NCCC Judging Standards

[Ed N.]

I'm considering entering my 1995 in a National Council Corvette Clubs meet. Has anyone ever entered their Concour Division in one of their meets? I don't know what to expect in terms of judging, any help would be appreciated. What I do know is that their judging standards does not rise to our (NCRS) factory correctness specs and expectations. Sound more like a "shinning show" to me.

Ed Nieves

[Michael J.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

I remember looking into this a few years ago, and IIRC, it is very much like the MCA (Mustang Club of America) shows I am very familiar with having done them for more than 20 years. They have various categories for cars, from trailered, never driven concours queens with over the top paint, undercarriages you could eat off, etc., to daily driven ones and all in between, including "modifieds". A class for most any Corvette. Could be fun, the MCA shows are. But don't confuse this with NCRS, totally different, I would suspect most Top Flight cars would have a hard time in their competitions.

[Mark D.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

Doesn't one compete against the others cars in the same class at NCCC? That should make for some fun, relaxing and non political competition.

I would think if a person doesn't get too worked up, it would be fun. Remember, it ain't as important as curing death...it's a car show.

[Patrick H.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

It's a cleanliness contest, nothing more.
The cleaner your car the higher you score against others in your class.
They even wipe inside your tailpipe looking for dirt. Tire tread, under doors, you name it. The only rule is that the judge's knees can't touch the ground when inspecting the car.

[Rick A.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

NCCC is strictly shine-n-show. If you have a STOCK car (think you can have three modifications before you are not stock in NCCC eyes), then they have classes broken down similar to C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6. Then you go into modified, where I think you can have up to six modifications. Then you have race-prepared cars. I believe there around 30 different classes total.

They look for any spec of dust/dirt and judging gets down to 1/2 point increments. I have seen many times where you have two cars with NO DEDUCTIONS and they have tie-breakers they go to.

[Mark D.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

The only rule is that the judge's knees can't touch the ground when inspecting the car.

As opposed to us, where the judges bring sleeping bags and coolers. Oh yeah, and rags to wipe away any part-obscuring dirt.

[James W.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

I'm considering entering my 1995 in a National Council Corvette Clubs meet. Has anyone ever entered their Concour Division in one of their meets? I don't know what to expect in terms of judging, any help would be appreciated. What I do know is that their judging standards does not rise to our (NCRS) factory correctness specs and expectations. Sound more like a "shinning show" to me.

Ed Nieves

Back in the 1980's I was a memeber of the NCCC and entered my car in their "judged" shows. It really boils down to was a beauty contest. Spotless with no rust, dust, dirt, oil drips overspray, paint chips, lint, finger prints, beautiful deep gloss paint and lots of tire dressing. I will say that there were some excellent over-restored cars at their events.

James West

[Michael J.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

The only rule is that the judge's knees can't touch the ground when inspecting the car.

Ha! You do wonder how they can see those "concours prepared" chassis components and "serious show car" cleanliness underneath if they can't have their knees touch the ground.

[John D.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

NCCC is where it all started out gang. AACA and NCCC was all we had years ago. My favorite was ISCA. International Show Car Association. Home office was on East Nine Miles Road, St. Clair Shores , MI. The President of Promotions INC (ISCA) was Bob Larivee, Sr. I heard he died recently. I have never forgotten his address. Remember the days of the Monkey Mobile, The Batmobile, The Munster Coach, etc. Wel Bob was in charge of trucking those cars all over the USA and sponsoring a ton of ISCA shows. That was in the 60's and 70's.

My favorite judging is NCRS. You know why or you wouldn't be here. Each car judged on it's own merit.

[Terry M.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

I'm considering entering my 1995 in a National Council Corvette Clubs meet. Has anyone ever entered their Concour Division in one of their meets? I don't know what to expect in terms of judging, any help would be appreciated. What I do know is that their judging standards does not rise to our (NCRS) factory correctness specs and expectations. Sound more like a "shinning show" to me.

Ed Nieves

[Clark K.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

Ha! You do wonder how they can see those "concours prepared" chassis components and "serious show car" cleanliness underneath if they can't have their knees touch the ground.

Michael, the trick to that is "mirrors"! Mirrors are placed under the car so that the spectators and judges can see that everything is plated chrome or at least shiney paint. Now, I am not disparaging the practice with this comment. Car shows are great, concours events are even better, but nothing akin to a NCRS meet's Flight judging. Many chromed show car engines are never started up, much less driven to a show.
-Clark

[Michael J.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

I think the key word here is "Concours". That never implies correct numbered parts, correct finishes, correct dated components, or correct anything from factory really. I just finished the Santa Fe Concorso show, absolutely fantastic show cars everywhere, almost 100. Al Unser was one of my judges, along with a noted restorer from Massachusetts, and an auto writer from AutoWeek. I entered my 2 time Mopar Nationals winner AAR 'Cuda. It is used as a "factory benchmark" car due to its' correctness and authenticity, as delivered when new, and I drove it on the mountain tour, all 120 miles before the show. It came in second, the winner was an incredible paint job, but modified from stock (headers, incorrect carbs, air cleaner, Edelbrock intakes, mags, radials, interior, chrome everywhere etc.), 1967 GTO that was towed onto and off the field to a trailer. That is what the judges were looking for in the American Iron class, not originality, correctness, or even cleanliness (you can eat off all parts of my car), they wanted "style and flash" as they said. But I think that's fine, it's their show, their judges (who would not know original and authentic from mud), and I knew the rules. I'm happy, it was a blast of a week there, I'll be back next year too.

[Ed N.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

Thanks for all the insight guys. I now have a pretty good idea what they will be looking for. The meet is Nov. 4th, so I'll give you guys feedback on my experience.

The challenge will be keeping my car balanced between that meet and the upcoming NCRS Florida Winter Meet. At the end of the day, my focus is on NCRS...

[John H.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

Our Michigan NCRS chapter occasionally has been recruited by the Detroit area NCCC club to assist them in judging their huge annual show; the first year we did so, we asked their Judging Chairman in a planning meeting to explain their judging standard so we (NCRS guys) knew what to look for, and he said, "the relentless search for dirt". He wasn't kidding - in some ways it was more difficult than originality judging, as the cars in a class compete against each other based almost solely on cleanliness.

[Michael J.]

Re: NCCC Judging Standards

Our Michigan NCRS chapter occasionally has been recruited by the Detroit area NCCC club to assist them in judging their huge annual show; the first year we did so, we asked their Judging Chairman in a planning meeting to explain their judging standard so we (NCRS guys) knew what to look for, and he said, "the relentless search for dirt". He wasn't kidding - in some ways it was more difficult than originality judging, as the cars in a class compete against each other based almost solely on cleanliness.

Sounds like a group of nuclear physics professors charged with grading spelling papers.....