Are Awards/Trophies Really Necessary?

The Cheaters "LOVE" trophys.... How big are they...????

 

BIG!! mucho grande BIG!!

 

the real rewards of custom car building and hotrodding are the ones when you are cruizing your ride,getting the thumbs up,being asked legitimate questions and for me the older people who bought and drove these cars back in the day,when they stop you and tell you that your car brings back the best memories of those times.and that seeing younger people carefully restore a part of their past instead of joining some dumb *** gang ,shooting drugs and acting like ***holes . but yeah i can dig a trophy for the hard work but ultimately its my sense of satisfaction that matters.

 

I host 2 events each year here in Phoenix in April. One since 1998 and the second since 2003. Each event has its own car show with drags, exhibitions, displays and a parts exchange. It is a lot of work and is expensive but, worth it.

In a sincere effort to please all types, we have both judged and popular vote cl***es plus a wide variety of cl***es too.
The drags and parts deal just adds to it.

I am personally not a fan of trophies but, I wouldn't turn one down. All my stuff is driver or less quality. I just enjoy driving them. If you r car gets too perfect, you do not drive it. That is what I like about this site, few trailer queens. Still, there is enough room in the car hobby for both and more.

Many people like throphies. I'd be happy to have different types of prizes with some input. We do have dash plaques, event posters, cool vintage cartoon event shirts and other giveaways too.

If anyone is interested in coming out, you are all welcome and encouraged do to so.

thanks,
Steve Barcak

Sat April 5 is for vintage Pontiac powered only. www.pontiacheaven.org
Sun April 6 is the nostalgic event for 1981 and older anaything American. www.musclecarheaven.org

 

most people are happy if they get something for their money, that makes t-shirts, wall plaques , and dash plaques enough for many.
BUT many others out there can only justify their investment in time and money by winning something. trophies almost always cause trouble at car shows where the winners(whiners) have to be picked,not earned by a performance effort.
i vote no for trophies.
i do how ever think that home built trophies are cool and reflect the level of commentment on the part of the show promotors. if you gotta have em, build em.

 

we had trophies once. I gave a guy the "best unfinished" award and he got really pissed. I guess his $150,000 dollar duece was actually done. I apologized to everyone at the show from the podium with the microphone stating that I just naturally thought it was unfinished since it was trailered in.

 

Home made club / person picks are the best..shows the time and effort in to the process and is much more of a converstion piece than a $6 piece of plastic

 

Depends on who you want to attract to your show. I won a few trophies years ago, and I must say, the first one was really an ego boost, it made me feel like all the work I did myself was really appreciated by my fellow rodders. But after a while, I started to see how childish some people become over them, especially at local shows, and the animosity it builds between people who have so much in common that they SHOULD be the best of friends.

Eventually, I stopped going to local shows that had judging, or put a note on my car saying "Do Not Judge". I much prefer cruises where people get together without the "mines better than your's" at***ude, and just enjoy what the other guy has done.

BUT, if you want to attract high dollar cars that will draw in the general public who will ooohhh and aaahhh, I guess you gotta have trophies, after all, would you spend $75,000 or more to have someone build you a car if you couldn't bring home a fancy plastic doodad that confirms that you are a real, bonifide, dyed in the wool, genuine car guy, and one of the cool crowd? That trophy confirms to some that they're better than the rest, and gives them the right to look down on them, and they think it makes others look up to them. So, if that's the crowd you want, trophies are a must.

Trophies do have their place though, and do help to push the hobby forward when presented at certain national level shows, but they should be reserved for only that type of show, local shows, for the most part are ruined by them in my opinion.

 

Those folks (us) who build or otherwise own the cars have already invested blood, sweat, tears, and hard-earned cash on the main attraction of a car event. The spectators typically come free to see the cars. Why should we have to pay again so the spectators can come for free and we may or may not walk away with a meaningless piece of **** trophy steeped in politics and/or judgement by someone who doesn't know diddly about what we do.

I say keep the two-bit trophies (and yes I have a few dust collectors in boxes). Here's a novel idea based on the E'ville Iron's Frog Follies philosophy... Charge us a reasonable fee - but in exchange, provide the car folks real value in exchange. Instead of trophies, how about a free meal, an event shirt, something unique as a gift (not a goofy mug either), maybe a dance, and a part of your entry fee going to support a worthy cause. Then, let the spectators pay to view the cars (if you can gate the event) and/or pay for concessions, etc. to offset the cost to the promotor.

All the car folks get something of value and feel appreciated; the spectators pay for the car viewing entertainment; the promotor makes a little cash; the charity of choice gets some support; the gold-chained posers will stay home...everyone with a vested interest wins.

Keep your stinkin' trophy...

 

homemade trophies pieced together from random junk are cool. plastic store bought ones i could live without

 

Believe it or not......some people who build and personalize their car, do it so others will appriciate it. A trophy...especially a "people's choice" award gives them recognition for their ideas.

...of course I know a few of you guys don't like it when others think you did something creative. Next time prove your commited to your beliefs! Park a couple blocks away, and walk to the event. You don't care if people see your car, right? ~

 

if i did i would just bring the slot car and take my chances

 

the best thing about shows (not all)..is talking to people that are on then same wavelength as you......nothing bores me more when a streetrodder starts talking about his tweed interior, or his skull door locks,,,but when you are at a show with traditional rods and kustoms, most of the people "get it",,,,ive gotten a couple of trophies, and it definitely did make me feel good,,,but for the most part there is usually too many "politics" involved,,,,especially at the mainstream shows...

