Platinum award with color change??

The FCA and the international committee whose judging standards are used rules allow for color changes as long as it remains a period correct choice. Like you I question the allowance of color changes and maybe they will revisit this topic at some point in the future.

Jeff

 

It seems that a clean over-restored car is all that it takes for Platinum.

It was very clear that Tish 'n Tom were not judges in the Dino section at last week's Chateau Julien FCA concours.

 

Unrestored can achieve Platinum but it will take a very, very well done car to do it. Obviously it is easier to get there with a complete restoration. There is a Preservation award that is more likely for the older cars; at the FCA National a 400SA got that.

It is actually quite reasonable for fully restored cars to be the easiest path to Platinum. With a row of all restored cars the judging becomes an issue of the quality of each restoration. The original car won't have the same level of fit and finish because it never had it from day one. If the car has ever been used in its life then it inevitably has some level of exterior road rash scars and use markings on the seats and carpet. It may not be overly fair but understandable.

Jeff

 

Under the current standards of the IAC/PFA (International Advisory Council for the Preservation of Ferrari Automobiles) color changes are allowed as long as it is a period correct color. If you have doubts on that color be an available choice at that time then you should question the seller to prove their statement. A period color chart sounds like the kind of proof that would be acceptable to judges, if a question did come up. I do remember from when the C4 was a current car "in the day" that there were ones in dark maroon.

Here is the link for the FCA concour guidelines: http://www.ferrariclubofamerica.org/concours_guidelines.cfm

I have not attended Cavallino Classic but believe that they use the same IAC/PFA judges and standards.

You can check with Chris Current of the FCA for more details. Not only is he the FCA chair for concours but is an IAC/PFA judge. It was Chris that did the briefing the evening before the FCA National concours.

Jeff

 

The Corvette club and the Ferrari club have two very different philosophies about judging and scoring. Also it takes 95 points to get a platinum. If you ever look at a scoring sheet it takes a number of things wrong to drop 5 points. Ferrari club system emphasizes preservation and use. Perfect hangar queens are not what is being encouraged.

 

I'll scan the pass out documents from the FCA National briefing. In it they give the point deduction scale. May not get to it tonight but I will post them up.

So how does the Corvette world deal with an ex-Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell or Chuck Jordan car? Any of these saw the Tech Center shops for perfect paint and sometimes new interiors before they were handed over for use. Doubt these cars had overspray or any other paint flaws.

Jeff

 

They are very helpful and nice guys there and they know C4s inside and out. There is a "Guest Board" there right at the bottom of the forum boards. You can post there without being an owner/member.
On your point I have seen platinum cars that have plenty of things wrong with them. All very minor but still wrong. In any case I think these cars should be driven and people should not get too hung up on what type of screws are used. And the colour of that C4 you are referring to looks good. Darker colours suit the C4. I would advise a potential owner to look more for stuff that makes it a good driver rather than a platinum car. eg new suspension bushings, engine mounts, wheel bearings, recent valve adjustment and cam chain, new XWX tyres etc etc etc There are a million things on these cars and they can all cost big $s. I would much rather have a car like that and incorrect screws. They are great fun cars to drive, very practical with plenty of boot space, the power steering make them easy to drive etc but they can be expensive to maintain. Just my 2 cents.

John

 

And yet, one year I got dinged on my Dino because it had TWO stone chips on the front bonnet, that were acquired on the drive up to the concours. (explained to judge, he didn't care.)

Truth is, even a color change to the WRONG color isn't enough of a deduction to eliminate it from Platinum. Don't recall exactly but I think the max deduction for that would only be 2-3 points on the scoring sheet.

DM

 

Sorry you got dinged for chips, Dave. Sometimes the judges have to look for silly little things to break a tie. I've been guilty of that. I once was judging two cars that were not only near perfect but of similar type, and finally found a bit of rust on a screw head to break the impass. How silly is that? I wonder why we judges act at all; it's not the best way to make friends!

 

I never said overestored. The words overestored and perfect have two entirely different meanings.

Do they mean the same thing to you? To me it describes a car as it was built. I am sorry we ever got to the point where the cars were overestored and being made into perfect little Barbie dolls. It does not reflect what was made in Maranello. I prefer to see them as they were, not what we can make them into.

 

Ed, if we'd been breaking a tie on two cars for gold or silver, I would have understood. The Dino was never less than 97 points at concours, lowest score being with this particular judge at this particular event. He also complained that the panels didn't fit perfectly and that the side reflectors were "incorrect for the car." I asked him if he knew the difference between a US and Euro Dino, apparently he didn't. I explained the front & side markers to him, and then he relaxed, a little.

DM

 

I assume you mean Mr M.B. of Washington Offer him $72k for his blue one. That is a lovely car. Even though that colour is light, it still suits the car very well. Good luck hunting for one. They are great cars.
John