Detroit Showdown: Six Tips How To Enter a Model Car Contest to Win!

[matthijsgrit]

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/six-tips-enter-model-car-contest-win/

" How to enter a model car contest to win is easy if one hones their skills to assemble a model kit without flaws and trains their eye to incorporate detailed minutia; think of neat tricks like wiring the engine to wow the judges."This sparked my interest! Easy???

Have a nice read!

[vintagerpm]

Talk to the judges? Don't ever talk to the judges, at least not while they are judging. That's called "politicing" and will get your entry disqualified at the shows I go to. Write out on the entry form or a seperate sheet of paper all the work you've done to the model.

Mike

[Jantrix]

9 minutes ago, vintagerpm said:

Talk to the judges? Don't ever talk to the judges, at least not while they are judging. That's called "politicing" and will get your entry disqualified at the shows I go to. Write out on the entry form or a seperate sheet of paper all the work you've done to the model.

Mike

I quite agree. Most shows I've been involved in clear the room when the judging is going on. A clearly written or typed summary of your work on you entry form is the way to go. However, I do advise talking to the judges AFTER the awards. A quick critique from the judge might give you a tip on how to do better next time.

Also in most cases a "good" paint job isn't enough. There are too many exceptional painters out there.and you need to step up to that level to compete.

Simply put, clean building, expected details (a washed grill, clean BMF, detail painting), and a great paint job wins. Period.

[89AKurt]

Quote

... Bribing a judge with a doughnut or a candy bar isn't cheating, so if things are looking bad for you, hand the judge a glazed doughnut, or a Snickers bar. ...

Written by someone who hasn't participated in many contests.  If your model looks like a toy, and is slapped together, a steak meal with "Special" brownies will not help.

[Tom Geiger]

And that folks is why the general public thinks model car builders are drooling, mentally deficient idiots!

[keyser]

16 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

And that folks is why the general public thinks model car builders are drooling, mentally deficient idiots!

Maybe it's Kurt's "special brownies"?  The judges I know aren't bribable, nor should any. 1:1 cars, well, that depends on who you are. ?

Hygiene, we've discussed that

Edited May 27, 2020 by keyser

[Flat32]

Are the judges always model builders themselves??

[Jantrix]

6 minutes ago, Flat32 said:

Are the judges always model builders themselves??

Well I have done contests where the all the judging is popular vote. I hate that.

But in most cases yes. Though usually of another modeling genre.

[espo]

The few shows I have entered the judging is done after they have closed the doors and all of the models have been entered and everyone has gone home for the day. The Judges will spend the evening and sometimes almost over night doing their judging and it is later in the afternoon of the following day before the winners are announced. A good idea if you have done a lot of extra detailing or body and chassis work is to supply a small short list of anything you have done. This gives visitors a chance to better understand the model they're looking at, and the Judges have to look at so many entries that you have to think they all start to look alike after a while.   I have had the privilege of viewing many outstanding models and seeing just how cleanly some of these models are done, and this just makes me want to try a little harder to emulate the builds I have seen others do.  

[Snake45]

There's three minutes of my life I'll never get back. 

[matthijsgrit]

Thought the story is quite funny actually...

[El Roberto]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:20 AM, Jantrix said:

Well I have done contests where the all the judging is popular vote. I hate that.

But in most cases yes. Though usually of another modeling genre.

In my model club there is a separate award from the judged ones,  "peoples choice" where everyone votes on their favorite.  

[Snake45]

On 5/27/2020 at 1:20 PM, Jantrix said:

Well I have done contests where the all the judging is popular vote. I hate that.

Me too. I once drove a couple hours to a car show where they were also having a model car contest, with "popular vote" judging. The judging/voting was supposed to begin at noon, I was told, and entries would be accepted until then. I arrived about 11:30 to find dozens of show-goers in the model area, voting already. I didn't even bother to get my stuff out of the car. 

[1972coronet]

My already-dangerously-low I.Q. just dropped a few more points for having read that article  :  "Build a 1932 Ford Coupe or the Hot Rod of Your Dreams" says it all ! Thanks for the ad hoc advice ! 

 

[JollySipper]

On 5/27/2020 at 4:22 PM, Snake45 said:

There's three minutes of my life I'll never get back. 

That's what SHE said...........

I've never entered a contest with one of my builds, but once I finish one that I think would do well, I want to enter one just to see how it would do. Would be cool to share a table with some of the greats of the hobby........

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, JollySipper said:

That's what SHE said...........

I've never entered a contest with one of my builds, but once I finish one that I think would do well, I want to enter one just to see how it would do. Would be cool to share a table with some of the greats of the hobby........

Before about 5 years ago, I had never participated in any contests or shows either, but since then, I have attended a half dozen or so.

The show that I enjoy the most is not even a contest per say.

 

It's the NNL North show in Bloomington Minnesota.

There are awards given by some of the model clubs in the region and there are some plaques awarded for "peoples choice", but otherwise, it's a very laid back event.

I don't care as much for actual contests for various reasons.

 

I attended a small IMPS event last year, but it was quite obvious when it came to the judging that there was considerable "old boy network" mechanics at work.

I much prefer events tailored just for model cars and trucks as well.

The IMPS event I mentioned above was for all genres and had in all likelihood no more than a total of 50 entrants, yet there was an entire table full of awards!

There were a total of 5 entries in the factory stock automotive category, and 3 of them were mine.

