So you’ve signed up or are considering signing up for your first car show! Congratulations, that means that you have a vehicle that you want to show off! Whether you’re a classic car owner or a sports car owner, car shows are the perfect arena to show of your beloved ride and mingle with other car enthusiasts. If it’s your first car show you may be feeling a bit intimidated about the prospect of showing your car off to thousands of people. Not to worry though; the following tips, from engine bling such as custom hose clamps to how to properly display your vehicle, will help make sure that your vehicle stands out from the crowd and garners the right type of attention from passerby’s.
Car Show Tips
Before you do anything, make sure to read the display rules as outlined by the particular car show you will displaying your vehicle at. They may have specification about displaying props, signage, and other policies. The following are general tips that can help you display your vehicle in a way that showcases your particular car or truck’s best features.
Hood Up Or Down?
One of the most argued aspects of car displays is whether to have your hood up or down. There are different schools of thought on this, but what it really comes down to is your preference as well as the rules of the car show your attending. Some car shows require participants to have both the hood and trunk open. Here are just a couple of things to consider:
- Hood Open – If you plan on detailing your engine or want to show off engine bling like custom hose clamps, shiny chrome, and valve covers, leave it open!
- Hood Down – Some car lovers prefer the hood down so that 1) they don’t have to worry about detailing the engine and 2) to better showcase the flow, lines, and edges of their show car.
Detail, Detail, Detail!
If you plan on “showing-off” your vehicle at a car show you’ll want it to be in pristine condition. Let’s take a look at what needs extra attention:
- Interior – When it comes to cleaning the interior before a car show, leave no floor mat unturned, literally. From the steering wheel to the gas pedal to the rearview mirror and seatbelts, everything should sparkle by the time you’re done with it. To get the job done right you might consider hiring a professional to detail your car or if you have a slight case of OCD, taking care of it yourself may be the safest bet to ensure it’s done to your specifications.
- Exterior – Just like the interior, attention to detail will make you stand out from the rest. According to DucCutters, shine up the wheel areas, wash your ride and then look for anything you may have missed and wash again. If you notice areas where you may need to touch up the paint and have time to do so, consider taking your vehicle to a paint and body shop to take care of these minor issues.
- Cleaning Your Engine – If you’re going to a judged car show with class divisions for washing and shine or “closed hood”, you may want to stay away from chrome or blinging out your engine with custom hose clamps, according to DucCutter. You can find a detailed list of how to get your engine ready, here.
Car Show Sign
A car show sign is like a proud parent showing off their kid’s report card. As Showcarsign.com puts it, “let your car do the talking and let a simple car show sign fill in the details.” Your car show display sign should at least feature the following:
- Year
- Make
- Model
- Specs
- Production Numbers
Feel free to add any additional information you want, it’s your car and you get to show it off and share your story any way you’d like.
Another helpful tip for displaying your ride is to position mirrors under the vehicle to show off the undercarriage. This attention to detail will attract judges and onlookers alike.
But the most important tip of all? Have fun, enjoy the process from start to finish, do what you love and you’ll have the best first, third, or 100th car show experience every time.
