1st time Corvette car show this Sunday
#1
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1st time Corvette car show this Sunday
Back when I had my 32 Ford I went to car shows and always knew which class to be in. This Sunday's all Corvette show has a Street class and a Wash and Show class.
The street class is judged on a point system with hood open and under carriage judged.
Wash and Show is judged for overall look and appearance.
I wonder if these are common classes for all Corvette shows?
My car is very clean too and bottom. I don't know which class to enter. Any advice which class to enter?
The street class is judged on a point system with hood open and under carriage judged.
Wash and Show is judged for overall look and appearance.
I wonder if these are common classes for all Corvette shows?
My car is very clean too and bottom. I don't know which class to enter. Any advice which class to enter?
#2
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If your car is really clean, top, bottom, interior and engine bay, go for the street class. You'll get an idea of how you stack up against cars that are judged on an overall appearance, not just the exterior/interior.
Car shows tend to have classes such as show-n-shine, stock and modified. At least that is the way it is around here. Usually the modified class means anything more than three mods to the car.
Good luck in whatever class you choose and remember, the idea is to have fun regardless of whether your car wins an award or not.
Car shows tend to have classes such as show-n-shine, stock and modified. At least that is the way it is around here. Usually the modified class means anything more than three mods to the car.
Good luck in whatever class you choose and remember, the idea is to have fun regardless of whether your car wins an award or not.
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shipahoy (05-02-2018)
#3
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Thanks I will have fun regardless if I win anything or not.
Just looking forward to socialize with some fellow Corvette owners for the first time.
The only mods I have are headers and an aftermarket stereo so I think I'll try the street class.
Thanks.
Just looking forward to socialize with some fellow Corvette owners for the first time.
The only mods I have are headers and an aftermarket stereo so I think I'll try the street class.
Thanks.
If your car is really clean, top, bottom, interior and engine bay, go for the street class. You'll get an idea of how you stack up against cars that are judged on an overall appearance, not just the exterior/interior.
Car shows tend to have classes such as show-n-shine, stock and modified. At least that is the way it is around here. Usually the modified class means anything more than three mods to the car.
Good luck in whatever class you choose and remember, the idea is to have fun regardless of whether your car wins an award or not.
Car shows tend to have classes such as show-n-shine, stock and modified. At least that is the way it is around here. Usually the modified class means anything more than three mods to the car.
Good luck in whatever class you choose and remember, the idea is to have fun regardless of whether your car wins an award or not.
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I've always looked at cars shows as an opportunity to meet and talk to like minded individuals, hopefully, and have a little fun.
Actually won a 4' trophy years ago with a Buick that I had. I remember someone clearly saying, "Don't bring that in the house"!
Have fun!!!
Actually won a 4' trophy years ago with a Buick that I had. I remember someone clearly saying, "Don't bring that in the house"!
Have fun!!!
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shipahoy (05-02-2018)
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shipahoy (05-02-2018)
#6
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This Sunday is the Allentown Area Corvette Club Springfest at DeSales University. The show is run by a friend of mine who maintains membership with our club after moving to that area. Ken Lingenfelter is the guest speaker and its a great show. I’ll be there. Look for 2 bald headed guys named Charlie. (The other Charlie will have a yellow C5 convertible)
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Best wishes at the show, Dave! Sounds like a great meet and greet opportunity.
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Good luck to ya and it sounds like you're going in with the right mind set. Go to have fun and enjoy the day. So it looks like it's not in Arizona......guess I'll just stay home in the air conditioning then...post pics and/or video if you can.
#10
Burning Brakes
sounds like a ton of fun! hope you do well, and good luck!
we are also going to an all Corvette show this sunday as well i am most likely going to join the local club while we are there (local to us is 60 miles away ), can't wait to see all the Vette's! i am not going to show my car, it's a driver and it needs a few things (understatement) to make it even remotely "show" ready.
we are also going to an all Corvette show this sunday as well i am most likely going to join the local club while we are there (local to us is 60 miles away ), can't wait to see all the Vette's! i am not going to show my car, it's a driver and it needs a few things (understatement) to make it even remotely "show" ready.
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Before and after. I used Griot's wheel cleaner. Also cleaned out the wheel wells and brake calipers.
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red03vette (05-21-2018)
#12
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I will give you some pointers that may help. We went to Carlisle and decided to do judging there. I decide to do it while registering so I had no advanced notice. (York County Corvette Club).
Make sure you remove all rock pebbles on top of the frame rails in the engine bay.
