It must be car show season again....

[pony ride]

The "Stock vs. Modified" issue is getting worse instead of better this year. I just got my PCMC registration/flyer for the South Hill Mall show on August 11th, and the definition for "modified/personalized" is even stricter than the Kitsap club show rules, and those of you who went to Port Orchard last year know how well that turned out - over 30 cars in modified class and only 3 in stock class.

From the flyer:
"Modified / Personalized: 3 or more non-factory installed components i.e.: wheels, engine trim, headers, stereo, paint or graphics, body kit, interior components.
[Stock] referrers to cars that have less than 3 Modifications / Personalized additions and have factory correct paint, interior and trim colors and components that were FORD factory installed. This does not include dealer installed items."

So, how big do you think the "modified/personalized" classes will be then? This is what happens when only half the issue is addressed.....

But this won't keep me away. I love the summer and going to car shows. I love seeing all the beautiful cars, talking to old friends, meeting new friends, getting tips and learning more about our cars.

John

 

[04MystiCobra]

I used to be bothered by stuff like that. What gets me these days are judges that say my paint is aftermarket and actually deduct points for it! What a joke. Dont even know much less ask! When I educate them they still turn up thier noses.
F 'em! Now I just sit back and enjoy the cars.

 

[pony ride]

I used to get the same thing about my 03 V6 coupe. I had the Pony Package, and I went to one show where I was questioned whether if was modified because it had a GT hood scoop, which came with the Pony Package....

 

[Bottlefed83]

Car shows are pretty much B.S. anyways. I still can't figure out where they get the people who decide the classes. That stock and modified class sucks for those who have the little bolt-ons that pretty much everybody does, yet your stuck in the class with a pro street car.

 

[tehnick]

LOL, their rules would designate my car as modified even though everything I have done to my car does not enhance it's performance in any way. I doubt that my HIDs, sequential turn signals, stereo system, or my custom decklid mat add any horsepower. If anything, the extra weight in my trunk would decrease performance.

Some people are idiots, and that is putting it nicely.

 

[MCABOSS]

I'm a member of the Kitsap Club and I can tell from experience, that there will be unhappy folks no matter what rules you set. Most coplaints come from folks that don't mod their car period. They feel they are at a disadvantage when their unmodded car is sitting next to a stang with webbers or a supercharger or chromed out engine compartment - and they are right. The problem is many drivers like to mod their car so what do you do. We felt that modded cars should compete head to head with modded cars and have had very few complaints with that system.

 

[tehnick]

I'm a member of the Kitsap Club and I can tell from experience, that there will be unhappy folks no matter what rules you set. Most coplaints come from folks that don't mod their car period. They feel they are at a disadvantage when their unmodded car is sitting next to a stang with webbers or a supercharger or chromed out engine compartment - and they are right. The problem is many drivers like to mod their car so what do you do. We felt that modded cars should compete head to head with modded cars and have had very few complaints with that system.

I can respect that, but where do you draw the line? Either way you are going to alienate people no matter what. You might find that some people may have very minor mods to their car that don't really impact it all too much but it would be enough to throw them into the modified class. With all of the stuff I have put in, I have only spent around $1,200 worth of "mods", all of which don't really do anything to make the car perform better. So essentially you would be alienating someone hasn't put much money into their cars and putting them in a class of people who may have dumped $15,000 into their cars.

In that case, what happens when you have someone who just dropped $80,000 on a brand new Saleen S281 Extreme who can then place their car into the stock class? Afterall, the car came from the dealer that way and we all know that Saleens are heavily modified from your average stock Mustang. What about someone that spends the cash to have a dealer install a Roushcharger? It wouldn't then count as a mod yet we all know that it's a pretty significant modification that someone can do to a car.

Either way, doesn't really matter to me. I have yet to enter my car into a show and probably never will. I just go to look at other cars, but I do like viewing things with an open mind and sharing information that may leave a sour taste in another persons mouth. Once people start getting upset with how their cars are judged, they may never enter them into the show again. Word of mouth is almost always a given and that can make or break anything from a business to an event whether it be for profit or non profit.

Please one person and piss off others. It's always going to happen and it sucks. You just have to find the right balance to please more people while not pissing off a lot of other people.

 

[tehnick]

double post :|

 

[saleenster]

Funny. I wonder what Bill has to say on this matter


I look more at the cars now then ever before. Hell, I hardly even vote anymore, more intrested in checking out the rides and chatting with people. Chit, I should run for office

 

[pony ride]

I look more at the cars now then ever before. Hell, I hardly even vote anymore, more intrested in checking out the rides and chatting with people. Chit, I should run for office

Great comment! This is the real reason all who enter and attend car shows go. I understand that bringing up this issue is much like the issue itself - it will alienate some people that would lean toward not going to shows. I bring it up because I know there are those that realize this is an issue that needs to be addressed by ALL clubs. I admire the Kitsap club and the PCMC for coming up with a great definition of 'stock'. It's needed to be done for a long time in order to create a level playing field for those who enter that class. But by ignoring the other half of the problem, the problem is just shifted to another place.

