The Judge's Corner

Questions and answers about CCCA's Judging System as they have appeared in
The Bulletin. These articles were written by 
Chuck Conrad,  Assistant National Head Judge 1999
&
Jon Lee, National Head Judge, 2000

For the year 2008,  National Head Judge is  Chuck Conrad.

National Awards Chairman for 2008 is Tom Brace

 The Judge’s Corner
January 2001

by Jon Lee

The response to this series has been very encouraging. Thanks to all who have read and special thanks to Frank Low, now of Asheville, North Carolina, for an interesting letter. Frank was a judge at the very first Grand Classic at Washington Crossing Park in 1953. In 1955, in Morristown, Frank and his team were photographed hard at work judging Stanley Tarnopol’s ’27 Rolls-Royce. The picture was published in the July 17th issue of the New York Herald-Tribune, an early example of press coverage we still look for today. Jeff Orwig, who tends to Bob Bahre’s collection in Maine, called about the former Fred Hussey Packard. This ’34 LeBaron Sport Phaeton was the first Full Classic™ to be awarded 100 points at an Annual Meeting (Buck Hill Falls January 1959). Jeff tells us the car is complete with the awards and ribbons it earned at several of these early Grand Classics and Annual Meetings.

As I recall, last episode ended at the 1970 Buck Hill Falls Annual Membership Meeting. Let’s pick the story up at the 1970 Grand Classics. Six events had become the norm with this year’s at Dearborn, Indianapolis, San Antonio, Tulsa, Monterey and Pocono Manor. Across the country eight cars were judged at 100 points: two each at Dearborn, Pocono, and Monterey; one each at San Antonio and Tulsa. Indy was the odd man out this year without a 100 pointer and just two cars scoring 99 or better. Judging was tough in the Indiana sunshine. The big news for the year was the creation of the new Pre-Primary Division. A maximum of 90 points was allowed in this division intended for Classics not previously shown. It was a major hit: 110 cars were shown in Pre-Primary. Just three were disqualified for pipping past 90 points. At Indianapolis, Pre-Primary was the single largest division with twenty-six cars shown. Scores ranged from the 92 points disqualifying Robert DeForest’s ’32 Packard on down to an unbelievable 32 points awarded to T. Rozance’s ’37 Cord. I’m sorry to say that neither one of these folks is currently a listed member.

A run-down of the division and class structure for 1970 looked like this: in Primary Division was Production Early & Late; Custom Early & Late; Rolls-Royce; Lincoln Continental; Auburn-Cord; Foreign. Senior Division was made up of Production, Custom, Foreign, Rolls-Royce, Lincoln Continental and Auburn-Cord. Pre-Primary was Early & Late. The Early classes ran from 1925 through 1932; Late from 1933 through 1942. Post-war cars were not yet being considered with the exception of Lincoln Continentals.

THE HISTORY OF THE (judging) WORLD, PART IV

Sixty-one Classics were registered at Buck Hill Falls for the 19th Annual Meeting. Forty-five cars were judged. The published pictures show a cold winter weekend with plenty of snow on the ground but apparently it didn’t snow during the event. A spectacular ’30 Packard Roadster in silver and maroon belonging to “Tiny” Gould was the best Primary car at 99.75 points. The similar Senior award left with Alex Yarnell’s ’40 Continental Cabriolet. No cars reached the 100-point level. The indomitable Nethercutts again journeyed from California with two cars, a 1940 Cadillac Coupe and a 1937 Pierce-Arrow Limousine.

An interesting change was afforded exhibitors at the 1971 Grand Classics. Once again, six events were spread across the country: Dearborn, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Santa Barbara, and White Haven, Pennsylvania. The new development was creation of the Senior Emeritus class. The 1971 Handbook and Directory worded it this way: “Senior Emeritus…A class open to Senior cars that have won Primary first at a National meet not less than three years prior to present competition…only a first prize will be awarded, and no point scores will be announced or published. It is the intention of this class to bring back to the competition field many of the fine Classics that were winners of the earlier years.” Collectively there were eleven Classics registered in the new Senior Emeritus class, which seemed to bode well for this new judging slot.

Another development was the awarding of the “Allstate Trophy.” Donated by the Allstate Insurance Company, this was a silver bowl presented to one car at each Grand Classic by popular vote of all members attending.

Nineteen-seventy-one was not a good year for the points fairy. Michigan, Indiana, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania awarded 100 points to the same number of Classics: zero. A Rolls-Royce PIII garnered 100 points in Texas and top awards fared better in California where four cars were found without deductible fault.

The basic fourteen classes remained the same for this year. Items that would make a Classic ineligible to compete were: non-authentic air conditioning, power steering, braking, automatic transmission, engine and the lack of safety glass.

Under the heading of “trailering” was this: “The CCCA generally disapproves of trailering to meets, but special dispensation may be granted, on application, where weather conditions would be injurious to the finish of the automobile.”

Mandatory deductions still contained the enamel paint and flexible exhaust pipe categories.

The rules stayed constant for 1972 and the 20th Annual Meeting. Of the fifty-five cars on hand, fifty-four were judged. In spite of the published caveat, the one Senior Emeritus car, a ’39 Delahaye of Jane Fahnestock, was noted in The Classic Car with a score. Oops. Again, no 100 points show in the list of awards. Two did score 99.75: Robert Sage and his ’31 Packard along with Irving Jensen of Iowa with his ’28 Rolls-Royce.

The summer of ’72 was full of Grand Classics. And the Grand Classics were full of cars. Dearborn, Michigan was temporary home to 104 cars, 94 of them judged! Two cars earned the 100-point garland. Poor weather and a nearby Rock Concert conspired to keep attendance at the Eastern Grand Classic to just forty cars. Sixty-two on hand and fifty-four judged at Indianapolis showed what sunny skies and gentle breezes could do. There was one 100-point car in Indy and at Oklahoma City. One also was announced at San Antonio and written of in the article on the meet, but the audited results indicate 99 points for Charles Bocock’s ’32 Auburn Speedster.

In the June Bulletin, six Grand Classics were announced, which included Monterey, California. There seems to be no further mention of the Monterey event and I’m a little puzzled why there seems to be no cancellation information in any of my records. Was the event held and just not reported? Maybe someone on the other coast can give us a clue.