If they are like YCCC they will go right to your tail lights and look for dirt behind the screws that hold the tail lights in. I got 1/2 point for that. Only way to clean that is to remove them.
i got 1/2 point on tail lights, 1/2 point for a spec of residue on back window trim (zo6), 1/2 point because a single piece of grass blew in passengers side, 1/2 point because the direct sun streaked my leather cleaner on the passengers side and 1/2 point for engine bay just because they felt like it.
Lost 1st by 1/2 point, tied for second and lost the tie breaker on exhaust. Mines still stock and the other had brand spanking new Borla’s.
I came away happy happy in the end and learned a lot.
Make sure you remove all rock pebbles on top of the frame rails in the engine bay.
If they are like YCCC they will go right to your tail lights and look for dirt behind the screws that hold the tail lights in. I got 1/2 point for that. Only way to clean that is to remove them.
i got 1/2 point on tail lights, 1/2 point for a spec of residue on back window trim (zo6), 1/2 point because a single piece of grass blew in passengers side, 1/2 point because the direct sun streaked my leather cleaner on the passengers side and 1/2 point for engine bay just because they felt like it.
Lost 1st by 1/2 point, tied for second and lost the tie breaker on exhaust. Mines still stock and the other had brand spanking new Borla’s.
I came away happy happy in the end and learned a lot.
#13
Burning Brakes
how did your car show turn out? the all Vette show that we went to was very cool, the club that put it on, asked us to join them in the show! didn't think my car was ready for that but they all seemed to like it anyway. it was a lot of fun, i will post some pics when i get the chance. hope your experience was a good one.
Last edited by red03vette; 05-23-2018 at 07:40 AM.
#14
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I have only gone to cruises so far, no judges events. This weekend may be my first judged event if it doesn't rain.
how did your car
show turn out? the all Vette show that we went to was very cool, the club that put it on, asked us to join them in the show! didn't think my car was ready for that but they all seemed to like it anyway. it was a lot of fun, i will post some pics when i get the chance. hope your experience was a good one.
show turn out? the all Vette show that we went to was very cool, the club that put it on, asked us to join them in the show! didn't think my car was ready for that but they all seemed to like it anyway. it was a lot of fun, i will post some pics when i get the chance. hope your experience was a good one.
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red03vette (05-30-2018)
#17
Melting Slicks
Welcome to the Car Show madness...it gets additive real quick.
One thing is for sure, each car show, you will learn that no matter how clean you "think" your car is, a judge WILL find something dirty...
Some tips I've learned:
Make sure your entire rim is clean - yes that means the back too. Take your wheels off and clean them.
While the wheels are off - clean your calipers, wheel wells...EVERYTHING. Simple Green does wonders behind the wheels.
You paint just cant be "washed". It has to be washed, clayed, polished and waxed to truly be considered "show ready".
Your engine has to be immaculate. A Swiffer wand is your best friend - it can get into areas you didn't even know existed, but a judge will find. Again, a light spray of Simple Green all over the engine, scrub with a soft brush to agitate the dirt loose, then LIGHTLY hose off (with a MIST setting on the hose). Then I always use any product that will make the engine parts a bit shiny...makes your engine stand out more.
Make sure your carpets are fully vacuumed, under the seats, behind the seats, along that tight crevice between the door sill and your seat. Judges will look there first, and if that area is dirty, they rarely look any further. Don't forget the carpet in your trunk...they'll look there too.
Clean your exhaust tips (top, bottom, and inside). Judges will kill you on points if you show up with dirty pipes. Nev'r-Dull works magic on pipes.
For your leather, there are two schools of thought. Shiny or no shine. I personally like a faint shine to my leather when showing. Others like to just clean the leather and leave it natural (matte). To me, SHINE = CLEAN and that may make me stand out in a tie-breaker. Now dont break out Armour-All and make your dash and seats look like shiny tires, that looks cheesy and make distract the judge...
Make sure you have no streaks or smudges on any glass or mirrors (inside and out). That will cost you easy points if dirty.
Clean in and around the area of your trunk and hood. Make sure there are no leaves or road dust anywhere. Clean the shocks, and all the mechanical components that operate the hood and trunk.
In the case of a tie-breaker, where a judge thinks your car and another person's car are tied. They look in two / three places to break the tie. 1) they fold in your side view mirrors to see if dirt is under them. 2) they open your gas tank cover to see if there is dirt there...and 3) they look under and behind your seats (if they didnt already)...they may even ask you to move the seats forward to a total view under the seat.
