1967 Corvette L71 435 Roadster -BG BENCHMARK CAR - Page 3

Stuart Adams · #21 11-04-2008, 02:47 AM

Wow Colin, what an awesome car.

**TimG** · #22 11-04-2008, 03:14 AM

One requirement for Benchmark status is to pass Survivor in all four areas, exterior, interior, chassis and engine compartment. For Survivor judging, tires, battery and exhaust system are not considered in the judging process.
The car must be presented for Bloomington Gold judging the next day (same weekend) and the tires, battery and exhaust system are judged. About the only thing that they allow the owner to change are the tires. Put radials on for Survivor judging and your original dated tires on for Gold judging. Repops or radials will receive an appropriate deduction and the car can still achieve Gold status.

SBR · #23 11-04-2008, 04:18 AM

Tim hits it right on the head the car must be deemed at least 50% original in all four judging catagories ie. chassis, engine compartment, interior, exterior, pass a 40 mile road test. Then it must achieve a Gold certification on the same weekend which is at least 95%, no small feat when you are dealing with cars that are 40 plus years old.

Les Quam · #24 11-04-2008, 05:02 AM

Thanks guys. Thats really the way it should be. A very common sense real world way to judge a car. Its amazing any Vette can pass all that and win all the prestigious awards this Vette has won? The best thing about this car is you can drive it and enjoy it as well as show it, its not a trailer queen you treat like furniture. You can get some dirt on it maybe a scuff or nick from the road and still bring it to the most significant Vette meets in the country and win it all. From my perspective I would much prefer this car to a restored car.

I have been complaining to the top MCA guys for a while that their insane requirements for date code correct tires, exhaust and battery etc. are sucking all the fun out of the cars. You spend years looking for an NOS exhaust then you don't want to start the car due to the time spent finding it and the expense to buy it.

SIR-VIVOR · #25 11-04-2008, 05:36 AM

I agree 100%. I've been fortunate to Benchmark Nine 1967 Corvettes. Six of them were 435 horsepowered cars. What a blast on the 40 mile road test. A bit scary driving on the old tires. Blew two out on one of the cars once. Colins car is a great one!

SIR-VIVOR · #26 11-04-2008, 05:56 AM

p.s. When I said earlier in this post about only four 67 big blocks receiving Benchmark awards. That was four red cars.

Les Quam · #27 11-04-2008, 09:52 PM

Chris,
I have had the same experience with the old tires. Frankly I am furious over the whole thing. It takes no skill to buy an old set of tires other than to write a check? Whats the point? The MCA has lately been allowing you to bring the old tires for display rather than have them on the car which is more reasonable.

Colin has a nice article in this months SCM magazine discussing high dollar resto's and NOS parts and the stupid prices for those parts, its a must read for anyone with a survivor type car considering a resto or anyone considering a resto for that matter?

From my experience the judges that are the driving force behind cars needing to have date code correct NOS tires, exhaust and batteries are the people who make a nice income selling those items. The Mopar guys had a nice battle over this NOS stuff about a year ago. After having done it now on about half a dozen cars I will NEVER do it again and I advise everyone who asks me to stay away from it. The prices of the old parts and Ford guys seem to be the worst are simply insane IMHO. Its one thing to buy a survivor car that already has the parts on the car and another to restore a car with NOS parts.

**TimG** · #28 11-05-2008, 12:02 AM

I like to keep an NOS set of tires around, I think Chris has a few (like a tire rack full) old tires around. Repops really don't take a big hit at Bloomington or NCRS. NCRS will judge the spare separately, so you can get points for a NOS spare.

Les Quam · #29 11-05-2008, 02:43 AM

Unfortunately for a Ford guy I need Goodyear blue dots for my 65 Shelby and have been looking for one more for two years now. For my 67 Shelby Goodyear small letter speedway tires. For my 69 cars I need a Goodyear no size tire and for my 70 cars need a sized Goodyear tire. It gets expensive.