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SAAC Concours Information

Updated 6/3/11

I vaguely remember the first show car I ever saw. I stared in amazement at the car. I finally worked up the courage to talk to the owner. "How did you get such nice paint job on this car? I asked. "I don't even see any paint on the moldings." It never occurred to me the car had been completely disassembled. I am going to share with you a few things you might find useful before you show your car. Even if you are not showing your car, a few of these thoughts might be helpful to you.

There are several types of car shows. For the sake of this discussion, I will divide them into three categories. The type of show most people are familiar with is the local car show. These are commonly mixed make shows. They can attract vehicles from the local area. These can be judged or "popular vote" shows. Regional shows tend to be much larger in size. They attract more cars from greater distances. The Mustang Club of America (MCA) hosts several regional events each year. The final type of car show is a national show. National shows tend to focus on specific makes and attract cars from the entire country. The Shelby Club's annual convention is an example of a national show. I will focus on SAAC judging in this article.

The Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC) has been hosting car shows since the mid-1970s. They host both a popular vote car show and a "concours" event. In 1997, a significant change to the way the concours judging was conducted took place. A second Division was added.

By definition SAAC Division 1 cars are pure concours cars. Theoretically, NO reproduction parts are supposed to be used in the refurbishment of these cars. SAAC realized that this goal was nearly impossible. There are a handful of pure Division 1 show cars, but these are extremely rare. The solution was to create a second Division. Division 2 would allow for some reproduction parts, under strict guidelines. It is important to note these parts must be identical to the original parts used on the assembly line.

Concours cars are judged on a 900 point standard. Each car is judged against the standard, not against other cars. It usually takes a team of judges several hours to properly review and grade a car. Since 1994 there have been less than two dozen Gold cars. It is possible for a car to leave without a enough points to score a trophy. In fact, most cars that have won Gold trophies have been judged more than once.

So what does it take to win a SAAC Gold award? Are you ready?

First and foremost is to have your papers in order. The Shelby Club knows how your car was originally configured. They know the original color, the transmission and the options. Make sure your vehicle matches that information. Make sure you have as much documentation as possible. Judges don't want to see an endless file of restoration pictures and receipts. A brief summary of previous owners might be nice.

Make sure your car is clean. No, not just clean, make it sterile. Cars driven to the show will not be likely to compete for Gold Awards. Most concours cars have not been driven. If you want to drive the car, you may be better suited for the popular vote show. You can drive your concours car after the trophies are handed out. I have seen that on several occasions. I have even seen a few cars that were put back into regular service.

You should have a good working knowledge of your car. Do you know how to operate the wipers? Do you know when the parking lights are on? Even though most 1968 Shelbys are very similar, there are production variations. You need to be up to speed on those items as well. Why do some cars have sequential tail lights and others do not? Are you familiar with the two styles of reflectors used on the rear quarter panels? Which one does a GT500 KR use?

Make sure you are not missing any parts. It takes a lot of research to find all the small clips, screws and things that were originally on the car. It is easy to remove several parts from your car and still have it function at a high level. Did your car originally have smog? If so, it better be there on judgment day. The same goes for the snorkel and starter delays. Make sure everything on your car works as it was intended to work.

Fit and finish are absolutely critical on a show car. Judges can see misaligned panels and they are not very accommodating to those cars. To some degree they actually allow parts to be better than factory parts. Some judges allow paint and trim to exceed factory standards. Every part had some unique finish when new. You have to check and recheck every part. Did you realize that most big block power steering brackets were actually unpainted? One common error is to paint these semi-gloss black like the other engine brackets. However, the original finish was phosphate (dark grey or black).

I can guarantee you SAAC judges will look at your hardware. That includes every visible nut and bolt and washer. Make sure your fasteners have the proper head markings and finishes. Hardware store bolts will not pass the muster here boys and girls.

Some reproduction parts are acceptable. Unfortunately, there is no master list of what parts these are. That is because the availability of these parts is constantly changing. If you use reproduction parts, they should be of a high quality. They should also mimic the original parts to a very high level. Realistically, not even the judges expect you to show up with original heater hoses. If you have them more power to you. If you are going to use a reproduction make sure it is the correct red-striped hose and not one from the local auto parts store.

Believe it or not your attitude is also being evaluated. I suggest being cooperative and come with the attitude you might learn something about your car. Personally, I have shown several cars at SAAC. Every time I have gone I have learned new information from the judges. They are extremely knowledgeable people. Obviously, they don't know everything. You should look at their role as one of a teacher, no matter how critical they are during judging. I would actually recommend you volunteer to be an assistant judge the year before you plan to show a car. Scout the current crop of concours cars and talk with the owners.

I can only imagine why anyone would willingly subject their car to such scrutiny. I guess it is the desire to be among the very best. To be with those two dozen cars that have achieved the highest honors. These cars become models for everyone. They are guideposts to help us find out what the original cars looked like. Even if you never show your car, it's nice to know where those little clips went or what color your power steering pump should be. Concours cars are for everyone's enjoyment, not just rich people.

If you need more information about SAAC Concours shows, I recommend you contact them directly.

These are SAAC Gold Cars 1997-Present. Cars are Division 2 unless noted:

8T02R210921-03794
Highland Green GT500 KR

8T02R213311-04037
Acapulco Blue GT500 KR convertible

8T02R216039-04270
Acapulco Blue GT500 KR

8T03R206112-03021
Red GT500 KR convertible