Survivor

[Vombil]

If they are rusty they would rarely be classed as survivors as rust isn't a factory finish. Some minor rust will pass, but rusted out sils and cowls most likely wouldn't.

Rust not a factory finish? Who would of thought... I figured it was an option that most buyers must have ticked ;)

[HK1837]

Ah it takes the joy out of it for anyone but the trophy hunters. You can't have a survivor car and not maintain it. That includes using aftermarket parts where genuine original were no longer available.
I think the totally unused vehicle category and the survivor category have been confused here.

I think some of you (not pointing to you wb, but I just used your post to reply) are missing it a bit.

The cars can be maintained, but my point about my Premier is it has aftermarket shocks, lower balljoints, muffler, radiator, hoses, battery, oil filter, gaskets, cylinder head paint, master cylinder, exhaust manifold studs plus more. These are all items that can be seen to be aftermarket eg the radiator is a genuine GMH replacement but it is not the same as the original, it is a later National Radiators replacement sold by GMH. This is why the 50% rule applies, so that you can get it as right as you can. An example is I got some original paint rocker covers for my HJ off Goat, they aren't perfect but they are factory paint as someone painted the ones on mine when they did the head gaskets.

The intent of the Survivor class (this was copied from the US for the Monaro Nationals) was people were turning up with near mint Corvettes and were being knocked back for factory authentic due to faded paint or missing paint under the bonnet eg master cylinder leak created. Then they'd go an do a nuts and bolts resto on the car to make it right, but destroy its history. Yet this sort of car attracted the most interest by far at car shows, just like they do here. So by creating the Survivor class allowed them to leave the cars warts and all and see them appreciated and most importantly they survive.

Those 3 x Falcons in unique cars wouldn't be considered survivors as they haven't survived in essentially original condition.

[wbute]

Nah I am not missing the point, a survivor car is just that. It has survived, not been made to look like one through buying NOS parts and bolting them on.
If those falcons are not survivor cars then stuff the "experts". They are the cars people want to see. Warts and all cars in the condition that they were intended to be used in.
Seems to me that the people who determine what a survivor car is may well be the same weird people who buy brand new cars and lock them in garages and never drive them, hoping they will have the ultimate survivor car in years to come.
I hereby state that the official description of a survivor car is a load of crap. A true survivor car should be judged by spectators at a car show. They probably appreciate them more than the so called expert judges.

[playwme]

I'm with James. Couldn't give a squat what the anal retentive judges and organisations definitions are. If you're only into cars for the highest possible score given to you by a select few of your peers then your priorities are kinda screwed up.

[Robbo]

James & playwme....well said. The best award these day's is "The Peoples Choice." They are the real judges after all.

[Absinth]

Rust not a factory finish? Who would of thought... I figured it was an option that most buyers must have ticked ;)

Hehe.... My old man worked on the assembly line at Acacia Ridge back in 72-73 and rust was definitely a factory finish. 100's of new cars sitting out in the back lot with grass growing up around them is not exactly conducive to rust free cars. Some sat there for quite a while before being shipped out.

[RodneyHZ253]

James & playwme....well said. The best award these day's is "The Peoples Choice." They are the real judges after all.

People's choice is the go

[HK1837]

Fair enough.

Note though that NOS parts normally would be treated just like aftermarket stuff and belong in the 50% that has not survived. Most of this stuff if different to the original bits in some way, eg it has part numbers on it (radiator hoses), it has changed for later series (eg lower control arms), plating finish is different (eg zinc vs gold coloured Utilux clamps).

Remember also that a car locked away untouched for 20 years probably wouldn't be a Survivor, it'd be Concours or Factory Authentic.

You'll find that the people at Bloomington Gold who came up with the Survivor concept for Corvettes know more about the cars than anyone else. Same with the guy who put it together for the 2010 Monaro Nationals. The whole idea was to discourage trophy hunters and encourage preservation of those few Survivors that still exist.
Adam, you are confusing Concours or Factory Authentic with Survivor. The whole idea of Survivor is to preserve, not for judging purposes. The class doesn't want you to touch the car other than to keep it operating. Some stuff has to be touched like balljoints, seals, mufflers etc. There will always be trophies for this class, but I think most people who have cars eligible are not trophy hunters. If their cars are good enough then they'll have a crack at people's choice and would probably appreciate it more (I know I would, and i'm sure everyone else here would too). At the 2010 Monaro Nationals my choice of car for People's choice would have been the white L30 MC7 HQ Kingswood sedan that was there, but I doubt many others would have picked the same car.

Nah I am not missing the point, a survivor car is just that. It has survived, not been made to look like one through buying NOS parts and bolting them on.
If those falcons are not survivor cars then stuff the "experts". They are the cars people want to see. Warts and all cars in the condition that they were intended to be used in.
Seems to me that the people who determine what a survivor car is may well be the same weird people who buy brand new cars and lock them in garages and never drive them, hoping they will have the ultimate survivor car in years to come.
I hereby state that the official description of a survivor car is a load of crap. A true survivor car should be judged by spectators at a car show. They probably appreciate them more than the so called expert judges.