Another small inconsistency was the “Allstate Trophy,” announced in the Handbook and Directory for 1972 as being continued, which does not appear to have been awarded at any Grand Classic except Michigan.

Forty-eight cars showed at the 1973 Buck Hill Falls Annual Meeting. William Sullivan’s ’29 Stutz was found not wanting at 100 points, ending a several year drought of 100-point cars at Annual Meetings. Weather for this year was sunshine and mild temperatures “to the chagrin of the snowmobile and ski buffs.” The photos show perfectly bare ground and a noticeable lack of exhaust “steam” from the cars. As had begun happening, one car was disqualified for scoring over the maximum 90 points in Pre-Primary. Evidence of the tightening of the judging was in Primary Custom Early; 97 points was a tie for third place and in the Senior Division Custom, 97.50 earned a tie for third. The quality of restorations was improving and the judge’s job was getting harder.

Grand Classics for 1973 numbered five: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana and Texas. California was back on line without any reference to the lack of anything from 1972. Generally the weather seems to have cooperated. New for this year was the Exhibition Class “for those who wish to show their Classic cars and receive a Grand Classic Participation Plaque. This Class will not be judged.” Until this time, cars not judged were sort of second-class citizens, relegated to a back corner of the show area. Another note of import is shown in the June Bulletin: “Trailering of cars to meets is permitted without any point penalty or application this year.” From the early beginnings of the hobby when Classic cars were the tow vehicles, and Class 19 in AACA judging was created to exhibit and judge “Tow Cars,” we had come full circle to a point where it was becoming acceptable to trailer Classic cars to a Grand Classic. Today, of course, the trailer parking area is sometimes larger than the show field.

The Senior Emeritus Class was doing well with fifteen cars registered across the country. That same number, fifteen, was the number of cars judged in Pre-Primary, Late at the Michigan Grand Classic. One-hundred twelve Classics were registered on a blistering hot day in Bloomfield Hills. Two 100 pointers were found in Michigan, two more in Texas and one each in California and Pennsylvania. Judging rules and procedures remained fairly constant for this year.

It’s interesting to look at the photos of these cars and try to relate some of the more unusual examples to their present-day appearance, after they have been re-restored.

After the unusually mild event in ’73, Mother Nature got her revenge in ’74. Snow and freezing rain just prior to the event kept car attendance to just twenty-three. The cars were of the expected quality with two 99-point awards both in Primary Foreign: 1926 Bugatti Type 35 GP and a 1926 Sunbeam Tourer. The Nethercutts were not in attendance this year.

Grand Classics were back to six for 1974. Some were at new locations, and others at popular old spots. The Eastern event at Cherry Hill, New Jersey was hosted by the Delaware Valley Region. The official weather report noted high 80’s, some breeze and a “small tornado”! Eighty-six cars entered, forty judged, showing just how instantly popular the Exhibition Class was. Top scorer was a ’29 Duesenberg at 99.25. The Upper Midwest event at Alexandria, Minnesota listed 90°, hot & sunny, thirty cars entered, twenty-five judged and a ’40 Continental at 98.75 the high point car. Bloomfield, Michigan, with the expected largest turnout, 103 cars, judged only sixty this year in 88° “perfect” weather. Dick Gold’s ’34 Duesenberg scored 100 points. The weather in Tulsa was listed at a “perfect” 90°. It was perfect for the 100-point ’29 Rolls-Royce of Marvin Johnson. Fifty-one cars were registered and thirty-one judged. At Carmel, California, the idea of perfect was the low 80’s and forty-four cars with thirty-four judged. At 99.75 points, William Lyons’ 1935 Packard was the highest scorer. Back at Indy in the low 80’s with a “delightful breeze” seventy-eight cars showed up and fifty-eight were judged. Two earned 100 points: a ’34 Packard and a ’33 Rolls-Royce.

Back to Buck Hill Falls in 1975, the weather there also took a nice turn, described as “balmy, with hardly a trace of snow.” Car attendance was once again up over fifty and two of these slipped in at 100 points. Jack Nethercutt was back with a 100-point ’34 Packard and Lawton Clark of Texas showed a ’39 Packard Rollston Town Car. From the commentary it is plain that many still drove their Classics to this meet even if trailering was now permitted.

President Don Klusman announced that, beginning this year, comparable post-WWII models 1946 through 1948 would be considered on a “please apply” basis. The possibility of changing some judging parameters had arisen.

On July 12th, 1975 another six Grand Classics blossomed across the country. Four Classics scored the magical 100 points: one each in California and Wisconsin, and two more in Indianapolis. At Michigan there were 109 cars and nary a 100 pointer in the lot.

CCCA judging had been rolling along quite smoothly for the past several years, so it seemed. Some adjustments had been made and several interesting ideas had been tried. Some like the Senior Emeritus and Exhibition classes seemed to work well. Others, like the Allstate Trophy, seemed to evaporate without a trace. Rules were clarified, like the allowance of synthetic material to replace leather on closed car padded tops.

Twenty-three years of judging Classic cars had put the CCCA at the top of most lists of collector car events. Can you wait to see what happens in the next episode?

MORE JUDGING CHANGES

October 2000

While we have been enjoying the research about past judging adventures in the CCCA things have been ongoing in the judging process of today. At this past April Board meeting, a major change took place. This is the official version:

Merry Judging!

July 2000
By Jon Lee, National Head Judge

It has been about three years since the Judge’s Accreditation Program was first begun. Still the most common questions about the program have been: Why should I bother with some stupid program when I have been judging for ten, twenty, thirty (pick a number) years? What good does it do the Club and what good does it do me? Excellent questions with easy answers too, which is good for me!

While the folks in Northern California might know you and your judging background, an Area Head Judge in Florida might not. The information about your judging expertise helps build a useful judges list for the use of Area Head Judges all around the country. At a Regional Grand Classic this is not nearly so important as at an Annual Meeting where members show up from all over the nation. Okay, that is one of the benefits to the Club.

Even though the Official Judging Rules are regularly published in the Members Roster and Handbook, many judges have been unaware of some of these rules. We still get comments about “new rules,” and find that almost all of these comments are about rules that had been changed five or more years ago! Probably this happens because the Judging Manual has not previously been more generally available. The current Judging Manual covers all the questions on the Questionnaire. Sort of an “open book exam.” So, the direct benefit to you is more knowledge to help you in your judging endeavors. You are the person out there on the judging field, rain or shine, closely examining each feature on each Full Classicª. Why not take advantage of all the latest information available?

