Event Coverage Show Awards, Something Besides Plastic Trophies Or Plaques?

Some guys chase awards, some don't; this isn't about that. What this is about is nearly all shows hand out the usual plastic trophies or wall plaques, with the occasional home-made ones that end up being dust collectors more often than not.

I've been agitating for something different in one of my clubs; show-specific cast aluminum plaques similar to club plaques that could be installed/displayed with your car. If you buy in quantity, there's little difference in prices, might even be cheaper. A little planning on design along with a machinist number set would allow you to carry that design over multiple years. Great advertising for the club, and put 'show winner' on it.

Again, I'm not asking if you care if you win something, only that if you did, what would you prefer?

 

I’ve gotten two trophies at a local show the last couple years, they are very nice glass trophies.

 

A couple of years ago I won a bag at the local "Beaches" Wednesday night cruise in. I don't have a photo of it but it had their cruise in logos silk screened on the sides, zippered closure, about the size of a medium tool bag. I like it because it doesn't require dusting or a shelf. I use regularly for tools, solo cups, battery jump box, rags and cleaning supplies.

 

cash

show me the money

money can't buy everything, that's true. but what it can't buy, i can't use. i need money

 

One reason I'm asking this is to reduce club costs hopefully. Most award prices are in the $15-18 range, hardly enough to make it memorable...

I suspect those bags are more than that also.

 

Money can't buy happiness, but it can rent it for awhile!

 

I like the idea of a plaque. How about a cast 'mini' plaque, about 1/2 size of a club plaque, with the show info, sponsoring club (if any) and a space that can be engraved with class and 1st, 2nd, etc. Could be cnc engraved, or just regular engraving.
The 'ditty bag' that Bandit Billy mentioned sounds good, too. I like the idea of something you can USE rather than dust!

 

I'm looking at the smaller cast plaques (5x7, not the full-size license plate size). If you go too small, it's tough to get detail on them. Trying to avoid engraving, that costs money.

And yeah, something that has a use on/for the car.

 

What about a sponsor to pay for them? I used to have bike shows at my body shop, and each plaque had the sponsors name on it.

 

My favorite award that I got at any event is a hand made wood plaque that was made by a club member in a Texas car club in 1981 for an event near Fort Worth when we were on a trip to Texas. I'd have to find it as my wife stashed it away but it is on the form of a wooden puzzle in the shape of an old car but the pieces are all glued in.
In the 70's I made a plaque for best open at one of the Waco Lone Star nationals that was a roadster cut out of a solid piece of brass that was close in resemblance to the LA Roadsters logo car. That was mounted on black velvet in a frame, I can't remember if It had glass in front of it or not.
I can remember in the 70's and early 80's that the Vintiques of Dallas gave out an engraved mug as an award to the car that club members picked as their choice at various events. Those mugs were prized items that I'd bet some folks still have 40 or more years later.

 

We do that, but being in a small rural area the available sponsors aren't numerous or rich. The Covid didn't help that at all. The club always ends up subsidizing award costs.

 

The home made trophy's are cool. HRP

 

I'll sponsor best paint. Ashley will sponsor best interior. Say $100? And I'll send you a large tshirt from each business to give the winner. That help?

 

I voted for the homemade trophies..they're unique, original, and one 0ne-offs.

 

My car club for a few years did these for the show we would put on. Basically went and collected empty wine and liquor bottles and filled them with cheap ice tea and corked them. Then had some decals made to stick on the bottles. They went over really well, we then had like the best in show made by a local metal shop. Overall we saved a little money compared to previous years.

 

2 years ago I won the Mayor's choice award at a local car show. In the envelope presented by the Mayor were 4 Lake Erie Crusher baseball tickets. We had our own table along the 3rd base line behind the home dugout. We were served food, drinks and never had to leave the table. That was the best award I had ever received. Much better than a trophy that sits on a shelf collecting dust! This I will never forget.

 

I think that's a great idea. The majority of us dig car club plaques, right? A 5x7 plaque
would fill the bill nicely without taking up invaluable shelf space. I've given away a
pretty good amount of trophies because they were in boxes in my attic but kept a
few that had meaning for me.

 

I kind of like stuff like this.

 

I had sponsors to pay for the plaques. I had their logo put on it. I also made some homemade ones. We gave away some cash and gas cards that were donated by local gas stations.

 

Received this one last year it the only one the wife likes. It’s in our family room.

 

I do appreciate the home-made awards. Vintage Tin of Maryland gave me this a number of years ago just for being the 40th registrant at their 40th anniversary show. Wish I had been driving the '40, but I was in the Roadster! It has one of those little push button closet lights mounted behind a plastic lens that they even had photo etched to look like a real headlamp. I love it.........Don.

 

We have a show here in the area who gives out whiskey bottles with the label like this. Been rolling strong for 12 years now doing it.

I do dig the home made awards out of scrap or cast away parts etc. So much better than the plastics... I did get an etched glass one once, was pretty cool for sure... Ive had more plaques and trophies than I can even count but were over the 200 mark for sure here. The made ones, and other cool ones are still on display, the plastic junk ones are all recycled, the plaques put up in a box awaiting a bigger room for display.

 

I went to a show and they had the awards on display. All the awards, about 10 or so, were pistons with a rod and the big end had a clock in them.
There were several different sizes and one Aluminum rod one. Each had a small brass (I think) about 1.5 inches x3 inches plate screwed in on the rod/pin of the pistons.
I’m sure all were used up parts that were cleaned and repurposed. Seems like the largest out lay would be the plates, the clock and labor to clean and assemble.

 

I’ve seen enough welded together pistons and camshafts to last me the rest of my life.

 

I'm not big on shows but a local show was advertising free hot dogs, drinks and ice cream. I guess they used the trophy money for the food. I went to that.

 

I too like the home made ones. I used to be involved in a model car club and we had different themes every month. One month it was 32 Ford night and I made a few awards to give out. I even made a Best Unfinished award. It was stuff to make a trophy with but just tossed in a zip lock bag. I had fun doing it and the guys all liked it.

 

We were given these for participation in the Counts of Cobblestone Black Hills Rod Run in 2019. They’ve held in annually since 1968.
The Count’s put on one of the best runs I’ve ever attended and given the opportunity I’d urge anyone looking for a neat event in the Rapid City South Dakota area to check it out.

 

Back when customs began their big revival (1982 or so) The NJ Renegades rod and custom club started. We had our first car show, but not a lot of cash in the treasury yet. So club members each made a trophy or 2. More imagination, than money. Best chop: a hatchet mounted to a plaque. Best paint: a dripping touch up gun on a plaque. Best engine: I made a mini Hurst motor mount out of polished stainless, on plaque. Best interior: a hoop of round rod, with a small piece of leather, cut to look like a hide, attached to it, as our club mascot was an Indian. There were others, too. Folks who won them loved them, as opposed to more plastic trophies.

 

Got this one last month at a nearby show. At first I didn’t think it was much but now I like it. Probably because or the thought that went into it. After all it did make it to my fireplace mantle.