Display Rules

[hilgretasmom1]

I am about to show a '70 'Cuda for the first time in AACA. I have the judging manual but it does not tell how the car is to be displayed: windows up or down,ashtray and glovebox open or closed; floormats in or out; I know the hood and trunk should be open. I know this is elementary but need some giudance. Thanks.

[Peter J.Heizmann]

hilgret...Welcome to the Forum...

Windows, hood, trunk, (convertible top ?) up.

(I used to leave the driver's side window down at a meet in hot weather with the passenger side up. The judges always asked me to roll up the driver's side to check its condition.)

Ashtray, glove box closed (if a judge wants to see them, then open them up.)

Floor mats in...

Remember: The more you display for judging, then, the more items get judged.

You do not have to hide anything, just show your car in a natural, here it is, judge it mode. Just my personal advise, make sure the the ashtray, glove box, etc., are clean and as delivered new from the factory in case you are asked to open them.

The AACA Judges are very fair. Relax and enjoy the meet.

Regards, Peter J.

[Guest greg72monte]

Welcome to the forum,

Just a note about floor mats, if they are soiled, worn, or after market

(non-factory original style) remove them. If they are not there, they can

not be judged. I am fortunate to have the original mats, which I proudly

display, because the condition is excellent.

Good luck with your car, and having it judged. Most of all, have a good time.

I am a new (1 year) member of AACA myself, and have received my Senior Award,

AND a National Award nomination in less than a year.

I don't know what took me so long to join.

[Guest my3buicks]

You may want to consider removing your mats, my brother-n-law had a Sr Grand national car to a spring national for a repeat preservation and they made him remove his correct original floor mats, he politely said forget it. I have seen them ask to lift the mats to see under them which is fine.

[Guest greg72monte]

I have had both AACA and VCCA judges lift the mats to look under, which is fine with me, as I have nothing to hide. No one has ever asked me to remove them. I don't know what that would accomplish. It may have been one individual judges way of judging.

I have been a VCCA judge for several years, and I have never seen a judge remove, or request to have removed a floor mat. I usually just take a peek under.

[DaveBerg]

AACA National Judges are not permitted to lift a floor mat. (that isnt to say it is never done, it simply isnt supposed to be done.) The only time an AACA judge should ask the vehicle owner to remove a floor mat is if it is suspected to be covering something up, ie a hole or rust which does happen from time to time. On a Senior Grand National vehicle it is unlikely that would be the case. Not impossible, but most unlikely. It is advised as was said in an earlier post if the mats are not correct and just there for protection they should definately be removed prior to judging. If they are less than a condition that would be expected of them when they were first installed in the vehicle they should be removed prior to judging. Remember optional equipment can NEVER get you more points it can only give you more areas for deduction. Hope this helps to clear up a few uncertainties. It doesnt make a wrong right but it does at least show the proper procedure.

[Dick380185]

Also, be careful what you shove into your glove compartment. Once I had a judge open mine without asking permission, and mine was rather stuffed with odds and ends, flashlight, tissues, pens, markers, roll of tape, etc. as well as owner's card and other impt papers. I was rather embarrassed with all the clutter in an otherwise pristine car! However, the judge had no business doing it without at least asking.

[1937hd45]

This must be some type of Postwar car judging mindset that is TOTALLY foreign to those of us that have judged Perwar all out lives.In Prewar the owner opens the hood or door at the request of the chief judge, there is NEVER any reason for a judge to touch any part of the vehicle. Guess this is why you'll never see me looking at a Post 1941 vehicle...unless it is class 24A - 25

[ronbarn]

Bob, Your comment is correct up to a point. If the owner is not present, the team captain is authorized to open the hood, doors and trunk (if applicable). I guess that would also apply to the glove box. However, if the owner is present (and that is one of the first things the team captain should determine when the car is approached by the team) the owner should be requested to perform those tasks. Key words are "team captain" is authorized, not just "team members".

[1937hd45]

Ron,What AACA Judge in their right mind is going to look INSIDE a glove box on a car? Why stop there, check the oil, area under the spair tire,are the wheels clean under the hub caps?

[ronbarn]

Bob, you are right, but who says all judges are in their right mind. Seriously, how far you go is not the point I'm making. The point is that the judge should not open the doors. hood, etc. The team captain is authorized to do so. If a judges asked me, as a team captain to open the glove box, I would decline the opportunity. Fortunately that has not happened since there are not too many glove boxes on motorcycles.

[1937hd45]

Just when did the trend start that all Postwar cars sit on the show field with their hoods open? To me it brings back memories of these vehicles broken down on the side of the road. Prewar cars seldom have the hoods up, and the owners stay with the vehicles and open & close hoods and doors for the judging team. The general public is treated to the fine flowing lines of these vehicles.

[Shop Rat]

As a judge I can tell you that our job goes faster and there is less risk to the car when the hoods and trunks are in the open position, put that way by the owner. We don't have to try to track them down or stand and wait while the spouse tries to find them. Most captains do not want the responsiblity of opening the hood or trunk of someone elses car. Some of them are heavy without spring-loaded assistance, tricky to keep from damaging the surrounding paint or there is a quirk to a certain one. Better for the owner to do it. And truthfully, lots of people love looking at the engines. So much so that many times the engine judge has to ask people to step aside so that they can do their job.

If the owner is another judge they are usually gone and leave us messages about what to do in their absence.

We are told that five to ten minutes per car should get the job done. With four judges looking that is 20 to 40 minutes if you look at it that way. At small shows the extra time would not be that much to open and close hoods/trunks car by car. But it would not be something to try and do at Hershey on a regular basis. In bad weather, and Hershey is known for that, then that does happen to keep the rain from doing damage.

And after we are done, the captain thanks the owner and tells them we are done and they can then do what they want to, lower windows, tops can come down and they can close the hood and trunk if they want to. Lots of them don't because they don't want to be raising and lowering the hood for everyone that wants to see the engine.

I do agree that to fully appreciate the "flow" of the car it is better displayed without the trunk and hood up. But for judging purposes they need to be open when we walk up to the car.

[Ron Green]

1937hd45, The last AACA national show I was wondering the same thing and made a comment to wife. I was under the impression you are to have the windows up and hoods and trunks closed so the judges could view the panels for fit.

Now when you arrive on the show field most vehicles have everything rolled down with trunks and hoods up. I did not see any judges making anyone close or roll anything up either before judging. The lone exception may have been the Grand National?

[1937hd45]

Thanks Ron, Panel fit is the first thing I look at when judging a vehicle. If the hood, trunk, and four doors are open someone is trying to hide something in my mind. Close them for me and I'll get started.

[Shop Rat]

The windows do have to be rolled up to be checked, but on a hot day in the south people leave them at least part way down until the judging team arrives. Then they roll them up, sometimes one at a time for the interior judge to verify they are okay.

Panel fit should be checked, but that can be done when the owner, or team captain, lowers the hood and trunk after the interior judge and engine judge have done their jobs. Fit is checked more carefully at Grand National shows as most of those cars are fully restored and any misalignments should have been corrected.