MARSC6

Some Steve Ray artwork from http://www.airbrushincorporated.com/ under the hood is also very helpful.

timd38

I still believe that local car shows are like beer tasting contests. Almost everyone leaves with a trophy.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but I have entered 4 car show, 2 firsts and two seconds. Trust me, my car is nothing special.

St.Char

if I'm a judge, I want to see something you have done to the car that makes it unique. I can go to the dealer and see stock all day. It takes more than a clean car to win.

Corvette SSX

I've been in several hundred cars shows and car show poilitics aside, and there is some of that, one unwritten rule is "Bling Wins!!!", regardless of the type of judging.

The other unwritten rule is that only classic cars win best of show.

BRCC

Our Corvettes only show has 16 classes and basically clean and original are what is judged, too much bling puts you in one of the 2 modified classes. Our best of show over the last 4 years have been C1, C2, C3 and last year a C6 Vert we have no hard fast rules on BOS.

Bottom line is if you go to a show expecting to win then don't go. We have around 57 awards of some sort and a bottle of wine to the class winners. Our shows are a good social event and thats what most participants come for. Our club members do not enter their cars, just display them and our judges are all looking at the same thing and do not judge cars they know the owners of.

http://corvetteshow.brazosrivercc.com

GS Diva

I have been involved in judged, Corvettes-only shows throughout New England for many years...both as an entrant and also as a judge. The only shows I enter now are those shows that are judged by knowledgable Corvette people, using a form with items to check for cleanliness and condition. These forms are usually 175-200 points total.

These shows also put Corvettes into specific classes, depending on year and model. The purpose of this is to put similar Corvettes into the same class so the chance to win in that class is fair. Corvettes that are stock stand just as good a chance to win as the Corvette with lots of bling because they will be in a class with similar Vettes.

I'm also on a committee formed quite a while ago for the purpose of trying to standardize judging guidelines throughout New England so all of us who attend would be aware of what to expect. We were somewhat successful so everyone knows that these shows share similar guidelines to judge Corvettes.

Participant Choice shows are not my cup of tea, although I have done very well in them over the years. However, I do feel that they are more of a popularity contest, and if I'm going to get a trophy, I want my car to have deserved it.

"Show 'n Shine" shows aren't everyone's choice as they require a ton of cleaning...and I mean real detailing!! But the camaraderie and friendships my husband and I have formed over the years are well worth the work!

By the way, we now have almost 150 trophies in our garage. Yes, they're just plastic but they represent our whole history with our Corvettes, and I wouldn't change a thing! No matter what, it's the friends you meet and make that is most important!!

Elaine

reelmccoy76

The most interesting thing about a car show is the people that come to look. Not the trophies.

Harley06

The car shows promote the most bling wins. I got beat by a guy that had every piece of chrome stuck to the outside of the car possible and a rotating model of his car on top of his engine. My car is spotless and has several thousand dollars worth of leather work in the interior. By far a better looking vehicle. Don't ruin your ride just to feed your pride.

JoesC5

I've had only entered one show with my 09 Z06, and that was 3-4 months ago. They had 172 vettes and were mostly C5 & C6's.

I drove it 125 miles to the show, cleaned it up and took home 2nd place. No bling, 100% as it left Bowling Green. Friend with a two month old GS vert took home Best of Show-Late Model. He beat out all the C5 & C6's with his bone stock Grand Sport. Same as mine, drove it 125 miles and cleaned it up at the show.

Elbow grease can make the difference between a winner and a loser.

saplumr

No disrespect intended so don't take it personal but this makes absolutely no sense at all. Why didn't the judges just go to local showroom and hand out awards?

GS Diva

Detailing a Corvette for a judged show is NOT the same as what the dealership does...or how the car comes out of the factory!!! There is "cleaning" and there is "detailing", and they are not the same.

Elaine

saplumr

The point is they are the exact same car. Line them all up and you can't tell one from another. I'd be embarrased to show a showroom stock vehicle.

GS Diva

A judged show (in New England) is not about stock or modified being shown against each other. As I said earlier, Vettes with bling are put into the same class while others are classified with similar years/styles. The point of that is to allow the same Corvettes the same chance to win.

A "show 'n shine" is just that...how well you clean and how well you keep your Corvette in good condition is what is being judged.

It's not everyone's cup of tea, naturally, but it should be respected as what the show is all about.

What's embarrassing in showing a stock Corvette??

Elaine

ninjavette

I guess it depends on the car show and who is doing the judging. A couple of the local free car shows by me have a sponsor's choice category. Meaning that the local businesses that sponsor the show pick their favorite. Often thses people don't know much about cars and just pick one they like the color of or something simple like that. My father-in-law has a completely stock LMB '05 (save for a chrome license plate frame) and he has quite a few trophies. Who knows what the hell the judges look at.

As for me, I don't enter shows to win. I enter for the parking. But only if it's free.

saplumr

I'll repeat myself...100 new "stock" cars all look identical. I hear it all the time, why in the world do some people show these cars because it's what you can buy every single day. Doesn't matter to me what anyone does because being judged is not my thing anyway. My ego's in check.

redzone

I still laugh sometimes thinking about the guy on this very forum who had a hissy fit because his brand new,bone stock ZR1 didn't win a car show. Anyone else remember that thread? It was a hoot

lebvette

Bill Dearborn....post #16....is 'on the mark'.

Larry

GS Diva

You are absolutely correct! I meant to reference Bill's comments because he hit the nail on the head with his comments. I am in total agreement with him.

Elaine

JoesC5

If you only allowed cars with a lot of aftermarket bling to enter, most shows would be a failure because of lack of cars on display.

I know what you are saying, but most of us enter the show for our entertainment, to support the club putting on the show, or to support a local charity. To win a trophy is nice but that's not the real purpose of the show. I also have a frame off 56 and an all original 64. I have a lot of trophies with the 56 and it is "show room stock, second time around", the same as my 09 Z06, just a lot older. I guess all of us that have old C1's that we show, should lock them away, since they don't have any bling added. You would be surprised at the number of people that will spend a lot of time looking over a "new, showroom stock" car at a show vs looking over an old one. I get tons of complements on my Z06 as I do with my 56 and 64.

People that visit the show to see all the different Vettes, recognize, and appreciate, the difference between a car that has been prepped vs one just driven of the street with a quickie wash job.

PS-I've seen new Corvettes that I would be ashamed to be seen in. They are the ones that have been modded to the point that they look like a Detroit streetwalker.

68sixspeed

I use to do a lot of car shows with my camaro in the late 90's and at the time enjoyed it as it was something to do with friends and it was a car I built from the ground up. I just don't get the point of showing a stock, new, bought car? Maybe my ego doesn't need boosting, I don't know, but at that point aren't they are basically detailing contests which no offense to GS Diva, are pointless and take the fun out of things for a lot of people, or on the other spectrum you are basically judging wallets, and lets face it, no matter how nice the toy, someone always has a more expensive one. I just don't get showing up to a show with a new car, it's like "look what I bought!"? But to each there own I guess... I can see giving new cars like vettes, vipers, mustangs etc a place to park and exhibit at shows, but I don't see what the point is in judging and giving out $5 plastic trophies on something that was bought not built. JMHO.