I brought my 74 Challenger to a car show held for the benefit of a local high school band. My grandsons are in the middle school band and will be moving up to the high school next year so what the heck. They bragged 25 total prizes including best Dodge as one of the categories.
There were a total of 65 cars registered and mine was not only the only Dodge, but the only Mopar to enter, so i rightfully felt i was guaranteed a trophy.
They didn't bother to put together goodie bags, or dash plaques.
Then the awards program gave out 1-2-3 trophies for best import (all three went to 90's erea rice burner Hondas...ignoring a mint original 67 VW bug, 1-2-3 trophies for best Camaros, 1-2-3 trophies to best Chevy, 1-2-3 for best Mustang, 1-2-3 for best Ford, 1-2-3 for best Jeep, 1-2-3 for best truck (all Chevy) and then lastly 1-2-3 for best Olds/Pontiac/Buick/Dodge. That's right they lumped my Dodge in with the full sized old GM's and the only Buick there got one, the only Pontiac Firebird got one and an the only Oldsmobile Cutlass (not 442) got one. Best in show then went to a 57 Chevy. So, GM/trucks cars got 13 of the trophies and Mopar zero !!! I have never ever before seen a show lump OLDS, Pontiac, Buick and Dodge together and ignore the fact that their website listed best Dodge!!!
Needless to say next year there will be one less Mopar there !!!
That sucks. I've never seen all Mopars lumped with a GM line of vehicles. When I take my car to a car show and register, I blot out the entry number so no one can vote for my car. I don't want the hassle of dealing with the awards part. I understand that an award is important for the hard work an individual has put into their car but I've seen too many times where a car gets an award based upon how many friends vote for it even if it's not the nicest car in the category. If my car still gets an award, I tell the show sponsors to recycle it to someone else. Just my way of not having any problems with the awards at a show. I go and enjoy the cars. Just my way of doing things.
Terry W.
I never go to a show expecting or caring about getting a cheap plastic trophy awarded by some random person they call a "judge" (yes there are exceptions - very qualified and fair judges at some shows).. They do sometimes combine categories if there are not enough of one type entered, sounds like what happened here. Go to shows to admire the vehicles, hang out with old friends and make new ones.
I feel for ya...I was a trophy hog in my early years, nothing beats the feeling of winning something to show for all your hard work...I remember my Mom used to be so proud when I got home..... :veryexcited:
HOWEVER in todays society where our kids are being coddle with the "everybody gets a trophy" mindset...do you really want to walk away with a trophy for "best Dodge" when you're the ONLY one there ? Not much of a win really.... :dunno:
I went to Main Street show last year with 200+ cars and I won "Best 70's" which I thought was cool....there were a lot of 1970's cars there....my wife couldn't give a shit when I got home ... :haha: :haha:
Ah man that sucks. I think it is the state that car shows are going, especially smaller car shows. It can be hard to get the appropriate Judges. There are a lot of people who criticize the judging process but few people spending the time to be a judge. Some of our local clubs need judges and our club volunteered to give them a hand. I feel bad because I am no expert in that club cars, let alone mopars. Our Judging probably could be criticized, but we judged the best we could with the criteria we were given. I doubt a school would have serious gear heads available to do proper judging. And as class participants dwindle we will see more and more classes squeezed together. All though that mashup class does seem odd. LOL. I know we take judging serious at our club and we have lots of constraints we have to deal with and do our best to get things judged in the best manner possible.
Tom
You drove your trophy there, and then drove it home again. And a much nicer trophy it was.
Quote from: chargerdon on May 16, 2023, 04:47:25 AM
I brought my 74 Challenger to a car show held for the benefit of a local high school band. My grandsons are in the middle school band and will be moving up to the high school next year so what the heck. They bragged 25 total prizes including best Dodge as one of the categories.
There were a total of 65 cars registered and mine was not only the only Dodge, but the only Mopar to enter, so i rightfully felt i was guaranteed a trophy.
They didn't bother to put together goodie bags, or dash plaques.
