Modified or standard?

[Richt]

Which is harder to keep clean, and looking its best?

A Standard or modified car???

Had an intresting conversation today at a show, By modifing cars things can be painted and polished, chrome plated etc, which wil look bete r and be easy to manitain. Also bits that are difficult to clean as standard, ie maybe some standard wheels, parts of the front valence can be replaced with easier to clean items, ie early my friend could clean in his arches through the gaps of his big rims! I couldnt do the same without removing them!

We came to the conclsion a standard car ie harder to keep perfect than a modified one.

[Luster]

Originally posted by RichPug306xsi
Which is harder to keep clean, and looking its best?

We came to the conclsion a standard car ie harder to keep perfect than a modified one.

Modified is easier to keep clean.

My mod's make it much easier to clean wheels, calipers, engine bay. The holes in the aftermarket wheels are big enough to reach through with a wash mit on your hand. The parts in the engine bay are shiney chrome and they replace porous plastic parts.

[bretfraz]

I would prolly say "standard" but both are a challenge. With a standard car, everything must look perfectly original; not too much gloss, not too little, not dirty but not perfect either. Some parts are glossy, some are satiny, some are eggshell, and some are unprotected or coated. That's a lot to remember and easy to overdo.

Modded cars are almost always glossy/shiny/flashy so everything can be cleaned and polished as much as you want. Problem is that judges expect everything to be perfect so if you miss a few parts or just clean them without polishing, they'll stand out next to all the chromed and custom-painted bits.

Its all about context. Bog standard cars cannot look too flash else they'll be penalized. Modded cars must look complete else the non-modded parts will stand out and look poorly.

Showing cars ain't easy......

[Brad B.]

It's easy sometimes in Concours to do what they call over-restore polishing something beyond what it should be, making a piece of aluminum look so shiny that it looks like chrome instead of matte like it was from the factory or chroming bits insteading of leaving them cad plated like original or putting "really" nice paint jobs in engine compartments or suspension components when they were never done that well from the factory.

In some circles this is frowned upon and can count against you as unoriginal or non-authentic.

But I would do a little "cheating" wherever I could get away with it. All my bolts and nuts and washers have been upgraded with stainless steel. The factory never did this. But it sure makes detailing easier and everything looks nicer and just a touch brighter than the stock silver steel. Subtle, but no judge really knows what he is seeing! But my engine and suspension looks just a "little" bit better than the next.

[NickATRvtec]

Modified can be difficult.

Imagine when you put low suspension on... its practically impossible to get in the wheel wells unless you take the wheels off and put the car on axle stands

[Richt]

But then the judges cant see in the arches anyway!

[NickATRvtec]

True, but you know the car is dirty

[Richt]

Obviously i would never be seen with dirty arches!

[markbigears]

rich, they can't see in the arches? you mean they don't use a mag light? oh the fun to be had at concours!

[Richt]

They can always see in my arches i have the ride height of a 4 by 4! Nah theres always a way to get that white gloved finger in there some how!