BCA Judging issues

[Thriller]

Might the younger "trainee" judges draw the chassis to judge as their joints still have the "designed" range of motion . . . still working?

That is typically the case. The point I was attempting to make is that judges are asked to do chassis typically not due to knowledge nor experience, but simply a presumed range of motion. My son was put in that position a year or two ago and was nearly turned off of judging because he didn't feel confident he knew what he was looking at or for.

The physical challenge of judging the chassis (not a huge challenge necessarily) could be a hindrance to getting additional judges to volunteer.

[Mark Shaw]

Keith,

Your last paragraph suggests that only members who have won high level BCA awards are qualified to judge the cars. So, it follows that the judging teams would have to be much smaller due to fewer qualified candidates.

[buick5563]

Let's face it, when you are knowledgable on the cars you are looking at, you can walk down the line and in a few minutes have the cars pretty well pegged in order.

This^^^

While this (my following statement) is a bit of a generalization, if there are glaring errors and obvious shortcuts taken, a person who owns or has restored one sees that immediately. I would personally let some over-restoration slide (stainless vs. painted fuel lines, for instance, IF that everything else was well done. When I see Home Depot bolts used as fender bolts, it shows me laziness. NOT on a driver quality car (bronze / silver) but if you want a Senior, you better plate, paint, or buy originals somewhere. I believe Keith was saying this. We anal-retentive, OCD, ADHD folks know by seeing worm clamps on hoses that the restorer or owner either ran out of time or money or didn't care. This slaps us in the face. Not an insulting slap.... More of a "nice car, I'm sure they enjoy it" kinda slap.

[Guest my3buicks]

As i said, 2 judges per class are more than enough

[Guest my3buicks]

OCD, that explains it Lol, guilty

[buick5563]

Yep...

Me too.

[Bill Stoneberg]

You OCD folks are the kind I like to work on my car....

[old-tank]

You OCD folks are the kind I like to work on my car....

I'm cured.

[NTX5467]

I don't know if you have to be OCD, tri-polar, or whatever to see some "glaring issue" with a car on the show field. I suspect it's more the fact that you "know what you're looking at" AND "what it should be to be correct".

Unfortunately, I've see some "bolt kits" supplied with body mounts (in this case) which were very obvious "hardware parts" rather than the correct "coated" flange head bolts. Therefore, "laziness" can be operative in the vendor market, too!! As these items came from an acknowledged vendor, the owner assumed they were correct, when the bolts and flat washers were blatantly "hardware parts". NOT always just the bolts, but the holes they are screwed into, as 55-57 Chevy fenders have a few quirks in this area . . . which make sense when you consider the assembly line assembly sequence for the front end of the vehicle.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[NTX5467]

One of the "givens" of BCA 400 Point System judging is that as the meets move from one area of the country to the other each year, a different group of judging eyes will be looking at particular classes than in the past meets, typically. This, to me, can lead to a certain amount of "inconsistency" from year to year, I suspect. IF we knew that each judging group might remain intact from year to year AND was extremely knowledgeable on the particular class(es) they judged, then a higher degree of year-to-year consistency could result.

As "un-perfect" as it might be, I feel it does work pretty well. I also feel that making use of the ever-more-affordable technology (software and hardware) could make things happen quicker in the finalization of class judging results . . . providing that sufficient means could be put in place to minimize "re-appropriation" of said devices used in this function.

One of the BENEFITS of having the BOD meetings held quarterly in different venues was that the audience got to hear what National Meet show participants complained about, in how their vehicles were judged. I remember one where an owner complained because a judge gave him some deducts on paint as the metallic flakes were allegedly too large, compared to OEM. Another time I read about, there was a big broo-ha-ha over the green engine paint supplied by a noted Buick vendor . . . compared to an "untouched original" car on the same show field in the same class. Now, it appears with all of the email meetings, such tidbits of information either don't happen or happen where the membership might be isolated from such things. To me, hearing or knowing of these issues might help others not make similar mistakes/indiscretions, unknowingly, on their own vehicles. Be that as it may.

Enjoy!

NTX5467