What is original?

[Rich G.]

Hi all:

Trying to understand what "original" means reference the Bowtie Award. I have read the description. Let me pose a hypothetical scenario. Suppose you are lucky enough to find a C1,2,or 3 tucked away by the original owner. It's dirty, moldy and has surface rust on everything. The engine hasn't turned in 20 years. The tires and exhaust are rotted away. You take it apart, not frame off, but to whatever level you need to clean, paint indivdual parts like shocks,etc. and re-install ALL the original parts...except exhaust, tires,battery and other expendibles. You overhaul the engine to get it running, only changing parts that are worn beyond limits. Maybe you put a new clutch in or overhaul the tranny with seals and bearings.

Is this a Bowtie candidate, or is it just an "on frame" restoration? Assume the paint and interior clean up ok and are not replaced.

Thanks for your opinions...By the way, if anyones knows of such a car, let me know!!!

Rich Giannotti

[Wayne P.]

Re: What is original?

Clean it up very carefully. Anything repainted will lose originally points. Parts inside the engine will/can not be checked.

[Patrick H.]

Re: What is original?

Rich,

the car doesn't even have to RUN to get a Bowtie award. You could have the car judged as-is. Really.

Now, most of us would clean it, but I'll bet a car like that could be made running with less effort than you think.

I'm campaigning a 72 right now that was tucked away for almost 15 years. It took a lot less to get it going than what you describe. In fact, I just took it to work today, and for a drive tonight. Beautiful car.

Patrick

[Dan Provost]

Re: What is original?

some cars need more than others, and some appear to be original and are not, my 57 has been sitting for five years, and really was not driven that much before then, she needs a new ignition system, brakes, all gauges need redoing, the radio was replaced with a non wonderbar, and does not work, wipers, heater blower, you name it, it needs work! Even the 57 motor was taken out and replaced with a 56 265 , and I just tore that down to the block to replace all the gaskets, but with all her faults, she looks fantastic, even with a hurst shifter, and would not trade her for the world, enjoy the car, worry about originality in due time.

[Dennis C.]

Re: What is original?

Rich... You absolutely need to purchase an NCRS Judging Reference Manual from the good people in Cincinnati. This publication pretty much fully explains the NCRS Bowtie Judging philosophy. I tried to write it so members with great original cars would not screw them up during preparation - or - not fully understand what a (NCRS) "Bowtie" car is...

[Rich G.]

Re: What is original?

Dennis

Thanks. I wish this was an immediate problem, but anyway, that's the book I need to help me. I have the judging guides for a couple of years, but I couldn't really get my arms around the "Bowtie" requirements (philosophy?). I own a 66 which is DEFINATELY not a candidate, but it looks great and I love to drive it. I'll order that book...I'm getting good at that!

Thanks again for the comments.

Rich Giannotti

[roy braatz]

Re: What is original?

In flight judging you have two colums 1 original 2 condition, today so many Corvettes are restored with repro.parts that are not quite right compared to an original parts that many judges don't know the difference when they see a real original part. There are early, mid and late corvette, two or more G.M suppliers and so on. Many Corvettes are restored to be ALL the same. I think if some one took a O milage early and late O milage original Corvette to be judged they would may be get a second flight award.

[Tom R.]

Re: What is original?

Technically...an owner presents a vehicle as a Bowtie candidate at a regional event where the team leader views the vehicle and signs off that indeed it is a candidate.

Originality in NCRS terms for Bowtie means that parts were delivered with that particular on a given day. Service replacement parts are not original to the car. For example, a service replacement correctly dated coded starter(and part number) that coincides with the build date would not be original to that car. The part works great for Flight judging...but would fail in Bowtie judging. Of course, an owner could pull it off but the fact of the matter is that it is not original to that car.

In your example, the paint you used is not original to the car...though it looks better. Replacement parts make it run...but are not original to the car. Tires and exhaust keep it on the road and please other owners with its quietness and smooth operations...but are not original to the car.

In Bowtie judging, your vehicle must score 80% to 85% in each of the four areas to pass and earn its Bowtie star for that particular area (interior, exterior, chassis and mechanical). You earn a star for each area. As Dennis states...manual goes into much detail on this.

So NCRS is generous and recognizes crap happens over the years of use and therefore a vehicle gets credit for safety repairs and safety parts replacement.

We've seen vehicles on the judging field that were rolled in from a corn field and earned a star...they were original...no paint, no parts, rotted tires, rusted exhaust...etc.

The "originality" concept is that one cannot return a vehicle's originality...once it is gone! The bottom line is the car your viewing is a better Bowtie candidate unmolested than it would be with paint and parts. The moment you tinker...you are effectively compromising its originality...hope this helps!

[Rich G.]

Re: What is original?

Tom

Thanks for the detailed response. I have ordered the book. Part of the fun I get from our hobby is learning new things.

Rich Giannotti

[Jack H.]

Don't make the mistake!!!!

Of confusing NCRS Star/Bowtie awards with the NCCB (Bloomington) Survivor award.... While similar in intent (a judging and recognition class for 'unrestored' vs. 'restored' Corvettes) there are subtle differences that can be MAJOR in impact.

The 'other' award has the motto 'worn in, but not worn out'. Not only is the car judged for factory originality in the categories of Interior, Exterior, Mechanical, and Chassis, but it's expected to go out on the highway and sucessfully traverse a road course (NOT a speed/performance competition) to demonstrate it actually works.

This is NOT the case at NCRS.... Star/Bowtie cars are not required to start/run. Condition means almost nothing. So, there's no need to fix this/that on the car. Attempt(s) to do so can detract from the car's score if the 'fix' results in obvious departure(s) from factory original condition.

If one wanted to pursue both awards, it would behoove the owner to simply NOT TOUCH the car, attempt NCRS Star/Bowtie judging BEFORE fixing/cleaning this/that to pursue the NCCB Survivor award....

[Dennis C.]

Re: Don't make the mistake!!!!

Thank you Tom & Jack... Dennis