Tips for Showing Your Mustang
| 31 March 2003
Some of the MCA rules and procedures have changed since this Pony Trick was written. Check the current MCA rule book.
Have you decided that you want to enter your classic Mustang in some shows but don’t know how to prepare it or what to expect at the show? Or are you thinking about buying a classic Mustang and part of your thought process includes showing the car? Like anything else, if you’re going to try something unfamiliar, it can raise a lot of questions in your mind. But don’t feel like you’re the first one to have those questions. Remember there was a “first time” for everyone, even the ones who are “old pros” now.
Ok, so how did the “old pros” get started? Probably each “old pro” started in a different way. There are as many ways to begin the show-process, as there are varieties of Mustangs to show. It’s a matter of finding your comfort zone. If you just want to wade right in, take your car to a show and begin the learning process. If you’re more conservative or if you’re still trying to decide what to buy, go to some shows for ideas. You might want to start with local shows where you can talk to Mustang owners who have cars similar to yours or similar to one(s) you’re considering. During your conversations, you’ll begin to answer some of your questions and you’ll probably discover a lot of new questions.
One of the most important questions will be what class do you want to prepare for? Is Daily Driver your thing? Or Concours? Or Thoroughbred? Do your research and make your decision. Most Mustang owners will be glad to talk about their cars. Many will share the good, the bad, and the ugly, all of which can help you make choices. In addition, buy and study a copy of the MCA Judging Rule Book to help you learn what the judges will be looking for. And don’t forget to think about your budget.
When you’ve decided what you want to do, prepare the car in as detailed a fashion as you can for the class you’ve chosen. Detail means cleanliness, workmanship, and “correctness” based on the rule book. It may mean sprucing-up or it may mean a ground-up restoration. Whatever the case, when you think the job is complete, enter the car in one or more Regional Shows. Talk to more people and get their reaction(s) to your car. Try to talk to certified and/or gold card judges too. If changes or corrections are suggested, do some research and make the changes you think are proper. Now you’re ready for a National Show. Go to the show with high hopes but no particular expectations. Ask for criticism from as many owners and judges as possible. Take notes, but don’t take offense. Send for your judging sheets after the show. If you win a trophy at the first show, great. If you come home without any hardware but you still have the “show bug”, start upgrading the car based on what you learned from your conversations and from points-deductions on the judging sheets. Decide what satisfies you and keep repeating the process until you achieve your goal. And keep in mind that in many classes you and the car compete only against the rule book, not against your fellow Mustanger and his or her car.
Anyone who follows NASCAR or any other racing series is familiar with the phrase “seat time.” The process of learning how to prepare and show your car is similar to getting “seat time” in a race car. Nothing will teach you better than getting involved and doing the time. Classes, books, and mock inspections of your car are all helpful but there’s no substitute for the learning process that takes place at shows.
If you’re looking for tips on how to prepare yourself for a National Show, the first tip would be to make your hotel reservations as early as possible. Host hotels sell out months in advance. Don’t forget to take all of your car-cleaning/detailing supplies with you to the show. Consider carrying a tool kit and spare parts. The car should be as clean as possible within the guidelines of its class. Cars entered in any driven class must be driven to the show. Only trailered classes may be transported in or on a trailer. Be prepared to run your car through tech inspection at the show site. Registration applications will explain when tech will be operating. Some rules of thumb when it comes to tech requirements would be: codes and equipment must match, codes and colors must match, equipment on the car must be operational (lights, windows, seat adjustment, horn, radio, heater blower, etc. must all work). And don’t forget that a fire extinguisher has to be in the car at all MCA shows, although it need not be permanently mounted.
The last tip, at least for this column? Enjoy yourself! Don’t get so hung-up with the car that you miss the rest of the show and the show activities. Do enough of this stuff and pretty soon you’ll be an old pro.
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I said it in the April pony tricks column but it was stated in an “oh, by-the-way” fashion. I meant to say it more emphatically in the June pony tricks but I forgot. So before I forget again (increasing forgetfulness is directly proportional to increasing age, I think), here it is for the benefit of owners of classic Mustang (641/2-73) who are just getting started in the MCA National and Grand National show-scene:
When preparing your classic Mustang for a National or Grand National show, remember that it won’t be judged against other show entrants. It will be judged solely against a set of rules contained in the Mustang Club of America Early Model Judging Rule Book. That’s a very important concept because it means you and other owners in your class can be friends and, at the same time, share information freely. Keeping secrets won’t increase your chance of winning a trophy. The trophy will be yours if you score well compared to the rule book. It means in theory, that every car in your class could win a gold if points-deductions don’t exceed the rule book limit.
A respected gold card judge for ‘67-’68 concours cars (where my car competes) told me several years ago that MCA wants as many cars as possible to receive trophies. He thought one of the ways for that to happen was to improve the breed. And he felt that one of the best ways to improve the breed was to have owners freely share so-called secrets with each other without fear of reducing their own chances of winning a trophy. Within that context, judging against a rule book rather than against your fellow car owner’s vehicle makes free exchange a comfortable thing to do.
With the foregoing said, you’ll generally find that other owners willingly share information and that the information is rarely misleading.