Conflict of Interest!

Author Topic: Conflict of Interest!  (Read 8620 times)

Offline RamSRT

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 17
  • LS27P9B
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #15 on: April 21, 2012 - 04:43:44 PM »
But I believe the lack of a lift was due to lack of sponsership / funding....and yes judging has changed in some avenues. I know...cause I have been and am one of those judges at The Nats in Columbus.


Thank you for your input on the Nats judging from a judges point of view. The OE class is a special top tier class which uses the original manufacture of the vehicle as the standard of judging. If you change or reduce the qualifications imho you risk rewriting history. How can you allow features which were never part of the original manufacture to score the same as factory procedures? Base / clear paint procedure as an example wasn't even on the horizon in 1970 yet is now allowed with no points deductions. Doing a correct paint procedure isn't even recognized anymore !!!  As you indicate other areas have changed also.

As far as the lack of lift - this one presents many questions on consistency.  The OE class has always in the past been about correct date codes, correct paint procedures, correct inspection marks,etc. With an average of 4 hours spent judging a car in OE, a large portion of that is spent on the underside of the vehicle. How do you adequately judge those areas when access it limited? OE has been the only class to use a lift because of the thoroughness of judging required.  If you can't see various areas of the vehicle adequately do you just assume they are correct?

I think everyone who enters a car show hopes there is consistency and objectivity. Lowering the standards without disclosure leaves an air of mystery . I equate it to NHRA Drag Racing when they changed the distance of the track from a 1/4 mile to 1,000 ft for the top pro classes and not telling anybody. Fans might just assume the vehicles suddenly got better and faster if they didn't know the facts. Fortunately the Drag Racing guys let everyone in on the changes .

Thanks for your input from the judges point of view.

 
« Last Edit: April 21, 2012 - 04:51:40 PM by RamSRT »




Offline TinCuda

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1288
    • 'Cuda
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #16 on: April 21, 2012 - 09:01:16 PM »
 :popcorn:  seems like interesting things are brewing.


.,
(O O [             SRT ] O O)
(O O {]{]{]||[}[}[} O O)
{||O||}

2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat
1971 Plymouth 'Cuda 440-6
2008 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi
2015 Chrysler 200c AWD 3.6L
2000 Yamaha V-Max
Doing my part to leave a big carbon footprint!
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Shot at 2012-09-05

Offline acudanut

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 928
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #17 on: April 21, 2012 - 11:00:55 PM »
 This is one good reason not to go to a car show.

Offline RichieRich1

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 7
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #18 on: April 23, 2012 - 07:06:46 PM »
Hi All, I was registered here and posted prior. It’s been awhile and I have changed ISP’s since and had to re-register.

I too am a judge at the Mopar Nationals, but not an OE judge, just like Tony is not an OE judge. I don’t know how relevant Tony’s comments are to the OE judging that is the topic of discussion here.

So while there have been some changes in the way we field judge, I am not aware of any abated standards being implemented or any changes in the OE class of judging at all. In fact the restorations are getting so good, they have to be extra attentive to the cars.

I recall that your company ECS was also a Mopar Nationals sponsor at the same time you had your cars judged? I know you were for a fact because the Mopar Nats has the cancelled checks.

I am not sure where you are getting your facts but the OE sponsorship (per the paperwork on their website) was $3,000, not $5,000

Why is it OK for your company to be a sponsor but not another?

As far as base/clear paint, it has always been excepted in the OE class. There have been many high scoring OE gold cars with base/clear paint. As long as it exibits the characteristics of an original paint job, why would it matter the type of chemicals used? Are we going to start checking the age of all the fluids in the car too? Even your own 70 Cuda that scored OE gold in 2005 had a base coat paint job. Right? The white Challenger and 70 Valiant both had single stage urethane paint jobs, not enamel that was factory in 1970. Why is this OK for you but not other contestants?

Who are you to criticize the judges? Please list all the venues that you have been a judge at. Because you can’t know what it is like to be a judge unless you have been one. What makes you an expert? Isn’t this rationale how you respond to someone that hasn’t walked a mile in your shoes?

You posted a judging sheet….that is NOT a Mopar Nationals judging sheet! What is that sheet from??

Your information is pretty inaccurate here and damaging to a great program. To suggest the Mopar Nationals and Keith Rohm are taking bribes to hand out high scores is ridiculous. They are a stand up bunch of folks and work hard for the hobby. I am not saying they are 100% perfect, but they do try to improve every year.