Then the awards program gave out 1-2-3 trophies for best import (all three went to 90's erea rice burner Hondas...ignoring a mint original 67 VW bug, 1-2-3 trophies for best Camaros, 1-2-3 trophies to best Chevy, 1-2-3 for best Mustang, 1-2-3 for best Ford, 1-2-3 for best Jeep, 1-2-3 for best truck (all Chevy) and then lastly 1-2-3 for best Olds/Pontiac/Buick/Dodge. That's right they lumped my Dodge in with the full sized old GM's and the only Buick there got one, the only Pontiac Firebird got one and an the only Oldsmobile Cutlass (not 442) got one. Best in show then went to a 57 Chevy. So, GM/trucks cars got 13 of the trophies and Mopar zero !!! I have never ever before seen a show lump OLDS, Pontiac, Buick and Dodge together and ignore the fact that their website listed best Dodge!!!
Needless to say next year there will be one less Mopar there !!!
Bolded adds up to 25 trophies per their pre-show bragging. As the only Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, Desoto, they did not have enough in your category to tier the scoring so they lumped you in with a bunch of other cars that also had single car turn outs. Yea, that's not what you were told, but I'm not surprised judging by the those car counts in the BPO and now D category with one of each make being present.
This was a show supporting a high school band. You paid your fee, had a fair time there looking at other cars and had a chance to talk to car guys, all while supporting the band program. That was the goal and it sounds like it was achieved. The kids likely had to beg, borrow, and cajole sponsors to provide the trophies they handed out and if the band did had to pay for them, you being bunched in a larger group saved them some money, thus benefiting the band some more.
Overall win for the band kids. Next year, leave your car at home and write a check for your entry fee and hand it directly to the band director.
:notsure: Go buy yourself a trophy.
I have my first place award from Carlisle and one other award I won at a show and I only kept it because it was a cool looking trophy. I have won dozens of trophies and as soon as I get it, I look for the first small kid I can find and tell him since he did such a good job being careful around all the cars, he deserves it. Makes his or her day! I used to collect bowling and billiards trophies and now they sit in a box in the basement. Certainly don't need any trophies . . . :stop:
Quote from: Spikedog08 on May 18, 2023, 09:01:27 AM
I have my first place award from Carlisle and one other award I won at a show and I only kept it because it was a cool looking trophy. I have won dozens of trophies and as soon as I get it, I look for the first small kid I can find and tell him since he did such a good job being careful around all the cars, he deserves it. Makes his or her day! I used to collect bowling and billiards trophies and now they sit in a box in the basement. Certainly don't need any trophies . . . :stop:
.....maybe a trophy wife :D :haha:
Quote from: MoparLeo on May 17, 2023, 10:00:15 PM
:notsure: Go buy yourself a trophy.
I think you completely missed the point. Certainly i could go buy myself a trophy for less than the $20 registration fee....DUH. That is not why we drive our classics to a car show and enter. I don't do it often as i have three trophies for my Challenger sitting on top of my book case. I did it to support the Marching BAND. However, if your going to do a yearly car show as a fund raiser, do it right !!! The point is that when a show advertises trophies for best Dodge then they should award one...end of story. To change it at the last minute during the show to best BPOand Dodge is utter bullshit. I don't care if i was the only Dodge or one of 50.
I guess i should have known they don't know what they are doing when they even listed best Dodge instead of best Mopar as that left out any Plymouths or Chryslers that might have entered. Hmmm maybe that was the reason there werent any Roadrunners or Chrysler 300's there. Stupid on their part.
Tomorrow Saturday the 19'th my car club Piedmontccc is having our annual car show. See Piedmontccc.org There you will notice best Mopar and best Chevy but not best Mustang or Camaro. Instead in addition to car brands there is also best paint job, best interior, best other. Also notice that it is an AMERICAN car show...Rice burners are not welcome. Also, notice that it says While it doesn't say it our trophies are different...instead of plastic trophies our trophies are made by one of our members throughout the year by taking old car parts and mounting them on the plaques making them unique... the people love them !! Also, everybody gets something for their effort...We advertised first 150 for picture plaques, but, we gave out over 200 of them...beautiful plaques about 8x12 with wood base and an embossed picture of their car taken as they entered on it, and everyone got a goodie bag.
Our judges are ourselves.. last year we had a member with a 66 chevy convertible judging the best chevy award, and a Mustang owner judging best Ford, and a Roadrunner owner the best Mopar. Their instructions were simple...judge based on the look and desirability...no point system whatsoever !! Not one of the awards went to "trailor queens" but instead to people who enjoy their cars and don't care about the resale value.
