Car show rant...lost to a Cavalier, 2 V6 Mustangs, and a Tiburon.

[PT Goat]

First off, I'm not a trophy hoarder. I go to car shows to look at and appreciate other people's cars. I rarely bring one myself, because I just worry about whatever I brought when I'm not with it. Personally, I'd much rather drive or wrench on mine that sit behind it in a lawn chair.

That said, I took my '64 GTO to it's first "judged" car show today, even though it's only about 98% done. It's been off the frame and on a rotisserie and it's an excellent restoration, literally as nice underneath as on top. Chassis is detailed, firewall marked, etc. On top of that, it's a quite rare tripower car with factory AC and a 4-speed, and 17 other documented options. Even has Hurst wheels, which, if you know Pontiacs, are the wheel to have and super-hard to come by. The few things left to do are a few pieces of trim that need polishing, the vent window weatherstrips, and I'm missing one AC line. Nothing you'd really notice if not looking for them. I've got a nice display with mirrors underneath, photo album, and all my documenation with the PHS and data plate decoded, etc.

The show was run and judged by a GTO club, and had about 20 GTOs our of 85 total cars. Club cars aren't eligible for trophies, so that leaves 65 cars for a whopping 46 tropies. As soon as I pulled in, the first thing they said to me was that I was going to lose points for my Hurst wheels...which I pointed out were 40+ years old, but to no avail.

I definitely knew that something was wrong when the first trophy, BEST IN SHOW, went "unanimously" to a 1997 Chevy Cavalier. Not a Corvette, a Cavalier...at a GTO show. Among the other winners were a 1999 Tiburon with $500 of Pep Boys crapola, a stock SRT-8 Wagon off the showroom floor, a 1999 V6 Mustang, and an '06 6-banger Mustang sporting a temp tag.

By now, you've probably guessed that I didn't get a trophy. If it sounds like I'm pissed, I'm really not. I guess I just feel insulted considering the hundreds of hours I've spent on this car. So I felt like ranting, and now I feel better. I'll just go back to wrenching, which I find much more satisfying. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Bill Howell]

Looking at your list of rides, I would not worry about a fifty cent trophy. I am the same way, I hate trophy shows. Always, always, too much politics, regardless if it is a local or national show. Who cares, I hate dusting trophys anyway....lol

[andrewb70]

Car shows suck a$$. Don't sweat it.

Andrew

[Steve1968LS2]

Most "trophy shows" are total politics.. it's set so someone's buddy wins or someone that in "the in crowd".. Other times it comes down to people predjudices.. they don't like xyz car or the year.. whatever..

I have gone to tons of these shows over my lifetime.. I must of won a hundred trophies. At first I cared, but now the fun part is talking to people about the car, hanging out with friends and enjoying the day. If you win then that's good and if not then no big deal.

[AllenW]

My dad wins trophy's all the time, Throws them in the trash when he gets home. He always says,"If I want a trophy, I will buy one" his friend owns a trophy shop, He just goes for door prizes and $$. I havent ever had anything nice enough to put in a show, But maybe I will one day.

[John McIntire]

Car shows can be a joke. I remember "judges" going around and looking for certain things, and awarding points for having specific items. All basically things that you can bolt on and just see, such as an ignition box, or a coil, things like that you and I might take the time to hide and keep discreet as to not clutter up everything.
You see this alot at the import shows alot where kids have everything wrapped in colored zip ties, and neon colored vacuum hoses and a whole mess of other things. I can't believe that they actually get rewarded for that!
I think that you were at the wrong kind of show. Although you we're at one run by a GTO club, the wrong kind of cars we're allowed to enter. I wouldnt sweat it. Go to a cruise night, or to a muscle car specific show. I now the ones around here really only allow cars 72, or 78 and older.

