Restoration Grade Guide — Concours, Show, Driver, Project on PickRV

Restoration grade affects price, recommended use, mechanical reliability, and which type of rental makes sense. A Concours-grade Pebble Beach class winner does not rent for a road trip; a Driver-grade Mustang Fastback does.

The grade is set by the host using the AACA framework, cross-referenced to comparable cars judged by AACA chapters in the past 10 years. PickRV's quality team flags any host whose grade assertions consistently diverge from the AACA framework.

The grade does not equal price — a Driver-grade rare classic (1973 Pantera, 1962 Studebaker Avanti) can rent for more than a Show-grade common platform (1969 Mustang Fastback). Rarity and platform demand also matter.

Concours grade is the absolute peak — judged at AACA Senior Grand National, Pebble Beach, Amelia Island. The car is restored to better-than-original specification with every detail correct to the manufacturer's original drawings.

What you get: a museum-grade restoration. Every nut, bolt, fastener, and fluid is correct to the year and model.

What you don't get: a daily driver. Most Concours-grade cars rent for venue display only (Concours, weddings, photo shoots). Highway use is not the typical rental scenario.

Insurance: collector policy with agreed value (specific limits set by the licensed collector-car carrier).

Show grade is judged-quality but not Concours-peak. AACA First Junior or Senior award level. The restoration is correct in major areas but may have minor deviations from original specification.

What you get: a beautifully restored car that can be driven on highways at moderate distances (weekend trips, multi-day local cruises). Highway use is fine; cross-country touring is uncommon.

What you don't get: month-long touring reliability. Show-grade cars are restored for show-and-shine, not for continuous use.

Insurance: collector policy with agreed value.

Driver grade is honestly restored for daily / weekly use — mechanically sorted, cosmetically clean, no major deviations from original specification, but not show-judged.

What you get: a road-trip-capable classic. Multi-day touring is the typical use. Hosts service every 3,000-5,000 miles or before each rental. Trip-disabling mechanical events are uncommon but documented.

What you don't get: judged-show pedigree. Driver-grade rigs are honestly road-grade; the patina and use signs are visible.

Insurance: collector policy with agreed value on the host's side; the renter brings their own driver liability coverage.

Most PickRV classic rentals are Driver-grade. This is the segment that road-trip rentals fit.

Project grade is unrestored or partially restored — running but cosmetically rough, mechanically dependent, owner-driven for skill-development.

PickRV does not currently rent Project-grade classics. The mechanical reliability is too inconsistent for a rental product.

Project-grade exists in the market and may show up in AACA discussions; it is not part of PickRV's lineup.

Wedding or photo shoot or Concours venue display: Show-grade or Concours-grade. Hosts often offer event-only rental terms (3-8 hour blocks).

Weekend cruise (PCH, Bourbon Trail, Mulholland): Driver-grade is the answer. Highway-rated, multi-day comfortable, mechanically sorted.

Multi-week tour or Power Tour: Driver-grade with a restomod option (modern fuel injection, modern AC, modern brakes on a vintage body) is ideal. Pure original Driver-grade also works but expect maintenance touchpoints.

Period-correct concours entry: only Concours-grade. PickRV's pre-war and 1950s rare classics may be rentable for show-field entry; verify in the booking conversation.