Lastly, its for a great Charity... The Hilltop Home for children. Now the economics. It costs money to put on a large show, last year we had over 300 cars enter and all of them were 25 year or older American cars. We rented a local 1/2 mile racetrack. The $20 entry fee didn't even cover the cost of the track, insurance, and other expenses. The money we raise comes from the sponsorships from the local businesses. We raised about $6,000 from the show. The 50/50 drawing went for $525 to the winner, which the winner immediately gave it back to us !! In addition our club yearly works the Good Guys show and we get a share of the proceeds which this year was another $2,800. You will see on the website that we donated $10,000 to the Hilltop Home for Children. I went with several of our members to the home to present them with the cheque.
This is how to put on a car show !!
ME PERSONALLY
I would get more satisfaction getting a trophy competing against other people than I would being the only one in my class and getting a "participation" trophy.
I understand your point that if they had advertised a trophy for a certain class that they should follow thru with it, unless the fine print said they would combine classes if there are not enough cars for a class - I have seen that before at some shows. Still, bottom line is that you go to a show and pay an entrance fee to either support the ones putting it on like a school or proceeds go to a charity - I wouldn`t complain about that if it helps them out, they are probably not "professional" event promotors and most if not all of them are doing it for free . If it was a "for profit" business such as a Cars and Coffee event I can see your issue - I won`t go or an pay entrance fee at a for profit event and if I did I would expect anything that was advertised.
Having been actively participating in car shows for over 25 years, I've grown tired of trophies myself.
I like plaques a bit better as I can still find a place on the garage wall for another one rather than using up valuable shelf space!
One of our local Mopar shows gives out medals, what do you do with that, wear it to work or at car events so everyone can appreciate you? :rofl:
But in all seriousness I really don't need anymore trophies or plaques. I pared down the trophies I have in my garage to some cool looking ones, that look like old gas pumps and such.
Others are stored and should be tossed. We used to have a big all makes show series here that had 3 or 4 shows a year on holiday weekends, and was judged by judges, not participants. My convertible would usually place in the Mopar class which was nice. After a while I had a number of trophies from that show. I was redecorating my garage and decided I didn't want any of them there, as they all were the same design with a generic car model on top that looked like an 80s vintage Camaro! I guess I could say it's an 86 Daytona....
Even though I don't need more trophies or plaques, I still feel slighted when my car doesn't win over lesser cars. Participant judging is like that, guys vote for their friends, or vote for a perfumed pig that's a bright color with stripes and spoilers over a much better but less flashy car. Some local small shows were notorious for the same guys winning every time, as they were friends with many there and always voted for each other. Car owners who weren't in that clique got jaded about those shows knowing they'd never win, and thus the shows participations deservedly dropped.
Several shows left me with a bad taste in my mouth with judging. I took my 71 to a small, 70 or 80 car, local Lions club show that happened on my birthday. My car was certainly one of the best there, so I looked forward to getting a trophy with my birthday etched on the plaque. Judging came and I got nothing. A guy came up to me and said "I don't get it, you should have got best of show"! I certainly should have won something.
Next year came and I didn't bother taking a car as I didn't feel motivated.
Then a few years ago I drove that car to our big Mopar show in Belvidere, 60 miles away, and not a fun drive on a hot day driving down the highway with 4:10 gears.
They even added a few awards to the E body class, 4 or 5 plaques for the 10 or 11 cars in my class. But I didn't place.
It was participant judged and best reason I could figure was 2 fold. When they announced you can come pick up ballots for participant judging, the guy next to me volunteered to get mine knowing I have bad feet, which was nice of him. He took my dash card so the show organizers knew he was authorized to get my ballot. Of course he disappeared for over a half hour, and during that time I saw people walking around with ballots and of course none could vote for my car as the dash card with my number was not there. And my car is brown so that puts me at a disadvantage in participant voting against high impact painted cars.
Other Challengers that were clones beat me, so that ended an otherwise good day on a sour note.
So trophies end being a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. I don't need more trophies or plaques, yet also feel screwed sometimes if I don't win one.
Honestly the best solution I can think of is that with the exception of big shows with qualified judging, the organizers should have raffles and such that any entrant can win. And maybe a few fun trophies like kids choice, sponsors choice, and maybe a dignatory like the mayors choice if it's a town sponsored event, or company president if on private property. That would take away much of the bad feelings about not winning trophies.
But not all. At MCACN last year I had the honor of hosting the Malaise Muscle display. One of the Mopars in the display was owned by a woman. After the show was over, both of the Ashton's contacted me saying the woman's husband was calling and emailing them constantly furious his wife didn't win one of a show sponsor chosen "woman owned" awards at the show. He demanded their entry money back even!
