How can you Judge it?

ChaplainLar · September 28th, 2008

This is my 1st year having a car in competition. I am wondering how judges can determine if it's original or not. I have looked high & low and can find only some artist like drawings of what my car was like new. I guess I am frustrated because at one event (Northern Ohio A.A.C.A.) the two judges walked around my car twice, glanced in and went to the next car. They were at my car for a total of 75 seconds. I know, I checked.
I was scored down on stuff they never checked.
Anyway, back to the question, would it make any difference if I installed New reproduction parts from like Mike's Ford, or The Filling Station Chevy stuff-since no one reproduces Essex parts.
Shouldn't the Judges take into account the actual "original" car? I know that some shows have that class, but do they hold to it?
I know the my car will never be a 1000 pointer, so should I never bother showing it?

MCHinson · September 28th, 2008

If it is a "well worn" original you might consider registering it in the HPOF Class.

If it is a partially restored "Driver", you could register it in DPC.

Without seeing the car, it is difficult to offer the best guidance to you.

If it was a local show, instead of a national event, there is no telling what "judging" method was used.

ex98thdrill · September 28th, 2008

If you're coming to Hershey next week, plan on taking the time to visit the AACA Library & Research Center. They have a lot of stuff on a lot of cars where at least you can have the documentation to prove what's right or wrong.

I would hope that with an Essex the judge's understand the availability of parts and take that into consideration while judging. My father and I restored a '29 Whippet, a Plymouth pickup and a Plymouth woodie wagon, so I am fully familiar with being in a position where you either have to salvage what's there, or go without. We've been there and can easily feel your pain.

Shop Rat · September 28th, 2008

And a less than perfect correct part is better than no part at all.

novaman · September 28th, 2008

As for having your car judged at an AACA Region show compared to an AACA National meet can be the difference of night and day.

At a national meet your car is scored against a score sheet of four 100 point categories. Interior, exterior, engine, and chassis for a total of 400 max points. As judges find problems in their area of the car, they will make a mental deduction then after they are done will make the appropriate deductions on the score sheet. The team captain compiles the other judge’s scores on your car's score sheet, and then the team moves on. They should only be spending about 5 min per car.

At an AACA Regional meet, it is judges how the region decides. They can follow the National standards, to looking the cars over in the class and deciding who they feel should get a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. To (and I serious hope they wouldn't do it this way) giving all pink cars 1st, blue cars 2nd, and yellow ones 3rd. The point I'm trying to make is it is entirely up to the region how they do the judging even if they are an AACA region.

If you car is still mostly original, I'd attempt to try the HPOF class and if you don't get the certification there, next time out do DPC, if you feel you won't fair well in the judged class. My mom and I each have a National HPOF car while my dad enters his (too much restoration work been done for HPOF) in the DPC Class at the local region meets here. With the HPOF class, you are allowed some restoration work but mainly what needs to be done to preserve the car. Example, I replaced my driver's side door gasket and trunk gaskets because they were shot and allowing water to enter the car. I probably could get away with replacing the passenger front door gasket too, but I am trying to keep it as original as I possibly can so, I'm just hanging onto that door gasket until I absolutely need to replace it.

I would suggest going to an AACA judging school on the Friday of a meet (there will be several schools at Hershey). You'll learn from the class, get a free judging manual (can be downloaded from the AACA Web site under publications) and there is a continuing Judge's Education (CJE) class on HPOF you could take. Just because you go to the school does not mean you have to judge but you are welcome to join us if you like. It's up to you.

Shop Rat · September 28th, 2008

Originally Posted By: novaman

Just because you go to the school does not mean you have to judge but you are welcome to join us if you like. It's up to you.

But if you do go to any judging schools or CJEs make sure you fill out and turn in the attendance card that they give you. You can get one credit per year for a judging school and one credit per year for a CJE, with the exception of the mandatory CJE at each 25 point increment. You can "audit", as they say in college, as many as you want in a year but you only get credit for one of each in a year. That way if you decide to join in on this side of the hobby you will have those credits already. No sense not getting credit for them.

ex98thdrill · September 30th, 2008

Quote:

But if you do go to any judging schools or CJEs make sure you fill out and turn in the attendance card that they give you. You can get one credit per year for a judging school and one credit per year for a CJE, with the exception of the mandatory CJE at each 25 point increment.

Don't forget you have a mandatory CJE when you hit your first 10 credits, and then at each 25 credits after that (so it would be 10,25,50,75, etc.).

novaman · October 1st, 2008

I did the voulentary one plus the mandatory one for 75 this year. Next mandatory will be the etc. level. [img]<>/laugh.gif[/img] Is the etc. level like the Sam High level?? [img]<>/wink.gif[/img]

ex98thdrill · October 2nd, 2008

Yes it is. I'd like to have the money that Sam has spent to make it to all those meets to get those credits.

I think Sam has judged at every meet for over 20 years.

ChaplainLar · October 20th, 2008

So, If I want to enter my car as 'Factory Original'
I should:
*Have Macco re-paint it
*Have all the instruments re-done at Bob' Speedo
*Have a local shop re-fabric the interior (to 1928 specs)
*Renu my gas tank
*Buy new old Coker tires
*Replace my original steering wheel with one that
looks more original
*Rewire the entire car with wires that look like 1928
*Re-build the engine, paint it, put in electric
gas pump(where no one can see it), buy bolts, nuts,
gaskets, that look like original ones
*and all the other stuff...
You are giving trophys to the guy with the most money.
ANY auto repair shop can re-create given enough money.
I think that you have got the classes mixed up. The HPOF and the DPC should be the Trophy classes and the ground up restorations should be the "Oh, isn't that nice" class.
I'm outta here.