Pasadena Concorso - Thanks for the FChat Help

I entered my car in the FCA Pasadena Concorso today and scored 94.5 and took a gold. Would have taken a platinum except my fog lights were not working and I haven't been able to figure out the problem as of yet so that was a full point deduction.

My car's a driver and not a show car but I wanted to thank everyone for all of the help on FChat that allowed me to get her into a reasonable Concorso shape. Now if I can just fix those damn fog lights!

 

I received the results of my scoring today. My car received a 94.5 which is a Gold. 95 and above is Platinum. I agree with some of the dings and others seemed to be very subjective.

My fog lights weren't working so that was a 1 pt deduct. They hit me up for a hairline crack around the screw hole on my left front turn signal lens, they hit me for a cracked rear tail light lens (which I don't believe I have - at least I can't find it), some sort of wear on the drivers side door step plate and wear on the door jams.

Most annoying were points taken off for what they claim to be dirty brake calipers and a dirty engine compartment. In the FCA guidelines it states "Over-cleanliness is unnecessary; some slight road dust and wear is to be expected. Ferraris are meant to be driven."

I had cleaned my calipers the day prior and had wiped down the engine compartment with 303 protectant. Any "dirty" conditions was from the drive there.

 

Not stressing. Just don't like to be "dinged" for phantom problems that are not my car.

 

I received an email back from the chief judge admitting that some of the judges may have been too harsh on the cleanliness for what are supposed to be "driver" cars. Apparently there were some complaints that the judging standards did not follow the FCA National Guidelines on that issue.

 

General pictures of the car, pictures of what they dinged me for or pictures of what I believe to be the errors that they made?

 

I had touched up my stone chips and they did not count those against me. It's the cracked tail light (which I don't have) and the brake dust on the calipers from the drive to the event that bother me, especially when the judging guidelines state that "over-cleanliness is unnecessary". I guess that they mean "unnecessary" unless you what to win something.

 

They didn't provide the actual score sheet or the specific points taken for each item. My total deduction was 5.5 points off. I lost a full point for the inoperative fog lights so that leaves 4.5 points for the other "6" items that they hit me for, meaning every deduct was at least 1/2 point and most were a full point. Had they correctly judged my tail light which I don't see any crack, or followed their own guidelines on the engine compartment and calipers, it would have been a Platinum.

In the end, I'm not losing any sleep over it as I have my car to drive not to show. Just disappointed in the subjectiveness of the judging and seeing the other two 355's that took platinum not being in any better condition (though the owners were better connected through FCA).

I'll take the top down and drive to the Stooge Fest this weekend and enjoy the ride which is the real prize anyway.

 

FCA event

 

I have an aftermarket Challenge grill and they either didn't notice it or didn't care.