Contest Guys!! How Many Times Do You Show A Car?

[FloridaBoy]

I am an older guy. I have built pretty continuously since the fifties but my current gig has been since '85. When I was a kid, I would enter my favorite cars about 4 or 5 times, which covered about a six month span....back then there were more contests locally. Plus, I would be popping out a new model every month or so, and after six months, the oldest car sort of got overshadowed by my new stuff. Everything was automatic.

Nowadays, there are about 8 or 9 contests throughout the state every year. My club hosts two. I have been attending them for years, and see pretty much the same practice generally. Even if I see a car more than 4 or 5 times, I am pretty tired looking at it, unless it is a very special car. A typical modeler down here enters his car about 5 or 6 times before he retires it. Some guys with magazine featured cars, or theme cars, will enter more but that seems to be rare.

I build by batch for several reasons. I am inspired by lots of cars or concepts at any time, and it is just as easy to me to putty, sand, and primer and build 10 cars at one time, than one. While putty, paint or glue dries on one model, I just go to the other. Then when the batch is done, I make decisions as to which ones will be suitable for entry. But these 10 cars have been in the mill for about 6 months, and I am wondering if they are really novel and different, should I enter them more often. That way I scratch several itches that happen along the way, and still build my best.

Just want to hear your input. You guys have such a high standard of building that I respect each and every one of your opinions.

Thanks tons in advance,

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Edited October 27, 2007 by FloridaBoy

[Mad Slammer]

I was talking about this with some friends last night, while setting the rules for our upcoming event "The 5th Caribbean Scale Auto Expo" here in Puerto Rico, wich takes place on Nov. 4, 2007. There's a lot of different opinions here, but for me. . . I'll show a model for a whole year, then only use them for exhibitions. If they win during the year I compete them, then they will not compete for at least 2 years. The thing is I build new kits for each year's show and then show them for a year untill the next year's show comes.

:blink:

[MrObsessive]

Ken for me personally, I'll "enter" a car in a particular show only once. If the car wins (whatever place) I may bring it again, but I'll put a "Do Not Judge" or "Do Not Vote" note by the model. Or if there's a display only section......it'll go there.

That way folks don't get in a tizzy about me entering (or winning) the same show a number of times.

[Andy Wyatt]

There's one small discrepancy in what Bill said. He said "if the car wins.." and he should have said "when the car wins..."! I, unfortunately only manage to get to a couple shows a year. I only enter recently built cars and I don't take the car to the same show more than once. If it's a small show that is just getting started or an event like a 1:1 car show and our club has a display then I will dig out a couple older builds just to fill up the display. I'm not worried about trophies because I know with Bill Geary around (and alot of other guys who know who they are)...I'm not gonna win anyway. I build for fun and go to shows to meet people. A trophy would be nice but I'm not digging my "best" build out year after year trying to get one.

[FloridaBoy]

I'm not gonna win anyway. I build for fun and go to shows to meet people. A trophy would be nice but I'm not digging my "best" build out year after year trying to get one.

I completely agree with you. I have won my share of trophies, but I am entering to show my cars off, or display them, and see how I fit in with today's modeling trends. Plus, model car contests are a wealth of fun and knowledge, plus it is a great place to make friends with other modelers. It is a great fraternity.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

[Luis Ayala]

I also have my models around contest tables for about a year. Sometimes is difficult to get something finished due to work, family, wheather, etc., but this is the only way I can push myself to build something new every year.

Is nice to win a trophy once and then, but I believe that the most rewarding thing about this hobbie is frienship...

After that time I only put my models on exhibitions.

[Brendan]

I'm pretty much in agreement with the rest of the group. I don't like seeing cars being shown at the same show every year. I may only hit one or two shows a year and I've been seeing it happen quite often at the NNLWest where some people are bringing the same cars for several years in a row. All it does is put me off from looking at that person's other kits they've done. I have brought one car back to a show, but I completely redid the car. I also write notes on what I've done to it and I also let people know that that particular car was shown in the previous year. My kits usually don't win, but if they do, they get retired. I bring about 14 new models to a show each year so I have a pretty good stock of kits to show.

[matador88]

for one contest season

then ot goes to display case

and on one costest only once!

[Mike]

I bring different builds every time a show is at a particular venue and show only once regardless if it places or not.

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

I show a given car for one year which means once at any given show.

For example: My '31 Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton saw it's first show in November of last year. It's last show was earlier this month. It's now retired.

It didn't make it to all of my regular shows as I missed one due to weather. Too bad.

