"NCRS Certified"

[Bryan L.]

We all know that is an incorrect statement. I must have heard it 100 times while watching the B-J auctions the past few years, more recently last night when the fake black L-89 went across.

I would think that the NCRS would object to this and make the proper complaints to the B-J execs and the TV announcers so that this misinformation would stop. They throw the term around and some guy bidding on a car thinks that because the car is incorrectly touted as "NCRS Certified" it is the real deal.

But it seems that the truth about a car is not really important during a B-J auction, just the fees.

BL

[Harry Sadlock]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

Especially since NCRS has a booth right there.

[Bruce B.]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

It't to bad but our "HOBBY" has turned into a big money game.
It seems NCRS jumped on the bandwagon by documenting NCRS certified cars at BJ, for a fee of course.
The question is, could the car pass judging today?
Bruce B.

[William B.]

NCRS is at B-J, FOR THE MONEY??

Our board voted that we would certify cars "for a large fee" and we would send our people to barrett jackson to do this. Why can't we inform Craig and his people what is correct? Or do we not care and we want the money also???

[Jack H.]

I'd give the benefit of the doubt...

to BJ on this one. The 'competition' (NCCB-Bloomington Gold) gives out 'Certification' awards vs. our 'Flight' awards. So, saying a car is 'certified' can be a Freudian slip from one more used to the BG process versus our NCRS judging terminology....

[Duke W.]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

This ain't rocket science. NCRS gives out "Flight" awards. Bloomington "certifies" Corvettes to gold, silver, etc. Given the number of Corvettes that cross the block, the B-J people should be able to get the facts straight.

I was really surprised that the '67 "L89" went for $189K given that it is really a "recreation" especially considering that the '68 L-89 (lot 1273) that I assume was real went for only $137.5K.

Prices seemed a little down from the last couple of years. Being as how Ron Pratt is a big developer in The Valley of the Sun, I thought that he might be a seller, but he's still buying.

The Corvette Rondine for $1.6M was probably a steal compared to the Olds Starfire at $4.0M. IMO the Rondine is certainly a more elegant design on a more modern chassis. I'm glad it went to the Blackhawk Collection (Danville, CA), which is definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the the East Bay area.

Duke

[Roy B.]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

"Flight" awards. Bloomington "certifies" Corvettes to gold, silver, etc are only good for that DAY! Next day who really knows,best time to get what you think your getting is to buy the day it's inspected.
Most high rollers by Corvettes for investments %%% not caring much about the Car.

[Garry Barnes]

New Trend Noticed

This may be an unpopular comment, but I noticed last night on two separate occassions that the car being auctioned was also being promoted with the "owner being a National Level NCRS judge". I know most of you have and or still do judge, but do you think that this additional comment along with the certification and or top flight mention adds anything to the value of the car? Clearly some of our own seem to think so.
Thoughts?

[Keith B.]

Re: New Trend Noticed

I would suggest that the types of cars I have seen owned by some "national level Judges" would most likely be exchanged in private sales. It is far too risky to put up a car that is worth 200k and walk away with 130.

Keith

[Tyler T.]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

This 'certification' grew out of a car up for auction that the owner represented as having recieved a TF award. A friend of mine checked with Eric and the car had never been judged at any time. His response was to outline to the Board that this misrepresentation was not in the best interest of NCRS and propose that we have in place a way to address a solution. It was his recommendation, adopted by the Board that NCRS offer a way for a seller to furnish proof of an award. When BJ was advised that this was avaliable they adopted the position that a seller must furnish this proof if the TF claim is included in listing. There was no desire on his part to make this some kind of way to grandise NCRS or the award. It was a way for NCRS to protect the process of Flight Awards. A TF is a fleeting thing, I and many of you know one set of tires/rims that have TF many a car so a buyer still has to do his due dilligance.

Tyler

[Norris W.]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

I didn't find the "NCRS Certified" comments as troubling as the continued "numbers matching" descriptions with the accompaning explanation that was not only orated by one of the anchors, but also put on the screen as a tag on numerous occasions. I fired off an E mail to BJ and got the std. pre-canned response about all e mails being read on the floor and being passed on to announcers, but they never corrected the description.

What the announcer said was, "we got a question from one of our viewers who was asking what the term MATCHING NUMBERS means exactly". He went on to explain that the term meant that the car had the original engine that was installed in it from the factory.

It's unfortunate when an organization with the viewership of BJ puts out information that's so potentially damaging to the novice car hobbyist who may be making his first budget draining purchase of a collectible car.

The explanation of a viewer's question about the difference between small block and big block engines was equally as disappointing: something along the lines of "engines in the 383 and bigger cubic inch displacement range were generally referred to as big blocks while smaller displacements were small blocks. At the time they were looking at a car that had a 420 or 430 something cubic inch small block. They also first described Camaro that sold with a late model Corvette small block as having a big block, I guess because it was listed as having a 427, but it was corrected by the other guy.

When they had Alan Decadine' (spelling?) for several years, his total lack of knowledge and mis-facts of muscle cars was truly annoyingm and these guys are a LOT better, but it seems like with the magnitude of this event they could hire some TRULY knowledgeable muscle car guys that wouldn't invent factoids to fill air time.

[Jack H.]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

I too am glad Blackhawk got the car. What do you think Pratt does with all the cars in his "private" collection, just walk around and touch them occasionally?

[Duke W.]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

I have no idea, but I've wondered about the same thing.

Duke

[Nick Culkowski]

Re: "NCRS Certified"

There is much to be said about tangible assets, especially during times of perceived economic turmoil. A genuine authenticated Corvette or any other true collectible can be touched, as opposed to derivative paper investments. Some feel comforted by pursuit of articles of trade.

[Mark D.]

Yeah...what Nick said! *NM*