Car show competition questions

[NYJets77]

A few weeks ago there was a car show in my town. I made a breakfast run to a deli near the field where the show was and several guys who were competing were standing outside. They assumed I was going to be entering and asked me questions about my car.

When they found out I wasn't going, they tried to convince me to go. All of them had 60s muscle cars (a Goat, Charger, some truck I couldn't ID, etc).

So, for those of you that have entered car shows: how well received are 5th gen Camaros? V6s also? What do judges look for - what mods you've done, how clean your car is?

(All the shows I've attended have all been for classic/rare cars.)

Thanks in advance for the help.

[hrpiii]

It varies from show to show. If you are at a show that has a lot of enthusiest, you will be welcomed in opened arms. If you are at a club where members hate anything newer than a '74, you will be shunned like the plague.

If you go to a show, go to have fun and meet people. I have judged before, I look for cleanliness inside and out, engine bay, tires, trim, paint, calipers, fenderwell, etc. Depending on the show, you may be going against other camaros or other generations of your car. Best you can do, show up, clean it up, shine it up, have a great time. Make it an experience and not an expectation (to win)

[RoachDad]

Also, note the car show description. If it says Classic cars, then you have no shot. But a straight up car show is just that.

I am not a car show guy so I don't really mind. I have more respect for a guy with a 69 Camaro in great shape than my 2010 with some modifications so I totally get it.

on the other hand, a lot of shows have special categories just for late model cars.

like hrpii (wow, that is close to herpe) said, go to enjoy the cars and the fellowship and don't worry about the trophies.

[DJ-Silver 2SS]

I regularly attend car shows with both my SS and ZL1. Depending on the show depends on the outcome. I do not go to the shows expecting to win, I go to have some fun, meet my friends, meet new friends and let people see my cars (wife drives the SS on show days). Thursday and Fridays my wife knows its car cleaning and polishing time. Get up Saturday morning and head to where ever. Just enjoy.

[Sikoriko]

The local car shows have a few newer Shelbys just for show. never did stick around to see what they have won. But if I were a judge they all would win. I would be like a kid in a candy store.

[Blue-J]

My salesman initiated my going to auto shows and get-togethers. My greatest joy this past summer has been having over 250 kids have their picture taken in the car. A plus was taking any awards home.

[angie7]

I enter shows. New cars in general are becoming the norm and gaining popularity. If you really want to to be competitive, you'll need some mods. Performance mods are Ok but for shows they like the entire car from front to back to be modded. Its hard to win top awards with a new car that isn't heavily modded so dont be discouraged. Having a clean car is also extremely important. I wash mine every Friday and detail it before every show. This has been my first year being competitive and I have taken multiple best in shows, top class and top award trophies. 24 total as of now. Most important thing is to have fun!!!! You're going to win some and lose some, it happens. Good luck to you!

P.S. The shows I go too, 75% of them say "classic" and I can walk away with a win. Some shows do restrict the age of the cars so look to see if they say pre X year and you will run into some old car bias. It happens but you'll still have a good time and meet new people

[SSMickey]

All good advice so far. One thing I would add is to have some way to communicate what you have done to your car if it is modded. I have done a lot of subtle mods that most people will not notice unless they know Camaro's or my car is next to a stock car and there looking closely. I started out with a book and listed all the things I have done, but that quickly got out of hand and I noticed most people didn't take the time to read through it. I moved onto a 22x28 board that lists all the things I feel is important and want to draw attention too. I also included pictures on the board of things not easily noticed, like my engine bay lights since you can't really show them in the daytime.

[heRS]

Around here, if it's a CLASSIC show, it's all pre-80's usually. The OPEN shows are for any and all. The classes will vary from show to show. I go to as many as I can squeak away from work on Saturdays for. I go home without a prize from time to time but my philosophy is "enter the show, have a great parking place where no one will scratch your car, talk to lots of people about how cool his/her/my/car is, and sometimes go home with a shiny prize."
The mod bug will probably bite you hard once you start going... have FUN!

[angie7]

Originally Posted by SSMickey

All good advice so far. One thing I would add is to have some way to communicate what you have done to your car if it is modded. I have done a lot of subtle mods that most people will not notice unless they know Camaro's or my car is next to a stock car and there looking closely. I started out with a book and listed all the things I have done, but that quickly got out of hand and I noticed most people didn't take the time to read through it. I moved onto a 22x28 board that lists all the things I feel is important and want to draw attention too. I also included pictures on the board of things not easily noticed, like my engine bay lights since you can't really show them in the daytime.

Yes this! I knew I forgot something! I have a 18x24 board. I don't have every single thing listed bc my mod list is insanely long but I did generalize a lot to condense it. A lot of people read the board then will ask specific questions. The board is a must. Here's a pic of mine this past weekend at a show, you can see the board in front of the car.

[Warpaint69]

My friend and I sandwiched our new Camaro's between the elder statesmen of muscle, my 71 Chevelle SS 454 and his Dads 69 Camaro. Most of the shows I attend are pretty lacking in award categories for newer models. I enjoy showing off the toys. Its also fun because the 2 2013 Camaro's were ordered a day apart, built the same day, traveled from Canada on the same train car, and traveled on the same car hauler to our dealerships. The other Camaro owner and I were not previous friends, but our car's journey has created a friendship.

[vroomapunk]

I go to car shows around here almost monthly, besides the one that is dominated by mustangs, the other shows have zero modern cars (besides mine) and everyone always likes it.

[Spartan01]

Originally Posted by angie7

Yes this! I knew I forgot something! I have a 18x24 board. I don't have every single thing listed bc my mod list is insanely long but I did generalize a lot to condense it. A lot of people read the board then will ask specific questions. The board is a must. Here's a pic of mine this past weekend at a show, you can see the board in front of the car.

Yes, this is absolutely true.
Look at the web page of the show, often they will list the judging criteria.
One thing I was woefully unprepared for at my first show was that many shows have a "Presentation,' category. This is where they judge not what was done o your car, or its awesomeness Index, but how you Present that information.

My first show, I had only a sheet of paper with all my mods on it, so I basically got a zero in presntation. Other people at the show had all sorts of gimmicks, one guy had about 150 stuffed animals he set out all over the car, another guy who had a restored Lincoln with factory suicide doors dressed up as a 1930's era gangtser (fedora, pin striped suit, white on white shirt and tie, cigar, pinky ring etc.) and would only talk in a "Chicago Gangster" accent, as in "Yeah see, this is my gangster ride see, its pretty awesome see" He got a great score

[Ringo64]

As stated, it depends on the show and classes of that show. I am a spectator at shows now more than entering my cars due to time but have entered my Pontiac G6 GT coupe before (and won!) prior to getting my Camaro so there are shows for modern V6's.

Shows are great to be in and talk to people but overall just have fun, I never expected to get wins in my Pontiac and was just there for fun.