Of the 500 or so active judges in the CCCA, over 250 have enrolled in the program. Of these nearly 150 have attained Master Judge status, nearly 90 are Accredited Judges and a growing number are enrolled as Judges, earning their way to the Accredited level. The Questionnaire is accompanied by a Judge’s Resume, which lists past experience. Points are assigned to various categories such as previous judging experience at Grand Classics and Annual Meetings, attendance at judging seminars, experience as a Team Leader or Area Head Judge, judging at other Concours events with the CCCA system, acting as a Team Leader or Head Judge at another club’s major meet or Concours event, and restoration or management of restoration of a Full Classic™. You are also asked about your knowledge and interests and a space is provided for other supporting information.

A member fairly new to the Club with little or no judging experience will start at the "Apprentice" level. The Apprentice will judge along with a judging team during a Grand Classic or Annual Meeting to gain experience before moving on to "Judge" status. This is the general position that has existed in the past. At least some judging experience and likely known to the Area Head Judge. A Judge with sufficient experience and satisfactory completion of the Questionnaire will enter the "Accredited Judge" level. At this stage the Accredited Judge also receives a Red Badge with the label "Judge" and a wallet card signifying the accreditation and the fact that they are qualified to serve as a Team Leader. Each year after the July Grand Classics, the Judges list is reviewed and those Accredited Judges who have extensive experience and knowledge of the newest Judging Form and Rules may advance to the level of "Master Judge." This highest level awards the Judge a blue numbered Badge with the label "Master Judge" and a laminated wallet card listing the same number, and signifying that the holder is qualified to be a Team Leader, Area Head Judge, preside over a judging seminar and train Apprentice Judges. Accredited and Master status requires approval by the Awards Committee. Yes, like anything else, extra privilege entails extra responsibility.

The Classic Car Club of America awards some of the most prestigious awards in the hobby to the most prestigious cars in the hobby. If you will join us in this program you will be part of the cadre of some of the most prestigious judges in the hobby!

Merry Judging.

Judges Corner

Before you get all excited and think Chuck Conrad has changed his name, let me tell you who I am and what I’m doing in Chuck’s column. As a Freshman member of the CCCA board of Directors I am very pleased to have been asked to fill Carl Steig’s shoes as National Head Judge, and part of the responsibilities of this position will be answering your questions in "The Judges Corner". My CCCA Judging background includes 13 years as a CCCA Judge, Area Head Judge at 1991 & 1993 New England Grand Classics, and proud holder of Master Judge badge #51. I believe that good Judges and a good Judging System are vital to the high standards set by our Club. Having said that, I shall answer your questions, or find out the answer for you, and try to remember what Chuck often says, "This is supposed to be fun!"

A: You are correct in your understanding that a team of four judge your car. So unless I miscounted when the teams were being assigned, the fifth person you noted was a "Judge in Training", an Apprentice. The Apprentice is an individual with the interest and desire to become an accredited CCCA Judge but without previous experience. The Apprentice will do everything and judge each category and item that the rest of the team does, but his scores are not tabulated or counted in the final scoring of your Full Classic™. After the judging is competed at the event, the Team Leader on whose team the Apprentice was assigned will discuss the scoresheet and judging procedures with the Apprentice. This experience will help the Apprentice attain status as an Accredited Judge and help the CCCA add to the pool of qualified Judges. If you should know of a Club member who is interested in becoming involved in CCCA judging, why not suggest the name to the Area Head Judge at your next Grand Classic?

A: The best way to see where your car did well and not so well is to request a composite of Judging Results from the Area Head Judge. He’s usually the guy who announced the awards at the banquet. This must be done within 3 weeks of the event. The reason for the time limit is because all the original judging forms are sent to National Headquarters 30 days after the Grand Classic or Annual Meeting. You will need to include a Stamped, Self-Addressed Envelope with the request. Year, make, and model of your Full Classic™, as well as the class it was entered in, would help the Area Head Judge also. What you will get is a one page composite of the scores, by category, for your car, obviously without any judge identification. Then pin it to the wall of your garage and go to work!

Beyond these specific areas, I would suggest that you enroll in the Judges Accreditation program, which will provide for you an up to date Judging Manual which lists guidelines of recommended deductions for average defects. The Manuals may also be purchased at the very modest cost of $5.00 from National Headquarters. As you may recall, about a year ago Chuck mentioned that these manuals are also very good reference tools for restoration work and pre-purchase examinations.

Remember, it’s only a few short months until the Spring Grand Classics. We will see you there!

A. Actually, it is perfectly acceptable to have turn signals on your car. How you go about the job of installing them will determine if any deduction is in order. To quote the rules, "If turn signals have been incorporated into existing lights without any exterior evidence being visible and if the turn signal switch is mounted in an inconspicuous workmanlike manner, no deduction should be made." Naturally, we are all very concerned with operating our Classics in as safe a manner as possible. I live in a very congested city and it’s suicide to drive a car without turn signals, so I’d rather have them even if they don’t conform to the rules. I’ll take the deduction. I’m certain that my insurance company would agree.

Historically, this rule was intended to discourage people from adding truck style clearance lights and controls to their Full Classic (TM) car. While this may have been a problem in the Club’s early days, it’s pretty unlikely that somebody who is restoring a Duesenberg to 100 point status today would even think about putting some Pep Boys truck clearance lights on the car.

It is possible (and not all that hard) to have turn signals that comply with the current CCCA rules. Usually it is fairly simple to incorporate them into existing fixtures. The Club allows the addition of a second identical tail light on cars that were not originally so equipped. Adding dual filament sockets and bulbs to the existing parking or tail lights is generally the simplest way to accomplish our goal. It is also acceptable to use Trippe Lights, Pilot Rays, or generic fog lights (as long as they are of the era) as your front signaling devices. If all else fails, you can use some modern style clamp-on fixtures for CARavan purposes, and simply remove them for judging. The lighting part is simple. Controlling the lights is not as straight forward, but you do have some choices. If your car is European in origin and has "Trafficators" (semaphore style turn signals), it’s easy to wire up the lights to the existing control switch. Add a pair of regular flashers, one for the left side and one for the right, connect them to your lights and you’re done. If you need to share filaments with your brake light bulbs, four heavy duty diodes from your local Radio Shack can be used to isolate the circuits from each other. A few months ago, a "how to" article appeared in The Bulletin, describing the necessary wiring. If you have an American car, you may get lucky and find a column mounted controller that is authentic for the era of your car. You can use one with no deduction, assuming you install it properly and with authentic style wire. Be aware that some of the reproduction controllers I recently saw at Hershey will certainly raise the eyebrows of any CCCA Judge. They had the word "CHINA" stamped prominently on the top in very large letters!

