Open letter to NCRS - Restorer Magazine

[george romano]

Roy

Where was that picture taken?
Nice car, Roy. Best of luck with the new car!!!!!

George

[Roy B.]

Re: Roy

In the FL. keys at a great friends home just before we left for home to Ca. Drove 4K miles home , stop to see other great friends.

[Michael S.]

Old School Will Mean Death To This Organization!

Do you REALLY want to keep it Old School? Go to an NCRS meet or ANY Corvette meet for that matter and what do you see?

FAT & 55+ in Age!

Not a good receipe for a continuing much less a thriving organization. The "Old School" NCRS management AND membership should look in the mirror and realize that you have had and continue to have your Corvette fun.

As yourself the question, What can I/we do for the next generation of Corvette Enthusiasts? This is a SERIOUS question since there may not be ANY enthusiasts left who WORRY or CARE about a Corvette!

[William B.]

Sorry my old school = Vettes older than !5 years.

I think the restorer should be kept to items of interest concerning al corvettes that are currently being judged.

[Roy B.]

Re: Old School Will Mean Death To This Organizatio

FAT & 55+ in Age
I'm a little over weight and not to pretty BUT!
I also thought about that and know what your trying to say (crude ) but again you mostly see gray haired guys . I worried back in the 80's that NCRS was missing out requiring a factory delivery only Corvette to enter NCRS.I thought to in courage other people to restore their Corvette was to have a class or division where those people that have a Corvette but not original factory fresh could be involved . That dint go over vary well so I started SACE which is still going strong . %75 of members are NCRS members to get their info but don't bring their Corvettes . They like to have a few mods and accessories and had no organization for meeting other that felt the same till I started SACE.
The membership are younger then NCRS members in general who love the Corvette but wont some up dating in their Corvettes and at the same time respect and try to keep their Corvette as close as possible to original by not butchering the Corvette. It would bring in younger people and add more interest to all Corvette owners.
Now we see many people going all out to mod their Corvettes power train wise BUT still having the original look and they also are the younger guys.
I don't see NCRS lasting in it's present altitude on a factory delivered Corvette down the road as time goes by , I see Museum type Corvettes that few people will ever see out side of a museum.
Why cant NCRS bring in other classes separate from factory original judging?

[Mark #28455]

BINGO!!! You're the winner!

In the beginning, it appears the NCRS was a club of younger people who ENJOYED USING their Corvettes. Hey, didn't Mike have an L88 in a 1957 - was that a COPO?Few cars were perfect, in fact, I read an article some time ago that one of the well known members didn't even realize his 55(?) was lacking the correct bumpers. All the cars were "used", I doubt there was anything like the current "trailer queens" and it seemed like a good time was had by all.

Fast forward about 30 years, now most of the cars are $$$$$$$, many are restored by paid professionals (more than a few of whom also happen to do the judging) and the owners frequently don't have a clue about over-restored paint, restamps, etc. It seems to have been mutated to a hoop through which the owner needs to lump the car prior to selling it - in order to get the top dollar.

Lets add back the fun factor - how about setting up a "tailgate" area along with the sportsman cars, so we can get back to the stories, jokes, etc while those that want to judge can get their work done.

Mark

[Dick W.]

Re: Sorry my old school = Vettes older than !5 yea

FAT & 55+ in Age! Hey Spinach, ya are gittin' down dirty and personal. Yer fergot ugly though

[Dick W.]

Re: Sorry my old school = Vettes older than !5 yea

Seriously, the "graying of NCRS" was a topic of discussion at one of the early board meetings that I attended long before I became real active. In almost every board of directors meeting this comes up one way or another. All car clubs that I belong to are asking this question. What will happen when the younger generation comes of age to really become active?? What will happen to AACA, SACE, NCRS, etc??? SEMA has done a lot of market research on this subject. There are some opinions, but the concensus is that we areskipping/going to skip a generation. Hopefully the next car generation is getting their license now. It is up to the various clubs to cultivate them as members, hopefully.

[Chris Patrick]

Re: Sorry my old school = Vettes older than !5 yea

When I grew up and began buying Corvettes, they were between $5000 and $6000 base. Add another $2000 for out the door for anything more than a stripped down base car.

At the time, most the guys I knew in the clubs that had them were making around $200 a week. So 30 weeks pay, you had a new Corvette. You probably had to be single to justify it.

Compared to today, around $50,000 most guys making $600 to $800 a week means 60 to 80 weeks to buy a new one. Not quite the same, obviously not aimed at the same working class as before.

The old ones, just about anything from '56 to '68, was in the $2000 range, give or take. Some cheaper, some a bit more but not by much. It was rare to find an old one that someone wanted more. It had to be mint (equivalent to most body-off restorations today), or the guy was nuts.

This would take about 10 weeks pay to get one. Definitely something most could afford if single or if married and no kids.

Today, those old ones are starting at $30,000 if you are lucky! That is 37 to 50 weeks pay. That means the same class of person who bought a NEW Corvette in the '60s and '70s is the class that can afford the bottom classic Corvette today.

Remember those new Corvette owners back then? Yes, a lot of them were in clubs, but were they the guys that started the clubs? Were they the guys that wanted to set up the rallies, autocrosses, and races? Or were they the ones along for the ride to show everyone "Hey, I have a Corvette!" instead?

What I am saying is the type of people who loved Corvettes for Corvettes, and loved to do things with them and with other owners, are not the guys who can afford them today. Some still do, having bought theirs 30 years ago and riding the crest of the prices with occasional buying and selling, but you don't get these type of people entering today, because they just can't afford to.

Look at the guys buying the $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000 Corvettes today. Are they the type to join a club? Do you think they would do what those working the hardest in Corvette clubs and NCRS chapters do?

I guess what I am saying is that the type of people who look to join clubs and are willing to work to make a club successful are not the ones who can afford old Corvettes. If they can, it is the C4s and while some have restored them, too many of us think of the C4 as a "new" Corvette.

[Frank C.]

Re: Sorry my old school = Vettes older than !5 yea

Hell...to me a C3 is a new Corvette.