Part of the NCRS problem....

[Steven B.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

I still belong to the ACD club & While they do have some older members than me, because a lot have died, there are a lot that are my age & way younger. I had A1936 Cord Phaeton & loved the look of it but it drove like a log wagon. Each generation has cars that the grew up with & love. A few cars cross the generations & Corvette is one of them. These cars will always be admired as great automobiles & works of art

Ken, do you know Jim Robinson (Connersville, IN and Mike Downey (previously of Connersville now of El Paso, TX) who were, and I think are still in ACD? Jim judged paint/body decades ago and at the time had a body shop in Connersville. I watched him over months construct a Cord fender with headlight bucket without an English wheel. He also has an Auburn he hillclimbed () and one that was built in and never left Fayette, Co. Each of these guys have Corvettes and Jim has BMW 2002's, sprint cars, a midget, Mabee Special, a Saab powered Devin, 3 rods built in the 50's. He goes to historic events now and a few hot rod shows. These guys are like many, talented, have varied interests and make it to only to a few events.

[William B.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

Have been driving my '67 327/300 since it came off the Complete Auto Transport truck. Heading from Ohio to Ocean City in the moring for the 'Endless Summer Cruise' on the boardwalk. I don't expect any problems but do have my AAA paid in full.

[Steve B.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

George,

Here is what I am hearing from you and those like you. "I, (Your name), will decide for all others how you enjoy your car. You must do as I tell you or you cannot enjoy your car. It's only my way...any other way is wrong and you cannot enjoy your car."

Sounds like a card carrying liberal telling everybody how they should live, what they can enjoy, what size Slurpee they can purchase.

isn't it hilarious how the folks that collect but don't drive never go on, ad nauseum, to the rest about how they should behave but, you guys freely serve up your view about how it should be?

I'll give you my point of view, mind your own business, live and let live...you wanna drive, drive. Maybe as long as your driving, you won't have time to sit around and think about dictating to others how they should live.

BTW, HAND,

Mark

Mark,
I agree 100% with you. I like to collect not for financial gain but merely because I love the cars and try to make them as nice as I possibly can. I work hard for my money and I like to restore my cars with as many original parts as possible. While I do get tired of hearing how crazy I am for buying certain high dollar parts for my cars, at the end of the day, it makes me happy. I thought that was the point of hobby. As with most clubs today, we face challenges moving forward but instead of constantly saying whats wrong it would be better to see the glass half full instead of half empty.

[Stephen B.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

Steve
Relax take a Valium.No one can obviously tell you what to do with your car. All that several of us have been saying is if you have a driver as many of us do start driving it before it's too late. By the way I too have a trailer Queen that I would hate to get caught out in the rain. As for your implication that any of us are card carrying liberals I see no comparison between the ongoing conversation and liberalism. Perhaps your stressed out after attending all those Tea Party meetings. As a side note I and several others that have contributed to this ongoing conversation are ultra conservative Republicans. Try staying on topic next time without the insulting political rhetoric.
Stephen Barrett (21558) 59,66,71,73

[Mark D.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

Stephen, Stephen, Stephen...taking valium without a prescription is illegal. What are you advocating?

Yeah, Bramati...quit calling people liberals, you always were a trouble maker.

All you guys try to stick to the topic. What are we talking about, again? Oh yeah, I remember. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you dopes that don't drive your cars are gonna be sorry....

[Bruce B.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

Mark,

Well put.

Steve, you are making yourself a great target:enclosed trailor, 59 trailor queen and a new Dodge pickup...OMG

Bruce

[Mark D.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

I'll say one more thing...I'm good with anything anybody wants to do with their car accept putting a Hillborn injection on a 62. Surely nobody here would do that. Other than that, I'm good.

On a serious note...I pray that one day, I have at least one car as nice as any of Steve Bramati's...just one, that's all I ask. No curing world hunger, not worried about peace around the world, just a car as nice as Steve's...that's all. Oh yeah, one more thing...as long as the appraised value is less than 12 million dollars, it'll be my daily driver.

[Michael J.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

This drive or don't drive topic is interesting. I always put a car or two into the Santa Fe Concorso every year. It is about a 100 car D'Elegance type of show, with cars from the '20s to 2013s. When I put my '67 in, I drive it to and from the show, as well as the road tour up in the high mountains, about 200 miles total. Every year there is a '63 SWC, usually a ZO6 tanker or the like, Bloomington Gold, Triple Crown NCRS, etc., beautiful paint, miles deep. I always get the green ribbon for driving the tour, but never get a blue ribbon as winner of the class. I'm second or third, have some rock chips and all that smeared yellow weatherstrip adhesive, etc. But those pristine '63 SWC ZO6's always win, and are always towed onto and off the field. One owner told me he couldn't take the chance of discoloring the exhaust manifolds and pipes by running it. I laugh inside and feel sorry for him, but guess what, he is having as much or more fun than I am, and he gets the blue ribbon, the pictures with Sir Sterling Moss and Al Unser, etc., and I just get to feel superior because mine runs and I drive it. To each his own on this, there are lots of ways to enjoy Corvettes.

[Kenneth F.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

Many of us went to school in the 50's and 60's when there were Corvettes in the school parking lots, and many on the road. I wanted to own one from about the time I was entering high school. It was easy to buy a nice used Corvette and drive it every day, as my only car. Our three sons probably think of my C-1, like I thought of the Model A my father owned. I thought the old Ford was nice, but it did not bring out the same memories dad had about his car. And our son's do not have the surplus funds for hobbies, even with good jobs.

[Greg C.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

The original Post was about low turn out, at CLUB events....
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal.

