BUICK GRAN SPORT CLUB OF AMERICA JUDGING HANDBOOK 1999 EDITION Buick Gran Sport Club of It is hoped that succeeding editions will America Judging Handbook become more complete, more definitive st and more authoritative with additions 1 Edition and corrections discovered by student restorer and new research. This is not an If a Buick Gran Sport Club of America end, but a beginning. (GSCA) National or Regional meet or car show is a judged event, the current GSCA National Judging Forms must be Philosophy used. All National Meets will use the GSCA National and Regional 400 point judging form for the Concours Concours Class Awards are based on class and the GSCA peer form for the how well the vehicle compares to the popular vote classes. Although judging original factory product as judged under and awards at national meets are directed the GSCA 400 point system. The three toward recognition of excellence of key items to be considered in evaluating original and restored Buicks, all the vehicle for these awards are members are welcome and invited to authenticity, condition, and participate and to display their Buicks, workmanship. whether modified or unrestored, at any The Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards GSCA event. The GSCA local club honor those vehicles that meet the sponsoring the event may, at its option, minimum point requirements as provide a separate display area for non- described in the GSCA Judging judged Buicks, and may offer awards Handbook. Here condition and recognizing such participation, which workmanship are or prime importance. are not GSCA national awards and are The Senior Award honors those Buicks not awarded by GSCA judging teams. that most nearly represent the vehicle as There is no class separation within the it left the factory. For this award, “display only” category of vehicles. authenticity together with condition and GSCA peer and 400 point judging form workmanship are of prime importance. masters, along with support and scoring To assure consistency for this award, form masters, will be available from the within classes, between classes and GSCA and should be copied for use at between meets, twelve specific items, GSCA events. that are considered most significant regarding authenticity, have been Introduction selected. A vehicle must be correct in these twelve items to meet the All judging information contained requirements for the Senior award. In herein can be adapted to regional and addition, the vehicle must attain a local meets, with the exception of Senior minimum of 390 points. Class awards. Senior status can only be By using this system the GSCA awarded at a National Meet. provides recognition of a Senior Award This handbook is produced for the for those members who restore a vehicle guidance of both the restorer and the to factory condition. It also provides for critic of Buick automobiles. It is doubted those members who choose to restore that such a handbook could ever be and/or maintain a vehicle at a level complete. Legitimate exceptions or where the car can be driven regularly. improvements will be found to the policies and guidelines as stated herein. History Guidelines for Fairness and The 400 point judging system that will Consistency in Judging be first implemented at the 1999 GS A judging team should consist of a Nationals for the GSCA Concours Class Team Captain, at least one other judge is an updated version of the BCA rules and apprentices (optimum size for team that is a better fit for cars of the 1960- is four). The combined experience and 1990 vintage. Permission was given by knowledge of the judging team should both the President of the BCA and the cover extensively all the cars in that President of the GSCA to create these particular class. rules. The idea was to make a set of rules Each judging team should look over the for the GSCA that would mesh with the entire class before starting on that class. BCA rules and therefore create a system Judges should not touch an entry. It is that will assure consistency and fairness imperative that the owner or a between both clubs. representative be with the vehicle during the judging process. If the General Judging Policies owner is not present, the team moves to The most general guideline is that all the next vehicle, unless a notation is Buicks are to be presented and evaluated made on the windshield card that the impartially, consistently, courteously owner is a judge, specifying which class knowledgeably and fairly. This critical the owner is judging, and specifically evaluation should be an educational authorizing the Team Captain to open process for both the restorer/owner and whatever accesses would be required to the judging team. A free flow of facilitate judging. In this case, as an information is encouraged for the accommodation to a fellow judge, if a improvement of both judge and judged. major authenticity point deduction is It shall be the owner’s responsibility mandated, the owner can be consulted. If to document the authenticity or an absent owner is located before the correctness of any feature of his/her judging is completed in that class, then vehicle to the satisfaction of the his/her vehicle should be judged; judging team. In the event of a dispute, otherwise, it shall not be judged. the Head Judge is empowered to Keep in mind that the vehicles you will arbitrate a resolution. In the event that an be judging are production vehicles that authenticity dispute arises over a matter came off an assembly line. The judging as printed in this handbook, the owner’s standard in any particular area should documentation shall be provided to the rate how this vehicle compares to the Head Judge of the meet. The Head Judge original factory product. If any judged will subsequently present the item is as good as original it should documentation for possible modification receive no deductions in that category. of this handbook to the Chief Judge of Of course, if a better quality of the GSCA if warranted by the evidence. workmanship is found and the vehicle Acceptance (or denial) of the evidence has not been modified in any way from for purposes of the meet shall not original, Then it still receives no prejudice the review of such evidence by deductions. All parts should be as the GSCA, or its ultimate inclusion of original, factory replacement or dealer this handbook. option equipment as defined elsewhere in this judging handbook. As an example, painted items should be 3. You must have complied with painted only in correct colors and only instructions of the Head Judge originally plated items should be plated regarding participation in programs and with the correct type of plating. such as prejudging qualification Every judge should keep in mind that checks (if necessary), directions as to he or she is judging each vehicle times, places and procedures. You individually on its own merit. A vehicle should read all instructions carefully. starts out with the maximum number of 4. Your vehicle must be on the field points allowed in each category. Points and in it’s designated class by the are then deducted according to the designated time on the day of the severity of the defect. If a vehicle meets meet. all standard requirements for factory 5. You must have all of the proper new condition, then the judge should not registration materials and they must deduct points just because the last be properly presented. The vehicle judged had a million dollar paint windshield card must be in place and job and this one has a factory issue paint filled out for use of the judging team. job. Both vehicles have met or exceeded 6. You must have an operational UL the original quality requirements for full approved fire extinguisher in your points. Do not deduct fractional points. vehicle located where it is readily accessible. The vehicle will Duties of the Owner/Exhibitor automatically be disqualified for To enter your vehicle and present it for judging if this requirement is not judging at a GSCA National or Regional met. Meet, you will have a number of 7. Your car must stay on the judging obligations to which you must adhere in field until the official end of the order to qualify for entry and to be meet, or until told specifically by the judged fairly. These requirements and Head Judge that you may leave. You suggestions are listed below. It is also may not remove your vehicle once recommended that you familiarize the judging team passes you. yourself with the judging rules and However you may leave your vehicle guidelines, which will be used by the unattended, if you wish, once the judging system in the evaluation of your “Judged” label has been affixed to car. This will avoid misunderstandings your windshield card. and disappointment with the result. 8. You or your designated Owners are encouraged/invited to representative must be in attendance participate in the judging process by at your vehicle while it is being being a judge to learn first-hand how judged. Judges in other classes may your car will be evaluated when it is designate the Team Captain to be entered for judging. their representative. You will be 1. The car (or cars) to be judged must asked to provide access to the be owned by a current National judging team and must do this in member of the Gran Sport Club of response to their request. You or America. your designated representative must 2. Entry must be made prior to the also be present to answer questions stated deadline and to the designated of the Team Captain and to provide individual or address.