40 had a good idea. About judging a car for a award. Since we have guys here that are building there frist street rod. Or guys here that would like to win a award.

Here's the question: If you were or was a judge at a show, what would or do you look at in a car for an a award?
1) best paint
2) best interior
3) best motor
4) best over all
4) best dare to be different

I'm sure this will help out other rodders to learn some of the tricks.

Rick
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awsum34

Well on your issue of awards the we at goodguys do it,we have a guide line to go buy if you look in the GAZETTE you can see what the headings are for judging. I do some of the judging at some events and what i look at is not so much the high dollar cars as the ones i know where built by the owner and also the persons attitude that means a lot to me.At goodguys shows the reps do the judging and then at other shows the reps and boyd, car magazine people judge. I look at this that if just average street rod or kustom guys come up and say that is a real nice car that means more to me than a 10.00 dollar thropahyor there is away idid some thing on the car that was different. Fellow peers thoughts mean alot.


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I have 32 roadster pickup

Its all in the details. I look for the guy thats trying to build a better mousetrap. Anybody can put a 350/350 in a Duece, its the guy who makes it a mid engine,and drove it to the show, that would get my attention.
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2 wrongs dont make a Right but 3 Rights make a left.

Hey Prixmo it sounds like you are talking about my ride and thanks...Ray
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Grump

Yea Grumpy, the voices told me to say that, As loud as they were I am supprised you didnt here um.Your mid engine truck would get my vote as long as I go ta cruz around the lot in it. Greasing the palm still goes a long way. Jason should be having a Truck-O-the-month soon. hint,hint.Between You and that primered Gingle bells of the great white north, it ought to be a fun race.
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2 wrongs dont make a Right but 3 Rights make a left.

To add to Johnny's comments and to give a little more information about what is really done, in-so-far as judging, at a Goodguys event.......I was surprised when I first joined Goodguys at the detailed judging that does go on amongst the field judges for most of the awards. Having attended other managed events, usually the judges would gloss through the crowded lot or field and stop occasionally to take a quick peek.

At Goodguys,usually a combination of the local GGs reps and others (sponsors, special clubs like CCI) that have come to the events are the ones that pick the participants in the winner's circle. I would like to add that there is a big diversity of fellow GG reps that like different things. For example, I build 30s rods, classics and muscle cars and usually I will get a pick in the 30s streetrods, tri-year and/or the muscle car areas. They know that I see a lot of these type of cars and can judge them in a fair and balanced way.

My criteria for judging is comprised of several things. It starts with...it has to be driven (as compared to the guys and gals that bring their trailered cars for show, which there is nothing wrong with, whereas there are plenty of other pics that are for them such as Boyds, StreetRodder etc., and I am not talking about those of you who do trailer your DRIVER cars in this,...you would be included in my considerations as well...and we CAN tell the difference. Secondly, as Johnny has pointed out in a previous post, attitude does sell and those of you that are friendly and positive, as opposed to those who are braggarts and expectants, as I call them, do have a leg up on the field (I always walk away from anyone who starts with the this car won this...and this car won that...and this guy over here is driving a piece of junk etc...this behavior is sometimes avoided by putting on my regular duds and pruising the field undercover. Thirdly, I also appreciate cars that the owners are involved directly with the restoration, or building thereof. I think there is something to the ability of doing things for yourself as opposed to just whipping out the wallet and paying for it (this doesn't mean that you have to do everything...but this single pointmakes you either the "artist" or the "art collector"....big difference). Forth, I look for something unique (because I like to steal ideas) and qualitative. I gave out at Columbus and at Charlotte this year, picks to two differing young couples that both had 'Cudas that were restored perfectly. The unique part was that they (the couples) were both in their early twenties and Mopars like that don't get recognised or found in such shape usually at our events. They were perfect for the award that I was seeking...... but I poured through the field at Columbus with my wife for four hours looking for the perfect "Sensational Seventies" and narrowed it down to a GTO convertible, a GS Buick and the Cuda (which happened to be on the other side of the earth). When I started asking questions about the car (clear on the other side of the earth)the couple couldn't believe that I was even considering their car. They too, believed that you had to spend mega-bucks and have power parking spots up front to even get considered for the picks. When we came back and put the notification of winner on the car, the couples faces were absolutely astonished. I said "you have a winner at a national event.....be proud and we'll see you tomorrow at the winners circle!! After seeing their reaction to their hard work I knew that I had selected a quality pick.

Now, I have babbled on like this (way too long) to give you an idea of what really happens in most of these GG contests. I know everytime I go, the guys are not only looking forward to getting out there to pick'em, but work hard to do it.. It just isn't someone that mossies by and plucks down an award for the heck of it. And Johnny.....well he is ruthless with the work he does to get the pick that he wants. He will turn every rock over to see if there is something there that he can consider.

I hope this gives some insight to the process at GGS.

Steve Jack
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SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP

"I hope this gives some insight to the "process" at GGS".

Three paragraphs and a short story later , and I see no "process" here at all. Looks to be closer to "Mood of the Day , of the Judge of the Day" in criteria.

Maybe it's just me and MY mood of the day , but I always write "DO NOT JUDGE" on the placard I'm handed at shows. I have never and would never do anything to a vehicle with the intention of capturing a judges eye.

Richard,....I myself do the very same thing at certain events (mark "do not judge") and certainly can appreciate and respect your choice in doing what you are doing. However, this hobby, indulgence, business or artform, people work very hard for recognition of their "art" and moreover, expect the recognition.

In that I can't possibly explain all of the minutia (and I do have a points system that I use in my selections) that accompanies my judgement as well as others, I feel that when I go out to select a pick , there are people just like yourself, that wants the recognition and expects the judging to be fair, balanced and critical to a certain extent. They work for it, they get excited and motivated at the thought of the competition and they expect it.....it's simply part of the fun for many! Now, I know that there are a lot of others that are there just for the commoradery and ambiance of the event....and that's perfectly fine as well....I do it all the time myself!