You say you are going to start your own judging program approved by Chrysler? They also approve many repro parts that are entirely inaccurate. So what substance does that hold? Just because you have a Mopar logo on the part does not mean it’s accurate.  Just like other vendors don’t hold their products under the same scrutiny that you do at ECS.

It’s too bad you have a vendetta trying to tear down the Mopar Nats OE judging, they  are the best program out there for this arena.

Why are you coming on here trying to start trouble? You have been kicked off and banned from Moparts.com a multitude of times. Now you want to start down the same road here? It’s funny that posters on this thread are newbies posting for the 1st time. Seems like you are simply having a converstion with your other aliases to propel your agenda as if there are a bunch of like-minded hobbyists on this forum.Wierd. You have had countless aliases on Moparts, I guess this is your new playground.

The lack of the lift was due to a failure to deliver on the lift companies part not because of lack of funding. The cars last year were looked at under close scrutiny for hours, I personally saw that. No less than your cars or any others in the past.

And Dave, what was your point going from a Hemi Cuda, to a 440 Challenger to a slant six 4-door Valiant survivor that NEVER should have been touched because it exibited so many original characteristics that could have been a great source for reference. It’s not that the judging awards a level of difficulty on your restoration but wasn’t that stacking the deck a little bit? I mean what’s next, are you going to drive down to your local Dodge dealer and buy a new Challenger and enter that in the judging?

And have you ever asked yourself what did you accomplish by ruining a great survivor? As far as I know you didn’t even have to replace anything in the interior.

And since when did a German writer become an authority on American car restoration? What other American cars did he inspect before he got to your car? Did you just spew all your bull to him and he bought it?

Why don’t you just go play with another make of car and leave us Mopar freaks to enjoy our cars and shows. Maybe get into the German car restoration since you love those guys so much.

Proud to be a Mopar Nats judge! :thumbsup:
Rich

Offline 71gogreen

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 687
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #19 on: April 23, 2012 - 10:01:44 PM »
As the great philosoper Rodney King said after LosAngelos burned down"Can,t we all just get along?"Its time to take a chill pill. :smokin: :eek7: :grinyes: :eek4:
71challenger-millcreek park\71challenger-millcreek

Offline ChallengerHK

  • Moderator
  • Sr. Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 7338
  • I'm working on it - No, really
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #20 on: April 23, 2012 - 10:06:14 PM »
 :smilielol:  :rofl:


"She'll make point five past light speed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, and I've made a lot of special modifications myself."

- Han Solo, Star Wars

Advice Thread - Taking Pictures Of Cars

Offline H Murray

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #21 on: April 23, 2012 - 10:06:57 PM »
No kidding, not many people care-go back to Moparts where you have been kicked off of several times.....Maybe the moderators will lock this before it becomes worse......

Offline 4Cruizn

  • Administrator
  • C-C.com Expert
  • *****
  • Posts: 18521
  • HEMI FISH
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #22 on: April 23, 2012 - 10:15:55 PM »
 :woohoo:
No kidding, not many people care-go back to Moparts where you have been kicked off of several times.....Maybe the moderators will lock this before it becomes worse......

Definitely watching . . .  :eek7:  :sly:  :sly:  :eek7:

Offline RichieRich1

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 7
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #23 on: April 23, 2012 - 10:38:17 PM »

If you have proved anything Rich, it is that those who talk the most know the least! - I'm glad you said this...considering your word count exceeds all else in the thread, you see my point then.

I have NEVER sponsored a division of a show in which I competed.  To the contrary, I made it perfectly clear to Mr. Belinda and Mr. Rohm that I did not want a single penny applied toward the OE class in which I competed. Can you comprehend the difference? - No I really can't since all the money goes to one entity, Jim! This flimsy explanation is like your EPA Dr's note comment. LOL.

As far as "ruining a survivor" just what is the OE class suppose to represent?  What person doesn't realize that the better the vehicle you start with, the better the "Factory Assembly Line" results?!  Your logic basically supports that an OE participant should start with cars that compromise the original integrity and/or require a significant amount of reproduction parts.  I apologize my project on a such RARE and VALUABLE 4 door slant six vehicle (which cost you no time or expense) bothered you so much. The purpose from going to high level (perceived) car to an insignificant "grocery getter" was to convey to EVERYONE in the hobby that you didn't need to have a BIG DOLLAR vehicle to compete in an area that most feel is unattainable.  Besides, Keith Rohm  had "hinted" to me for the past 4 or 5 years to bring a vehicle of this caliber for that very reason.  After the Valiant, he "joked" about bringing a pick up Truck (The Dude) to the next event!  Again, I apologize that you were not apprised of that fact.  - People typically restore cars they like the looks of and those that make them feel good. Strategically picking a car that never needed resto in the first place with the goal of bringing the best "restoration" anyone has ever seen seems purely ego driven. I am bothered that a time capsule was ruined for this purpose. 