You can also hide a switch under the dash or in some other location. A few vehicles had auxiliary or dummy switches on the dash for accessories which were not supplied with that particular car. You can modify one of these to control the lights. Whatever you choose to use for a controller, it’s a good idea to add a small Piezo-electric buzzer to the circuit which will loudly indicate that your turn signals are on. You can buy one at your local Radio Shack. Unfortunately, if the controller switch is out of sight or hard to reach, you may not always use it, especially in heavy traffic. Of course, that’s when you need it the most. Many of our cars require both hands to turn the steering wheel. A column mounted controller is obviously a lot safer, because you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel, or fumble with an awkwardly placed switch to use it. This leaves us with the modern clamp on truck style controllers that, by our current rules, will cause a deduction if they are on the car when it’s judged. The simple solution is to make it removable. I use a four pin trailer connector for this purpose and clamp the actuator on the steering column with a stainless steel hose clamp. To keep from scratching the paint, it is cushioned by wrapping the steering column with a piece of rubber from an inner tube. It takes only a couple of minutes to remove or replace the entire assembly. When it is removed, I just hide the socket and wiring harness under the dash where they’re out of sight. You should receive no deduction for a similar setup, assuming it’s installed neatly.

Now that we’ve talked about working around the rule, let’s take a minute to talk about the rule itself. The Board has recently taken up this topic and I’m sure you will hear more about it in the future. During the discussion, the wording was modified slightly to clarify the fact that it’s perfectly acceptable to have turn signal devices on your car that look appropriate to the era. The problem comes with the use of a modern actuating device or modern external fixtures. While the Board wants to encourage safety they also want to encourage us to keep our cars authentic. They have asked the Technical Committee to look into ways of providing turn signals that will not be objectionable in appearance. We’ll have to wait and see what they come up with.

The National Head Judge, his assistant and the various Area Head Judges do not make the rules. They merely enforce them. Judging rules are the domain of the Awards Committee and it’s Chairman. Their recommendations are reviewed and approved or rejected by the National Board of Directors. If you think the Club should relax the rules and allow truck style actuation devices and/or modern external lighting devices, you should make your opinions known to the Awards Committee Chairman. By the same token if you think things are just fine the way they are, then he’s still the guy you should express your views to. That’s the way the system works.

Q: While loading my Classic on a trailer, I missed the ramp and put a nasty scratch on my right front fender. I know I’ll lose money at the body shop, but will I lose points at the Grand Classic?

A: Our rules are pretty specific in that no deduction may be made for damage that is sustained to a car while it is en route to, or at a meet. Assuming your accident actually happened while you were loading the car to take it to a CCCA judging event, you won’t lose any points. We take you at your word as to when the damage occurred. Bad luck sometimes happens to good people. Of course if you crinkled your fender a couple of months ago and just haven’t found time to do anything about it, then you will be judged accordingly.

If a tragic accident does happen to your car in the process of attending a meet, please contact the Area Head Judge immediately and explain the situation. If at all possible, try to do this before the Judge’s Breakfast, so he can brief the appropriate Judging Team. When the Judges inspect your car, be sure to remind the Team Leader about your problem.

Q. I understand that there is a mandatory two point deduction for using modern plastic material on a convertible top or top boot, but aren’t there some exceptions to this rule?

A: Well, yes. Vinyl or plastic top material was optionally available on some closed cars and several custom open cars of the Classic era. If you exhibit one of these Classics, you must be able to authenticate the top material to avoid a deduction. When there is something unusual about your car, good documentation is always your best friend.

It is also acceptable to have a black plastic top on a 1934 Packard open car to replace the black Panasote material which was originally available. The pattern must be a short Cobra grain, a slight leather grain, or a duplicate of the original Panasote texture.

While we’re on the subject of tops, "Sta-Fast" type top material is acceptable as a substitute for Haartz cloth in CCCA judging, We also accept modern, but correct looking vinyl material as a replacement for leather top material on large closed cars. This concession is made because hides that are large enough for some of our huge cars are no longer available.

This question came via the Internet.

Q: What can cause a car to be disqualified from Judging?

Please Note:  Since this article first appeared here and in The Bulletin, the National Board of Directors has made several changes to the rules.  For 2000, the only major change is the acceptance of a turn signal actuator that is in keeping with the cosmetics of the interior of the Full Classic. Previously, that is was a mandatory deduction, not a disqualification. Disqualification's remain unchanged for 2000, but will change next year.   Stay tuned for more information...

A. There are seven items that automatically disqualify a car in CCCA judging. They’re pretty straight forward, and some of these problems can be easily rectified. You might want to check this list before you take your car to the next Annual Meeting or Grand Classic, so here goes:

1. Your car will be disqualified if it is missing any CCCA Award Badges that it has earned. Specifically these badges are the Senior Oval Badge for a First Place Primary winner, a Senior Winner Ring or a Premiere Badge. This rule applies only to Full Classics (TM) that have attained these awards. Naturally, if your car has never won, this rule doesn’t apply to you. These Badges must be visibly attached to the car or it will not be judged.

Like most rules, there is an exception. It is possible that the car’s owner or exhibitor may have a letter or fax from National Headquarters excusing the car because the appropriate Badge is not available in time for the meet. In the past, this has not been much of a problem, but a recent ruling by the National Board of Directors gives hosting Regions some latitude in regard to the dates of their Grand Classics. This means that a car will be able to compete in several judging events in one year. Therefore, it is possible a car which just won an award at one show may appear at another Grand Classic without sufficient time for Headquarters to send the award.

2. You will be disqualified for not having an Underwriters Laboratories approved fire extinguisher with your car. It’s pretty easy to fix by making a quick trip to Wal-Mart or Pep Boys, but you’d be surprised how often it happens. Make sure your car has one.