[muthstryker]

i have a question, how many of the ppl at the car show where older folk that could apprectiat a nice car from there days? or was it mostly highschool kids that think putting a 4 inch exhaust tip on a stock exhaust system is the coolest thing you could ever do. i wouldnt worry about it to much. im sure car is nice.

[zbugger]

Ummm... Whoever ran that show was retarded. I'd have ADDED points for the Hurst wheels. How many people really have those now? Some people have no clue. If I was a judge of a car show, I doubt I'd hand out one trophy. If it's a show car, I get really picky. I've walked away from cars before because, while nice on the outside, and some nice bolt-on parts added to the inside, the execution and attention to detail was horrifying. I'd love to see some pics of your car. It sounds interesting.

[boodlefoof]

Reminds me of being back in high school almost a decade ago... They awarded "senior superlatives" and one of the categories was "best car." Granted, my '68 Camaro wasn't in great shape back then (underhood was pretty dirty), but from 20' away it looked killer... and there was nothing else like it in the parking lot.

But, first place went to a mid-90s Toyota Celica with a big stereo system and oversized wheels... and second place went to... yes, another Celica.

[JV69z/28]

Politics ALWAYS determines the winner in those type of shows. Don't take it to heart and look for justice. Besides does a real car guy need a bowling league trophy?

[fletcherscustoms]

TO this date I have entered over 300 car shows with different rides have done!! And to this day have only be judged at one, and its only cause I walked off and was judged while I was gone. Normally I reply to the judge, "if I wanted a trophy I'd still one from the guy over there", usually motioning to the ricer with his 250 trophys in front of the car.

To me the car shows are for showing your ride to others, relating with other gear freaks, and sharing a passion of cars with others. Not getting some 50 cent trophy from a judge that doesn't no the difference between chevy and ford!!

By the way the first show I was judged at was with the "shop beater" the first day out of teh shop. I won my class , but lost the top 10 of show , out of 200 cars to a stock 06 mustang (best of show), 95 Cobra stang, 97 civic with lambo doors, 2006 stock super bee ram, 2006 stock 4x4 dodge diesel, 06 300c ,70 chevelle (nice car) and the worst was a 06 stock viper!

[PT Goat]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement - I appreciate it. I know the politics of car shows and I really could care less about a $1 trophy. I think I just felt insulted, considering well more than 50% of attendees got the acknowledgment.


i have a question, how many of the ppl at the car show where older folk that could apprectiat a nice car from there days? or was it mostly highschool kids...

I'd say it was about 50% muscle cars, 10% ricers, 10% hot rods, and 30% trucks and new(er) cars. So a nice mix. But it was a GTO club show, all makes invited.

Just for fun (and for those who asked), here are a few before and after pics, I don't have any "during," interior or underneath pics on this computer, unfortunately.

[restomodbird69]

great cars and to hell with those people at the wanna be show

[dogtag]

I'm like many of you. I just got into this hobby a few years ago and spent a fortune on my ride. I'm not a gear head. I wish I were. I made it in Electronics instead of cars.
I won't say how much I spent cuz I'm a little embarrassed but I have made the show scene and carried off several best of shows and a best 50's at Goodguys.
Last month I went to the fair grounds near us and had a wonderful time meeting the gang and having a cook out.
Then comes the Judges.
My judge was a very cute 20 year old with a clip board.
She had the nicest manacure I've seen in a long time. Obviously not a wrench hen.
Anyway, she starts at the top of her preprepared list and gives me a big smile and askes me to remove my right front tire so she could inspect.
I tried to explain to her that this wasn't an indoor show and that it was likely that she wouldn't get anyone else to remove their right front tire.
So, she discounted some points and discounted the fact that I had a cooler and lawn chair in my trunk.
That had to be available for inspection as well.
Now that I think back, I didn't see anyone else remove anything during the show.
The guy next to me with a BB SC Charger got an award. His body and paint had more bubbles and cuves than the Ho Chi Minn Trail and so did some other cars that were just plain nasty.
I take allot of pride in driving my ride to these get togethers and whats more important, my car is exactly the way I pictured it would be after dreaming about it all these years.
Let's face it, good judges are hard to come by.
I'll bet your ride is steller.....
Forget it!

