[Okiespaniels]

I guess I hadn't taken that many photos... but there are a couple ideas I'd like to offer up to anyone considering entering a vehicle.
The first thing I should note is that you don't need a lot of mods to be competitive, but I highly reccomend a thorough cleaning of any part of your vehicle you either want the public to see, or think the judging panel might look at. Note: this isn't an attempt to pick on anybody, just some suggestions.

So if you are gonna show off your motor, take a few minutes at the local car wash and give her a quick spray down at least. Get all of this summers bugs out of the radiator Use the foamy brush or something stiffer if need be. If things still aren't to your satisfaction use some dish soap and a couple scrubbers to get the fender wells and battery. Hoses can be cleaned with Westleys and then wipped with a rag with protectant

Ditto with the undercarrage...chrome diff housings should be shiny, and a good cleaning and and a can of semi gloss or chassis black is a great way to temporarly deal with rusty components. Works on plastic wheelwell liners too!

Accentuate the positive! Door dings can be "hidden" by opening the door to reveal your awesome seats and stereo system. While I'm not a fan of them a couple of stuffed critters can be used for the "cute factor".
Same with fender scratches...I should have used fender covers to begin with but now isn't too late.

Tires and rims...the shiney guck goes on the tires and the rest should be clean and free of brake dust. Buy a lug nut brush for a couple bucks and use it.

Mike, you asked about a show board. Not needed but if you have pics of your ride being modded or doing something cool like drag racing or off roading, wouldn't hurt to advertise.

The cool thing is once you've gotten things cleaned and detailed, it takes only a minimal amount of effort to keep them that way. So your time with kids and family doesn't have to suffer.