Re: clubs, meets, categories, judging

[farna@xxxxxxx]

John, I think you and Jeff are on the same wavelength here, just parallel and not on the same plane, apparently! At least I'm seeing that you both agree on this:

1) Stock class should be strictly judged. I disagree with taking points away for modern wear and tear items like tires and belts, but do agree that extra points should be added for those who went to the time/trouble/expense to get them! requiring such items will just put even more people in the "modified" category. Often people who would be mildly competitive in the stock level will enter in the modified because of such small things. Judges should be allowed to "move" a car into another category if warranted. I understand people want to put their car where it has a better chance of winning a trophy, but then it's unfair to others. 
2) Modified class judged on workmanship/cleanliness is more than fair
3) "other" engines should be judged on workmanship/cleanliness as well (where "looking like it belongs" comes in -- I've seen both hacks and good swaps that do indeed look as if they COULD HAVE BEEN factory, you'd have to KNOW to tell the difference), but either have a class of their own or have some points deducted for non-AMC engine. 

I agree with Jeff whole heartedly -- I'd rather see a well done "other" powered AMC than the car sitting in the weeds rotting away or crushed! That being said I prefer AMC power of some kind for the same reasons most of you do -- idiots saying something like "see, if the original engine was any good there wouldn't be a Ford/Chevy/Chrysler under the hood now", or "I told you they used parts from whoever they could get them from" (especially if there is one car with a SBC parked beside one with a SBF!!). But those are just idiots. A REAL car nut will know that AMC made their own engines (even some non-AMC car nuts know that, though to many just don't know/care about anything but their favorite) and bought SOME parts from others, or at least will be willing to listen to reason when you tell them! 

Then we have AMO's new "driver" class. I have to get with Tom Bunsey on that one! 1500 miles is a driver? As mentioned in the AMO pub -- that's an occasional weekend jaunt or nearby club meet, not what I call "driving"!! That's an obvious hobby car, with just enough driving to keep it up. Not what I'd call a "driver" at all!! Not a pure show car though. If that's a driver, we need a "daily driven" class that will be a bit more lax on normal wear and tear items like chips in the paint. I put 5-7K on my car a year, now THAT is a driver! I'd be satisfied to see 2500-3000 miles, though that is still just one or two longer distance meets and some of what I call "maintenance driving". If we keep adding to many classes though everyone will have a class of their own! That's why I'd be satisfied with something more like 3K miles as a compromise. Otherwise a "daily driver" should be more like 5K. the only reason I put under 7K (on average) on my car is I drive my motorcycle in decent !
 weather. Won't do that as much in Dover though!!

Frank Swygert



On April 19, 2005 John Rosa wrote:

> From: "Jeff Barfield" <jrbarfield@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> "But my Javelin and Spirit both have custom interiors and B.F Goodrich
> Radial T/As, this alone makes them non-stock.  My Javelin also has an
> open chrome air cleaner and chrome dip stick, AMC never did that and
> that is right on the engine. My Javelin also has AM/FM Cassette stereo,
> AMC never did that either.  Even though I used AMC parts and it may look
> factory, a Javelin never came with cruise control either.  I don't loose
> points at shows because of these things."
> 
> In a non-stock category, I can see why no points would be lost.
> If the car is in the 'stock/original' category, then- in the
> strictest terms, points should be lost. How fair is it to the
> guy who has spent time and money hunting exactly-correct NOS
> pieces for his car to be in a points fight with a guy running
> all NAPA repop parts? But with as few AMCs left as there are,
> the field would thin considerably if every 'stock' car wearing
> modern tires and belts was judged 'accurately'. The last show
> I attended, I was shocked to see the MANY incorrect items on
> cars in the 'stock' category. I saw hitch holes left in bumpers,
> grossly inaccurate repro emissions decals, and of course, Radial
> T/As everywhere. If a guy showed up wearing correct vintage
> PolyGlas tires, should his car not have been considered more
> correct when it clearly was?
> 
> "I don't understand why it is so different if you put a different
> make engine in the car. You still have to make it look like it
> belongs there, to get all of the points."
> 
> Huh?? What class is that in? This sounds like a 'Street-modified'
> class. We all know a 350 never came in a Gremlin, so how would
> you make it look 'like it belongs there'? If you mean 'it could
> have looked like this if AMC had used them', then that's still
> 'customized', not stock, and it should be judged accordingly.
> 
> 
> 
> "In my small mind, that would be more difficult than making an
> engine that does belong there, look like it belongs there."
> 
> So, you awake from surgery to find the doctor has re-attached
> your arm to your forehead....which is considerably more difficult
> than putting it back on your shoulder. You'd give extra credit
> for originality?? :)
> 
> 
> 
> "My final point on the non-AMC engines is, when you see that car
> driving down the road or driving on to the show field, what do
> you see?  I see an AMC!  I may be disappointed when the owner
> pops the hood, but I would be more disappointed to have never
> seen the car."
> 
> But like you just said...you're disappointed...thus, you
> automatically have seen it as something less. That's what we're
> saying should happen in judging.
> 
> John
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


=============================================================
Posted by wixList Archiver -- http://www.amxfiles.com/wixlist