DT

[nancejd]

Well, having just finished being the car show chairman for my club's show this year, I'll let you in on something. Most clubs put on a show to raise money, in our case mostly to benefit charity, but still, the point is to raise money. The key is to make the most people happy, so that they come back again the next year and spend their money again.

We happen to be a Camaro club, but we go out of our way to distribute trophies among the other chevy cars at our shows, as we bill it as a Camaro and Chevy show, so the trophy split is about 50/50. I suspect the GTO club went out of their way to award trophies to cars besides GTOs, because they figure that the GTO guys will come back regardless.

To me cars shows are about hanging out and meeting cool people with cool cars, I've never understood chasing a trophy. They add to the atmosphere, but that's about it.

I wouldn't be insulted though, trophies can be awarded any number of ways, and in the end it usually has less to do with politics than convenience for the club running the show.

[vanzuuk1]

Shows are for dogs.

Trailers are for boats.

[mikey]

Shows are for dogs.

Trailers are for boats.
No words needed :lmao: :hah: :rotfl: :lol:

[rocketman]

I feel your pain,I went to this local show kinda show once,went for fun so wasn't really lookin for a trophy or anything,but when my trick,slick new street rod lost best of show to a car with no interior I was kinda pissed,wasn't losing it was the piont of the deal.since then I have given up on judging at car shows.

[yellowrallys]

Thats the reason I like racing over showing. When you go out on the racetrack and flog everybodys asses, the contest is OVER. No political BS, no judges that don't know chit from applebutter.
:headbang:

[69CamaroRacer]

I would much rather pay my $15 and race all day and have a bunch of fun than to spend all day fri cleaning my car and detailing my car just to have some morons turn their nose in the air becuse it is not bone stock or I did not "build it myself." I say piss on that! Take it to the track and see if you can beat me there. Most street cars can not!

[Jim Nilsen]

The other side of the coin. If you go to an SCCA event that will allow you to enter a class you will be awarded points until you are in a group of cars you can't win against either so the only thing to do is to enjoy being around car people and your car and make the best of it no matter what you do. People wil remember you for being a nice guy or they will remember you for being a whiner and it is your choice and the difference in having a good time.

Goodluck and you have a nice car so cheers to your beers:cheers:

[Steve1968LS2]

To me the car shows are for showing your ride to others, relating with other gear freaks, and sharing a passion of cars with others. Not getting some 50 cent trophy from a judge that doesn't no the difference between chevy and ford!!


Truer words have never been spoken.. almost all my torpies when to Goodwill.. I usually keep cool looking plaques and hang them in my garage, sorta like dash plaques :)

Don't confuse "show cars" with "cars at car shows".. one is there specifically to win a trophy.. the other is just there to hang out and talk cars to gearheads and maybe educate joe-public.

[harshman]

Walking around the Goodguys Nationals in Scottsdale, AZ usually pisses me off in the end. I saw an orange ford pick-up that the guy spent enough money to feed a small country for a year. Somewhere around $300k. Stupid. Drove it all of 2,000 ft from the trailer to the show spot.


Thanks, but no. This is why I like the pro-touring crowd. They like driving the cars and many drive them harder than a rental. They are encouraging, so much so that they look at a '66 Lincoln Continental and see the potential not griping on weather Boyd or Fooze can do better. Trophies are for guys that have their cars to compensate for something that is....



well.....


um.....


missing.:2nd:

[rocketman]

The only problem with racing it is breakin parts or crashin it,I used to race the crap out of my 37 ford,but redid it and put it back on the street,and a little car showing.mainly cruise nites.

[PT Goat]

Shows are for dogs.

Trailers are for boats.

