Do I show it, with Softtop, Hardtop or neither?,

[Jim Donati]

I plan to enter my 1970 280SL in a local European car show and would like to know what is the proper way to display the vehicle.  Do I show it with the hardtop on the car or not?  

I could drive to the event with the hardtop on and then remove it and place it on a rack behind the car.  Or I could just leave the hardtop at home an show it with the softtop up or down.  

Is there a correct to properly display our cars at a classic car show?

Jim Donati

[badali]

At the moment I have a new softtop so I want to show it off.  The shows that are judged like to see the softtop up.  If it just a car cruise do what is easier for you.  Taking the hard top off at a show would some times be risky for damage if there isn't much room to keep it safe.  I don't think there is a precedence.

[Richard Madison]

Here in the USA, cars are typically driven to a show with no top up. Some events require that the soft top be put in place so it can be examined by the judges. This can be done at the time the car is being  judged with the judge looking on.

At other events, the judges did not see or ask about the tops...at another they simply asked if the top was installed...and at one they asked me to lift the soft top cover so they could look at the folded soft top...so it all depends on the judges and the rules of the particular event.

I have never been to a judging event where they required the hard top to be on the car. Not sure about really top level national concours events.

Richard M, NYC

[thelews]

If it's a general, non-marque specific show, show it with the top down.  This is how the car looks best.  Marque specific shows will have guidelines for how to show the car.  I'm not aware of ANY 113 specific judgings.

[mdsalemi]

MBCA Concours require the hardtop OR the soft top UP.

[114015]

[Du liebe Güte, IhrJungens habt Probleme.... Die allermeisten Pagoden haben nicht wirklich das Zeug zu einem Show-Winner (mit Ausnahme von John's (thelews) oder Bob Possel's oder ähnlichen). Da spielt die Frage ob Verdeck auf oder zu so eine Wichtigkeit wie ein umfallender Sack Reis in China ...
Just my 2 cents ...]


Uhem ...
just wanted to say - a very typical American question indeed. 

I'd say, if a car is worth a show prize the softtop should be on place (up or down -> depending on the weather) and should be in excellent condition. 

Just my 2 cents...

A.

[Naj ✝︎]

[Du liebe Güte, IhrJungens habt Probleme.... Die allermeisten Pagoden haben nicht wirklich das Zeug zu einem Show-Winner (mit Ausnahme von John's (thelews) oder Bob Possel's oder ähnlichen). Da spielt die Frage ob Verdeck auf oder zu so eine Wichtigkeit wie ein umfallender Sack Reis in China ...
Just my 2 cents ...]

Translation: ??

You love kindness, IhrJungens have problems .... The vast majority of pagodas do not really have the makings of a show winner (with the exception of John's (thelews) or Bob's Possel or similar). Since the question whether playing on deck, or so important as a tip-over bag of rice in China ...

[CraigD]

A fun question.  Certainly the requirements of the particular judges or show take precedence but my opinion is that the car is the most fun with the top off, looks great with a contrasting softtop, but looks the best with the hardtop on. (I got the contrasting top color by getting a black hardtop.) The hardtop lines are one of the car's most distinctive features, so I've always shown it with the hardtop on.  Just my 2 cents, as well...

Craig

[gugel]

I think the car looks better with the top down than with the hardtop on.  However, the hardtop does show where the name "Pagoda" came from, and I think it's nice when different Pagodas in a show are displayed in different ways, so if I discover someone else will have the hard top on, I take mine without the hardtop and then put the soft top down during the show, usually after judging.

If you leave the hardtop off, judges will typically want to see the condition of the soft top if it's not already up.

Chris

[dseretakis]

I don't know how the car should be shown but I feel that the elegant lines of a pagoda are best represented with the hardtop on the car.

[KevinC]

According to MBCA judging, points will be deducted showing with neither top in place.

[Flyair]

I agree with Gugel... Pagoda owes its name and legend to the hardtop. While I think that it looks great in either configuration, the hardtop makes it standing outside other "typical" cars...