3. You can be disqualified for having not having safety glass in your Classic’s exterior windows. Most cars already have it. If yours doesn’t, the cure usually isn’t financially crippling since most Classics use flat glass Of course installing safety glass has the added benefit of greater safety for yourself and your passengers, which is what the rule is all about. Before you make a panic trip to your local glass shop, be aware that there are a couple of exceptions to the rule. Interior glass need not be safety glass if the car was originally equipped that way. Also, some Classics were equipped with decorative beveled rear glass windows, which the Club considers OK to use without modification.

4. You will also be disqualified for having a non-authentic braking system on your car. Usually, this rule covers the conversion of a car from mechanical brakes to hydraulic brakes, or the use of disc brakes. Once again we have an exception to the rule. The conversion of a Classic from two wheel brakes to four wheel brakes is allowed if they are of the same type and system as the originals. In this case there is no deduction. The addition of a power booster to an otherwise authentic brake system is an authenticity deduction, but does not disqualify the car.

5. A non authentic automatic transmission may make your car easier to drive, but will get it disqualified.

6. A non-authentic engine will do likewise.

7. And finally, the last taboo is a replica body. I’ll leave this one to your imagination, since this particular issue takes us to the realm of the Modified Classic (TM), which I’ll leave as a topic for another Judge’s Corner.

Q: If I should ever be in the position of judging a car that I believe to be something less than it appears to be, what should I do?

A: I assume you are referring to finding a Modified Classic (tm), a non-authentic recreation, or a fantasy recreation on the judging field at a CCCA event. These cars certainly exist, and CCCA even recognizes Modified Classics (tm), however under our current rules, I hope you are never put in the awkward position of being asked to judge one. But if you are, the first thing you should do is discuss the problem with your Team Leader. You must have this conversation in private, well out of hearing range of the owner, any spectators or your other team members. The information you have is confidential and should not be shared with, or overheard by, others. Remember that despite what you may regard as an indisputable source of information, YOU might be the one who is wrong. The last thing we want to do is falsely accuse someone. This is one of the many reasons why we have a "no talking" rule in CCCA Judging. Even if the charge is later disproved, any public comments can have long term detrimental effects on the reputation of both the car and it’s owner.

Your Team Leader is obligated to share your information with the Area Head Judge, who in turn will share it with the National Head Judge. In the meantime, you and the rest of the team should continue judging the car on its various merits, just like any other car on the field. The Area Head Judge and/or the National Head Judge will take the matter up with the car’s owner in private, possibly after the event is over. As a Field Judge, it is not your battle, although you should expect at some point to be called upon for substantiation of your claim. The club counts on you to be discreet and let the system take it’s course. This is no time to play "Paul Revere," announcing your findings to everyone.

When such a problem presents itself, it is quite possible that the car in question will be given a CCCA trophy at the awards presentation , assuming it scores appropriately. This may happen despite the revelation of new information you have provided. Whenever there is doubt, the balance of power is always in favor of the car and it’s owner or exhibitor.

After the CCCA judging event and after carefully weighing all the available evidence, your National Board of Directors may void the award (although the owner usually keeps the trophy). If the car was a First in Primary, no Senior badge is awarded. This review is not a quick process, nor one the Board takes lightly. On the other hand the Board may decide the evidence is in favor of car and it’s owner in which case no action will be taken. In either scenario, these hearings are not open to club members or the public, nor is any record available or published. While this may seem a little like a "secret society," it is done, not for the convenience of the Board, but instead to protect the car and it’s owner. If someone had a question about the heritage of your car, you’d want the same courtesy.

Q: I feel like my car wasn’t fairly treated at a Grand Classic. One judge showed an obvious prejudice against my car. I’m sure he’s why I didn’t get 100 points.

A: The club is working very hard to make our judging process more consistent. The most noticeable result is the new "Judge" and" Master Judge" certification processes. Even with these changes, it still is possible to find a judge that really is too hard (or sometimes too lenient) in his judging. For this reason, when the scores are tabulated, both the highest score and the lowest score are thrown out. The two middle scores are averaged together to determine the final score for the car. This process eliminates any prejudice an individual judge may have toward any particular car.

Q: Why do I have to display my senior badge on the cowl of my Classic to be eligible for judging? I don’t want to drill holes in my car.

A: Although it’s a little hard to understand why you wouldn’t want to proudly display a Senior Badge proclaiming the achievements of your car, it is understandable that you may be less than enthusiastic about drilling a couple of holes in your nice fresh restoration. You don’t have to. A small dab of silicon seal (RTV) or some double sided tape will work just as well. In fact, the badge doesn’t even have to be on the cowl of the car. The rules simply state that the oval must be "visibly mounted to the car." Today’s modern adhesives make that job much easier. You will save yourself a lot of questions if you mount it somewhere the judges can easily find, but there is no reason why you can’t attach it to a small bracket fabricated to mount on your license plate frame or badge bar. You can even mount it on the glass or in some other area limited only to your imagination.

Q: I’d like to judge at the next Grand Classic. How do I get on the list?

A: The procedure is quite simple. Just mail in the meet application form you’ll find in "The Bulletin" to National Headquarters. When you fill it out, check off the box that says " Yes, I will be available to judge at this GC." Do this even if you do not plan to bring a car. If you need a form for an Associate Member who would also like to judge, simply photocopy the blank form for their use. Headquarters will forward your request to the Area Head Judge.

Q: My car won a First Place award a couple of years ago in the old Pre-Primary class. Even though it’s a pretty good car, I’m sure that it wouldn’t compete successfully in Primary. Can I enter it in the new Touring Class the next time I go to a National Meet?

A: A recent rule change by your National Board of Directors now makes it possible for your car to participate in the new "Touring Class." In fact, Touring Class is a great place for those of us who actually like to drive our cars. Unlike the old Pre-Primary designation it has replaced, your car can score up to 93 points before it is disqualified, and you can enter in Touring as often as you wish, even if you get a first place trophy every time!

Q: I’m a little confused. When I’m judging a car, just where do I take the authenticity deductions?

A: The new Judging Form has four special areas where authenticity deductions can be made. These Authenticity boxes are located at the bottom of each of the two columns on the front page of the form. For instance, if you were evaluating the radio which works well but is not the correct one for the car, you would not make the authenticity deduction under "Clocks, Radio & Power Antenna" (Number 9, if you happen to have a Judging Form handy) because the problem is not how well the radio works, but the fact that it isn’t the right radio for the car. Instead, you would take an authenticity deduction at the bottom of the column in the area marked "Authenticity...Components" (Number 20). You would also explain your deduction in writing in the spaces provided on the bottom or back of the judging form.

