No Judging at HET meets (good idea!)

50C8DAN
50C8DAN Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Where does it say that there will be no judging of cars at the Hudson meets? The reason I am asking is that another club I belong to has had an ongoing brew ha ha on judging and I have said that the HET does not have this problem since there is no judging. I think it is a great idea not to judge. It does not seem to hurt the quality of the vehicles that show up or the fun everyone has!

Comments

  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    Dan, (if I'm wrong - someone will correct me) one of the concepts from the day Merritt Marks founded this club was that there would be no judging. And that concept holds today, 50 years later.



    It is, indeed, a great idea (non-judging) - I, too, have seen the results of judging in clubs and those clubs do NOT have the family atmosphere that the Hudson club has. Over the past 40 years I have been a member of several clubs - HET is the only one I've remained with all these years. That should tell people something. In fact this is the only car club I've ever seen where there is a thin line between cars and people as to which is the more important.



    There have been some nationals in the past where awards have been handed out for furthest distance driven Hudson (Essex & Terraplane) or hard luck award for breaking down :D (Hudsons do break down occasionally) - but that's all.



    Over the years there have been a few attempts by break-away groups to form Hudson clubs where judging would be allowed - those groups didn't survive very long and the people who went that route were welcomed back to the present HET club with no "I told you so" or animosity - another mark of a great club.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    HudsonTech

    Memphis, TN
  • PAULARGETYPE
    PAULARGETYPE Senior Contributor
    Alex Is Spot On!!!! There Were Even A Few Times We Had Judging Brought Up At The National Meeting Is Was Voted Down Time And Time Again. It Is The One Thing That Makes Our Club The Best Along With The People And The Great Cars Built By Hudson
  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    By not having judging in our club, people are more free and open with information. We are a drivers club and members do drive their cars, there would be more trailer queens if they had to be perfect for trophies. Guys who have unfinished cars might be made to feel more embarrased about showing them. There's no "my car is better than yours" attitude in our club. Bring them ALL out!!! from barely running to concourse quality....bring em out, drive em, tell the stories, swap the tips and advice. SHARE the marque we're so passionate about. That's why HET is friendly and great.



    I was in the T-bird club. They gave trophies even for chapter meets when 10 cars showed up. Kinda rediculous. Members were not all that friendly or open with tech tips either. For that in other reasons I got out of it and never looked back.
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    Hey guys I am all for it and I have been a member of the HET for 24 years now and agree with all the comments. I was just wondering if it is in the by-laws or somewhere else, or not written at all????
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    Even the Albright Award is chiosen by drawing rather than by judging. That was a good decision and an incentive to restore more hudsons. There were alot of newly restored Hudson built cars at the national thanks to Bill starting this award. Thank you Bill and to those who took on the task of restoring their cars. Lee
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Although some think that judging can help to raise the quality of cars within a club, a club shouldn't force (shame may be a better choice of words) members into bettering their cars. Besides, those who want to make their cars the best they can be (and can afford to do so) will do that without outside influences.



    After years of having watched people of limited means at judged, marque specific car shows being shot down by the old boys club, club suck-ups and those with unlimited funds, I came to the realization that judging is biased toward the "Inner Circle." You know it's true when members of the inner circle receive awards for rusted-out junkers while the nice cars of non connected members are overlooked.



    For people who are not interested in groveling and brown nosing for parts, favors or plastic trophies, the philosophy of the HET club is appealing and helps to further interest. Case in point is Aaron D. Instead of the T-Bird club fostering the interest of a young enthusiast, they chased him away. In retrospect, that was a big win for the HET club. :D
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Dave53-7C wrote:
    Although some think that judging can help to raise the quality of cars within a club, a club shouldn't force (shame may be a better choice of words) members into bettering their cars. Besides, those who want to make their cars the best they can be (and can afford to do so) will do that without outside influences.



    After years of having watched people of limited means at judged, marque specific car shows being shot down by the old boys club, club suck-ups and those with unlimited funds, I came to the realization that judging is biased toward the "Inner Circle." You know it's true when members of the inner circle receive awards for rusted-out junkers while the nice cars of non connected members are overlooked.



    For people who are not interested in groveling and brown nosing for parts, favors or plastic trophies, the philosophy of the HET club is appealing and helps to further interest. Case in point is Aaron D. Instead of the T-Bird club fostering the interest of a young enthusiast, they chased him away. In retrospect, that was a big win for the HET club. :D



    Agreed, 100%! Couldn't have put it any better.
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    Lee O'Dell wrote:
    Even the Albright Award is chiosen by drawing rather than by judging. That was a good decision and an incentive to restore more hudsons. There were alot of newly restored Hudson built cars at the national thanks to Bill starting this award. Thank you Bill and to those who took on the task of restoring their cars. Lee



    When I first heard of the Albright Award, my first thought was, "Well, here we go- megabucks cars will always win, and drive off the 'restore it in the garage while mama's car sits in the driveway' guys"- then was relieved to see it would be by drawing.



    One benefit of our "no judging" culture- when I go to conventional shows, I don't care a whit about getting a trophy, and usually leave before they hand them out. Went to one show where "Best Custom" went to a bone-stock bodied (glass) Model A roadster which had absolutely no "custom" features- just a big crate motor and nice paint. A true "1-800-streetrod". Judges had no idea of what a custom was, but sure enough knew which cars belonged to their friends.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    As a new member of the HET (yes, one of the several that stood at the banquet in Detroit on Friday night), I have a few thoughts on the use of judging. I do not think that the HET should be focused on judging Hudson’s so that someone can win a trophy or prove that they have the biggest pocket book. However, I would support judging Hudson’s to help preserve and encourage members to focus on quality restorations and maintaining original cars. This is not an effort to shame anyone into making changes to their car, but to provide information to those that truly want to maintain an original car. The term "judging" I think is a bit strong here, but I think it would be helpful to have some sort of process or function to help those that want to have feedback from those that have the knowledge.



