Import & Kit Car Nationals CArlisle, PA

Hello All

Thanks to the prodding of Cal44 I decided to let all know about my attendance at the Import & Kit Car Show up in Carlisle, PA. The show started today and runs through the weekend. I have entered my Tiger in the Standard of Excellence Judging (judging is tomorrow). I am in the Sports Car--Restored Class. I am told they rate the cars on a 100 point system and since there are many marques it is the quality of the restoration that takes precedent over originality, since they can not have experts on each marque.

My Tiger has done well at some local shows, just getting a Best of Show 3 weeks ago at the Britain on the Green Car Show in Alexandria, VA.

Figured I would venture out of the small pond a try to swim in the ocean with the bigger fish. We'll see how that turns out.

Will let you know more about the show and how my Tiger fared next week.

Jim

Nice Tiger, and good luck with the show.

Jim,

Very very nice tiger, are they bead blasted cosmic alloys?

carlisle

the only problem is that there aren't any sunbeam parts to buy! i walked for six hours today and only found about six items to buy and three were dealer literature. very few vendors this year. probably the smallest number of vendors i've seen in all the years i been at carlisle. even the building for the kit cars is half empty.

Hi All,

Well I am back from Carlisle and thought I would give results before I hit the rack.

Bottomline I won an award...but not sure what that really means. First there were only about 10 cars and only 5 in the Import-restored class...three of us got Standard of Excellence Awards...my Tiger, a 53 Audi DKW (immaculate trailer queen) and a very nice 58 Lotus Elite. I think if you met enough criteria you received an award. They basically looked at 5 areas (interior, exterior, engine compartment, trunk, undercarriage) and rated you 1-5 (they give them names instead...Fault-Demerit-Endorsement-Compliment-Commendation) I got 3Compliments and 2 Endorsements.

I drove the 130 miles to the show and I missed some spots in the clean up I did before the judging. Some bug splats, dirty tires/wheels cost me a bit. They judged the car with top up/side windows up (not expected)...my rear window was a bit dirty/stained and I forgot to clean side windows (I never put them up)...cost me some more. Despite the beautiful finish on my car the usual chips and nicks in the usual places cost me some more.

Only suggestion I would have for them would be more interaction with th owner as they judge. For example they wrote on the judging sheet..."battery in trunk," "Fenderwells Painted," and "different hose clamps." Did they think this was somehow incorrect or reflected poorly on the quality of the restoration. I don't know since they never asked. Just saw it on sheet when it was all over.

Overall, I think my Tiger did okay...some self-inflcted wounds that can be corrected next time with some better preparation.

OBTW...Michael was correct my wheels are powder-coated period Cosmic alloy wheels.

Thanks, Jim

carlisle

i must say the tiger looked great. and i noticed the look on their faces when you opened the trunk floor. they probably had no knowledge of the way the car was originally built. did you happen to see the owner of the white alpine with the V8?