I just posted the following in the GCVW's Facebook group, and thought it would be worthwhile to post here. Here is the basic information on how judging is done for the Air Cooled classes at GCVW's.
The judging sheets are the same sheets used for water-cooled, and roughly break down as follows:
The scoring is out of a possible 100 points and divided up into categories. Each category ranges in points from 5 to 20.
Paint - 10 points
Body - 20 points
Suspension and chassis - 15 points
Wheels - 10 points
Trunk - 5 points
Safety - 5 points
Engine - 10 points
Theme - 5 points
Interior - 20 points
Each Air-Cooled class at GCVW's is scored by a single judge, or pair of judges working together. This ensures that each class is judged fairly, car-to-car, in the class.
In the Air-Cooled classes we usually have two categories. You can enter your vehicle in either Stock or Modified. The way the classes are judged is slightly different.
Stock Classes - With stock classes, we presume each car is starting out with a full 100 points. A full-scoring 100pt car would be exactly as it was leaving _the factory_. Points are essentially deducted for issues which lower the car from the factory-fresh condition. Stone chips in the paint, for instance, might drop your score in paint to a 9 or 8. Rust or patina, but on original paint, might drop you down to a 3 or 5 (depending on what we're looking at). A non-standard colour repaint, metallic flake or obvious signs of heavy clear coating would drop you to a zero. Custom interiors, custom wheels, lowered suspension, lots of accessories (even if period) can all hurt your scores in the stock class. One or two period accessories generally won't hurt you, but you have to remember these were budget-based cars, and people weren't leaving the dealership with the accessories catalog fully spec'd out on their car.
Safety is a category largely ignored in the stock classes. Its basically a free 5 points.
Note: This is NOT concourse judging. We're all volunteer judges, and can't be expected to know the difference between a '58 turn-signal-tube fender and a '58 aftermarket non-tube fender...since, if we own one (and entered it) we can't judge that class. There is certainly leeway given for aftermarket reproduction parts. BUT, a car with fender gaps uneven left to right is obvious, as is the fit of aftermarket bumpers. We may not catch that your bumpers are brand-new Empi cheapies...but we will catch that they fit funny, and score that appropriately in the "body" section.
Modified Classes- The modified classes are scored more like the Water Cooled classes, in respects that each car starts at about the middle of each possible points area. If the paint is clean, but a standard factory paint job you can expect a 5 will be scored. If it's got flaws, lower score. If it's a custom colour, deep clear coat, metallic, etc, the score goes up. A custom metallic car with deep clear coat, but has flaws, could end up back at a 5.
The modified classes are, unfortunately, a bit "pay to play". Obviously the person who spends money on custom paint, custom interior, custom suspension, custom wheels, etc. is more likely to win over my '58 which is basically stock looking with a lowered suspension. BUT theme, cleanliness and an overall "does it make sense" goes a long distance in the scoring of the car.
*Edit* - I suppose I should try and make it a little clearer, but if your car is mostly stock but somewhat modified...you still have a very good chance of winning your class. A clean, well detailed, stock colour single-stage paint job is still going to earn you points in modified class. You could end up with an 8 or 9 in paint because it's flawless. "tastefully modified" is still highly regarded, and your doesn't have to be 1987 CNC Built-for-VW-Trends to win.
AFTER ALL THE JUDGING IS DONE - The DVKK go and walk through each class, and look at the top three choices made by our volunteer judges. We do a quick confirmation that they appear to be in what should be the correct order.
In a perfect world we'd have "stock", "mild", and "wild" classes. But the truth is we just don't have the volunteer base, nor the real-estate to divide everything up into further classes.
-Dave
