Survior Status

[Jeff Grice]

What is the definition of Survivor? I have a 68 with 18,000 miles that has been painted (with laquer) and has a new, not dated, convertible top. One interior piece has been replaced (piller trim).

Maintenance items have been done. Eg. new starter - not dated.

Thanks.

Jeff

[Paul B.]

Re: Survior Status

Jeff, your car sounds like it would be a good candidate for a "Survivor". I had my 37,000mi '74 "survivored" in 1994. Car has to be 20 years old. Basic criterea for survivor is that 50% or more of the following areas have to be judged "original"; engine compartment, interior, chassis & paint. If say the judges determined the door panels and carpet have been replaced, most likely you would "fail" that category. If the engine has been painted you would fail engine compartment category. The judges are'nt picky on maintenance replacement items such as altenators, starters, shocks, tires. They basically want to see the car "unrestored". The judging is kind of "general", but you do see cars fail. Seems as though most fail on paint. You are allowed to fail one category and still make survivor.

[Jack H.]

Re: Survior Status

"Survivor" is a registered trademark of the NCCB (Bloomington) concours organization. At NCRS, we have a similar program we call Bowtie. NCCB has been 'touchy' in the past about folks using their trademarked word as a generic noun in print, so getting terminology right in public can be important.

NCRS Bowtie program is described in the Judging Reference Manual. There are four areas for competition that follow the Flight Judging process (Exterior, Interior, Mechanical, Chassis) that can be elected on a mix & match basis. At NCRS, the Bowtie program is 'by invitation' and done only at National Convention by experienced judges on the National Judging Team. The Judging Ref Man (white book) defines the process.

Basically, you get your car to any NCRS Regional/National meet, for any reason (founders, sportsman, simple display, flight) and declare it to the meet's Judging Chairman as a Bowtie Candidate (helps to write that on your meet registration papers). A team of senior judges comes by to visit and make a cursorary check of the car. If they determine your car has basic merit for Bowtie competition, they'll sign off on the 3x5 card you give them. This card becomes your 'ticket' for one year or until the next National Convention to ride.

At NCCB, you check off their Survivor and/or Certification judging electives and submit into their blind lottery system. They pull at random taking 'X' cars per division, based on current staffing levels, and put all non selected registrants on a 'backup list'. If you're on the backup list, don't hold your breath!

So, both forms of factory original concours judging are 'by invitation' based. Each will ask you to declare as much as you can about what's not factory original on your car. Scoring systems differ as well as the nuts and bolts of judging specifics. But, a car that does well in one organization's system usually fares well in the others.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Survior Status

Jeff,

Paul is correct regarding the actual "definition" of a Survivor per NCCB. Realize that condition to NCCB is not particularly important. I have seen a few old unrestored pigs awarded "Survivor" status, because they had no significant restoration performed on them. They stretched the rule of thumb "Worn in, but not Worn Out" in my opinion. On the other hand, I saw a 69 coupe with very faded (absent?) paint, new seats and carpet, and rebuilt (and therefore repainted) motor obtain Survivor as it was believed of the 4 major areas (chassis, interior, exterior, motor), he had less than 50% of 3 of them restored. I thought that the interior/motor restore combo put him over the edge, but that's only me.

Some Survivor judges will tell you (unofficially) that they can tell you in 30 seconds whether a car will pass or not. I would have to say that Bowtie judging is much more rigorous, but not quite as rigorous as Flight judging, having done both of these myself.

In the end, I would rate Surivor as Easy, and having seen a wide variety of cars achieve this, it means less to me than Bowtie.

Hope this helps.

Patrick Hulst

[Paul B.]

Re: Survivor Status

Patrick, I agree 100%. I've been going to Bloomington every year since 1991 and I think in the last 2-3 years the "Survivor" judging has been almost too easy. Last year 40 out of 41 cars entered received survivor. I saw many cars that to me were'nt survivors. Not to get off track here, but last year when my friend took his 1976 L-82 car for judging at the gate he told them where he needed to park and the attendant replied "Survivor parking??? Is that for all the junker Corvettes that barely run???" I know I'm no know-it-all, but after all the thousands and I literally mean thousands of Corvettes I've looked at in the last 11 years, I think I know when one is very original(at least in the '73-'82 category). I've sure seen some heated discussions about what is 50% original and what is not. Your also right on that it is'nt as critically judged(the corvette) as "Bowtie" is. Paul Borowski, Massillon, Ohio

[Reba]

Re: Survior Status

Jeff, lest you be mis-led by some of these responses, please note that the percentage requirement for Bowtie is not 50%, but 80% for mechanical and chassis and 85% for exterior and interior. Even after that determination the judges and team leader must vote that the car is of "significant and historic value and should be preserved in its present condition." This is mostly a given if the car has received its percentages.