Registered for my 1rst MCA show...

[7173Vert]

Many here know that I  restored a rare (in relation to overall production number’s), ‘71 J Code Convertible. The car has yet to be seen in any type of a show, cruise, etc. I missed out on an MCA show in the Buffalo area a few  year’s back as the car was not yet finished... 

Fast forward and I learned that there was another MCA show coming to Buffalo in 2020... Its finally tme to unleash the beast, in all its Pastel Blue glory. I registered it for the show July 31, 2020 in Amherst, NY. 

Not a fan of being judged by those I believe to have suspect knowledge at best of our car’s, but, I wanted it to be part of the mainstream viewing in the show. I may just tell them to forget judging the car when the time comes, I really don’t care about that aspect of the show. However, had I just entered it into "Display Only" category, not sure I would have accomplished my ultimate goal to have it seen by many at an MCA show... 

Should be an interesting weekend...

 

[mjseakan]

Best of luck, if you do decide to have her judged.

Mike

I'm just fixin' to get ready to start to get going.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I know what you mean. I went to one MCA national show in Atlanta with my 1973 Mach 1 in 1982 I think. One owner car all original not restored and they had a list of lots of things on the car that would have to change to ever do any better than the third place I got. So I never went back and the car went to the barn and I dropped my membership to MCA. The rules for MCA were written to make the top people in the clubs car be correct not necessarily what Ford made but what they had.

You have to be in the click or kiss lots of booty to do good there. 

The good thing will be I doubt you will have anyone in your class, lol. I think they still do a total points score and there can be several that get a first place, second or third place just depends on the total score. 

I know couple of my club members have been stressing over getting top award then retiring from showing the car. One is a 65 coupe the other a Fox body. 

I am sure you will get lots of attention and you will probably not have a voice left from answering questions. I would suggest you go to a sign company and get you a story board made. With the printers today they can make a 20" X 30" for about $40.00 here and can go to 4' X 8' if you want, on a hard plastic board, pictures and in color. Just need to have the sign attached to a tripod and have that tied down with enough weight so wind does not blow it into another car. 

Some do not even allow a story board. 

Just go and enjoy looking at the cars and I am sure the people visiting will enjoy seeing your car.

 

[7173Vert]

I know what you mean. I went to one MCA national show in Atlanta with my 1973 Mach 1 in 1982 I think. One owner car all original not restored and they had a list of lots of things on the car that would have to change to ever do any better than the third place I got. So I never went back and the car went to the barn and I dropped my membership to MCA. The rules for MCA were written to make the top people in the clubs car be correct not necessarily what Ford made but what they had.

You have to be in the click or kiss lots of booty to do good there. 

The good thing will be I doubt you will have anyone in your class, lol. I think they still do a total points score and there can be several that get a first place, second or third place just depends on the total score. 

I know couple of my club members have been stressing over getting top award then retiring from showing the car. One is a 65 coupe the other a Fox body. 

I am sure you will get lots of attention and you will probably not have a voice left from answering questions. I would suggest you go to a sign company and get you a story board made. With the printers today they can make a 20" X 30" for about $40.00 here and can go to 4' X 8' if you want, on a hard plastic board, pictures and in color. Just need to have the sign attached to a tripod and have that tied down with enough weight so wind does not blow it into another car. 

Some do not even allow a story board. 

Just go and enjoy looking at the cars and I am sure the people visiting will enjoy seeing your car.

I just want to enjoy the experience, alway’s wanted to enter a car in an MCA show. I know the club’s that take on this responsibility work hard to provide a good experience for all attendee’s. I am happy to support the local club in this endeavour. MCA does not put on any show’s in Canada (at least on a regular basis). We did have a joint MCA and Golden Horseshoe Mustang Club show back in the early 2000’s at the Ford Headwuarters in Oakville, Ontario. The judging was not at the normal MCA level. 

I think it is important for me to get this car out into the viewing public to continue promoting this generation/body style and to educate how purchaser’s we’re thinking when they were buying car’s back in the day...

I am confident the car will represent the 71-3 year’s well at this show. It’s not perfect, but neither were any that came off the assembly line...

 

[SteveO_71]

If you havent already, you may want to take a look at the judging rules.

I used these when I wanted to take my car to a higher level of detail. Granted, judges look at all this criteria but also are looking for some cleanliness factor where the deduction points add up.

There are also a couple different classes if you feel a particular one is too stringent. There are "Concourse trailered and driven" classes which are fairly strict but there is also an "Occasional Driven" class where the car is more judged on workmanship, condition and cleanliness and a llttle less stringent. Get it judged just to see where you stand and what needs to be changed/improved.

I also plan on going to the show in July since the national shows are not in our neighborhood that often but probably wont be driving my car there.

Here are some documents if you dont have them already:

Abbreviated Judging Sheet.pdfMCA-Show-Classes.pdfMCA-Occasional-and-Daily-Driven-Mustang-Rules-2019.pdfMCAMustangRules71-73-2019.pdf

 

[red351]

I have to agree with Carolina about the MCA. A few years back I enter the 72 in a driven class in GA, and happen to be staying at the same motel where the other driven class contestees were unloading there's. I did get 3rd, but no sense doing it again if folks are dishonest.