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Show Awards

U

union_jake

I thought I add my comments about a subject that has always bothered me about these classic car meets. In particular, the awards. Over the years I have been to many British Car and Sunbeam events and I have won a prize or two. I felt very humbled by winning these awards.

At the recent ABFM in Bellevue, WA I was pleased to see the Sunbeam as the featured marquee and the high number of attendees. I had an opportunity to meet and chat with many of the owners and get a fell for the amount of work one puts into these cars before casting my vote.

I think many people who vote on these cars go by the looks alone and never look deep in the history of the work. in particular, there were many nicely painted Sunbeams however, once the bonnet was opened, one can see the lack of fresh paint inside as well as engine detailing.

Personally, I am a purest. Seeing an Alpine win (2nd place) with a Toyota engine is just not right. In fact, one chap I was talking with, whose name escapes me, he drove his stock Alpine across Canada, raised money for charity and raced it in Newfoundland. That's the spirit!!! That person should have won an award or at least a peer recognition for taking on such a task. This is an example as to why these awards don't reflect the true nature of recognition.

On a good note, a nicely restored early Mark Alpine took first place.

That's my gripe.


Jake
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Well, Jake, I think you gotta admit the guy with the Toyota engine put a lot of work (or money, maybe both) into his Alpine. But it does seem odd that such a car would win anything but "Best Modified Alpine" award.

Personally, I don't like awards, seldom participate in the voting. I feel the guys that buy or fix up an Alpine in order to win an award don't understand they are fun cars to be driven. I guess I think the awards should be titled something like "Modified Alpine I'd Like to Drive Home" as I find the cars that I Iike are not necessarily "the best".

Bill
 
RootesRooter

RootesRooter

Donation Time
I like stock Alpines too, but I can't begrudge a well-turned out conversion. It would be nice to have "modified" voting categories for all the marques, but you have to cut off the awards somewhere or you end up handing out a million trophies.

I believe the Toyota-powered Alpine you referred to belongs to Wayne Pomerville. He converted it over 20 years ago, and then re-did the paint and interior roughly 8 years ago. It's not a trailer queen; he drives it a lot - including down to Hot August Nights in Reno a few years ago. I wouldn't throw it out of my garage.

The nicest Alpine on hand (to me at least) was the very stock, verrrry rare Series D Harrington Alpine owned by Buell Ish.

Dick Sanders
Kent, WA
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
A problem limiting awards to "stock" Alpines is the definition of "stock". Is carpet stock? How about a single Weber carb? Or dual Webers? Or an oversize radiator? Electric fan? Electric fuel pump? Ed's voltage regulators that work correctly all the time. Should that be legal? Some think that an oversize radiator is "stock", but a Volvo fan is not. Why would that be?

If any of that stuff is stock (and most cars have at least one of the above), why is a Toyota engine not stock? How about a Toyota transmission? Or a Ford 8" rear?

I say screw it.

Bill
 
65beam

65beam

Donation Time
what is stock?

in other clubs where the cars are judged , a certain amount of changes are allowed before they get put into a modified class.this only makes good sense if it makes the cars better.i say this because i have been to all four SUNI's and this is what all the clubs involved have agreed on. i have a series 5 that you will not find any provisions for the stromberg's,it has carpet and other than that is is stock.it has taken first in stock alpine in the 99 and 04 SUNI's. i also have a series 4 that had carpet installed by the dealer in columbus oh when it was bought new. is that not stock?how many cars out there have the right date code on all four wheels for the car?how many series 5 cars have the right trim rings?the list is endless.in a popular vote show stock doesn't matter because the folks voting don't know what is right,or most don't.we all know that a toyota motor is wrong the same as a V6 conversion is wrong .but it appeals to the mass of people voting. to me a well prepared car is a thing of beauty to look at.nothing is better than spending a saturday looking at 500 british cars like we did at pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago .it's all in the eye of the beholder. now if i could only get my GRANDPA ED to quit hunting wrong things on my cars.i use his wiper controls and volt regulators.
 
U

union_jake

I suppose my key point was that most of us who restore these cars drive them on those sunny days and take then to the odd cars show or two. Even fewer of use use them as daily drivers. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that. Its just that I don't know of anyone who has taken of a task like driving an Alpine from coast to coast and race it at a week long event. What Ohan has done is something I admire and wish I could do the same. Also raising $15,500 for children's charity is commendable. It is for that reason why I think he should have received some recognition. for those who don't know his website, check it out and read some of the stories he has written. Well done Ohan.

http://www.sunbeamcanada.org/
 
britbeam

britbeam

Donation Time
If what we do updates that,make a safer,more reliable and makes a daily driver I have no problem. Yes the purist Alpine should have that recognition. But then didnt Ole Lord Rootes put a V8 in some Alpines? If he had a V6 to put in one he probably would have or gee that Toy engine runs forever. So yea a Modified class is in order but its no less a Alpine because its Modified to be a better machine. I think SAOCA usually recoginzes the Alpine driven the longest distance to the Invasion.Nothing more right than a original Alpine that has been driven to the Invasion. Driven is the key word. A trailer Queen should have its own class. Give me a car with a few chips in the paint ,a little dirt on the carpet and I'll show you a happy Alpine owner because hes livin large DRIVING the Alpine. Just my thoughts.
Dwain V6 Krazy
 
64beam

64beam

Donation Time
Hi Guys,

As Jake pointed out, receiving an award can be very humbling and I know of people not even wanting the award because they are not too concerned about the award scheme. Then there are the 'other people' who cannot go to a national event or car show without big noting themselves and/or their car and cannot stand seeing other people receiving an award that should have been theirs :( . In Australia, as with other places we have the 'concours' which is a points based award and a 'peoples choice award' (the car you would most like to drive home basically and/or best presented). You could still enter a converted car into a concours, but unless your car is the only series there it will never win anyway :) . As Dwain said, a few chips, a little dirt and one happy Alpine driver is what it is all about.

Regards, Robin.
 
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