Displaying at a car show

Hi Doc,

Your doing the right thing. Displays always wow the crowd and shows the judges that you care enough about your car and are proud to be the owner.

As a concours / car show judge for almost 25 years, I can give you some insight into what judges are looking for. Each car show has different sets of score sheets which can range from paint and chrome, body and chassis, engine and engine room, wheels and tires, interior, authenticity, etc. Usually the total is 100 points and every car starts from there. Deductions are given in each category for what the judges deem are not perfect. For instance, panel fit is askew, paint faded in one area, tear or unravelling in upholstery, engine room dirty, etc.

In your case with a new car, there are no excuses for it being less than perfect. So judges look at things liked dust, dirt, wear and tear in the hardest places to see and clean. For instance there are areas in the Prius engine compartment that is impossible to clean because your fingers can't even reach without taking the engine out. But if it can be seen by the judge there will be a deduction. So even if you have to use tweezers, Q-tips, attach cleaning cloth to string, you have to clean it somehow. Judges love to see effort.

Have you looked underneath the door or the door frame where it hinges? How about underneath the grill slats or inside the wheels? These are areas that can make you win or lose against another Prius owner that may have cleaned it one better than you. The reason you lost against a VW is because the Bug is an old car and the degree of difficulty making that car look good even if it has ben restored is way higher than the new Prius you have.

I once gave a 1967 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV first place and a 1990 Ferrari F40 second place because the owner of the Alfa Romeo spent time by himself working on the car to a pristine shape. The Ferrari owner hired a professonal detailer to clean his car. Imagine the look on the face of the Ferrari owner when he thought he had first place because of all the attention his car was getting and the totally unexpected shock of the Alfa owner when he won his class.

There are one-make car shows where the total points go as high as 1000 points because they look into the authenticity of the components right down to the correct screws and thread count in the unpholstery, but that's another story.

Also, keeping a pretty lady standing near your vehicle can help the judges make their decision. Good luck