Getting the '68 L79 Coupe ready to TopFlight (I hope) again. It scored 96.5 points in 1999 and has only 600+ miles put on since (400 by me in the last 6 months) and still looks awesome.

I have the judging sheets from when it Flighted and they took 110 points off for clear coating.

Now I've been told that NCRS now accepts clear coat and I should not expect a deduction. Can somebody please confirm?

Thanks again,
Eric

 

My understanding is basecoat/clearcoat is fine with NCRS but when I went thru judging in 09 they were docking people for over restoration of paint because the seams under the hood and everything were very very glossy and perfect which is not the way they came from the factory. Good luck on the rejudging and remember 96%+ is a great score.

 

Paint (as far as NCRS goes) is pretty straight forward...

If it looks the same as the original paint, there is no deduction (no matter what type of paint is used). That's the way it has been for quite some time now and just coming from the most recent team leaders' meeting, that's probably how it will remain.

Having said that and from what I have experienced, it is impossible to make base/clear look like lacquer. If it doesn't look like the original lacquer, it will receive a deduction (20%, 50%, or 100% based on the degree it varies).

Your car looks fantastic in the photos! Bringing it to Sacramento?

Regards,

Stan Falenski

 

Stan, thanks for the compliments.

No, not planning on Sacto, planning to drive to the SoCal March meet at Corvette Mikes' on March 12 - about a 35 mile drive.

I have been thru Classic Car Club of America Judging (several Senior Premeir cars and one original as well as senior premeir and I am a CCCA master judge) and never experienced the level of detail as what I'm getting ready for...I feel as though I'm going through a 4 hour prostate exam without ANY pain killers.....

 

Your car looks great! But a question, I see you have air in that car and seems I've read in a few places that air was not available with the 350HP engine in 68, I guess the answer is your car has it! Any way good luck in your next judging.

 

PM sent....

Stay in tune....

 

Beautiful car. Did you do most the work yourself? Great detail on a very late production car.

 

Hi Eric,
That certainly is a great looking 68!!
Some judges are in for a real treat!
Regards,
Alan

 

I agree with Rowdy; things have changed since 99. She sure looks like a Top Flight car to me.

Good luck.

 

The NCRS is supposedly accepting base coat/clear coat, but it still comes down to the judge sometimes. As Rowdy Rat said, it needs to have an "original" shine. Some judges are always looking for something extra to deduct for, and clear's shine is one of those things.

One give-a-way to clear, that will get you hit everytime, is the door jams and under hood drip rails. These can not have a shine, but instead most maintain the look of unpolished laquer. Restorers are dulling down these ares to give the impression of laquer.

A look at the current 69 Judging manual and the judging guide might be helpful, before showing up at a meet. Lot's of new info has come to light, since that car was last Flight Judged.

 

Thanks for all the comments.

Since these photos were taken in October, I have been going through what the judges had deducted for and made most if not all the corrections as best as possible and following the latest 68-69 judging manual as well.

I have been able to clean off most if not the surface rust that has come about as the car was not kept in a dry climate for a number years and that is now looking much better.

I have some ideas about dulling down the door jambs and hood drip rails provided by another member that sounds like it should work. I don't remember reading in the manual any particulars about the clear coat being called out as "ok" hence why I posted the question.

As for the Corvette, it was sold new here in SoCal at Clippinger Chevrolet and acquired by fellow SoCal NCRS member in 1995 and who restored it to the level it is. He sold it to Corvette Mike in 2000 who in turn sold it to another dealer in Florida who sold it to a "collector" in Florida and he kept it for a year and sold to another person who kept it for a short time and was acquired by a fellow forum member in the St. Louis area who in turn traded it to me with a '69 Camaro SS396 and some $$$$ for my '65 396 Coupe. From the time it was sold in 2000 until when I got it, only 200 miles had been added.

I called and met with the restorer a couple months ago and was able to acquire all the restoration records, complete photo album of the Corvette and most if not all either copies of the original documentation or, the originals and the Clippenger license plates and dealer paper plate. Funny how things happen and come full circle.

 

Based on your pics I will give it a top flight right now!

So whatever you do, do NOT use ZAINO!! guaranteed 100% paint deduction.

My 68 was originally delivered to a dealer in Riverside.

 

Eric,

It really is a gorgeous car with some great options (L-79 and C-60).

Love the Clippinger plates/plate frames too!

Regards,

Stan Falenski

 

Beautiful car!

As stated before, Paint (for NCRS) is judged on if it "APPEARS" to be as delivered - the material used does not matter as long as the result APPEARS to be as originally delivered by the dealer. Looking at ORIGINAL low mile cars from around this time period, the paint was not very good. Most folks are going to have a restoration paint job that looks LOTS better than original. You take a hit for over restoration and go on.

You can download the current judging sheets at:

http://www.ncrs.org/membership/scoresheets.html


If you don't already have them, the Judging Reference Manual 8th edition 1953-1996, and the Technical Information Manual and Judging Guide 1968-1969 3rd edition are useful to prepare for judging.

Don't forget to prepare for OPERATIONS judging. A non working line item in OPS is 25 points. A cigarette lighter that doesn't work is 25 points. Easy to loose lots of points in OPS, and yet OPS points tend to be the least expensive areas to fix.

 

Wow! What a beautiful car! Nicely optioned, too. You will do very well with the Top Flight. I love the silver!!

 

Even the chassis looks great! Nice array of contrasting black and finishes...even some light rust. Looks like its been well preserved.

 

Wow.

What
a
Beauty!

Enjoy that '69!

 

Well, I have done just about all I can do. Everything now works as it should right down to the windshield washer (that didn't work when it was judged in 1999). I'm at the judges mercy, it will depend on how hard they hit me on CC.

I did a pre judge review (using the new sheets) and based on my take, (doing a full deduct for CC), I came out with 96 points. In 1999, it scored 95. Now I fixed all the that was wrong based on the sheets and I think I might get close, I've convinced myself Top Flight is not going to happen, and Second Flight will be fine.

Tomorrow, plan to wash it down real good to remove the wax, cleanup the interior some and that is it. It will be what will be. When this is over, the original wheels/tires come off and the second set goes on with redline radials and we're driving the hell out of it.

I have been going over this and that and referring to this and that manual and double and triple checking everything for the last 2 months I feel as though I've been missing out, haven't driven the Camaro SS 396 like I wanted, not had the Harley out and gone on rides, missed out on various CCCA functions (1941 Cadillac 60 Special) because I was too busy on the 'Vette, and not spending time with my wife. We did break away and go to Disneyland yesterday for date night.

Wish me luck next Saturday. For those of you in Socal, come to Corvette Mikes and say hi!

Regards,
Eric

 

Usually owners are much harder on their cars than the judges are. Best of luck and let us know how you made out.

 

Beautiful looking 68...