You should however investigate a bit further before enlightening us with your sparse opinions.  As a matter of fact Rich, would you feel better if I posted my judging sheets that PROVE I was deducted points for base/clear paint in 2005, deducted for not having a certicard with my 1970 Challenger, given FULL credit for a reproduction battery in 2008 but deducted 1 point for my PERFECT assembly line WORKING battery in 2010?  Now you might consider errors of that magnitude as being "inaccurate" and "damaging" to the program but I prefer to call it what it is.  INEPTNESS for a program that is suppose to represent an elite class!  Don't fault me for their shortcomings.  I can assure you it would have been a tremendous benefit toward their judging "knowledge" to have witnessed the things we investigated and documented over the last 12 years. - You still did not answer the question...what is the judging sheet you already posted and why would you post it under the guise of a Mopar Nationals document? Why is it OK for you to have brought a car with base/clear paint but you bash that concept earlier in the thread? You logic and arguments are not jiving with your own actions or restoration procedures!

I know the judges "knowledge" based on the commentary I received from their final summaries.  On the flip side, I spent the better part of seven months getting to know the "German" Historian and Journalist that you seem to have such a definite knowledge about.  I guess he lied about his 30 plus years of investigating and researching EVERY type of vehicle restoration around the World.   By all means elaborate and continue to present your observations on his qualifications.  What was he like when you spent time with him Rich?  You might even want to do a Google search on Wolfgang Blaube with respect to the the National's judges and compare their resumes. - Please answer...what exposure to OE style restorations does Mr. Blaube have that makes him more qualified than the OE judges at the Nats? What was the score he gave your cars? Did he find anything wrong with them?

You still skate around and avoid many of the questions in my earlier post. Please explain why you feel it is OK to register bogus names with the purpose of chiming in on your own threads as someone else? This is really strange to me...

Offline RamSRT

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 17
  • LS27P9B
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #24 on: April 23, 2012 - 11:51:01 PM »
Please explain why you feel it is OK to register bogus names with the purpose of chiming in on your own threads as someone else? This is really strange to me... [/color]

Hi RichieRich1,

Since this is the second time you have eluded to low number posters in this thread as being bogus - I thought I would take the opportunity to join in, in a positive manner.

First of all - I too have had the opportunity to be a Mopar Nats Judge for multiple years. 

Secondly, I have had the pleasure to spend many years employed by Chrysler and attended numerous technical training classes to allow me to provide technical assistance to the technicians in the dealerships and work with the Engineers in Detroit and the various assembly plants in the Chrysler System. I was also fortunate enough to work in the Chrysler Corporate Audit Department where our team would visit all of the assembly plants and perform extensive reviews of the randomly selected vehicles for correct build compliance and customer acceptance.  I also had the responsibility of reviewing and approving warranty claims through out my tenure with Chrysler. As a tidbit on Little Red Express, I paid for many a customer to swap his pine floor box over to Oak boards under warranty so it would last more than 6 months. I did it back in the day for customer satisfaction. Did I start something that is now commonplace? It could certainly be considered  factory modification now.

IMHO you far underestimate and minimize the restoration efforts on the Vailant.  Preserving factory artifacts and character while returning them  to new condition is much harder than starting with a clean slate. Have you ever restored undercoating to make it look new?

Just wanted to assure you that this poster ( albiet still a newbie on Cuda-Challenger) has participated in the hobby for many,many years, Has been a Judge and walked in those shoes and was a judge of sorts when they were being built. If you want to start a comotion tell an assembly plant they have a major demerit and can't ship any vehicles till it's fixed or call the plant and tell them their audit vehicle just quit by the side of the road. 

Have a great day

Offline acudanut

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 928
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #25 on: April 24, 2012 - 02:06:04 AM »
 IMO who cares how one idiot "judges" your car.  Trophys are worthless anyway. I would rather have money.  Shows are for the appreciating of others hard work and should not even be "judged". Enough said.

Offline Oldschool

  • Administrator
  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 13195
  • Member Since 9-05-06
Re: Conflict of Interest!
« Reply #26 on: April 24, 2012 - 10:48:59 AM »
ECS,
You are done in this thread. You have way overly stated your point. Most of us got your point in the first post or two. Now you have turned this into a rediculous ongoing he said - she said arguement. For now, this thread is done.   
Ken  --  In Georgia

MOPAR-------"Built To Run------Here To Stay"