Revfan

I am a NCRS member, and I think that they should expand on what the club is about in order to attract new/younger members.

According to the NCRS site:
Our purpose as written in our Constitution shall be "the preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of early Corvettes and related material as well as to encourage and publish studies and research pertaining to their history. An additional purpose shall be to conduct meetings, tours, and programs of any sort relating to the development and history of Corvettes.

Nowhere in there does it say that they will consider Corvettes as restored to factory condition as the pinnacle of Corvette ownership...

If I were king of the world and wore a funny hat, I'd welcome anyone with ANY Corvette, or the desire to own ANY Corvette. The guys involved with that organization are some incredibly smart folks... you'd think that they would have come up with a way to "judge" over-restorations, Restomods, and regular "mundane" Corvettes like mine.

Seriously, wouldn't they attract more members if they had "girl in Convertible tries to eat the hot dog as they drive by" kind of stuff too?


I am not saying chuck the baby out with the bathwater, I am just saying expand the focus.

This is not meant to poke the eye of the NCRS... its just that they are in the best position to take advantage and change with the times. Still, there are those that would rather have the NCRS die with them (shortly) than change...

But they don't really have to change, because "enjoyment of Corvettes" is already IN our Constitution.

ztriper

well,i have been around the hobby for too long to mention. my father owned and raced a 64 thunderbolt in 64 if that gives you any idea. i have seen muscle cars from street racers to show queens to the dreaded left to rust and die cars. i have wanted a c2 for years and when the opportunities arose to buy one i just could not justify the cost. I have been lucky enough to have owned a 69,78 anniversary a 86, a 93 ruby red 6 speed ,a 01 speedway white z06 and a blk 01 z06 not to mention several z/28's and aar cuda's. when i used to go to shows the people there worked on their own cars or inherited them and most of them where driven to the shows. Then it got to be more common of a thing to trailer your car to the show for fear of it getting dirty on the drive there. Then came the strictly for investment types at the shows..they would always ask about your car and then ask if it is for sale. I have friends that are the investor type and they have some killer cars in their collections,,but they never drive them for fear of something happening to them..a wreck or even worse stolen. Also the shows now are just not as fun,, they are mostly new parts and reproduced cars,,55-57 chevys 69 camaros and so on. I feel that the younger crowd simply can not afford these cars any more and there for they have no desire or interest in them. Not to mention the average show car is in the 6 figure range now. Sad thing is my own 16 year old son could care less about a car or his license...i on the other hand could not wait to get mine,i drove my parents crazy until i finally got them. I even bought him a nice car and all it does it sit in the driveway...his position on autos,,,they are money pits. oddly i have asked around about this opinion and it seems to be a common census among teenagers now. So unless we find a way to get these kids back interested in autos we will see our beloved hobby die before we do. Look around at all the electric cars and alternate modes of transportation being used now a days..is it more than a trend??? i doubt it!

rfn026

NCRS membership is holding steady. Fewer cars are being judged though. That's because it's just too expensive to restore a car these days. There is no ROI in an NCRS/BG restoration.

Remember that's only a very small select group of cars though.

Richard Newton
Selling a Car in Monterey

oldgold49er

We are living in the best of times. Most folks HERE have $ that they earned in the best of times. I think as we die off so will our hobby.
Currently, I have a smile that is as big as it gets when I am driving my 67, I am not concerned what future generations will do. This is my time. The kids can do what they want with the car when I am gone. I invested in what was/is fun for me now, and I was lucky to be able to do that. I try to drive the car every day, weather permitting, and love it.
Count you blessing that we live where we do, and can have, for the most part, anything we want...we(most of us) earned it.

emccomas

Richard, etc.

That statement, while true, isn't quite accurate.

NCRS membership numbers seem to hover between 15 and 16K total ACTIVE members (active means dues are current). But, NCRS looses roughly about the same number of members that they recruit.

An NCRS membership number is only issued once (I am 9316), so if a member drops out, that number is not used again, unless that specific member rejoins.

There was a new member that introduced himself on NCRS recently. His member number is almost 61200. So, total NCRS membership, both active, inactive, deceased, whatever, is over 61 thousand.

Unfortunately, I see a number of very knowledgeable NCRS member dropping out of the organization.

The numbers don't concern me as much as the loss of institutional knowledge does.