[Modelmartin]

I will enter a car in each contest once. It doesn't matter if I take it to one contest this year and a different one in 3 years. I rotate stuff through NNLs. I always like seeing particular cars built by others on occassion. I hate to think that nice looking models won't come back out again. It's like real cars being shut away in garages and never being driven and seen and enjoyed by others.

Edited October 28, 2007 by Modelmartin

[Billy Kingsley]

I bring my best completions of each year to a show. I usually only bring each model to one show one time, but, if it matched the theme of the show, it would come back.

I am trying to convince the NNL East and MASSCAR shows (well, contest for MASSCAR) to have a NASCAR only class so I am going to flood them, bringing all the good ones so they see the number of NASCAR entrys is up...Way up...And I just finished my 75th NASCAR model...

Also. if I should get to a new show or contest, like the MAMA's show, which I've been trying to get to for a few years, I would bring my best even though I built them several years back, or will be several years by that time.

Edited October 29, 2007 by Billy Kingsley

[simonr]

Since I had visiting new shows for the last 2 years, I had been taking them to all those shows, due to that's a first time for all of them.

Simon Rivera

[gasman]

usually just one year. I'll take a build to a show that it has'nt been seen at. if its already been on the contest table at that show. then it will not be making a return apearence

[Steve D.]

I must admit first of all that I am a model building freak . At most of the local contests I'll typically enter between 10 and 15 models . My rule of thumb is each model can make one appearance at a show , it does not matter if it wins an award or not . After that it hits the display case , or I sell them off as built-ups . (you know , room for more models!!)

As I usually throw together 15-20 models a year , my biggest problem is trying to remember what kits were at last years show . I realize that I'm extremely lucky to be able to do this , as my wife and my jobs hours give me the flexability I need . Some people look at my models and say"why dont you spend more time detailing the engines etc." Well usually out of the dozen or so that I have entered , two or three will be super detailed , the rest will be built out of the box . If I spend too much time on a model I get bored with it ( can you say A.D.D.) , thats also why I'll build two or three kits at the same time .

Well don't you have any other interest's , HELL YES my other hobbies are , competive GO-Kart racing with my son and daughter ,( we have three karts and a trailer) and race around the New England area .Building custom Golf clubs(a hobby that has turned into a pain in the butt!) and fishing , both salt and fresh .(Trout,Salmon,andStripers)

I also used to coach Little League baseball , basketball,girls softball,even soccer,although I have to admit in soccer I was more of a manager than a coach . And was even the local CUB MASTER for a couple of years .

Time flies and both kids are now off at college leaving me with plenty of time to BUILD MODELS !!! , between models and the sucess of the local sports teams , it has been a pretty good year ! And the wife ? , she's my best frend , and loves all this nonsense as well !!

[VW Dave]

I bring different builds every time a show is at a particular venue and show only once regardless if it places or not.

Pretty much my M.O. as well; if a new show pops up that I haven't been to before, I might bring a few out of the archives. After that apearance, those specific models kinda get 'retired' from traveling.

[3men2s]

HOPE TO MET YOU NEXT SATURDAY IN THE SHOW IN PLANTATION, FLORIDA.

AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR STUFF. i HAVEN'T BEEN IN A SHOW IN YEARS.

I USUALLY BRING ONE OR TWO OF MY LAST BUILTS. DEPENDING ON WHO DOES THE

SHOW AND HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS COME, IF IT IS A SMALL GATHERING, I BRING

EVERYTHING, TO SUPORT THE HOBBIE. BUT MY GOAL IS TO BRING ONE FOR EACH OF MY FAVORITE CLASSES. STREET,CUSTOM,RACING STRAIT LINE AND ROAD RACING....IF I HAVE TIME MAYBE A THEME CAR, WILL BE THERE AROUND 12:00PM AND WILL BRING SOME OF MY DRAWINGS AND IDEAS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS. iF YOU NEED HELP, I COULD SHOW UP AROUND 10:00 OR SO, I WILL BE IN BOCA

EARLY IN THE MORNING AND I WILL BE IN THE AREA.

tHANK yOU kEN.

Danny Rodriguez "3men2s"/"Danjo Graphics".

[Lyle Willits]

Like most others here, I show cars for a year, then they stay in the showcases at home. The majority of the "shows" are NNL's, not judged contests. There have been a couple of exceptions to my rule. If an NNL runs a theme that one of my cars already fits into, then I'll "unretire it" for that one show.

[wagonmaster]

Being that there is so few shows around here. I will usually show a car at a show once. I may show it for several years but never at the same show. Only exception to that rule is like Lyle said if a car fits a shows theme, if it is requested, or has been several( several several) years since it has been shown.

I may take a car that I showed at a show back in the 90s to the 20th annual show next year.

Tim