Concours competition is a world of its own, where cars are judged not merely on beauty but on correctness — on whether each finish, fastener, marking and detail is exactly as it left the factory. Success demands a level of preparation far beyond ordinary detailing, and an intimate knowledge of what "correct" actually means for a given marque, model and year. We prepare cars to that standard, and we guide their owners through the judging process.
Whether your car has just emerged from a full restoration or is an excellent example that deserves to be shown, concours preparation is the final, exacting polish that turns a beautiful car into a winning one. It is meticulous, patient work, and it rewards an obsessive eye for detail — which is precisely the eye we bring to it.
Correctness, judged hard
Concours judges look where ordinary eyes never go: the finish on a bracket, the marking on a hose clip, the colour of a cad-plated fastener, the routing of a wire, the date-stamp on a component. Points are won and lost in these details. We assess a car against the standards of the relevant judging body, identify where it deviates from correct, and put each detail right — restoring the small, unseen markings of originality that separate a top-flight car from a merely lovely one.
What preparation involves
- Assessment against the relevant concours judging criteria
- Paint correction, deep cleansing and protection to a flawless finish
- Detailing of engine bay, underside and every concealed surface
- Correction of finishes, fastenings and markings to factory specification
- Brightwork, glass and trim detailing to remove every blemish
- Show-day support and guidance through the judging process
Beneath and behind
Much of concours judging happens out of sight — under the car, inside the boot, behind the dashboard, deep in the engine bay. We prepare these areas with the same care as the paintwork, because that is where serious points are decided. An immaculate engine bay with correct finishes, correct clips and correct markings tells a judge that the whole car has been done properly, and rewards the owner accordingly.
On the lawn with you
Our involvement need not end when the transporter is loaded. We can support you on show day — a final detail after the journey, a knowledgeable answer to a judge's question, a quiet word about which details to draw attention to. Concours is as much about presentation and knowledge as it is about the car itself, and we are glad to stand alongside our owners on the lawn. The trophy is lovely; the real reward is seeing a car shown exactly as it deserves to be.