I was told the guy said he'd "deal with me" next time he sees me, so I have that to look forward to this year!
Gives me some insight as to the BS car show organizers have to deal with often.
And I am beginning to hate car shows.
Quote from: chargerdon on May 19, 2023, 06:23:43 AM
Quote from: MoparLeo on May 17, 2023, 10:00:15 PM
:notsure: Go buy yourself a trophy.
I think you completely missed the point. Certainly i could go buy myself a trophy for less than the $20 registration fee....DUH. That is not why we drive our classics to a car show and enter. I don't do it often as i have three trophies for my Challenger sitting on top of my book case. I did it to support the Marching BAND. However, if your going to do a yearly car show as a fund raiser, do it right !!! The point is that when a show advertises trophies for best Dodge then they should award one...end of story. To change it at the last minute during the show to best BPOand Dodge is utter bullshit. I don't care if i was the only Dodge or one of 50.
I guess i should have known they don't know what they are doing when they even listed best Dodge instead of best Mopar as that left out any Plymouths or Chryslers that might have entered. Hmmm maybe that was the reason there werent any Roadrunners or Chrysler 300's there. Stupid on their part.
Tomorrow Saturday the 19'th my car club Piedmontccc is having our annual car show. See Piedmontccc.org There you will notice best Mopar and best Chevy but not best Mustang or Camaro. Instead in addition to car brands there is also best paint job, best interior, best other. Also notice that it is an AMERICAN car show...Rice burners are not welcome. Also, notice that it says While it doesn't say it our trophies are different...instead of plastic trophies our trophies are made by one of our members throughout the year by taking old car parts and mounting them on the plaques making them unique... the people love them !! Also, everybody gets something for their effort...We advertised first 150 for picture plaques, but, we gave out over 200 of them...beautiful plaques about 8x12 with wood base and an embossed picture of their car taken as they entered on it, and everyone got a goodie bag.
Our judges are ourselves.. last year we had a member with a 66 chevy convertible judging the best chevy award, and a Mustang owner judging best Ford, and a Roadrunner owner the best Mopar. Their instructions were simple...judge based on the look and desirability...no point system whatsoever !! Not one of the awards went to "trailor queens" but instead to people who enjoy their cars and don't care about the resale value.
Lastly, its for a great Charity... The Hilltop Home for children. Now the economics. It costs money to put on a large show, last year we had over 300 cars enter and all of them were 25 year or older American cars. We rented a local 1/2 mile racetrack. The $20 entry fee didn't even cover the cost of the track, insurance, and other expenses. The money we raise comes from the sponsorships from the local businesses. We raised about $6,000 from the show. The 50/50 drawing went for $525 to the winner, which the winner immediately gave it back to us !! In addition our club yearly works the Good Guys show and we get a share of the proceeds which this year was another $2,800. You will see on the website that we donated $10,000 to the Hilltop Home for Children. I went with several of our members to the home to present them with the cheque.
This is how to put on a car show !!
maybe you should've offered your show expertise to assist your grandsons' cause
Quote from: tparker on May 21, 2023, 08:11:19 PM
And I am beginning to hate car shows.
The IMO you are going for the wrong reasons. I went to a show yesterday, I had the choice of two different ones, both fairly large, and well run. I chose to go to the one further away for a couple reasons - it was a nice drive, just over an hour, down secondary and back roads thru Maine and secondly due to the fact it was further away there would be a lot of cars I don`t normally see every week at local shows and cruise nights. I had a great time meeting a couple other Mopar owners I was parked next to and saw a bunch of other Mopar guys I already knew and talking cars with them. Trophies were to be announced starting at 1:30 but just before 1:00 I decided to leave as the show was winding down and I had been there since 7:45am. I had a nice drive home with the windows down on a nice 75 degree day, I enjoyed driving my car and hanging out and having a good time talking cars all day with fellow participants and spectators. I am always thrilled on the rare occasions I do get a trophy but that is never the reason I drive my old car to a show.
LOL... Well our car show went off without a hitch. I helped our photographer by holding traffic as each car that registered got their picture taken for the custom plaque that they get of their car. By doing this i had a great look at each car as it drove in and also how their engines sounded and a word with the owner. During this process the Mopar that i liked the absolute best was a 70 Roadrunner in FC7 Plum Crazy (my favorite color) with white vinyl top and white interior with bucket seats and the 4sp Pistor grip shifter shifter. It also had the Magnum 500 wheels that i love. I thought to myself, well here is the Mopar first place winner as later i was to be the judge for best Mopar.
