The SURVIVOR(r) Collector Car Show presented by Bloomington Gold - America’s first show to be dedicated to un-restored original automobiles - was recently held (June 29) at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Ill. On display was an impressive collection of 116 un-restored vehicles, at least 20 years old, of all brands including a blue 1954 Chevrolet pickup, black 1957 Ferrari, 1961 Chrysler 300 with only 71 miles and 1905 Pierce-Arrow. Yet what common objective united the uncommon vehicles’ owners?  All had gathered to learn more about SURVIVOR certification.

SURVIVOR - the registered trademark intellectual property of Bloomington Gold founder/CEO David Burroughs - denotes only those cars certified by Bloomington Gold to have escaped the wear and tear, restoration and modifications typical of most collector vehicles.

It was in 1978 that Burroughs determined the need to reward Corvette owners who strove to preserve their car’s authenticity.  Only a few years later he established the GoldCertified(r) standard by which expert judges assess a (restored or un-restored) Corvette’s condition to be no less than 95% compliant with original factory specification.

“Adversely, in an effort to achieve Gold Certification, many owners began reconditioning vehicles that would have better served as historic templates for accurate restorations,” noted Burroughs.  “I realized these folks needed an incentive not to restore cars that didn’t need it.”

Thus, in 1989, Burroughs devised a new judging standard that awarded SURVIVOR status to un-restored Corvettes at least 20 years old that could pass a 20-mile road test and retained more than 50% of their original factory finish in good condition.  A year later Bloomington Gold conducted the first SURVIVOR Corvette show.

“We’ve certified more than 1,000 Corvettes in the past 18 years, though recently the term SURVIVOR has been applied generically to all manner of older cars, especially those up for sale,” Burroughs said.  “It’s important to remember that SURVIVOR is a brand name that means something more than un-restored or original.  It’s a process that’s governed by highly qualified judges who certify that a vehicle has met or exceeded precise standards.”

By 2006, Burroughs - unwilling to forfeit SURVIVOR to a wayward American lexicon that already counted Band-Aid(r), Xerox(r) and Kleenex(r) among its victims - was laying out plans to offer SURVIVOR certification to a larger number of automotive brands.  His three-year vision kicked-off June 29 as the first-ever SURVIVOR Collector Car Show was held in conjunction with the 35th annual Bloomington Gold Corvettes USA show.

While no formal judging was conducted at the event, a group of industry advisors was assembled to recommend future standards, procedures, protocols and venues.  Also on hand were 10 (potential) Certified SURVIVOR Judges “in training” and more than 40 registrations were received by other hopeful applicants.

“The overall turnout was tremendous and the quality of the vehicles was surprising in a good way,” said Burroughs.  “I can tell you that many will achieve SURVIVOR status as soon as we initiate certification.”

Burroughs’ goal is to increase the number of un-restored vehicles on display at next year’s show where the judge screening process will continue.  By 2010 he hopes to host the first event where automobiles of all marquees will have the opportunity to become SURVIVOR certified.

“From Mustangs to MOPARS, there are thousands of worthy candidates in the United States and around the world,” he noted.  “Ours is the only event where they can earn the true distinction of being SURVIVOR Certified.”

To learn more about the SURVIVOR Collector Car Show, including how to become a judge and vehicle eligibility/certification standards, visit http://www.SurvivorCarShow.com.

About Bloomington Gold
The Bloomington Gold Corvettes USA show is America’s original and longest running Corvette show.  The annual event, first held in 1973, takes place on the last full weekend in June at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Ill. and offers enthusiasts an unrivaled opportunity to partake of the finer aspects of Corvette culture - from the historically significant Special Collection(r) to GoldCertified(r) judging to the SURVIVOR(r) Collector Car Show.  Contact Bloomington Gold at 309.888.4477 or visit http://www.BloomingtonGold.com or http://www.SurvivorCarShow.com.