Tips to Entering Your Car Into a Car Show – Car Insurance From Enthusiast

November 28th, 2017

OK, that’s a bit unkind. Car shows can be enjoyable and build camaraderie. Like State of Origin football though, everyone’s your mate until the whistle blows and an authoritarian voice says; “Step away from your cars please, judging is about to commence.”

As a judge of ‘Concours d’Elegance’ cars and ‘Daily Drivers’ for around 20 years I can attest that there are huge gulfs in terms of presentation and detail between the two.

Enthusiast with our lower-cost cover for owners whose cars travel Low Mileage knows how keen owners of show-standard cars are to preserve their beauties from harm.

Any car that gets close to maximum points – or minimal deductions depending how the scoring works – will be significantly better in finish and presentation than when it left the factory gates. Concours participants will, when buying a replacement part, ask to see several and pick the best. When having chrome-plating redone they will visit the plater’s premises at every stage of the process and reject any component that doesn’t meet their standards.

At ‘Street Driven’ level the standards are less exacting and absolute authenticity not an issue. Clean your car to the highest possible degree, ensure it isn’t showing any panel damage, major paint or trim blemishes and you’re in with a chance.

People who are serious about taking out top awards at a National event will typically devote the weeks prior to preparing their car. They will travel usually in convoy with other participants to the venue (which could be interstate) then detail the vehicle again to remove any trace of road grime.

A car with the ability to win trophies against serious competition needs to be quite outstanding to begin with. Paint that’s displaying even slight wear, scuffed trim and aged mechanical components will need to be replaced and that costs considerable money.

If you’re competing against other ‘classics’ be aware of how significant ‘authenticity’ is to the judging process. Absolutely don’t buy a car painted in a colour that wasn’t available when new or that has the wrong engine. Events that cater to modified cars will permit greater freedom, with opportunities for creativity that are almost limitless.

No matter how much money you might have spent on buying or building a show-stopper, it won’t bring home anything except a sour taste if you don’t clean and prepare it properly. Contact with experienced show participants can provide helpful hints and patterns for the special brushes and tools you need to excise dirt from hidden crevices. If your car gets marked down on Cleanliness and Presentation, ask the judge to show you the areas where improvements could be made.

Genuine show vehicles command significantly more money than even an excellent example that hasn’t been prepared for competition. If your car has a string of show wins to its credit or is about to embark on a Concours career, contact Enthusiast to ensure that the Sum Insured reflects its quality and special attributes.