So I am planning on entering my first car show in a couple weeks, just wondering if anyone has any tips for me for common things that people forget to clean or anything like that, that the judges will be looking at.

It's going to be a good size, legit show, so i'm thinking there will be lots of competition. They do have a Best Chevy category, so that will be my focus.

Obviously I will wash, wax, clay the body. I will remove the wheels, clean them front and back and inside the lug holes. Repaint my calipers. Clean all of the door jambs and trunk jamb. Under the hood, hit all my polished stuff with my metal polish, Simple Green clean all the rest. I am going to pull the seats out inside and vacuum the carpet really good.

Any other tips or advice for me?

 

Fender wells, all plastics shiney and clean, rubber clean and shiney.... under the hood pristine!

 

Yes under the hood will be immaculate. I don't have much plastic left under there though! lol

 

I meant interior wise as well man... Just make sure everything is nice and clean and shiney even the exhaust tip!

 

exhaust tip

 

Take all your beer cans out of your car BEFORE you get to the show.

 

Dust in the A/C vents (q-tips or small paint brush usually does the trick).

Left over wax in the cracks of the car (edge of doors, hood, trunk, etc.).

Clean trunk and hood jambs.

Seat belt pillars (usually road grime/dirt build up there if you drive with the windows down frquently)

Hope this helps...

 

LOL, can I at least leave my golf clubs in the trunk??

Those are good ones, thats just what I'm lookin for, thanks

 

No problem.

Take some pics afterwards and post them up!

Good luck in the show

 

Will do, I'm trying to work with someone who is going to have a booth so I don't have to pay the entry fee, hehe. Hopefully that works out.

 

depending on the judges, but some do look for it...tire positioning

you might wanna, take special care to make sure your tires line up with the air valve, and once your car is positioned, have all the valves facing down...small detail, then spray tire shine all over the tire wipe it down except for the side, use a brush to remove any stones or dirt, and leave the wheels straight (not turned)

some judges only judge on what they see and wont ask you to open up, leave the hood open mid way up, pop the trunk halfway, leave the passenger door open, windows rolled up, make sure your windows (no spots) remove any floor mats or carpets

make sure your inner wheel well, are imaculate, spray some tire shine on them, then wipe it down, same for inside the hood spray it all over after its clean, let it sit in the heat couple of hours, then wipe it down, you dont want excess...

once you vaccumed the interior, use an air hose to dislodge minor stuff you might miss

find out when the judging will take place and make sure you are with the car when being judged, they do ask questions about the car, what mod's you have, and only answer the questions they ask, dont be affraid to shake hands when you meet them and say hi my name is ?

and good luck, and have fun

i won first place, best domestic last year in napierville

 

Good Info!

Exterior:
Body and Paint
Suspension
Brakes
Wheels and Tires
Overall Quality...
Do everything you said you would..Wash it, dry it, wax it, quick detailer it. Clean all wheel wells and suspension parts. Touch up calipers and or drums. Clean wheels inside and out as well as the spokes. A BIG thing to do is clean underneath the bumpers and side skirts because the do check these things for dirt and also your exhaust..Clean inside and out of the muffler.


Engine Compartment:
Appearance and Modifications
Overall execution
Polish anything that would need it and use quick detailer on the rest(plastic).. Hoses and anything else should be free from grease and oil almost as if you dont even drive the car. Done have exposed wires or altleast cover them with loom

Interior:
Passenger area
Cargo/ Stereo/ and lighting
Overall Quality.
Shop vac carpets and seats, clean vents, and make sure wiring for guages and system are hidden and done cleanly

Show Quality:
Overall execution
Originality and Uniqueness

This is the judging criteria for Carlisle but most major shows do look for stuff like this..I just explained what I do to prep the car for a show..When talking with judges tell them everything done to your car by showing them. DO NOT close your trunk or hood because you will lose points and also keep your windows down..When a judge comes around open your door and explain things you have done to the interior. Just remember every modification you do doesnt add points if it isnt done right. Its all about being done clean. So dont half ass anything and good luck. If you have any more questions just ask.