FYI - I drove this frame-off car about 50mi each way to this show, including several stretches of 6-lane and 75mph+. I do have a trailer, but that's for the ones that don't run...

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/08/funnycartoon-1.jpg

[yellowrallys]

[quote=Steve1968LS2]Truer words have never been spoken.. almost all my torpies when to Goodwill.. I usually keep cool looking plaques and hang them in my garage, sorta like dash plaques :)

Exactly...keep the unique, one-of-a-kinds and give the others to a kid at the show, maybe it will inspire him or her to get hooked on a good "bad habit".

[CarlC]

Truer words have never been spoken.. almost all my torpies when to Goodwill.. I usually keep cool looking plaques and hang them in my garage, sorta like dash plaques :)

Don't confuse "show cars" with "cars at car shows".. one is there specifically to win a trophy.. the other is just there to hang out and talk cars to gearheads and maybe educate joe-public.

Werd.

I too have always felt that if the average gearhead is going to a car show to win a trophy, they are going for the wrong reasons.

It's also amazing to watch how people react at the local shows by just saying "Good afternoon....Are you having a good time?.....Can I answer any questions about the car?.... instead of sitting like a lump in a lawn chair. I hate it when a car owner sits in a chair and gives me one-word answers when I'm obvioulsly interested in the reason they are there to begin with.

I always hang around for the trophies at Super Chevy events since immediately following they give away a Tremec transmission and a nice toolbox. A Tremec TKO-600 or a trophy, humm.....

After an hour or two at the local cruise-in I'm itching to drive, not look.

[DRJDVM's '69]

Since my car has been done about 2 years now, I've been going to car shows around my area and I've come to the conclusion that for the most part, who wins the trophy is completley random.

We've been to 4 Goodguys shows and won 3 trophies..... those I'm very proud of since the competition is pretty stiff there. Then we go to some small local show and get beat out by a bunch of crap. Who know why.... its all in who's doing the judging and what they like/hate.

I'll admit that winning a trophy is an ego boost. I put alot of time and $$ into my car and to get alittle recognition makes me even more proud of my car. I dont think there is anything wrong with that. I have stacks of plaques and trophies in my office.

The thing I still love most at the show is talking to people about my car. Especially people that are in the process of building one. If I can help someone out that is confused or has questions about how/what I did, then it makes sitting and baking in the sun worth it.

I'll admit that when I go to a show, I size up the competition and hope to win a trophy, but thats not why I go. If I win thats icing on the cake, but if I dont win I sleep just fine that night (my wife on the other hand is very competitive and gets really pissed if we lose to some piece of junk !!!). If I had a good time and didnt win, thats so much better than being bored to death all day and winning some trophy.

[yellowrallys]

Since my car has been done about 2 years now, I've been going to car shows around my area and I've come to the conclusion that for the most part, who wins the trophy is completley random.

We've been to 4 Goodguys shows and won 3 trophies..... those I'm very proud of since the competition is pretty stiff there. Then we go to some small local show and get beat out by a bunch of crap. Who know why.... its all in who's doing the judging and what they like/hate.

I'll admit that winning a trophy is an ego boost. I put alot of time and $$ into my car and to get alittle recognition makes me even more proud of my car. I dont think there is anything wrong with that. I have stacks of plaques and trophies in my office.

The thing I still love most at the show is talking to people about my car. Especially people that are in the process of building one. If I can help someone out that is confused or has questions about how/what I did, then it makes sitting and baking in the sun worth it.

I'll admit that when I go to a show, I size up the competition and hope to win a trophy, but thats not why I go. If I win thats icing on the cake, but if I dont win I sleep just fine that night (my wife on the other hand is very competitive and gets really pissed if we lose to some piece of junk !!!). If I had a good time and didnt win, thats so much better than being bored to death all day and winning some trophy.

Well said.

[dogtag]

Double "well said".
If that aint the truth I don't know what is!!
DT