Then after all the cars had registered, around 11:30 i began the official process of picking the 3 Mopar best cars along with a fellow Mopar owner Mike who has a 70 Challenger in top banana. He also mentioned that he loved that Plum Crazy Roadrunner. But then when we got to that car the owner had put in front of his car on the ground 3 huge trophies that he had won, and a custom sign telling that he won a total of 18 trophies. Mike and i looked at each other and we both said...well this eliminates him...he sure doesn't need any more trophies and is arrogant. We didn't even give him 3rd. Instead we picked a different Road Runner that was in Top Banana...lol
The other show I could have gone to yesterday was the NH Muscle Car Club show, probably 3-400 cars at that event as well. Last year a member was miffed about not getting a trophy for his newer Challenger, some "limited edition" model he bought and drove to the show. He posted how upset he was about not getting first on the FB page and was roasted by all the other members, the club president then explained they are NOT expert judges and simply have people from the businesses that sponsor the club and trophies to pick their favorite car in that category, they also make it a point NOT to pick the same cars at every sow and instead make sure they pick different winners every show. This year my deceased friends son won an award with the car his dad gave him before he died, I helped with the bodywork and paint and his dad built it mostly himself on a very tight budget - it is no show car but I was thrilled to hear it won a trophy, I know his son was very happy.
Quote from: chargerdon on May 22, 2023, 05:39:38 AM
But then when we got to that car the owner had put in front of his car on the ground 3 huge trophies that he had won, and a custom sign telling that he won a total of 18 trophies. Mike and i looked at each other and we both said...well this eliminates him...he sure doesn't need any more trophies and is arrogant. We didn't even give him 3rd. Instead we picked a different Road Runner that was in Top Banana...lol
Whenever I see a car at a show or cruise with trophies displayed either in front of it or in the back seat, I always am reminded of a classic South Park episode where they ripped on Phil Collins, and the Phil Collins character in the show always walked around clutching his Oscar award he was so proud of. :rofl:
One trick I've used at local shows where I really don't need to win a trophy, but know I'll feel a little slighted if I don't win, but a lesser car in my class does, is write "DO NOT JUDGE" or "DISPLAY ONLY" on my dash information card. That works like a charm, I don't risk getting another $10 trophy to clutter up my garage. And after looking at the other cars in the show, I can tell myself I certainly would have won had I been in the judging! :1place:
Quote from: chargerdon on May 22, 2023, 05:39:38 AM
He also mentioned that he loved that Plum Crazy Roadrunner. But then when we got to that car the owner had put in front of his car on the ground 3 huge trophies that he had won, and a custom sign telling that he won a total of 18 trophies. Mike and i looked at each other and we both said...well this eliminates him...he sure doesn't need any more trophies and is arrogant. We didn't even give him 3rd. Instead we picked a different Road Runner that was in Top Banana...lol
Although I agree I don't like seeing all the trophies displayed with a car like that....but this is fundamentally what's wrong with "judged" car shows...
YOU....being the "judge" and automatically eliminating this guy because he's won other shows....inserting your opinion on the guys display is just wrong. There's likely a reason he's won other shows, he's probably worked hard to make his car the best, even you were drooling over it when it arrived....then he doesn't even place in the top three? Unless there was three cars a lot better then his, it's just wrong....
...and like the original poster of this thread...I could see being pissed off over that... :verymad:
I learned early on that most show "judging" and trophies are more of a reflection on personalities and friendships than the quality of the car. I never take them seriously, ever. That includes not taking seriously the trophies I do have to be honest. I have a few that I won because I had a Hemi and won over a better wedge engined car so it goes both ways. Don't lose any sleep over it.
The trouble is you start wondering why you are paying an entry fee so people can get in for free and rub the side of your car with their baby carriage or dog chain while killing time on their Sunday.
Screw'em. You drove away with a trophy they'll never own.
Quote from: anlauto on May 22, 2023, 07:34:50 AM
Quote from: chargerdon on May 22, 2023, 05:39:38 AM
He also mentioned that he loved that Plum Crazy Roadrunner. But then when we got to that car the owner had put in front of his car on the ground 3 huge trophies that he had won, and a custom sign telling that he won a total of 18 trophies. Mike and i looked at each other and we both said...well this eliminates him...he sure doesn't need any more trophies and is arrogant. We didn't even give him 3rd. Instead we picked a different Road Runner that was in Top Banana...lol
Although I agree I don't like seeing all the trophies displayed with a car like that....but this is fundamentally what's wrong with "judged" car shows...