Whether you comprehend the "system" or not, there is, in fact, a method to our madness at GGS. We don't just as a matter of fact just hand our friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends...or their cousins and grandpas awards just for showing up (and I know most of you know what I mean). The "mood of the day" as you refer is to find the "piece of art" which matches the catagorical requirement that is designated by the GGs staff selections. We go and find "art" to match and recognise the individual for it. Simply that's the way it works.

Now, in events where factory originals are graded and judged it's a whole differing set of rules and types of methods to get to the award. Again, people who come to these events work painstakingly at getting their car as original as it was when leaving the very factory some years ago. The closer you come...the better your chances are of winning. I have even known individuals to take their cars to Michigan (from Florida) to have the quality inspector that originally signed the final checkoff on the firewall some 40 years ago....do it again, all in the sake of originality and .......guess what.....recognition!

Just some more gobblety-gook for your edification!

Steve Jack
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SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP

Steve,
It appears I've struck a nerve , for which , I'm sorry. I'm sure you work very hard at what you do and are very good at it. However there are a few things in your reply to mine I feel compelled to address. Switching words from "process" to "system" offers little in the form of an explanation. Hence my failure to comprehend. And , I think edification is out of context. It's not MY morals that need improved upon , it's the person that "expects recognition". However "gobbledegook" IS well placed - but you spelled it wrong and it's all one word.

I never realized the level of intelect was so high in here. Geeez it's enough to make a good ole Carolina boy wanna unplug his pc for fear of losing IQ points!

What kinda degree do you have to have to gain respect here? geez!

I guess if you wanna put down that brandy snifter (yeah, like I know how to spell that) and cigar I GUESS you can judge my truck....that is....if you could lower your standards some! I'll be over here in the fold out chair under the picnic tent next to the cooler of beer, with, yes you guessed it, beer in hand!
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http://troybaker.com/62stepside/

Richard, not to worry....you did not, in fact, strike a nerve at all. I get questions and comments from other folks that are just like yours. Not a problem. Glad you commented actually.

I am very sorry if you think that I used the work "edification" to mean a moral scolding...please accept my apology, whereas edification (by my dictionary, The Newly Law Dictionary) can mean "to offer enlightenment or an informational dialog for interactive response" and was in fact used in the context of the explanation (or lack thereof apparently) that I have given.

And....actually "gooblety-gook" is not the same as goobledegook. "Goobledegook" is generally thought of as a negative term to mean not understandable in present/current form or jargon, and the term "gooblety-gook" is a reverse play on that term that is used mainly by old military officers for "understandable by only a few" and is a catch phrase for some of us who use it to explain informational overload..so to speak. I guess that makes it slang. Sorry that got you confused too.

But, far from me to give english lessons here....whereas I am admittingly not a very good typer,terrible speller, and just not very good at grammer either.

Back to the GGs thing. Thanks for your input to the situation, and keep on attending anyway. It appears that you enjoy yourself just the way you want to and that is what is important to us! See you at the venues!

Steve Jack
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SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP

Just wanted to throw my 1/2 cents worth in the mix.At a recent Good Guys event I arrived late on a Saturday afternoon due to a defective power steering pump.There were no places left to park in the infield so a buddy of mine moved his car to let me slide in behind him.The car was parked almost out of sight next to a row of"spot-a-pots".I left the car as it was driven in and began to take in the sights and find a new pump.When I returned there was a rep talking to my wife about the car,he walked over,introduced himself and informed me that he was picking my car for an award.He said he had been trying to find us for over an hour,he said his attention was drawn immediatly to our car when we entered the infield as the power steering pump was screaming for fluid very loudly!!A couple of things I learned that day were 1)All of the picks are not made prior to the event or even early in the event as it was now 4PM on Saturday.2)Cars are picked that aren't perfect as evidensed by my bug splatters and squealing PS pump which I repaired while the rep was looking my car over.3)Some reps really try hard to find just what they are looking for even if it's not what we feel they should be looking for.I have had other cars picked at differant events where I thought there were much better cars that should have been chosen and also I've been to events where cars were chosen that I felt were inferior to many other cars there ,but I gaurantee one thing,I had the same amount of fun,and didn't lose ONE wink of sleep over it!Guess I overdid the 1/2 cents worth but what the heck,it's Christmas!!

I was in charge of judging our club rod run the last few years and for those that are building a rod, here is what we look for.

OVERALL APPEARANCE= stance, wheels, trim, glass etc. usually from about 15 feet away
PAINT= outside of car along with engine and trunk compartment, etc.
DRIVE LINE,UNDER SIDE= engine type, trans and rear end mounting and detail, exaust, shocks .
INTERIOR= interior, shape, cleanliness, type etc.

Foremost, we are looking to award vehicles that appear to be safe!
Any modifacations to frame, driveline or suspension that do not look to be safe deter from the judging no matter how good looking the rest of the car is.

Paint chips, normal wear on tires or other components will never detract from points.
Ours is a very informal show that caters to the old style of street rodders. We get a few trailored
cars but 99% are driven in and out.

My personal reccommendation to those that are building their first rod would be to do it safe, get the spouse involved, and don't try to get your first one perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect rod, it will never be done with that goal, and your spouse will get tired of seing all that money going out the window without ever getting anything from it.
Put it together, drive it with the family and it will become something everyone will enjoy not just you. In other words, don't worry about trophys right away, they will come with time. I would rather have my family involved in the hobby than be divorced and attending the shows by myself.
Jim Callaghan
build what you like but drive what you build!