[DML] Re: Outstanding Concours at Expo in St. Louis

[Mike Substelny <msubstel@xxxx>]

My wife, Patti, and I also had the pleasure of judging the Concours at the the
DOA's Saint Louis Expo. We found it to be challenging and fun at the same time,
an experience we hope to repeat in the future.

The quality of all eight Concours cars was excellent, making them a pleasure to
examine. It was obvious that the contestants took the competition very
seriously, and I hope that our judging was up to their expectations.

DMC Houston did an excellent job of preparing us to judge the cars. Before we
left home they provided us with meticulously prepared judging books, complete
with color pictures and VIN breakdowns, as well as detailed scoring sheets. The
morning of the Concours they hosted a breakfast where they gave us a final
briefing and answered our questions.

During the judging, DMC Houston gave us excellent support. They supplied us
with two-way radios so we could easily call on their expertise when needed.
Stephen and James were available to answer questions about small details, some
of them very picky.

Concours judging was set up such that each judge was responsible for one
particular area on all eight cars. I judged undercarriages while Patti judged
exteriors. This helped to keep the scoring as balanced as possible; an
important factor when so much personal judgement is involved.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of my judging experience was educational. Even
after years of owning a DeLorean and reading the DML, Concours judging taught me
a *lot* about DeLoreans. There is no better way to learn the subtle differences
introduced by the factory, the QACs, and dealers while the cars were being sold.

Even though I spent 2.5 hours stooped over and crawling on the floor under these
gorgeous cars, I did not become as sore and stiff as Knut did. However, I think
I had dreams about fan cowls and epoxy-coated frames all night long.

TO ALL DMLers:
If you are ever fortunate enough to be asked to judge a DeLorean Concours, I
highly recommend that you accept the offer. You will be glad you did.

Patti and I want to thank DMC Houston for offering us this opportunity. We also
want to thank the DOA for arranging such a nice, enjoyable Expo.

- Mike Substelny