YOU....being the "judge" and automatically eliminating this guy because he's won other shows....inserting your opinion on the guys display is just wrong. There's likely a reason he's won other shows, he's probably worked hard to make his car the best, even you were drooling over it when it arrived....then he doesn't even place in the top three? Unless there was three cars a lot better then his, it's just wrong....
...and like the original poster of this thread...I could see being pissed off over that... :verymad:
I agree - eliminating a car from even being considered for a trophy because it already won a number of them is wrong, if owners knew that befiorehand you would lose a lot of cars from ever entering shows again.
It's like being a judge and saying..."I only like red cars, so that's who I'm giving the trophy to" :P ...LOL
I'm going to go out on a limb and say car show judging is highly subjective unless your at one of the top tier places that have score sheets or what not. I'm new to the whole judging thing. I participate in my clubs shows but never judged because I figured I don't have adequate knowledge. I know a little, but not enough to Judge. The problem is, it is getting tougher to get judges. We have a rather large Mopar group in town and a pretty big ford/mustang group. I volunteered to Judge at their show because they volunteered at ours in the past. People in club want to participate in the show, but if we are also judging it brings of conflict of interest. So we help each other out. But regardless, you are judging a cars based on some loose criteria which are always going to be subjective. And there is always someone that complains. Which is why I earlier said I am beginning to at these things. I have heard a few complaints and was just so turned off by it. This car was "paid for" or that car had this issue, or that car really didn't belong in that class, or the judges just didn't appreciate these type cars, etc. Some of that may be true, some of it may not be. It's a local show ran by people that take the time out to plan, provide, and participate over long hours so the public can enjoy it, perhaps to raise money for a charity or other stuff. Over the years I have seen people get bent out of shape because they didn't get this spot, or that spot, its to hot, or not under a tree, or is under a tree, or what have your. Lots of grumpy angry folks in this hobby, lol.
You pay a few bucks, get to hang around some great people who have the same hobby as yourself and a few get a trophy. That is enough for me. I know I will provide some feedback to our car show committee to hopefully alleviate any potential issues. :deadhorse: :1place:
From the club page -
...AND A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR TROPHIES
We hope that everyone is enjoying the pics from our CAR SHOW: 2023 "Granite State Season Opener" at Deerfield Fairgrounds and we again want to thank everyone for sharing pics and posting about your experience at our show. Your responses have been overwhelmingly positive and we appreciate each nod! Dave has done a GREAT job of compiling all of the trophy photos and matching the winners to their vehicles...No easy task. Thank you Dave!
As I looked through the trophy winners and the vehicles, a few things really struck me: The broad range of quality of vehicles from "drivers" to "concours," vehicle eras from vintage to modern muscle, and owners from young to old timers. This seems to me to embody what the "hot rod vibe" is all about.
We all go to a lot of shows and quite frankly, more often then not, the trophy process at a minimum doesn't make sense, is a popularity contest, left up to "crowd vote" (we all know how this goes) or worse case, is just a total mess. Then there is the "why didn't I win" scenarios and people getting upset or downright angry.
We have said for years that we do trophies for fun and that cars are not professionally judged at our shows (you'll find the banner below next to our trophies at our shows). There have been some bumps along the way, but I think that we are finally hitting our stride. It makes me very proud of our club and our membership.
There is no stuffy "my car is better than your car" vibe anywhere to be found. I think this is what "hot rodding" is all about...car people getting together to celebrate cars. Not just our own car, all of the cars. And even more so, the ability to get excited about someone else's ride and to let them know how cool THEIR ride is.
We thank you for keeping this vibe of the hot rod hobby alive.
Quote from: torredcuda on May 22, 2023, 10:43:55 AM
Quote from: anlauto on May 22, 2023, 07:34:50 AM
Quote from: chargerdon on May 22, 2023, 05:39:38 AM
He also mentioned that he loved that Plum Crazy Roadrunner. But then when we got to that car the owner had put in front of his car on the ground 3 huge trophies that he had won, and a custom sign telling that he won a total of 18 trophies. Mike and i looked at each other and we both said...well this eliminates him...he sure doesn't need any more trophies and is arrogant. We didn't even give him 3rd. Instead we picked a different Road Runner that was in Top Banana...lol
Although I agree I don't like seeing all the trophies displayed with a car like that....but this is fundamentally what's wrong with "judged" car shows...