Of course to every rule, there are exceptions. As you know, each category has a maximum deduction of 5 points. If the appropriate Authenticity category is already full, you can use one of the other remaining Authenticity spaces. In any case, your deductions for authenticity must be initialed by your Team Leader indicating that the item has been discussed by him with the car’s owner or exhibitor. If you have any doubt, always remember the presumption of authenticity should be in favor of the car or its exhibitor.

Q. At a recent Grand Classic, I observed the judges carrying on loudly with discussions about a car they were inspecting. What Gives?

A: With a few exceptions, Judges aren’t supposed to talk among themselves or with anyone else while they are doing their job. Doing so is grounds for being excused from further judging duties. Under no circumstances are judges to discuss among themselves the point score for a particular item. There are times when communications between judges is proper and quite important. For instance, while checking lights for operation, it is much quicker and more efficient for one judge to observe the tail and stop lights of the vehicle and report his findings to the other judges. After all, it’s pretty clear-cut if a light works or not. The same holds true for wipers, horns, instruments, brakes and the under-dash wiring. On other items, such as evaluating paint, upholstery, chrome or any similar item where the score given is subjective, no discussion should ever take place.

In a case where authenticity is under consideration, a great deal of discretion is required on the part of the judge, since this is one of those times when it is necessary to talk. If a judge has a question in this area, he must consult with his Team Leader. He should have this conversation out of ear shot of the car’s exhibitor or other members of the team. It is the Team Leader’s responsibility to discuss the question with the car’s exhibitor. The individual judge should never take this task upon himself. The Team Leader will report the exhibitor’s response back to the questioning judge, who then may take an appropriate deduction if he still feels strongly enough that it is warranted. Judges should never reveal their deductions to other members of the team, or to anyone else for that matter.

When you’re judging, remember to put yourself in the shoes of the owner. If he sees the judges talking to each other, laughing, pointing or making any kind of signal, he is likely to suspect the worst. It doesn’t matter how innocent your intentions are. In fact, it may be that you are actually talking about something not even related to the car, but you can be sure that somebody will take your conversation the wrong way. Silence is golden while you judge. It’s the professional way to do it.

There haven’t been any questions in my mail bag this month, but I did receive one complaint from an unnamed reader via Email. It simply said "I haven’t been judged fairly!" Actually, it said that statement some thirty odd times on my computer screen, which did get a little tedious. While I don’t know any of the particulars of this gentleman’s complaint, nor do I even know who sent it, his most emphatic statement did get me thinking about fairness in our CCCA Judging System.

By and large, I sincerely believe that CCCA judges do a very good job and our system is well thought out. Moreover, there are several checks and balances which have evolved over time which keep things on an even keel. Experience has been a great teacher. Are there other equally fair ways to judge cars? Absolutely...but our system is a good one. In fact, I think it’s one of the best.

I have heard some criticism about our method of averaging the two remaining scores after the high and the low score are discarded. Some would say that this makes the work of the two out of the four judges irrelevant. The truth be known, they play a very important roll, in that they validate the median score which is awarded to the car.

It’s actually not unusual for three out of the four judges to be in close agreement. Sometimes, even all four agree. When this happens, it’s a pretty safe bet that the car really deserves whatever score is awarded. When all the judges don’t agree, it’s usually because, like in life, things aren’t always crystal clear. There are many shades of gray and many opinions on each shade.

If you take a moment to look at our judging form, you’ll notice that the left side, which represents mechanical aspects of the car, is pretty hard to argue with. A light bulb either works or it doesn’t. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell if a power window works or if an electric accessory operates as it should. In some ways, it’s a similar process to doing a State Safety Inspection. Of course there is always room to argue whether the car started easily, or idled smoothly, or if the windshield wipers worked fast enough, and that’s why each judge has the ability to score each item on a one to five scale. The right hand side of the form deals more with appearance items which are more subjective in their interpretation. None the less, it is surprising how consistent most judges are in these matters. The real hang-up (if there is one) is usually in the four "Authenticity" areas. Here, specific knowledge of a particular car comes into play and it is not at all unusual for the judges to reach different conclusions.

If the person who Emailed me expressing his displeasure was actually judged at a CCCA event, he most likely was judged very fairly. Since he didn’t sign his name or tell me any more about his problem, I can only conclude that he didn’t know what to expect in CCCA Judging. That’s usually the case in most judging misunderstandings. A nice looking but non-authentic car just will not do well in our system, even though it might get First Prize at a local Cruise Night. A nice original, but unrestored, Full Classic is not going to compete well with a car that has been restored to Pebble Beach standards. (We are developing new and better ways to recognize original cars, by the way.) It is important to know what you’re getting into if you want to have your car judged in this, or any other club. At least in CCCA, it’s easy to get the information you need. There is a handy Judging Manual available from Club Headquarters that can answer many of your questions. It’s free if you want to get involved in the judging program, and it only costs $5.00 if you want one for reference when you restore a car. It’s the best $5.00 you’ll ever spend if you will take the time to read and understand it before you start your restoration process. It can save you from many costly mistakes.

You are also welcome to watch the Judging Video at the next CCCA judging event you attend. (Of course, if you don’t volunteer to be a judge, please don’t invite yourself to eat a "free" breakfast. Check with the Area Head Judge to find out where you can sit.) Better yet, your Region can check out a copy of the tape from Headquarters to use at your next meeting. Try viewing the video and then "Trial Judging" a few cars for your next event. You’ll be surprised about what you learn.

Best still, get involved. Become a Judge. I guarantee you’ll acquire a better understanding of the system and how it works. You’ll even have fun doing it.

And Now From The Soap Box:

Is there something we could do to improve our system? Probably so. The first thing that comes to my mind is the fact that this is the only club I know of where a car owner who receives a National First Place Award can be very unhappy about it. Why? Because he didn’t get the coveted 100 points. It occurs to me that we are making a mistake by putting so much emphasis on the numerical score, rather than on the honor the Club is bestowing on the car and its owner. That said, I do think it is important to score cars in some manner and have a summary score sheet available for the owner to help him in his restoration. After all, encouraging people to do authentic restoration work is why we give awards in the first place. It’s simply amazing what lengths we will go to receive a $35.00 trophy.