 

They give them away at the local Friday/Saturday burger joint cruise night around here. People started complaining that the same cars win every week. Duh.............if the car that won was better than yours last week chances are good that it's still better this week. Trophys are .

 

They are not strong enough to use as jack-stands..................

 

That has got to be the funniest thing I have ever heard of at a car show. I have got to share this with my friends!

 

im kinda on the fence about the trophy thing ,- some places give out gift certificates for food or oil or whatever -thats ok , usually at the non gold chainer events the trophy are homade and given out correctly -by that i mean the trophy is given to the type of car it applies to , ( best chopmerc = chop merc) not to the flatblack vw squareback with red rims and lakepipes - , as far as the crybabys go watching some guy throw a major ****fit cause his 100million dollar wizzbang dosent get a trophy , throwing himself on the ground ,and screaming jibberish to me is well worth the price of admission -

 

you hit the nail on the head

 

My sentiments EXACTLY! I went to a local show that wanted to charge me to enter my car, AND they were charging the spectators. I ask "why charge both, you're having a dance tonight, are you charging the band to play?" Then I explained, that we car owners are the band in this case, we have a talent and investment in these cars, and we're drawing the spectators who pay to see them, just the same as the band draws people who pay to enter the dance, only difference is, the band gets PAID.
As I said in my previous post, I have won my share of trophies, and it was nice, at first, but the animosity that builds on a local level because of trophies isn't worth it in my opinion.
If everyone pays to get in, then the money should be used to insure that everyone has a good time. Why should the guys with a little less than perfect car spend his money to buy the other guy a trophy?
The judging should be at the gate, when someone turns up in a PT cruiser with magnetic flames, or a new corvette etc. that's the time to scrutinize and just turn them away, or at least set aside a special area for them (next to the porta potties preferably).

 

If they stopped giving out trophy’s you wouldn’t get to see all of those creepy kids dolls leaning up against peoples bumpers. It seems like the guy with the most dolls and stuffed animals wins an award. I was walking around a car show with my my 5 yr old son we walk up to a car and he blurts out " Look dad he has one of those stupid dolls laying under his car." I had to bust up laughing but I don’t think the trophy hound thought it was as funny. That’s my boy I am so proud..lol

 

OK-seems that there have to be trophys. But, Roddinron is right, the shows that charge to show the car and charge to look at the cars everyone should be equal. Why not just sell trophys like you do shirts, hats, etc. That way people could go home with the trophy they think they deserve.

 

I both like and dislike trophys...kinda nice to get recognition for your car and hard work but a pain in the *** to have to continually clean and polish something you enjoy driving.

I much prefer "Cruising The Coast" where the cars are driven and appreciated for being the mobile art. My trophy is discovering that I was in an area where the cars being driven were filmed for the DVD that gets sent out after the event.

 

i agree with the majority completely, if your coming for the trophy you are totaly missing what the car hobby is all about! everybody likes some recognition for there work , and if you get some take it! but dont go there with the throught that you have to go home with that 8.00 piece of dust collector . i dont mind at all to pay entrance fees to get in, with in reason, but my main reason to be there is to relax have fun, and help support charity shows!

 

i think Trophies is a excuse to charge a entry fee of $50 bucks for car shows cause we dont spend enough money on building our cars plus gas to get there they should charge spectators only keep the trophys i bearly have room for all the my parts and tools

 

I have won one trophy over the years. Best daily driver. And it came out of the blue. I drove the '56 300 miles to spend a weekend at an old buddy's place. There was a car show going on in town with about 300 entries. His wife was running some tours at the local museum so he talked me into entering. I hadn't bothered to even clean the windshield at the last gas stop. There were 150 miles of bug splatters on it. We were waiting for her when they announced the awards. I felt very flattered because the entrants did the voting. Are trophies worth it? Nah, not in my opinion but that one sits proudly in the garage and makes me grin every time I look at it.

 

Necessary evil.

 

Minnesotas "Back to the 50's" second largest car show in the US no trophies
15,000 cars show up Best show in the US
3 days $25 pre registared
6am to midnite. Bands, Swap on Sunday Lots of Venders, Food One of the best fair grounds in the United States,Has Trees!!!!!

 

OOOOKKKKK! NOW LETS HERE FROM THE TROPHY DEALER!!!!!I have 3 cars(all pre 1952 and 2 finished) and attend about 6 cruises a year and once in a while a "car show". I do the awards for all these shows. While I can say I don't care if I get an award, I do like the dash plaques and I don't take one for myself unless I attend the show. We do 5 plaques for each of the cruises (they are bi-monthly) and the winners are picked by the cruise sponsor. Just pick the cars they like. That mixes up the picks 'cause there are a lot of the same cars. I COMPLETELY understand the majority! The bottom line is are you making money or attracting cars BECAUSE you have trophys (I like plaques better, both recieving and making) then the benefit is to whoever the show or cruise benefits.The trophy, plaque, dash plaque business is a good part of my summer income and THANK GOD FOR THE TROPHY HOUND!!We also maintain a significant part of our website for the schedules and some pictures of local events.Jimjandcawards.com

 

No comment?
Oh yea the website is www.jandcawards.com
j

 

Tropys are ok but I have recieved a couple of "High Speed Driving Awards" and one for doing "Spirted Driving" in my 84 Rabbit