Don Rickles

emccomas,

Your presence online is huge! You seem to enjoy almost all the forums and add great input and information! I do like reading your posts!

However, as politely as I can say, this thread is not necessarily about the NCRS, I simply notice there are much smaller amounts cars to judge and judges to judge in some cases at NCRS events. I do also agree with your quoted post.

Let's stay focused and not steer this one into another bash party, OK. I do enjoy my NCRS friends and am a current member.

WB

Spike66

Now that's funny!

F&Yb0dluvr

Blame the millenials...they don't collect things and aren't "nostalgic." Hell, they can't even keep a phone more than 6 months, plus most of them live in their parents basement and they have no place to park.

ghostrider20

One fundamental point I have seen, is the fact that those who were trying to get into the work force in the last 14 years have had a difficult time. 9-11, market crash of 02, high fuel prices, wars, housing and market crash in 08, rising health care. It's never "been easy", but the rules keep changing and the 35 and younger crowd enmass I think have come to accept a lower standard of living as normal and OK. This is not an excuse, if you are driven you will always find a way to get what you want.

emccomas

If you, or anyone, interpreted my post as a bash at any one person or NCRS, then I did not communicate my message well.

I too am a current member of NCRS, and have been continuously a member since 1985. I also enjoy my NCRS friends, and have made some great ones over the years.

The point I am trying to make, and the only point, is that while the number of active NCRS members may be fairly consistent, there is actually a significant amount of turn over of people, and more important, knowledge.

I am thinking about the multiple decade members that have decided not to participate anymore. That concerns me.

No offense was intended to anyone, just to point out a disturbing trend. People who have lived and breathed Corvettes for decades are getting out of the hobby. I am thinking that is a reduction in the interest in the hobby.

ChattanoogaJSB

Jack,

What would we do if Frankie and MikeM started agreeing? What if TCracing and Jim Lockwood and Gessner stopped multipage quasi-on-topic vintage racing posts?

What if JohnZ stopped posting? Honestly I think if he left us I would always feel like I was getting lots of excellent advice with no Supreme Authority. I think he could answer life/car questions at times in the same way Bob Lutz is doing now on the last page of a Road & Track issue...

But the forum seems to be going strong. It's a shame more of "us" early car guys aren't online with their knowledge, but I appreciate this group so much.

AZDoug

It already been done.

Ever go to any NCCC events?

Cars are judged on condition and cleanliness, not as it came from the factory. ANY modifications are acceptable.

Doug

gbvette62

Cruise nights and "Cars & Coffee" meets, are the biggest reason attendance is down at car shows. Who wants to spend their Sunday sitting in a parking lot for 8 hours, and just to win a $5 trophy?

Within a hour of me, there are at least 1 or 2 cruises, every night of the week, and this goes on from April through October. Most people find cruise nights to be more fun. The cruises are usually held where there's something to do, besides sit with your car, they only last a few hours and you can come and go as you please.

The fact that there are so many cruises, hurts show attendance too. Just how many car events can you go too each week? It's hard to imagine, but it may really be to the point where there are just to many weekly events.

The typical NCRS car, may not be the typical cruise night car, but the NCRS is still competing in the same market as the cruises.

Gee, this was the reason I quit the NCRS, though that was back around 1980! I didn't join again, until the late 90's.

Maybe it's different on the left coast, but I find the NCRS people around here to be much more excepting of modified cars, newer Corvettes and race cars now, than they were 35+ years ago.

I quit the NCRS back then because my 62 had mags and the wrong engine, and I was ridiculed and insulted by people about it. The NCRS made it very clear, that neither me or my car were welcome. Many of the members in my two local chapters, now have both stock and modified cars. I have 4 friends that are taking the Road Tour to the National in Colorado this summer. All 4 will be driving late model Corvettes, something that would not have been accepted allowed, 30-35 years ago.

I remember when the NCRS decided to judge the 68-72's. The solid axle and mid-year guys, darn near destroyed the club, they were so upset about it. Now, nobody even blinks when they announced that they're going to start judging 1997's!

It may not be a popular view on this Forum, but personally, I think the NCRS has changed for the better.

Frankie the Fink

Still stifling.....but its nearly killing me though

vettebuyer6369

I guess I have to wonder why NCRS has to change for people with custom cars and "mundane drivers."

Last time I looked, the RS part of the title stood for "restoration society" not "eat the hotdog off a stick" club.