Needless to say there are entrees in these shows that will take home a medal that wouldn't even get a second look in most shows.

I hate to be too blunt, but the other 2 factory stock entrants in that category looked like an 8 year old built them, yet they both received medals.

I guess it's only natural in this age of "everybody gets a medal" mentality that we should expect this.

 

In conclusion, I've come to understand that it's not all about medals and trophies.

Granted, it's fun to be recognized by your peers, but in my opinion, it's much more fun just to be in the company of your peers than it is to be in the company of some club members who want to make sure that their buddies have plenty of bling in their award cabinet.

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[StevenGuthmiller]

My take on the article posted by the OP?

Know something about the subject you're writing about before attempting it.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Danno]

Another “expert” article expertly written by an expert without a hint of a clue.

[StevenGuthmiller]

4 minutes ago, Danno said:

Another “expert” article expertly written by an expert without a hint of a clue.

Bingo!

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Jantrix]

11 hours ago, JollySipper said:

That's what SHE said...........

I've never entered a contest with one of my builds, but once I finish one that I think would do well, I want to enter one just to see how it would do. Would be cool to share a table with some of the greats of the hobby........

It's definitely worth doing. I've done many local contests, but I was lucky enough to participate in the last GSL. It was my first "big" contest. It was a great time.

12 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Me too. I once drove a couple hours to a car show where they were also having a model car contest, with "popular vote" judging. The judging/voting was supposed to begin at noon, I was told, and entries would be accepted until then. I arrived about 11:30 to find dozens of show-goers in the model area, voting already. I didn't even bother to get my stuff out of the car. 

The local club that puts it on, does it this way so that the club members can participate, even though they all vote for one another. But somehow it's still impartial. ?

And when I heard a woman who was voting, say to her husband, "Look Dear, that one's the same color as my nail polish, I'll vote for that one.", I never went back. People who aren't modelers and have no clue what went into the construction of the model, should not be voting.

[Daddyfink]

So, why doesn't someone  here write an article for Hot Rod about model car contest? No? Nobody? 

This may not be the best article on the subject of Model Contest, but they guy wrote it and sent it in.

So, until a different voice comes along, this is it. 

 

[Daddyfink]

 

This is your writer....

John Gilbert

SENIOR EDITOR, HOT ROD

• Email

John Gilbert was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in the San Gabriel Valley deeply immersed in the SoCal car culture. Throughout grammar and junior high school John was constantly in trouble for drawing flames on his schoolwork, and automobile-related incidents during high school.
Graduating mid-term from West Covina High School, John opened a custom paint shop and established lifelong friendships with the editors of the magazines his customizing work appeared in. In 1999, John was commissioned by Easyriders Inc. to create a custom truck lifestyle magazine in the spirit of Easyriders Magazine. John titled the hard-core truck rag Tailgate, marking the beginnings of his career as a magazine editor.
Citing creative differences, John resigned from Tailgate in 2004 and went to work for Hot Rod Bikes, followed by the editorship of Custom Classic Trucks. In late 2009, John resigned from Custom Classic Trucks expressing a desire to goof off, and freelanced as the editor of the once-a-year American Truck magazine.
During the course of his career, John’s work has appeared in Street Rodder, Classic Trucks, Rod & Custom, Chevy High Performance, Muscle Car Review, Hot Rod, Easyriders, Biker, In the Wind, Tattoo, Road Iron, V-Twin, Hot Rod’s Bikeworks, Hot Bike, Street Chopper, Ol' Skool Rodz, Custom Classic Trucks, Chevelle, Highbeams, Truckin’, Mini-Truckin’, Super Chevy, Hot Rod Bikes, Sport Truck, Vette, Classic Truck Trends, Air Brush Art & Action, Juxtapoz, Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, Mustang Monthly, Bikernet, American Hard Assets, Street Trucks, American Rodder, VQ, West Coast Eastwood, and National Geographic.
Currently, John is a senior editor for HOT ROD. His photographic images have appeared on over 275 magazine covers.

[Scott Colmer]

Hot Rod has come a long way for their Model Car contest back in the 80s. I agree, we need a a writer to follow up on the article. It is not really a great representation of what a contest and building for a contest is all about. The timing is good since we have more people building models since they are stuck ay home. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

6 hours ago, Daddyfink said:

So, why doesn't someone  here write an article for Hot Rod about model car contest? No? Nobody? 

This may not be the best article on the subject of Model Contest, but they guy wrote it and sent it in.

So, until a different voice comes along, this is it. 

 

I question the validity of the subject altogether.

Does entering a model in a show serve no purpose other than just to take home a medal?

I surely hope that we as modelers are not that shallow.

 

Likewise, just because the man has written articles in multiple automotive magazines doesn't mean that he knows squat about models or the people that build them.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

 

[Daddyfink]

51 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I question the validity of the subject altogether.

Does entering a model in a show serve no purpose other than just to take home a medal?

I surely hope that we as modelers are not that shallow.

 

Likewise, just because the man has written articles in multiple automotive magazines doesn't mean that he knows squat about models or the people that build them.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

 

I am just pointing out that perhaps someone with more knowledge of contest could write an article, and the bio I posted of the man is to just show what his background is. 

And yes, there are plenty of folks who enter a contest to hopefully win something, or there just wouldn't be any contest, just NNL type events. And there is room for both. Some egos in this hobby can be quite huge, but for those that only like to just show their work, most shows have Display only tables, or just get to an NNL