Celica Hobby - Building A Winning Show Car

> How to build a Winning Showcar

How to build a winning show car! Back in the mid and early 90s, when the import industry was just emerging, a car with an exhaust and three spoke rims was considered “fixed up”. Today the show scene has evolved… incredibly. It has become highly competitive with much more at stake then before. Now instead of showing off your car just for personal enjoyment, teams are battling it out for media coverage, cash payouts, and most of all sponsorships. So lets go over the basics of what it takes to win:

(Keep in mind you can only score a max of 1000 points per category)

> ENGINE BAY

The most overlooked area of the show car. Today’s top winning show cars can compete in the show circuit and on the track. Not only that but the engines themselves can gain a huge amount of points.

Upgrade

Rank

JDM engine swap

+400

Turbo/Supercharger

+250

NOS

+200

Chrome/polished engine pieces

+20 per piece

Installation/Cleanliness

+/- 400

Powdercoated/polished tranny

+200

Powdercoated/polished block

+200

Powder coated valve cover

+50

Custom Intercooler + piping

+150

Intake piping + Filter

+10-50 depending on brand name

Headers

+50

Color matched wire loom

+50 total

Aftermarket Oil Cap

+15

JDM engine accessories

+75 per piece

Color matched hosing

+50 total

> EXTERIOR

The most overly done category of the show circuit.

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Rank

JDM Body Kit

+500

Body Kit

+350

Wide Body

+350

Pearl Paint

+200 add 50 per additional pearl

Chromaflair

+300

Candy/Flakes

+250

Cleanliness/Installation

+/- 400

Aftermarket spoiler

+150

Riceboy Emblems

-100 each

JDM Emblems

+50 each

Custom Grille

+50

Carbon Fiber pieces

+100 each

Custom scoops/vents

+75 each

Exhaust

+100-300 depending on brand name
add 100 for dual exhaust

Custom lighting

+200

> SUSPENSION

Another overlooked category.

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Rank

Wheels

Advan/AVS: +500
Work:+450
Volk Racing +400
Racing Hart (Japan): +400
HRE: +400
Kinesis: +400
5 Zigen: +300
OZ Wheels: +300
TSW (Europe): +300
Konig: +100
ALT: +100
Motegi: +100
Axis: +150
Stock: -100
19”: add 300
18”: add 200
17”: add 100
16”: add 50
15”: Drag Wheels only add 100
Chips: -10 per wheel
Curbing: -50 per wheel
Damaged: -100 per wheel

Cleanliness/Installation

+/-150

Powdercoated/polished links and arms

+50 per piece

Sway Bars

+100

Aftermarket shocks/struts

+20-100 depending on brand name

Springs:

+20-50 depending on brand name

Hydraulics/Air bags

+400 (Hot Import Nights/Daze)
+250 (Import Showoff)
+50 (NIRA)

Coilovers:

+100

Full Coilover System

+350

> INTERIOR

The category that many cant afford.
Try to stay within 3 colors. Rainbows are ugly inside cars.

Upgrade

Rank

Full aftermarket leather

+200-500 depending on brand name (Katzkin-Garrett)

Full aftermarket suede

+350

Full aftermarket non leather

+250

Cleanliness/Installation

+/-200

Indiglo Gauges

+100

Aftermarket Gauges

+75 per gauge

Roll cage

+350

Racing seats

Bride: +500 per seat
Recaro: +450 per seat
Sparco: +400 per seat
Momo: +400 per seat
Cobra: +350 per seat
Corbeau: +300 per seat
Tenzo: +200 per seat
Konig: +200 per seat
Reclinables: -100 per seat
Carbon/Kevlar: +200
3 point racing seatbelt: +100
4 point racing seatbelt: +150
5 point full camlock system: +300

Paint matched dash pieces

+50 per piece

Carbon fiber/Kevlar dash

+200

Aftermarket pedals

+50-200 depending on brand name

Aftermarket shift knob/shifter

+50-200 depending on brand name

Aftermarket steering wheel

+100-350 depending on brand name

Chrome/polished pieces

+50 per piece

> GRAPHICS

Yes that’s right. Stickers can score you points!
Remember though, bigger brand names score higher!

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Rank

Full body graphics

+500 add 100 per additional color

Cleanliness/Installation

+/-200

Random stickers

+10 per sticker

Roll call

+200

Illuminescent Graphics

+300

Carbon graphics

+100

Glitter graphics

+200

Chromaflair graphics

+300

> SOUND SYSTEM

This is judged as they do at a IASCA meet. So follow those rules.