Morris Minor Owners Club

Having been the MMOC’s Chief Concours Judge for the past seven years, I feel that the time has now come for me to ‘hang up my overalls’, and will be doing so at the end of this year’s Concours season.
In view of this the Club is seeking someone, preferably someone who has competed at the highest level of Concours, to take on this demanding but very rewarding and worthwhile position.
If you are interested in this position, or would like further information, please contact me by PM, or as per my contact details in Minor Matters.

Bill Hewlett
Chief Concours Judge

No applications?

I'll do it! ;-)

Send me a formal application then, together with details of your Concours experience etc

Before I'd do that. I'd like you to send me precise details of how the judge would mark down a car, for example if visible weld seams are seen under the car or if splug welding was present where spot welding would originally have been.

I'd like to determine my own percieved suitableness for the position before sending the form off. We dont currently have concours in the Kent region, apart from democratic "self judging".

This is one reason why a person with concours experience is preferable. Another is that the judgement of someone who has 'been there' is more respected.

MMOC Concours is regarded by some to be the 'best', and whoever takes on this position will be expected to maintain its high standards.

Maybe you'd like to come along to the Kent branches hop, this Sunday 9th of Sept to let us all see what a concours car is and what a concours judge does. We do not have concourse in Kent so its a big mystery to us all.

www.kenthop.co.uk

I would love to John, but with all the Regionals, the National, LEO Run, MOT, and other Minor events etc, this is the first weekend I have had 'off' in a long time, and really I must catch up with other commitments.

Haven't you, or any other member of your branch, ever been to a National or Regional where concours cars have been judged?

Our regional is the Hop and I help organise that- we have the "self judging". Yes, some of our members have gone to the Nationals, and there are rumours of an East kent convoy next year!

Please note that the position of Chief Concours Judge is now being advertised in the latest issue of Minor Matters, and I hope that anyone interested in taking on this demanding, but rewarding post, will contact me with any queries they may have.

As I have said elsewhere on the forum, my only concern is that the respect that MMOC Concours has earned within classic car circles may be lost by any dilution of the rules that have been the basis of this success. Competition must be exactly that, and I personally feel that to reduce the strict criteria currently in place for judging concours cars, will only lead to reduced standards, and also credibility within the classic car movement.

In other words it is my opinion that anyone who takes on this position, has a duty to maintain the high standards set by thr MMOC Concours, and the only way to do this is to continue to follow its tried and tested existing format .

Bill Hewlett

Unfortunately neither myself or any other member of the committee has yet received any applications for this post

Are you sure that you wouldn't like a real challenge in 2008

I would apply but I don't have a clue as to how to judge what is and what is not concourse.

No offence CJ, but exactly, this is why the position needs someone who has been there and knows what is what.

However I really hope that it is not decided to reduce the criteria just because a suitable person doesn't come forward, that would simply smack of a knee jerk reaction. In my honest opinion it would be far better that Concours be put on hold until a really suitable applicant comes along.

Have you had no applications at all, not even from"unsuitable people"?

Maybe the problem is that Concours is seen as "elitist" and its very unfashionable and "unPC" to be"elitist" these days. Its becoming a bad "ism".

Not that I know of.

As far as the 'elitist' view is concerned, I like to think that my efforts over the last seven years has gone a long way towards eradicating this false image.

I was thinking at one time of making a concours car from a rusty wreck, but it seems to be impossible to find the information of exactly what is judged on a car (eg visible seam welding) and what loses points.
These days, I think more folk are content just to be able to save a car and get it back on the road in a reasonably tidy state.

I didn't plan to get into Concours, but ended up with 5 nice trophies and the best new starter shield! I didn't try to make it "Original" but did try to do a tidy job. And most of all had a lot of fun - it made the whole season much more interesting. Actually the Concours folk are really friendly and helpful. Gone are the days of not telling people what polish you use! I have to say I know a lot more about the marque than I did a year ago, but as some will know thats not difficult!

Thanks Roger, it was good having you there.

Maybe the problem is one of geography as we have no concours as such in Kent and we do not have any concours experts as such. Therefore we do not know what is and what is not concours. It seems a big mystery out here in the sticks ;-)

I will try and get to the national next year- and hopefully- ask a knowledgable Concourser (Concorder??) to point out whats what- it would be valuable if they could give pointers with reference to my own vehicle.