YOU....being the "judge" and automatically eliminating this guy because he's won other shows....inserting your opinion on the guys display is just wrong. There's likely a reason he's won other shows, he's probably worked hard to make his car the best, even you were drooling over it when it arrived....then he doesn't even place in the top three? Unless there was three cars a lot better then his, it's just wrong....
...and like the original poster of this thread...I could see being pissed off over that... :verymad:
I agree - eliminating a car from even being considered for a trophy because it already won a number of them is wrong, if owners knew that befiorehand you would lose a lot of cars from ever entering shows again.
We had a total of 175 registered cars. Here in Raleigh its Chevy country, Only 8 of them were Mopars.. Hell even our name is Piedmont Classic Chevy Club, tho it has been opened up to all American makes. No rice burners allowed unless it has an American engine in it.
Our instructions in picking the top 3 mopars was simple...no point system, just pick based on appeal...and that means of course what appeals to the judge. We eliminated the Plum C Road Runner for three reasons. 1) Mike my co judge likes originality and this car had the 3 deuces sitting on top of the 440 engine. However, the Vin number had an H not the V code needed. Also, the fender tag had been removed... To Mike this was cheating. 2) The trophies displayed to me shows arrogance...also they were 3 feet high for first place at major shows. No way the owner would have even appreciated a 8" trophy. So lets give it to someone who would appreciate it. 3) I talked with the owner and found out he did none of the work on the car...simply opened his fat wallet and payed for it...i don't think that is fair to give him a trophy because he is wealthier than the others. Again, yes, my personal bias...to me this is a hobby to work on, not to buy.
Don't feel bad, I just went to the smallest, weirdest show I've ever been to at a Catholic Church this past weekend. I was the only Chrysler there, 71 cuda 340, 4 speed car, and there were only 21 total entries and 12 trophies. In my opinion, about five of the entries didn't even count as they were modern mundane things, including a 90's suburban that they didn't even bother to wash and literally had mud slung past the rear tires on to the back panel. Not only did my sweet Cuda not get an award but the kids choice went to a mediocre 69 Ranchero. 😳
Oh well, no skin off my back, it was just weird. The guy that parked next to me got FOUR trophies but he deserved it. It was a gorgeous 58 impala, red on red that he did all himself and I couldn't find a flaw on it. He was embarrassed but we all tried to reassure him it was well deserved.
I don't have room for any more trophies anyway. 😂
If you go to the lengths of blotting out your number why register at all? Your car will still be sitting there
Quote from: Bearcuda on May 23, 2023, 03:28:47 PM
If you go to the lengths of blotting out your number why register at all? Your car will still be sitting there
Sometimes I only register so I can park in the show area and not outside the gates and entry fee is usually for a charity or good cause so I don`t mind paying the $10 or so even if I don`t stay for trophys.
My buddy was an organizer one year for a local car show. A decent sized one at that. And knowing all the work I had done on my Challenger, he asked me to be a judge. I didn't feel qualified, but then I learned that he also asked a few guys that I know to also be judges, and they knew less about cars than me. That was eye opening. And reading all this above confirms that these local shows are judged by ordinary people. Why would anyone be so upset about not winning a trophy. If you bought a classic to win trophies, then you bought it / built it for the wrong reason IMO.
I went to a Mopar-only show last year and, as I usually do at car shows, I leave before the trophies are even given out. I could care less personally. I go to hang out, check out the other cars and talk to other car people. I bring my car because I want to support car shows so they don't dwindle. That's pretty much it. I don't need anyone to tell me how nice my car is. I know how nice it is. It's nicer to me than probably anyone else because I built it. I know every nut and bolt on there and that's all the satisfaction I need.
I think the only way I'd really care about getting a trophy is if I went to a car show that had really knowledgeable judges, like Carlisle or something, and I know I'm not winning anything there. And that's ok.
:bigthumb: A few years ago, I entered a car I had done into a "points" car show. This was the first time in 40 years that I had done such a thing. I didn't win the "points thing", but it was a really good learning experience (although, I did get a trophy out of the deal). I do really agree with that is not at all the reason to do car shows. We do this because of the pride in our cars, the enjoyment of others vehicles and the social comradery the experience provides. Long live car shows & cruise-ins!