mkh

Hi, there has been a lot of talk recently about the NCRS and I just wanted to share my recent experience with the St Louis Chapter meet.
I have a unrestored original paint 65 that I have owned for 9 years. I purchased the car from the gentleman who purchased it in 1965. I have been a member of NCRS for about 20 years and have never attended a meet. I finally decided to go ahead and have my car judged and the nearest meet was 384 miles from my home. I did no prep to the car except for cleaning. It a great driver car so there really wasn't much for me to do as I had no idea what to expect anyway. I knew I had the wrong master cylinder and a non correct replacement radiator but most everything else was original or had been replaced with repo parts like belts and hoses and other maintenance items. The president of the chapter had sent many emails making sure everything was in order to have my car judged and always ended the emails with (remember this is supposed to be fun). So that's what I intended to do have fun. The judging started around 8:00 and lasted to around 12:00 followed by a great picnic. It was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. All of the judges were extremely knowledgeable and very courteous. They were very patient with my many questions and very helpful including pointing out a loose nut here and there and a few wires that may need a closer look at when I get home. Not one time was there any rudeness or nose in the air attitudes. They even asked if they could help me load my car after the event. I felt as though I was around friends the entire time although I had not met anyone before this event. It was a wonderful experience and I learned a lot about my car I did not know. I can't thank the St Louis Chapter enough for the great time and highly recommend anyone wanting to learn about their car to attend a meet at some point. My goal was to not get laughed at for bringing my car. I reached that goal and more, bringing home a Second Flight red ribbon. Thanks St Louis Chapter.
Mike

Frankie the Fink

A member for 20 years with an unrestored midyear ?
Of course they loved you.... Congrats on your Second Flight
.
Just be aware -- the ante goes up if you go to get judged at a regional; different ball game....

Brian VH McHale

You did it right and had fun.

396/425

Haha yea take it to a regional and let us know what you think. Chapter meets are tea parties. I didnt know any better....I started at a regional. It was a trainwreck. I finally got my TF at another regional a year later, but man I had a sore butt after that first deal. Met some pretty uptight cats. I did make a friend with the guy parked next to me so it was worth it I guess, but holy crap these people were terminally ****.

65hihp

bring your 65 out to the next Regional meet that is convenient to you;
you will have as much fun as you had at this chapter meet, I guarantee it. You will meet more great enthusiasts, and no one on the 65 team will mistreat you.

John BX NY

The standards don't change between a chapter and a regional meet but the knowledge and experience of the judges sure does.
I guarantee you will learn more about your car at the regional.

yellowvettemike

I bought a 2 owner '65 several years ago. I joined a NCRS chapter based in southern Louisiana. I took the car to a chapter judging event In Long Beach, Ms. A great group of guys they judged the car pointing out issues with the car. It received a Second Flight. I worked on the car using the judging sheets from that first meet. When I went back a year later the car was judged again and was judged Top Flight. The guys judging we're excited as I was. A year later or so I entered the car in a Regional event in New Orleans. The judging here was some tougher but just as fair as the Chapter judging had been and the car again was judged TF. I expected the Regional meet judging to be some tougher than the Chapter and it was. But the car has to stand on its own at a Chapter or Regional event. It has been a great experience.

MOXIE62

Does anyone know if there has ever been a car that did not at least win a third flight award at a chapter or regional event. In other words, everyone is a winner.

warrenmj

No, they don't give out "participation" trophys

kenba

I think you will find that a lot of the chapter judges also are regional judges, At least that is the way it was when I lived in In. & here in Az.

Don Rickles

Ever have a car judged at the DelVal Chapter NCRS? It's consistently had more cars judged than most regionals and the judges come in from all around the country. We nickname it a mini regional.

Frankie the Fink

Not that way in Florida...

JohnZ

Generally, judges at Chapter Meets are selected by that meet's Judging Chairman from those who have indicated their desire to judge on their registration; Regionals are different - judges for a Regional Meet (and the National) are selected by each National Judging Team Leader, and it's up to him who are "regulars" and who are selected from the Chapter level.

jim lockwood

I entered my unrestored, unmolested, extremely original but not terribly pretty '54 (blue car in the picture below) in an NCRS event in the early '80s. It did not earn a flight award.

Loren Smith

Looks good in the picture at 20 feet. Would it qualify for a Bowtie award nowadays?

jim lockwood

I doubt it but I really don't know.

Although the interior vinyl and paint are all original, the carpet has been changed. Similarly, while almost all of the underhood mechanicals and electricals are original, a well-meaning but under-informed mechanic re-painted the engine the wrong shade of blue many decades ago.

It's possible and perhaps even likely that the car still wouldn't earn a flight award, even though the judging process now separates condition from originality. It would score high on originality, but the patina of age and use still detracts.

Jim

MOXIE62

I think it would win one today. I've seen several 2nd flight cars with unrestored frames but original and rust mechanical parts. I had always thought a second and first flight car is supposed to look just like the day it came out of the show room, clean and new looking. As nice as yours is, surely it would qualify for third. I guess it depends on who the judges are.

mikelj

I've got a lot of "Sportsman" ribbon awards, and all I did was register and show up and display the car and do some judging (but you don't have to do that either).

65hihp

this is the part that some of you refuse to get. It does NOT depend who the judges are because all the judges use the same score sheets and every car starts out with 4510 points. Deductions are made via the score sheets and subjectivity is NOT part of the equation except in small details based upon judges knowledge and experience. A car can lose up to 270 points over 5 categories and still be TF level, and can make up lost points with driving mileage bonus points (if driven to meet). So, a car with mostly original or original appearing parts can lose a lot of condition points and still easily make TF. But, almost all operational functions need to work or bunches of points are lost quickly.

desertpilgrim

In a word, Yes. A different era, different forms but at San Mateo CA in August 1980, billed as the second National that year, records indicate that 47 Corvettes were judged, 41 received Awards, with 12 Top Flight awards......that whoosh of air you just heard was a gasp from the people who think Judging is too tough in 2016.......