Materials for hood and trunk??

[mbflemingkf]

Any good solutions for underhood insulation or trunk mat for the 51-55 Kaisers?   

Studebaker International has the underhood pads that will work but they are black.  Kaiser experts have told me the original pads were yellow.  So what's worse...no pad or a black one?  Anyone used or seen the SI pads?

My trunk mat looks pretty ratty.     What do the judges recommend?

PS...anyone have a judging sheet for a 54 Kaiser?

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

It is my understanding from other members that judging sheets in general are next to worthless.  They tell you good, bad or correct, but not what needs to be fixed, changed or otherwise worked on to be top notch

[Doc]

Generic insulation and trunk material available.  I use a gray insulation from one of the restoration (rubber?) supply shops. I use it and cut it to shape. Functionality is my preference. Gray looks much better than a yellow if that's the case....hey, it hides the dust and dirt better!

[Dragon]

Mike, Don't expect to get help from any Chief Judge.  From my experience they have never recommended a correct fix for my cars and I feel that is a lot of our problem with judging.  Its to bad we can't have articles in the Quarterlies from our Judging committee that could help our restorations.  I don't think they have ever accepted anything but the original mats on the 54s.  I have had my hood insulation from Lowes Judged correct and it is yellow.

[mbflemingkf]

I think this is an excellent suggestion.  2012 marks my being in the club for 30 years.  Believe I'll send an e-mail to the senior leadership expressing similar sentiment. 

How does one know how to achieve a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award at a national?? 

I'm appauled.

[joefrazer]

It is NOT the judges job to recommend a "fix" for what might be incorrect on a KFW. It's the job of the judging sheet and judging standard. On those points, I will agree that there is work to be done.

[Doc]

I looked at my hood insulation from SI, and it's dark gray. Works fine. The best shows/events are those that don't concern themselves with judging. Most of the local shows are getting away from it....we only have a couple left around here. With the K/F cars, you got too much going against you, i.e., can't find the parts or if they are available, they are for those with the big bucks.

[Terry T]

Many think that since our judging sheets are lacking detail, that judging should be eliminated.
The constitution demands judging.
There are 2 choices:  modify the judging sheets to be correct in detail for fair and impartial judging
                                            or
                                ammend the constitution regarding judging

[dpledger]

As far as trunk mats go, I did some looking on the net and found several woven materials that look very similar. The one deviation in the K trunks was small vari -colored spatters here and there, which I expect could be duplicated with some fine screening and a paintbrush. Won't get to doing this til summer or so-will advise how it works out. Seems I have observed some variations in the material in different cars anyway, so doubt if there is a really tight appearance spec.

[Dragon]

Jim, if a judge marks something wrong, won't he be the one that should know what is correct?  How does he know it is wrong if he doesn't know what is correct?

[Doc]

HET club with over 6000 members has no judging to contend with, just 5-6 days of tours, tech meetings, swapmeet, other meetings. Commaradarie and fun gathering to meet and show the cars, drive them on some of the tours, compare notes, exchange ideas and just enjoy the cars for what they are.  I cannot even understand the need to have 50/50s or door prizes; that should not be what it is all about in order for folks to meet and display the cars for others to see, particularly the public. I was dinged a couple times around shows for the mat in the front of the Kaiser instead of carpet. I then displayed one of my Kaiser books that explained the mat instead of carpet. But then I thought who cares whether it's a mat or a carpet or an Autolite or Champion plug. Now we just mark the car(s) Do Not Judge and enjoy the events more. And then there is the driver versus trailer queen in the same category or class....