. Maybe pop into a Show very occasionally. Just to see what the go is. But yes, its a sad thing!

 

That's usually the 40-somethings who've purchased a "Vette" for the first time...and couldn't tell a C-3 from a Z-28.

 

I actually got two trophies in the two shows I entered this year. Part of that was due to being in small classes due to the customization. One was professionally judged and the other was participant's choice.

Anyway, a nice thing they have going up here in the NE is that all the local clubs have got together and defined a set of common rules for shows. Then, at a show, the members of the hosting club are ineligible to be judged or win anything (other than doorprizes). I think that is a good way to do things.

 

 

....the best way to get your car judged is by driving it around town......you won't win any trophies....but you'll get heaps of compliments

 

Thats what i do...really fun talking too people who compliment the car and waant to know engine specs and stuff