Bowtie Judging Question

[Keith B.]

I am in a tough spot. I am presenting my car in Novi for preliminary judging for Bowtie. The battery cables on the car appear to be original but the ends have been replaced with non spring type terminals. They look as if they were put on and off with a vise grip wrench (hence the reason why the original ends are most likely gone) I have purchased a nice replacement set from Lectric Limited and if the others are going to fail I would just assume have a correct appearance and safer (less likely of have a short) set on the car. The battery is a replacement also so I am looking at a no pass on the battery also. Should I replace?

Thanks

Keith

[Patrick H.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Keith,

The ends are a small piece of the whole cable.
I'd leave them for now. Replace nothing unless it fails - and even then think twice. The car doesn't even have to run for Bowtie judging.

Patrick

[Dave S.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Keith/Patrick,
I'd offer an opposing view. My thought would be the cable ends are missing so the cables will fail in Bowtie for sure anyway. Make the car safe and appear correct and change the cables. Good Luck w/ you Bowtie sign off.

[Terry M.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Part of the Bow-tie judging is perception. Without looking at the Bowtie sheets, and like you I don't have them to look at, I would guess the battery and cables are one line item. I'm with Dave, change them for safety, ease of operation and convenience. They will fail, along with the battery anyway. We never see the original battery, unless it is displayed alongside the car, anyway.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Hmm. Never thought of battery and cables as being a combined line item. I can see the logic, though, if they are.

I don't believe that battery cables will fail a car from receiving a Star, whether he replaces them or not. Still not sure I'd do it without seeing them myself.

Patrick

[Dave S.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Patrick,
The cables will fail in their current condition. Weather they and the battery are two line items or one it is a fail across the board for both items. Replacement seems to me to be the proper way to go here.

[Bernard S.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Keith: I agree with Dave & Terry. Replace the cables and also install a battery cut off switch if you don't have one already installed. You don't want power to an 20+ year old electrical system left unattended. Good Luck with your car.

[Dick W.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Best recollection this old brain has is that battery is one line, cables are another.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

The more I think about it, the more I suspect you're right. The judges will likely fail the original cables because of the incorrect terminals even if the rest of the cable is OK.

Might as well then replace them.

Patrick

[Terry M.]

Re: Bowtie Judging Question

Keith,
I am at the Judging Retreat in Dallas. Luck of the draw I got the Bowtie Judging class. Before the day is out I should be able to answer your question right from the top.

[Terry M.]

Bowtie Judging Answer

As promised, straight from the top:
"If the original part still functions -- leave it on the car."
One of the other participants asked if the heat stamped numbers were still on the cable -- indicating his desire to see those numbers if they are present. He didn't say, but I am relatively sure he has no interest in seeing the numbers on the reproduction cable, since he has likely seen them on other cars.

Another thought I had during the day:
We will not be Bowtie Judging your car in Novi. It will go through the equivalent of flight judging so that eight sets of eyes get to see it -- well really nine sets counting the Team Leader. That would be a good time and place to ask the TL for his opinion about changing the battery cables.