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I did my first one this year so I recommend to join the NCRS and then purchase the Judging manual, Technical Information manual & Judging guide, and the Operational manual & PV Test guide. These three books will help you prepare for a sucessful judging.
I've had two cars judged and also been on a judging team. Good advice others already gave you was to join your local chapter, get the judging guide, learn and have at it.
Two small additional comments:
1. You can have your car judged as many times as you want and correct things as you go. So if you want to take it as is for flight-judging, find out what your starting point is and work from a judging sheet to correct things, I've seen some do it that way. You'll learn int he process as long as you don't take it too seriously and get whacked out over it.
2. You will get whacked out over it. And start spending gobs of money for little parts that no one will see and won't make the car ride or run better. After two top-flight cars is when I started to built my little resto-rod which is so counter to the flight judging process it was somewhat therapeutic (but not cheaper!).
My .02. You'll have fun, meet some new Vette Nuts, and learn.
I suppose it depends what your trying to accomplish. My car doesnt have the original engine and some other date coded parts so it makes no sense for me to try for 'Top Flight'. 'Second Flight' is a possibility but I'm going to go for the operations award.
As 78Vette-SA said you can spend a ton of money on little stuff no-one will see. I bought all the little straps brackets and stuff that will never been seen. Its supposed to be there so I have it.
I would recommend going through a chapter judging event.....I would also get the judging manual and download the judging sheets. You don't have to join the chapter to have you car judged by them but you do need to be a NCRS member.
I found the process to be draining but also a lot of fun....and you will learn a lot about your car. I met a lot of great people with a real passion for corvettes. Best advice, view it as a learning experiance and don't take it personally.
Thanks to all for the comments. My mission is to draw a line in the sand as to the car's status, but probably not do anything about it after that. I finished a frame off and did a conscious job of what I was going to make "correct" and what wasn't going to happen-either it was too expensive, or just made no sense (ie ss brake/gas lines). The major parts are very correct, including dates, but some things like the starter are just wrong but still work fine. Some parts that should be bare are painted a similar color (like drive shafts), but that makes sense to me long term.
Again, thanks for the comments.
Rand