BACKGROUND
The original instructions for the award of this trophy stated that it was to be awarded for the best owner restored car for the year.

A number of questions arose when examining cars to be considered for this award.  Listed below are just some of the questions that were questioned and need to be addressed:

1. Must car be a frame-up restoration?
   
   
2. If not, where should the line be drawn?
   
   
3. An excellent job on a “cream puff” all original car may entail far less work than a  job of the same caliber on a  basket case. Should the edge be given on overall result (authenticity) or amount of effort (industry)?
   
   
4. How much of the work must be done personally by owner, in order to qualify as an Owner-restored car?
   
   
5. Should unauthentic accessories count against what is otherwise a fine restoration? If authenticity is the major criteria, a less perfect car could win the award.
   
   
6. Shouldn’t owners of ongoing restorations be provided with the criteria before they apply for award consideration?
   
   
7. Is there any requirement that this award be made every year?

DISCUSSION
It was decided that the Club should have guidelines that would be consistent from year to year in the interest of fairness to all parties.  Clearly, the intent and application of this award from its inception has been to place the emphasis on the amount of work done personally by the owner, the quality of workmanship, and the completeness and authenticity of the restoration.

The major restoration tasks are:  total car disassembly and assembly; engine and drive train rebuilding; plating; sandblasting; welding; body work; body painting; reupholstering; top construction and repair and painting of chassis and accessories.  Minor restoration tasks such as purchase of new accessories and parts clearly should merit only secondary consideration. 

PREREQUISITES

1. Owner must be a Club member in good standing.
   
   
2. Car must be driven to at least one club sponsored meet during the calendar year in which the car is presented for consideration.
   
   
3. To be considered, application to technical committee must be made by September 15.
   
   
4. Owner is eligible once per vehicle.
   
   
5. Car must be 25 years old or older.

RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES
The following guidelines and criteria will be interpreted by the technical committee for the awarding of the Ernie Johnson Memorial Trophy.

1. Restoration must be a ground-up restoration.There is no requirement to restore any mechanism unnecessarily in order to put it in like-new condition. e. g. if an engine has only 7000 miles on it, repainting the exterior may be all that is required. However, complete disassembly of every major assembly is a requirement in order to determine their condition.
   
   
2. An original “cream puff” car will not be considered for this award unless 50% or more of its parts had to be restored.
   
   
3. Authenticity should have the highest priority in consideration. If two cars of equally fine authenticity are presented for the award, the one entailing the most owner work should be given the award.
   
   
4. At least 50% of the total restoration work must be done personally by the owner to qualify as an owner restored car. In addition, at least 4 of the following tasks must have been performed by the owner:

   A.  total car disassembly

   B.  engine rebuilding

   C.  drive train rebuilding

   D.  plating, casting and machining

   E.  sandblasting

   F.  welding and brazing

   G.  body work (sheet metal)

   H.  body painting

   I.  Reupholstering

   J.  top rebuilding

   K.  repair, painting of accessories

   L.  repair, painting of chassis and running gear (hubs, drums, springs, steering)

Note:
Each of the above items will be ranked by the technical committee on a scale of 0-5 for authenticity and personal work contribution when judging for this award.

1. Unauthentic accessories will detract from the total overall restoration, but in no case should a car with a less perfect overall restoration be chosen because of this requirement.
   
   
2. Owners of new, ongoing restorations should be provided with a copy of these guidelines, on request, before they present their cars for inspection.
   
   
3. There is no requirement that this award be made every year. The award should be retired in the year in which no outstanding restoration is made. This is past practice and precedent.
   
   
4. Preference should be given the amateur restorer over the professional restorer in evaluation of the overall restoration.
   
   
5. The technical committee has the sole responsibility for the interpretation of these guidelines.