Lastly, make sure you know the rules of the show. By that I mean, do they ask you to have floor mats in or out, convertible tops up or down, trunk open or closed, what is considered a "modification" and how many are you allowed before having to change classes... Knowing the rules upfront may help ensure you're in the right class and also you dont want to be put in a class where guys are spending $5000 on chrome engines and carbon fiber dashboards, when all you did was add new floor mats - you wouldn't have a chance. Know the rules for each show.
Good luck - I hope these few tips help you to earn a trophy.
One thing is for sure, each car show, you will learn that no matter how clean you "think" your car is, a judge WILL find something dirty...
Some tips I've learned:
Make sure your entire rim is clean - yes that means the back too. Take your wheels off and clean them.
While the wheels are off - clean your calipers, wheel wells...EVERYTHING. Simple Green does wonders behind the wheels.
You paint just cant be "washed". It has to be washed, clayed, polished and waxed to truly be considered "show ready".
Your engine has to be immaculate. A Swiffer wand is your best friend - it can get into areas you didn't even know existed, but a judge will find. Again, a light spray of Simple Green all over the engine, scrub with a soft brush to agitate the dirt loose, then LIGHTLY hose off (with a MIST setting on the hose). Then I always use any product that will make the engine parts a bit shiny...makes your engine stand out more.
Make sure your carpets are fully vacuumed, under the seats, behind the seats, along that tight crevice between the door sill and your seat. Judges will look there first, and if that area is dirty, they rarely look any further. Don't forget the carpet in your trunk...they'll look there too.
Clean your exhaust tips (top, bottom, and inside). Judges will kill you on points if you show up with dirty pipes. Nev'r-Dull works magic on pipes.
For your leather, there are two schools of thought. Shiny or no shine. I personally like a faint shine to my leather when showing. Others like to just clean the leather and leave it natural (matte). To me, SHINE = CLEAN and that may make me stand out in a tie-breaker. Now dont break out Armour-All and make your dash and seats look like shiny tires, that looks cheesy and make distract the judge...
Make sure you have no streaks or smudges on any glass or mirrors (inside and out). That will cost you easy points if dirty.
Clean in and around the area of your trunk and hood. Make sure there are no leaves or road dust anywhere. Clean the shocks, and all the mechanical components that operate the hood and trunk.
In the case of a tie-breaker, where a judge thinks your car and another person's car are tied. They look in two / three places to break the tie. 1) they fold in your side view mirrors to see if dirt is under them. 2) they open your gas tank cover to see if there is dirt there...and 3) they look under and behind your seats (if they didnt already)...they may even ask you to move the seats forward to a total view under the seat.
Lastly, make sure you know the rules of the show. By that I mean, do they ask you to have floor mats in or out, convertible tops up or down, trunk open or closed, what is considered a "modification" and how many are you allowed before having to change classes... Knowing the rules upfront may help ensure you're in the right class and also you dont want to be put in a class where guys are spending $5000 on chrome engines and carbon fiber dashboards, when all you did was add new floor mats - you wouldn't have a chance. Know the rules for each show.
Good luck - I hope these few tips help you to earn a trophy.
#18
Pro
Thread Starter
Thanks for the tips.
Welcome to the Car Show madness...it gets additive real quick.
One thing is for sure, each car show, you will learn that no matter how clean you "think" your car is, a judge WILL find something dirty...
Some tips I've learned:
Make sure your entire rim is clean - yes that means the back too. Take your wheels off and clean them.
While the wheels are off - clean your calipers, wheel wells...EVERYTHING. Simple Green does wonders behind the wheels.
You paint just cant be "washed". It has to be washed, clayed, polished and waxed to truly be considered "show ready".
Your engine has to be immaculate. A Swiffer wand is your best friend - it can get into areas you didn't even know existed, but a judge will find. Again, a light spray of Simple Green all over the engine, scrub with a soft brush to agitate the dirt loose, then LIGHTLY hose off (with a MIST setting on the hose). Then I always use any product that will make the engine parts a bit shiny...makes your engine stand out more.
Make sure your carpets are fully vacuumed, under the seats, behind the seats, along that tight crevice between the door sill and your seat. Judges will look there first, and if that area is dirty, they rarely look any further. Don't forget the carpet in your trunk...they'll look there too.
Clean your exhaust tips (top, bottom, and inside). Judges will kill you on points if you show up with dirty pipes. Nev'r-Dull works magic on pipes.