The whole point of joining a club is to be amongst folks that are (reasonably) like minded about a particular topic/interest...in this case CORVETTES.

While I know there are some that joined the NCRS just to get the Driveline/Corvette Restorer, I am guessing/hoping that the majority of folks joined for the education, camaraderie, and fun.

Some say, "Don't worry about the turn out, Don't worry about the Graying, Don't worry about XYZ"... but I think that we should be at least a little worried.

As an amateur historian, I have been involved with several WW2 Veterans groups... because there is a wealth of information about the 20th Centuries most epic conflict to be obtained from each and every veteran. The difference between the WW2 veterans and Corvette enthusiasts is that we can't make any more WW2 veterans, but we CAN make (or at least cultivate) Corvette enthusiast. Saying that "kids today" aren't interested in C(fill in the blank) Corvettes is kind of a cop out. Give a 14 year old a ride in your 1960 Corvette with the top down on a sunny day and my guess is your have MADE A NEW C1 fan. Invite your 42 year old neighbor over to help do the tune up on your L78, and my guess is he will be scheming a way to buy his own.

There are LOTS of things the Corvette Club members and the WW2 veterans organizations have in common, and leading the pack is a WEALTH of FIRST HAND information about the cars. There are still MANY Original owners out there of even the earliest of C1s... but that person may not have the energy to organize an event... that is where the "new blood" comes in handy. When you recruit younger folks, they can bring some of the muscle in to get things going. I hate to say it but each day we "loose" a bit of this info when a former owner/enthusiast passes. There is a lot to be learned from reading N Adams books, but to hear it and see it first hand is priceless.

Whatever local club you belong to, I'd encourage you to, at your next meeting, get out ALL the old membership rosters and divide them up to have all the current participating members personally contact a member that no longer participates... Yes, John Doe might not have attended a meeting in 12 years and may have sold his mid year long ago, but I bet if you told him you were having a Corvette Club "home coming" next month and that you'd pick him up in your C___, he would more than likely come (if you want to guarantee he'd come, tell his wife you are coming to get him, chances are she wants him out of the house!)

[Steve B.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

Stephen,
Thanks for your kind and thoughful reply.

[George J.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

George,

Here is what I am hearing from you and those like you. "I, (Your name), will decide for all others how you enjoy your car. You must do as I tell you or you cannot enjoy your car. It's only my way...any other way is wrong and you cannot enjoy your car."

Sounds like a card carrying liberal telling everybody how they should live, what they can enjoy, what size Slurpee they can purchase.

isn't it hilarious how the folks that collect but don't drive never go on, ad nauseum, to the rest about how they should behave but, you guys freely serve up your view about how it should be?

I'll give you my point of view, mind your own business, live and let live...you wanna drive, drive. Maybe as long as your driving, you won't have time to sit around and think about dictating to others how they should live.

BTW, HAND,

Mark

Mark,
giving my opinion is not telling everyone what they need do. Wow. And now I'm a liberal to boot. This whole thread started by trying to discuss why there seems to not be enough participation. People were giving their personal opinions without any acrimony, and you start calling people ignorant, and attributing to them a quote that they never made. Totally unnecessary.

George

[Joe R.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

As you may notice, I have been with the NCRS for a long time and grown old watching the "graying of the NCRS" as it has unfolded. We are no different from any other car club in the USA.
We have concentrated on our loved "Corvettes" and not our children. We should have noticed this forty years ago and involved our kids while they were at home.
When I sold my 58 years ago, my son cried because he thought it was going to be his car! Bad mistake on my part! Didn't even take time to ask him how he felt until it was too late. We belong to the "ME" generation. We started it and now we live in it!
We have to understand that the NCRS is composed of many "tastes" which run from restoration, driving, showing and overall enjoyment. Members run the gammut from driving to trailering and many have showrooms with their Corvettes on static display.
Bottom line, if you don't like the NCRS then it's not for you!

JR

[Joe C.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

As you may notice, I have been with the NCRS for a long time and grown old watching the "graying of the NCRS" as it has unfolded. We are no different from any other car club in the USA.
We have concentrated on our loved "Corvettes" and not our children. We should have noticed this forty years ago and involved our kids while they were at home.
When I sold my 58 years ago, my son cried because he thought it was going to be his car! Bad mistake on my part! Didn't even take time to ask him how he felt until it was too late. We belong to the "ME" generation. We started it and now we live in it!
We have to understand that the NCRS is composed of many "tastes" which run from restoration, driving, showing and overall enjoyment. Members run the gammut from driving to trailering and many have showrooms with their Corvettes on static display.
Bottom line, if you don't like the NCRS then it's not for you!

JR

Not me!

Why, I only wanted the best for my stepson, and tried to be a loving, yet stern and respected father to him. I spared no expense and trouble in raising him. Taught him right from wrong as best I could. Went out of my way to instill in him a sense of morality, justice, respect, and many of the other qualities which are sadly missing from the generations that followed the Greatest Generation. I also instilled in him a sense of "identification" if not love and survival as associated with Corvettes when he was just a toddler. The day was clear, scorching hot, and stiflingly humid. The Corvette was my beloved all-black spit windar saloon-coop, so I rolled up all the windas and locked him in it all day in the macadam driveway until he chokingly gasped that he promised to love Corvettes as an adult.

[Mark D.]

Re: Part of the NCRS problem....

I would say that to truly and fully enjoy these cars you must drive them.

Sounds like, to me, you're telling everybody they MUST drive their cars or, they will NOT be able to fully enjoy them. How do you know what's best for all? What's it any of your business why each person does as they see fit. Why don't you just drive your car and not concern yourself with what others do...or don't do?