There can't be just one type of modified class. It's been suggested before that there be a separation of those who 'personalize' their cars, and those who 'modify' their cars. The definition for those would have to be discussed and agreed upon.

It may be too late for all of this year's shows to solve this problem. I don't belong to any local Mustang club, and that's why I'm using the local forums to bring it up, but I'm going to go out on a limb here. I'll actually putting my money where my mouth is.....

If the Kitsap, PCMC, Mustangs West, and Mustangs Northwest representatives want to agree to a definition and add an intermediate class... maybe call "personalized", I'll put up my money to sponser/pay for the trophies for those classes next year. I care enough about this subject not to just stir the pot, but to offer some assistance in coming up with a solution.

The offer is on the table..... It's your move....

John

 

[86crazyhorse]

try being me all they see is a little 4 banger. it dont matter how much info i put with the car so people se how rare it is.

 

[pony ride]

Gotta love those SVO's. Awesome cars! IMO, as time goes on, they will end up being one of the most collectable rare Mustangs.

Just wondering..... At shows, do you end up going in with all the other foxes in your year, or do you get placed with the specialty Mustangs?

 

[86crazyhorse]

they put me with all the specialty cars. wich really sucks going up against corey in his saleen. i think this year i will put it with the foxes or in the import ford section.

 

[Bottlefed83]

Thats what I'm talking about. The old stangs have a class for every year and a class for everything different that ford did to the cars. then you get to the fox's and you have a class for 79-04 everything.

 

[tehnick]

Seems each event has a different way of doing things and nothing is uniform. I don't bother entering my car into anything. My car is no different from a lot of other cars and I don't feel like dumping $10,000 into it just so it stands out. I'd rather dump that money into my photography and earn a return on the expenses, even if I never break even or make a profit. I just love seeing lots of different cars and don't really have the desire or energy to put towards making my car a standout. In the end it's just a car and won't make me any money.

 

[pony ride]

Seems each event has a different way of doing things and nothing is uniform. I don't bother entering my car into anything. My car is no different from a lot of other cars and I don't feel like dumping $10,000 into it just so it stands out. I'd rather dump that money into my photography and earn a return on the expenses, even if I never break even or make a profit. I just love seeing lots of different cars and don't really have the desire or energy to put towards making my car a standout. In the end it's just a car and won't make me any money.

You still have the yellow V6? Looks very clean in the photos... don't sell yourself short. At the Ponies in the Sun show last year in Yakima, the 99-04 Coupe class first place trophy went to a very clean, very stock, and very well presented black V6 coupe. You don't have to have a lot of bling to win. At least you're supporting the shows by attending....

 

[pony ride]

Thats what I'm talking about. The old stangs have a class for every year and a class for everything different that ford did to the cars. then you get to the fox's and you have a class for 79-04 everything.

The division of classes is a continuing and evolving situation. When most Mustang clubs were first formed and shows were becoming the big annual event for them, they followed the standard MCA class division that was already established. Since most enthusiasts that supported the clubs owned the classic mustangs, that's how the class divisions were developed initially. Most clubs are naturally going to make decisions on how to divide classes based upon past show attendance. Large shows (like the Round Up People's Choice Show put on by Mustangs Northwest) will have many more class divisions because of the large number of cars that attend. Smaller club shows will naturally have less classes. It makes little sense for a club to invest in trophies for a class where they won't even get a car registered (like having a specific class for 78 Mustang II King Cobras).

Having said that, it's odd that the Fox generation isn't more split out since there were notch back coupes, hatchbacks, t-tops, convertibles, and other specialty models produced. Of course, the answer is if there are more Foxes represented at shows, clubs will be forced to split out the classes. Most clubs face the same challenge on how to split new generation mustangs out since they won't have enough time to respond to changes from the time they actually establish classes for a particular show, print and release registration forms, to the time they actually receive pre-registration forms from participants. It can be a management nightmare for clubs.

I know Mustang West has a few extra trophies made for their shows just in case they need to split a very large class up on the day of the show... just in case.

 

[tehnick]

You still have the yellow V6? Looks very clean in the photos... don't sell yourself short. At the Ponies in the Sun show last year in Yakima, the 99-04 Coupe class first place trophy went to a very clean, very stock, and very well presented black V6 coupe. You don't have to have a lot of bling to win. At least you're supporting the shows by attending....

I still have the yellow V6. I do what I can to take good care of my car. I just can't justify spending the money to do a lot to it because I can put that money elsewhere. I might not get to too many shows this year due to the cost of travel. I really wanted to go to Mustang Roundup but I have too much on my plate right now with moving soon and the cost to fill up my car for the trip when you factor in lodging.

It will happen eventually. I am gonna try to go to as many local get togethers as I can. Still trying to get the girlfriend to deter from spending every weekend SHOPPING for her or going to see her family.