I agree that not changing with the times and not finding a way to include an ever-changing diversified society blah, blah will likely cause the NCRS to die at some point when people eventually completely stop caring about stock cars like we are told is inevitable.

There's shows and organizations and clubs everywhere that accepts and celebrates restomods. As was just stated, NCCC events offer a class for EVERYBODY. Always has. All the custom car shows celebrate the modified cars. I dont believe for a minute NCRS would suddenly jumpstart their event attendance by including every nonstock Corvette out there, for the sake of these potential "younger members" who remain more interested in their iphones.

The NCRS is an organization thats been dedicated to preserving historical correctness, just like Bloomington Gold certification. What's so wrong with keeping it that way instead of becoming something they are not for the sake of possibly enticing some people that don't really care?

I say, the NCRS is who they are, and if there is a day when there's no longer an interest in preservation and restoration then maybe it will be its time to pass on.

fyreline

I think that the NCRS continues to serve an important function as the arbiter of what is or is not "correct" for our Corvettes. Now, I realize that inconsistencies or changes of mind about what those standards are (and there were - and are - bound to be some) are problematic and create ill feelings. Further, not everyone is pursuing a 100% "factory correct" Corvette - they prefer the drivability and reliability that modern equipment and modifications provides. I certainly can't blame them for that. That doesn't mean they should "bash" the NCRS - they have simply chosen not to follow that path. But, in my opinion, there will always be a place for an organization that seeks to document the Corvette "As GM Built It". I think they've done pretty well at it so far. Perfect? Far from it. But they exist because, believe it or not, we need them. We don't have to belong (although I should state that I do), and we don't have to go to their functions if we don't agree with what they do, how they do it, or what they stand for. Enjoy your Corvette for what it means to YOU. Allow others to do the same.

And join a club . . . one that matches your own needs. I still enjoy the fellowship, knowledge and dedication of most of my fellow NCRS members. Yes, a few of them are crashing boors, blowhards, know-it-alls or a combination of all three - but that's true in almost any group. The majority of them just plain love Corvettes, and seek to provide a venue where the "best of the best" correctly-restored Corvettes can be seen, and compared to. I think that's worthwhile, and always will be. My 1962 will in all likelihood never be an NCRS Top Flight car - and that's OK. I'll get it as close as my abilities and resources allow, while still driving and enjoying it. But that's just me. it's your car - enjoy it however you choose.

SDVette

I think "The Corvette Hobby" is made up of many different types...

There are the investors... buying cars for the purpose of selling them at a profit in the future; there are the "social" types who enjoy meeting people, fundraising, reminiscing about the past, etc... There are entrepreneurs trying to build/maintain a business on selling goods and services related to Corvette, there are the 'engineer/tinkerer' types who enjoy learning and performing mechanical and electrical projects.. Performance junkies who want the highest possible performance.... There are the competitive types who enjoy competing against others in highly structured (judged) shows, or earning certifications from highly structured organizations...

We are each a mix of these (and others) types... to say that the "Corvette Hobby" is declining based on stats from 1 or 2 of these is a mistake.

Don Rickles

emccomas, It is me, that has issues communicating online!
My initial mention of the NCRS, was just a one source, where numbers of judged cars are noticeably declining (as mentioned on a recent post there). All too often, just typing the four letters, can start a disagreement! You reply was perfect.
I don't spend a lot of time on C1/2, but thought my question placed here would get the most interesting and accurate replies, which we can see it has!
Please join in Mr. Fink!

I was not aware of the previous thread you were earlier referring to! I'd say we have some great replies and opinions still left to read!

WB

TCracingCA

I might attend them again as a participant, the day that I have my paper wrapped super chili cheese dog fully dressed out with jalapeno's, onion, pickles, salsa, "bacon if I am lucky" laying on my freshly waxed fender or family sized rear deck lid that I am using as a table, while talking up engines and stuff "stuff" with a super cool fellow true enthusiast parked in the next spot, who asks if I would like a beer with my dog and lays it on my fender along side my food for my enjoyment! By the time we get thru the entire 12 pack or while knocking down the 12 pack, we are laying under the cars literally pointing out the things that we really like about each others suspensions, brakes, and drivetrains, rim offsets and tire clearances!

Jackfit

Remind me to stop by for a beer next time I am driving through, sorry I missed you the first time around.....