It seems to me that a Classic that receives any CCCA award is a very good car. Some are obviously better than others and that’s why we have First, Second and Third Places. Ruining someone’s day with the news that his car "only" got 99.25 points seems ridiculous, if not counter productive. For purposes of award presentations and publications, I think we would do ourselves a big favor to limit ourselves to National First, Second and Third Place awards. Just like now, ties within a certain point range would be fine. The difference is no scores would be publicly revealed. We should be very proud that our car received a CCCA National Award and that should be enough. Helping someone get an inflated price for their investment car because "it scored 100 points," is not what judging should be about. Making this change should in no way diminish the importance of any CCCA Award, nor is it intended to hide pertinent information from the car’s owner. If the owner wants to know in what areas deductions were made, it’s a simple matter for the Area Head Judge to supply him with that information. In fact, we do this right now in the form of a Judging Recap Sheet which any car owner may request from the Area Head Judge during the period immediately following a National Judging Event, so little would actually change. In fact, some things would become easier. Best of all, a Grand Classic would be a lot more fun. This is after all a hobby. It’s supposed to be fun.

I’ll look forward to hearing your comments about this concept.

Q: I’m restoring a car and would like some guidelines. It was built late in the model year and consequently has some features that are unique to it. It seems the manufacturer used some parts unique to the next year’s model as well as some components that belong on the later production versions of this car. This hybrid condition has me wondering how I should restore the car. Should I do it the way everyone thinks my car should be, or should I restore it the way I am pretty certain the car came?

A: Your question is an age old one in regards to authenticity. There are at least two acceptable answer (maybe more). Keep in mind that there is nothing that says you have to restore your car to CCCA Standards. If you want to participate in our judging system, it is in your best interest to understand the rules and act accordingly. If you choose to do something that might be an authenticity deduction (like adding sealed beam headlights for instance), that’s fine as long as you understand that you will be penalized for it. On the other hand, it may make your car far mor enjoyable to you when you drive it at night. In the end, you as the restorer will have to make the decision.

The first thing I’d ask you about your car is "Do you have documentation for your unique features?" The answer to that question should guide you to a course of action. Obviously, the easy way out, is to restore the car to the standard everyone thinks your car should be. For instance, if your Classic would have ordinarily come with vent windows, but for some reason yours doesn’t have them, then unless you can find significant documentation to support your variation from the norm, your life will be easier when it comes time for judging if you go with the convention and install the vent windows while you are restoring the car. After all, strange things have happened to our cars in the period since they were first delivered to their original owner and the time you obtained custody. It is possible that the lack of our mythical vent windows may have been the result of some incident that happened to your car in the time since it left the factory.

The problem with this scenario is we are not being true to the actual history of the car. If indeed the car really did come equipped as you think, and you can prove it, then the "High Road" is to restore the car the way itnactually came from the factory. This means you must have very good documentation if you want to have the car judged. While it is possible the Judging Team will never question the variation on your car, eventually, someone will notice. You’d better be prepared to defend your self. Our rules state that the judges should make calls on authenticity through certain knowledge and not by hunch or suspicion. If they are in doubt, the presumption of authenticity is always in favor of the Full Classic and it’s exhibitor. Before any deductions for authenticity can be made, the individual judge must discuss the item with his team leader. The Team Leader must discuss the question of authenticity with the exhibitor and relay this information back to the judge involved. This is where your good documentation can either make or break the decision.

Q: What makes good documentation?

A: A factory build sheet along with factory photos are probably your best tool. Parts books, service manuals and printed specifications can also be extremely useful. Factory advertising, brochures and the like are certainly interesting and potentially helpful, but they can’t always be viewed as conclusive evidence. In the Classic Era, printing and publication were not as technically sophisticated as today. Most were "artist’s conceptions" which while certainly enticing were not always accurate. They are certainly not to be relied upon for color choices because the color in the printing was frequently the result of the mixture of ink the printer chose to use, not the result of the color palette available from the paint supplier.

Of course, any documentation you can do for your car is better than no documentation at all. If nothing else it will help you further understand and enjoy your car. By being an avid collector of literature on your car you are also helping preserve the history of your car for future generations. After all, we are merely caretakers of these unique parts of our automotive history.

Q: I’ve seen cars at Grand Classics which undoubtedly came from the factory with nickel bright work, but appear to have chrome plating instead. Is this an Authenticity Deduction?

A: It’s been a long-standing rule that the CCCA views chrome as a suitable substitute for nickel plating. There is no deduction in our club’s view for it’s use.

Some other nationally recognized clubs take exception with this rule, so if you are restoring a car, it may be in your best long-term interest to use nickel if that’s the way the car originally came from the factory. As an owner, that’s a call you have to make. Nickel has a very lovely yellowish color while chrome looks a little on the blue side. Unfortunately nickel requires regular polishing which is why many people choose chrome instead.

Q: What is the appropriate deduction for dirt on the chassis of a car?

A: That depends on how much dirt there is and how it got there. We do not deduct for damage that is sustained to a car on the way to a Grand Classic or Annual Meeting. This "damage" would include fresh dirt on the undercarriage. The operative words in your decision should be "accumulated" rather than "acquired." A good example would be our recent Annual Meeting in Cleveland, where the cars had to be moved during inclement weather. It was impossible to keep the cars dry before they entered the building. Of course, the owners did their best to clean up the cars after they were parked, but you would make no deduction for any "acquired" dirt and water spotting they missed. The same would be true for a car that was driven to a meet. If, on the other, hand there isn’t any reason for dirt being on the car that’s beyond the control of the exhibitor, then a one point deduction would be in order. If the dirt is packed and permeated with oil and grease, it’s obviously been there for quite some time. In that case a two point deduction would be in order.

Q: I have trouble starting my car with a six volt battery. How does the Club feel about eight volt batteries? What about converting my car to 12 volts?

A: The use of a wrong voltage battery earns you a three point deduction in an authenticity category under CCCA rules. It is also possible that you could lose additional points for the substitution or addition of electrical components that were obviously not original to the car, but are necessary to make the car work on eight or twelve volts. Admittedly, your car might start better, but I’d suggest you attempt to discover why the car won’t start on six volts rather than change everything. Our cars worked on six volts when they were new.