    Even though I am happy to see any and all Hudson’s regardless of condition, I personally plan on keeping my ‘54 Coupe as original as possible. At some point I would really appreciate and value feedback on the originality of my car. Right now, I ask my dad, a 30 year HET member. He might ask someone else in the club for questions that he doesn’t know; unfortunately however, this doesn’t do any other member a bit of good or do anything to truly preserve the history of these great cars.



    One look around the HET Nationals and it is abundantly clear that there is a severe lack of young people in the club. Without a systematic process (which judging may have facilitated) this knowledge may be lost forever.
  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    tomb009 wrote:
    As a new member of the HET (yes, one of the several that stood at the banquet in Detroit on Friday night), I have a few thoughts on the use of judging. I do not think that the HET should be focused on judging Hudson’s so that someone can win a trophy or prove that they have the biggest pocket book. However, I would support judging Hudson’s to help preserve and encourage members to focus on quality restorations and maintaining original cars. This is not an effort to shame anyone into making changes to their car, but to provide information to those that truly want to maintain an original car. The term "judging" I think is a bit strong here, but I think it would be helpful to have some sort of process or function to help those that want to have feedback from those that have the knowledge.



    Even though I am happy to see any and all Hudson’s regardless of condition, I personally plan on keeping my ‘54 Coupe as original as possible. At some point I would really appreciate and value feedback on the originality of my car. Right now, I ask my dad, a 30 year HET member. He might ask someone else in the club for questions that he doesn’t know; unfortunately however, this doesn’t do any other member a bit of good or do anything to truly preserve the history of these great cars.



    One look around the HET Nationals and it is abundantly clear that there is a severe lack of young people in the club. Without a systematic process (which judging may have facilitated) this knowledge may be lost forever.



    tomb009 You bring up an excellent point! There is in fact no definitive work (in historical terms) on what was and was not strictly original by model and year and body style. Some of that is complicated more by the fact that dealers played with options and accessories at point of sale. Some things like paint colors were added by the factory mid-year and some of that you would only know by pouring through bulletins. Either way though, between veteran HETer knowledge of these cars and the historic record, what is accurate to our cars could be known and preserved for the knowledge of future restorers / preservationists. I'm not sure that we have to resort to some kind of award to motivate such historically accurate preservation but I agree we still have the potential to systematize such knowledge.



    The issue of young people in the club I'll save for another thread.
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    tomb009 wrote:
    As a new member of the HET (yes, one of the several that stood at the banquet in Detroit on Friday night), I have a few thoughts on the use of judging. I do not think that the HET should be focused on judging Hudson’s so that someone can win a trophy or prove that they have the biggest pocket book. However, I would support judging Hudson’s to help preserve and encourage members to focus on quality restorations and maintaining original cars. This is not an effort to shame anyone into making changes to their car, but to provide information to those that truly want to maintain an original car. The term "judging" I think is a bit strong here, but I think it would be helpful to have some sort of process or function to help those that want to have feedback from those that have the knowledge.



    Even though I am happy to see any and all Hudson’s regardless of condition, I personally plan on keeping my ‘54 Coupe as original as possible. At some point I would really appreciate and value feedback on the originality of my car. Right now, I ask my dad, a 30 year HET member. He might ask someone else in the club for questions that he doesn’t know; unfortunately however, this doesn’t do any other member a bit of good or do anything to truly preserve the history of these great cars.



    One look around the HET Nationals and it is abundantly clear that there is a severe lack of young people in the club. Without a systematic process (which judging may have facilitated) this knowledge may be lost forever.



    Welcome tomb009 to the HET club. I'm reatively new to the club myself by only a few year. I don't know about the youth in other chapters but ours have quite alot and increasing. I must say that this is only my second national and that the nationals are not a clear indlicator of the youth in our club. A fact of life is they have families to support, and most cannot take two or three weeks off work to travel across the country to attend a natlional. Want more youth? Sign them up. Help the club grow. The HET club does maintain an extensive library of literature related to the Hudsons. Index sheets can be obtained for any model year by writing to the librarian. He is listed in the WTN under Membership Services. Lee
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    tomb009 wrote:
    However, I would support judging Hudson’s to help preserve and encourage members to focus on quality restorations and maintaining original cars.





    In a sense that is already being done in the club - it's called the "Albright Award".



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    If you think that we do not having judging at our Hudson meets you are sadly misinformed. We do not have organized judging and we do not hand out trophies but stand around a car for a few minutes and you will hear well meaning folks "rip" a car from bumper to bumper. My favorite is should the engine in a 52 be red or gold? With that said, the position of the Hudson club on judging is most likely one of the best ideas amoung the various clubs. I support the concept 100 percent!



    However, please do not pass judgement on those clubs that do consider judging an important part of their program. I am a long time member of another markee car club that has had judging from their beginning in the early 60's. Their program for judging is quite advanced (I have been a member of the National Judging Committee since it was started) and their knowledge of each of the cars is highly respected. They require judges to be trained and certified and when a car is reviewed at a club approved meet there are few complaints and normally high praise. Parts for these cars are available and if you want a "Perfect" car it is possible. I have had more than one of my cars recognized as a part of their judging program.



    By the way, I have attended a number of "local" shows and have taken home a number of awards and was pleased with the recognition from each one no mater how "Fixed" the "Old Boy Club" was. And, many of my Hudson friends have done the same thing.



    Just so you do not misunderstand my position on Judging I refer you back to my opening statement where I stated that I support the Non-judging policy 100 percent. I like it that way and would never want to see it changed!!:):)
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