I like that first line, "concours events are acts of rebellion."
By Tim Suddard
Jul 20, 2024
|
Concours d'Elegance,
Detailing
| Posted in
Shop Work
| From the July 2016 issue
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Photography Credit: Tom Suddard
At their core, concours events are acts of rebellion. Think about it: row after row of decades-old machinery gleaming in defiance of the passage of time, as vibrant and manicured as the showfield grass underneath their treated tires. Where other cars succumb to entropy and the elements, these cars fight back. The goal is to make each machine as clean, correct and complete as it can be.
We’ve taken on this challenge with our Mini Cooper S project. After a full restoration in the Classic Motorsports shop, the car did well on its first concours outing. It received Gold Status at the Winter Park Concours, meaning it earned 98 points or more out of a possible 100. That wasn’t our only concours experience. We’ve taken home awards from Amelia Island, and we’ve been on the other side of the process as judges at Pinehurst, Hilton Head and, yes, even Amelia Island. We have built some losers as well, we admit, but we’re always learning from our mistakes. Here are 13 easy, inexpensive tips for concours success.
Walk around the car and look at it carefully. Any blemished trim, visible nicks or obvious flaws must be corrected. If you can see the problem, so can the judges. Our initial inspection revealed a dinged, scratched chrome strip. Replacing it cost less than $100 and took only a few minutes.
Start with a good, multiple-speed orbital buffer. Our lightweight unit sourced from Griots Garage has served us well. We use modern foam pads: orange (firm) for serious buffing work, black (medium) for general polishing work, and red (soft) for delicate jobs like applying wax and fine polishing finishes. You’ll also need plastic polish, quick detailer, glass cleaner and a good general-purpose cleaner wax. For years we have used Pro Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish; it does the job and costs less than $5 per can. Finally, gather up some soft microfiber cloths and bamboo sticks.
Before the event, we got a judges’ sheet and scored our Mini ourselves Why? To identify any issues before the big show. Concours judging can sometimes involve unpredictable politics, but it’s nice to know what the judges will actually be looking for ahead of time.
Assuming you’re preparing a recently painted car and not a barn find, start the process with a clay bar. Rubbing one across the paint surface should remove overspray, sap, heavy dirt and other contaminants. Use a quick detailer to lubricate the bar.
Contrary to popular belief, polishing–not waxing–is the single most important step in properly detailing a car. The polishing products you use and how you apply them largely dictate your car’s level of shine. We’ve had good luck with polishes from Meguiar’s, Griot’s and P21S.
Automotive wax’s primary purpose is to make your polish job last longer. Properly applied wax also makes subsequent cleanup easier, as the wax gives provides a layer of protection that keeps dust and dirt from sticking. Swissvax is one example of a company that makes high-quality, carnauba-based concours waxes that apply easily and smell lovely.
Humans subconsciously pick up on sharp delineations and prefer contrast. Blacks should be saturated black. Chrome should shine. There should be few, if any, gray areas on your car. When mounting our Mini’s tires, a wheel became chipped. We painted that chip. To create definition, we treated our tires with a dedicated tire prep product.
When every car is nearly perfect, concours judges are looking for subtle differences. To set our Mini apart, we painted the bolts that got chipped when tightened. Other things that judges like: factory markings in the engine compartment, correct hose clamps, and batteries that appear period-correct.
Inexpensive, easy to use, and readily available at detailing supply houses and even your local grocery store, bamboo sticks are amazing tools. They can excavate dirt and crud from tight crevices without scratching glass, nicking paint or damaging rubber gaskets. We used one to remove some glue we found underneath our Mini’s windshield gasket.
We’ve seen concours entries dinged for flaws as seemingly minor as an inoperable license plate light. That’s the way the game is often played. Before leaving for the show, make sure that every item–both electrical and mechanical–works. Do your side curtains work as intended, for example?
People have lost concours events because they left original components at home-like those side curtains, the spare tire or the factory tool kit. In a close contest, which most usually are, these details matter.
All detailing should be done before the show. If the weather cooperates, your work on the morning of the event should consist solely of wiping down the car with some quick detailer. Other than that, your job is to socialize, check out other cars, and make sure you’re ready for judging. Oh, and make sure to meet the judges-they’re usually dressed nicely–at your car. Trust us, as longtime concours judges, we like to meet the owners, hear their stories, and ask them questions.
When rows of cars have all been detailed to the nth degree, it’s usually the backstory that serves as a tiebreaker. Judges typically award additional points to cars restored by their owners. Likewise, cars with race cred, famous owners or even interesting family histories often beat similar cars without as much personality. This year at Amelia Island, for example, a rather ordinary car outscored some rare machinery all because of its great backstory.
I like that first line, "concours events are acts of rebellion."
Very informative article. Over the years I've found that each event tends to emphasize different aspects of the judging sheet. For example multi marque events tend to emphasize overall presentation (paint, panel fit, interior, engine compartment etc.) while marque specific events emphasize correctness of your car to a standard which is how the car appeared and operated when it left the factory. Since so many of the cars accepted to invitational events are excellent examples tip number 13 is the essential tiebraker. Know your car, research and share it's unique history. In the end that's what will set your car apart in the judges mind. If I can add tip number 14 - Have a good time. Too often I see owners worried about "winning" a ribbon or trophy. You'll have a much more enjoyable day if you take the attitude that just being on the showfield is reward enough. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake.
I saw this Cooper S at the longest running Mini event in the country, dating back to 1970, Mini Meet West in 2016 in San Diego, CA.
We were parked at the host hotel and all of us out in the lot cleaning our Minis after the long drives from all over the west. My group had driven all the way down Hwy 1 from San Francisco. Others drove in from as far away as Denver, CO, Portland, OR and even some from British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.
A guy drove in to the lot in a red & white Cooper S, a near clone for my friend Jim Predmore's '66 Cooper S. We found out he was from Malibu, CA. He parked nearby, got out and immediately went over to take a look at Jim's Mini, comparing it to his newly acquired beauty. He told us he had just purchased it from the east coast, paid $40K for it and that it was the Classic Motorsports restoration car from the magazine. We all went to take a look and it was on a par with probably 10 - 15 of the other Minis at the show.
Then the owner asked us a question that was bothering him about his Cooper S. He came straight up to me, cleaning my '72 RHD Clubman saloon and asked me why his turn signal switch was on the right side of his steering column instead of the left like Jim's. I told him it was simple...it is a RHD column in a LHD car. Oops!
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