For your leather, there are two schools of thought. Shiny or no shine. I personally like a faint shine to my leather when showing. Others like to just clean the leather and leave it natural (matte). To me, SHINE = CLEAN and that may make me stand out in a tie-breaker. Now dont break out Armour-All and make your dash and seats look like shiny tires, that looks cheesy and make distract the judge...
Make sure you have no streaks or smudges on any glass or mirrors (inside and out). That will cost you easy points if dirty.
Clean in and around the area of your trunk and hood. Make sure there are no leaves or road dust anywhere. Clean the shocks, and all the mechanical components that operate the hood and trunk.
In the case of a tie-breaker, where a judge thinks your car and another person's car are tied. They look in two / three places to break the tie. 1) they fold in your side view mirrors to see if dirt is under them. 2) they open your gas tank cover to see if there is dirt there...and 3) they look under and behind your seats (if they didnt already)...they may even ask you to move the seats forward to a total view under the seat.
Lastly, make sure you know the rules of the show. By that I mean, do they ask you to have floor mats in or out, convertible tops up or down, trunk open or closed, what is considered a "modification" and how many are you allowed before having to change classes... Knowing the rules upfront may help ensure you're in the right class and also you dont want to be put in a class where guys are spending $5000 on chrome engines and carbon fiber dashboards, when all you did was add new floor mats - you wouldn't have a chance. Know the rules for each show.
Good luck - I hope these few tips help you to earn a trophy.
One thing is for sure, each car show, you will learn that no matter how clean you "think" your car is, a judge WILL find something dirty...
Some tips I've learned:
Make sure your entire rim is clean - yes that means the back too. Take your wheels off and clean them.
While the wheels are off - clean your calipers, wheel wells...EVERYTHING. Simple Green does wonders behind the wheels.
You paint just cant be "washed". It has to be washed, clayed, polished and waxed to truly be considered "show ready".
Your engine has to be immaculate. A Swiffer wand is your best friend - it can get into areas you didn't even know existed, but a judge will find. Again, a light spray of Simple Green all over the engine, scrub with a soft brush to agitate the dirt loose, then LIGHTLY hose off (with a MIST setting on the hose). Then I always use any product that will make the engine parts a bit shiny...makes your engine stand out more.
Make sure your carpets are fully vacuumed, under the seats, behind the seats, along that tight crevice between the door sill and your seat. Judges will look there first, and if that area is dirty, they rarely look any further. Don't forget the carpet in your trunk...they'll look there too.
Clean your exhaust tips (top, bottom, and inside). Judges will kill you on points if you show up with dirty pipes. Nev'r-Dull works magic on pipes.
For your leather, there are two schools of thought. Shiny or no shine. I personally like a faint shine to my leather when showing. Others like to just clean the leather and leave it natural (matte). To me, SHINE = CLEAN and that may make me stand out in a tie-breaker. Now dont break out Armour-All and make your dash and seats look like shiny tires, that looks cheesy and make distract the judge...
Make sure you have no streaks or smudges on any glass or mirrors (inside and out). That will cost you easy points if dirty.
Clean in and around the area of your trunk and hood. Make sure there are no leaves or road dust anywhere. Clean the shocks, and all the mechanical components that operate the hood and trunk.
In the case of a tie-breaker, where a judge thinks your car and another person's car are tied. They look in two / three places to break the tie. 1) they fold in your side view mirrors to see if dirt is under them. 2) they open your gas tank cover to see if there is dirt there...and 3) they look under and behind your seats (if they didnt already)...they may even ask you to move the seats forward to a total view under the seat.
Lastly, make sure you know the rules of the show. By that I mean, do they ask you to have floor mats in or out, convertible tops up or down, trunk open or closed, what is considered a "modification" and how many are you allowed before having to change classes... Knowing the rules upfront may help ensure you're in the right class and also you dont want to be put in a class where guys are spending $5000 on chrome engines and carbon fiber dashboards, when all you did was add new floor mats - you wouldn't have a chance. Know the rules for each show.
Good luck - I hope these few tips help you to earn a trophy.
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Good luck at the show!
#20
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Can't beat the new garage queens that live in a bubble and are trailered. Politics plays a part too. I've seen it. Last vette show I spent a lot of time cleaning my then 94k miles car, with a letter on the dash saying so. There were 3 trophies in my class with 6 cars and didn't win one. I've had plenty of trophies so don't care about that, it's the principle.