 

Thats the only thing I'm worried about is interior. Don't have much done really as far as a true "show car" goes. I have recovered the door panel inserts, have some Momo pedal covers, have Avic-D3 and my triple gauge pod. Thats about it though, don't really have much "showy" stuff done inside...

 

Shows are mostly about cleanliness anyway..Like I said the more you have done the harder it is to win because of your modifications have to be done right..You should do fine..For the interior just shop vac it and get some quick detailer spray for the rest..Just make sure that carpet is clean, and the floor mats if your running them. Get all stains out also as best to your ability.

 

Sweet deal. Any I should leave the trunk open even though there is nothing in there but the stock Pioneer sub?

 

thats doesnt matter sometimes... if you do have stuff in there tho it will only help you.. im pretty much stock inside except for a flip out head unit and a dual gauge pod.. i also have my recaros and the steering colum boost gauge andi have won alottt of shows with that... just keep **** cleann on the inside and the out... clean the rims make sure nothing is on them i use q-tips around the break pad and what not and if you have your calipers painted... just hit them with a quick fresh coat.. anything plastic make shiney.. (i dont do the shiney **** inside the car becuase i think it looks tacky) but the outside deff have it shiney becuase it will match the shine to your car.. the engine also.. make it pop.. dont have the stock cast s/c showing.. do soemthing to make it stand out.. clean the oxidation (sp?) off of it at least (mines painted black since day one) make sure all the il is off of hoses and what not, i like useing the foaming tire spray and hitting all the rubber and plastic in the engine bay and wipethem down with a rag to make it all even.. make sure if you have polished things that they shine and i try to get a spot that the engine bay will be in the sun (or lights) makes it look better.. go at all the spaces in the body with a q-tip to clean the left over wax and as soon as i get there i use a quick detailer spray, tire shine the tires and deff make sure the wheel wells are also shineing thats a big thing i see... also if you can see the tops of your tires.. spray them down with the tire shine also, deff clean and shine the exhaust tip in and out... get farther in the tip then you can actually see just incase (i use a tee shirt and a pipe snake) i also clean the underside as best as i can.. and make sure there are no spots on the windows!! i cant thoink of anything else right now tho lol

leave everything open regardless and make sure its clean in the trunk

 

Yea...Even tho you dont have anything done it still needs to be clean and free from dirt and stains..If you leave it closed they will assume your trying to hide something and dock you points. Take everything out too..Including the interior take out your golf clubs, bookbags, soda, ect...

 

under my hood is all shine, anything metal is polished except the head and block, pretty much. I have got really good at polished up that stuff, so im not worried about that. under the hood is def the strong point of my car so it is what i will put the most emphasis on.

 

As long as the rest of the car looks like that youll be good..Where did you get those steel braided hoses from? I know the caps for everything are from MRZ

 

Well the rest of the car isnt that shiny, but it is that clean.

It's just hose sleeving from Mr. Gasket. I got it on Amazon.com actually. http://www.amazon.com/Gasket-11004C-...0028219&sr=8-8

 

Make sure your brake, accelerator, clutch pedals are all clean top and bottom, when cleaning, make sure you clean under the mats, really meticulous judges will lifts mats to have a look. Give underneath the car a blast, and clean up & detail on a hoist if you can, or the like, clean inside & outside of the exhaust tips.

Wax the inside of the hood, when the hood is opened you will get more reflecting light, treat the engine bay pain in the same manner as the exterior paint.

Make sure you headlights and taillights are clean and clear, and very important make sure your windows are sparkling clean inside and out. That's super obvious if it's not.

Use cotton buds or a small clean paint brush to de-dust inside the air-conditioning vents.

I could keep going, I go hard out cleaning when show grooming. Lol, I'm a tough judge too.