One of the most common causes of poor starting performance is due to the fact we don’t drive our cars very much. Consequently the battery does not maintain a full charge. There are several electronic devices on the market which will "float" your battery and keep the voltage up without boiling out the electrolyte If you use one, not only will the car start more easily after an extended parking period, but your battery will last considerably longer.

Other causes for poor starting include inadequate battery cable size and poor ground connections. A six volt system has to handle exactly twice the amperage of a twelve volt one, so wire size and good connections become far more critical than they would be if the car were twelve volts. Most pre-made cables you buy at an auto parts store are designed for twelve volt operation and are not adequate for six volt systems

A: The award goes with the car when it is sold. You do not have to surrender it, even though a mistake may have been made. If you wish to continue with the car in CCCA Judging , and your next step is in pursuit of its Senior Ring, be sure to enter it in the correct class. Of course if it is already has its Senior Ring, you can bring it to a Grand Classic as a Senior Emeritus, which does not differentiate between production or custom coachwork.

The National Board of Directors is currently studying ways to allow our members to recycle their cars in the judging program. Obvious reasons for wanting to do this include the sale of the car to a new owner or re-restoration of the car. I’d encourage all our readers to write the Board, in care of National Headquarters, expressing your views and suggestions about implementing such a plan.

Q: When we use the CCCA Judging Form, we talk about "deductions," but then we award points for each item. In other words, we give an item a "two point deduction", but we score that particular category with a "3." Isn’t this backwards? It seems like a lot of extra work.

A: A timely question if I ever heard one! Starting at our Spring Grand Classics, we’re going to only list deductions on the score sheet. If no deduction is in order, you’ll just put a "check" (b) mark in the blank. If a one point deduction is in order, you’ll enter a (minus) "1", a two point deduction would result in an entry of "2" etc. Hopefully, this will make your judging duties a little easier. It will certainly speed things up in the Tabulating Room. We experimented with this concept at last summer’s Michigan Region Grand Classic, where it worked very well.

A: The founders of CCCA (who wrote the rules) liked to tour too. The rules state that the use of an auxiliary fuel pump is perfectly acceptable, as long as it is inconspicuously installed in a safe and workmanlike manner, and that it is not used to run the car during judging. In other words, the car must run on the original fuel pump. If your installation meets these criteria, there would be no deduction. Enjoy your next CARavan (tm)!

A: I have in my possession an advertisement for Trippe Lights which was found in a magazine dating from May 1931, so it appears they were available at the time the car was built. CCCA has always allowed such accessories with no deduction, even though the car may not have been originally equipped with them. These driving lights were frequently added by the dealer at the request of the purchaser. Sometimes they were added to a car after its initial delivery. While ideally, this was done when the car was new, or at least during the Classic Era, we all know that lots of Trippe lights were added to the car more recently, simply because they look good. The Club views that as acceptable, providing the lights in question could have been on the car during the Classic Era.

In any case where you are not absolutely sure about an item, always give the benefit of the doubt to the Classic and it’s owner. Remember, you can always have your Team Leader ask the owner for documentation.

A: You only need to operate the top enough to demonstrate that the mechanisms work. We are checking the mechanical integrity of the top. You want to see that the releases and hinges work properly and that there are no loose or inoperable parts. Sometimes these kinds of defects remain unnoticed when the top is in the up position.

Like most rules, there is an exception. If the Classic is equipped with a collapsible top that is fully upholstered inside, then opening and closing is not required. Of course you will still inspect the visible components of the top for proper appearance, fit and finish.

A: That depends on which Classic you’re talking about. Phillips head screws were introduced in 1936 and were first used on some General Motors automobiles in the 1936 model year. This doesn’t mean that Phillips Head screws are acceptable on all 1936 and later Classics. For instance, Packard didn’t use them until 1938, and you won’t find them on any Classic Era Rolls-Royce or Bentley motorcars. The Club’s viewpoint is that the type of screws used in a proper restoration shall be the same as those originally found on the car. If you aren’t absolutely sure, you would make no deduction. If you feel a deduction is in order, take care to make it under the proper authenticity area and follow the entire authenticity deduction procedure which includes discussing the matter with your Team Leader and having him initial any authenticity deduction you make.

Q: If a car is missing equipment that was originally standard on that particular model, how should the deduction (if any) be taken?

A: Occasionally a car owner will decide to leave off some item from his car, simply because he doesn’t like the way it looks, even though it was originally equipped this way. A good example would be fender skirts or wheel covers which the owner feels detract from the appearance of the car. It’s the owner’s prerogative to restore the car in the way he sees fit. After all, it’s his car and he, above all, should be happy with it. In so doing, he should be aware that it will cost him points when the car is judged.

Sometimes you’ll discover a trim item or other part is missing from a car and you know it should be there. Perhaps the owner has not been successful locating a suitable replacement. Maybe he just likes the car that way. In either case, these are all authenticity deductions. As with any such deduction, be sure that the proper procedure has been followed, with the Team Leader asking the car’s exhibitor for documentation (maybe it was a special order deletion) and the questioning judge making note of what the deduction is for on the Judging Sheet.

 Q: I live in a very hilly metropolitan area with lots of traffic and congestion. My Classic is equipped with four wheel mechanical brakes which work well and are properly maintained, but they are not as effective as the hydraulic brakes the car’s manufacturer used just a couple of years later. In the interest of safety (both the driving public’s and mine) I would like to convert the braking system to the later model hydraulic system using authentic parts. If I do this, it seems fair to lose a few points for authenticity, but It doesn’t seen right that the car be disqualified from judging because I want a safer car.

A: The Club’s current position on brake systems is quite clear, although I must admit that I don’t agree with it. Simply put, a non-authentic braking system is one of the seven items that automatically disqualify a car in CCCA Judging.

I would suggest that you make your case in writing to the National Board of Directors for review. Perhaps a reasonable compromise can be reached that is acceptable to the majority of our membership. Some of our readers may also want to respond with both pro and con arguments. It’s your club, and the Board really does listen, but they will never know what the membership wants if you don’t tell them

Do you have a question concerning CCCA Judging?  You can send a question to the Assistant National Head Judge by clicking here.   Your question may be printed in The Bulletin and on this Web Page.