Change to Concours ‘D Elegance and Show and Shine Class Structure

Submitted by George Schwartz, Chair, Competition Committee

NWACC Concours d’ Elegance and Show and Shine classes are currently structured to allow for large numbers of entrants primarily in the 1968 thru 1996 model years. These model years had multiple classes so that large numbers of entries could be split apart. The splits in these classes were designed to separate the major design changes made between 1968 and 1982 such as when chrome bumpers were discontinued, body-colored bumper covers appeared, and hatchbacks were introduced. The C4 body changes were less subtle with exterior changes in front and rear-end design from 1984 through 1990 and 1991 through 1996.

Over the last few years, there have been fewer and fewer entries in these different classes in NWACC show competition. In some recent years, only a single car had qualified for a Year-End Seasonal Championship Award in a given class. There have even been seasons where either no cars in some classes qualifed for

awards or no cars had even entered. Previous NWACC rules changes had combined coupes and convertibles up through Show and Shine Class G (there was an Emergency Rules Change in July 2007 that combined the Class G body styles).

This change proposal would restructure the existing classes in both Concours and Show and Shine to reflect the now commonly recognized “Generations” of the various model years. The most popular generations like C-5 and C-6 will continue to have separate divisions (based on recent event entry numbers) for both coupe and convertible.

The effect of this proposal will increase the number of cars represented in a given class, relieves any confusion in properly identifying where a car belongs in a show class, and will encourage and increase competition within these new Generation classes.

The current Under 10K class in Show and Shine is not affected by this change proposal. It will remain as currently defined in the Show and Shine Guidelines, Section B.

Classic 1953-1957 (Concours only)

Class A 1953-1962 (1953-1962 Show and Shine only, Concours 1958-1962 only)

Class B 1963-1967

Class C 1968-1972

Class D 1973-1977

Class E 1978-1982

Class F 1984-1990

Class G 1991-1996

Class H Coupe 1997-2004 (both Concours and Show and Shine)

Class H Convertible 1998-2004 (Show and Shine only)

Class I Coupe 2005-Current model year (both Concours and Show and Shine)

Class I Convertible 2005-Current model year (Show and Shine only)

C-1 1953-1962

C-2 1963-1967

C-3 1968-1982

C-4 1984-1996

C-5 Coupe 1997-2004 (both Concours and Show and Shine)

C-5 Convertible 1998-2004 ( Show and Shine only)

C-6 Coupe 2005-Current model year (both Concours and Show and Shine)

C-6 Convertible 2005-Current model year (Show and Shine only)

(The existing Concours ‘D Elegance and Show and Shine judging sheets will be changed where necessary to reflect the new class designations.)

Earlier this year, there was a question regarding the feasibility or necessity of combining the coupe and convertible sections of Class G (1991–1996) Show and Shine into a single group. The reasoning was that there are only a few cars in each body style that enter Class G. Class F (1984-1990 cars were combined a few years ago for the same reason.

Last year, there was only 1 Class G Seasonal Championship trophy awarded; there were 5 coupes and 2 convertibles that entered that class and the award winner was the only one that met the minimum requirements for an NWACC award. The other 6 entries failed the 2 show entry requirement by only entering one show.

While the original question made sense, no specific action in the form of a rules change proposal was taken. For the 2007 competition season, one club had set their event classes up to combine Class G cars and had ordered trophies based on that. The other club that is hosting a sanctioned Show and Shine was then asked if it would be possible to combine Class G cars and order trophies for the combined cars. They replied that

they could do that with no problems.

The earlier Emergency Rule Change Proposal was adopted in July 2007 and there were no problems encountered at the events. Approval of this change proposal makes the earlier emergency change permanent.

Class G (1991-1996) Show and Shine has separate categories for coupes and convertibles.

Class G (1991-1996) Show and Shine combines coupes and convertibles into a single group.