Hello Guys,

I have been a member of the forum and an devout corvette owner for several years now. Over the course of my ownership I have always heard non numbers matching guys or those who wish to modify their vettes knock the NCRS crowd with slogans like trailer queens and the like.

However never once have I ever heard a NCRS guy chime in and tell someone they are destroying history or butchering a work of art.

Is it just me or could we all take a lesson from the original boys on getting along as a corvette family. It seems to me that the NCRS and bloomington gold crowd is much more tolerant than some of us modify it until we die guys.

I would like to hear some of your observations on this cultural quirk.

As always best wishes.

:cheers:

 

Ditto.

Some of the NCRS awards require that the car be driven, and they don't just wuss around with it either!

I must admit at one point I was the NCRS guy complaining about the "butchered" Corvettes. I remember ragging on what turned out to be a good friend's 63 split-window with an LT1 engine, roll cage, racing paint scheme with stripes, etc., when he said "it's mostly original" during a show.

I'm much more "tolerant" now - maybe just mellow, since I'd like to get a 74 t-top and do some of what you guys are doing with VB monospring suspension, rack-n-pinion steeriods, crate motor mated to a 700r4, the more comfortable seats from a 79-82, etc. etc. But I am working to get Miranda (below) into top-flight shape eventually.

I think that there were enough sharks (I can't get used to C3) built for all of us to do what we want - whichever direction that is. Personally, I'd like to have some of each.

GM

 

I am a NCRS guy, and my car isn't original, It is my car after all, I like moded cars, NCRS is great to find out how to fix things, and how it looked originaly, although, if someone went and bought a $60,000 car and but a blower on it I might call that guy an idiot its still his car. We are not all into the car has to look exactually like it left the line.

Tom

 

I enjoy the NCRS concept and the wealth of information they have accumulated since 1974. They are the historians of the hobby. I you want to know were the hobby is going you need to look at the past.
I also enjoy fast and well engineered cars [not only corvettes]. Chev. modified many Corvettes for racing and for future design. Many of these mods made it to production many did not. I guess the point is that this is a hobby and you can do what you want with your car and money. There are no shortage of cars for historic purposes so not to worry about destroying history. Thank God there is a choice because I like it all.
Ed

 

I'm an NCRS guy, I think the reason you don't get your chops beat about "butchering" a car is that most NCRS guys are into restoring the cars because they just love the cars and pretty much respect anybody else that loves them too. NCRS members aren't purley into restored show cars, many own more than one Vette and many of these cars are daily drivers. I have a 71 that is a driver that I know will never be a show car (well it could but you would probably kill yourself restoring it). On the other hand I have a 70 LT-1 that is pure restoration. The great thing about doing a restore is you learn a monster amount of information about these cars and the very interesting history of why the cars were designed the way they were from the design room through the assembly line and even what dealers did to them that wasn't necessarily what the factory had planned. You meet a ton of great folks that will really go out of their way to help you and lend their expertise - and that is just Vette lovers helping other Vette lovers. Is my 70 a driver? Heck no! Partly because of the historical significance of everything being restored accurately and the difficulty of finding/restoring those parts and the cost to do so. Mostly because that LT-1 may be a screaming rush of a driver but it is REAL devoid of creature comforts - 5 watt AM/FM (stereo? nah - that's just a fad) no power steering, power brakes, and no air, try driving a car in Georgia in the summer without air, you'll be like the wicked witch in the wizard of OZ "I'm melting...melting". Cars are to enjoy and how you enjoy them is your business. If you've got to the point of tackling a full restoration then you are way way way past the point of bashing another Vette owners car - you're probably too busy findng or restoring those parts and besides, every time a guy strips factory parts off to customize his car it's one more source fo rthat part I'm looking for!

IMHO :lol: :lol:

 

Everybody has its own vision of his dreamcar!

When I was younger I was very much into customizing my Vettes.
This hasn´t changed by now, but I recognize that the originality grows on me more and more......

I get the split done with one original and one customized car.

So what? Let them all have THEIR Vette(s) - I like them all (well almost...)

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Personally I think I fit in both camps. I absolutely love to see an all original survivor car or one that has been meticulously restored to its original glory. I also love to see a well built car the reflects the wants and desires of its owner. I guess the bottom line for me has always been what you started with.

For example, I once had a 1967 Camaro Convertible RS 327 with Powerglide tranny. I bought it from the original owner with 27K miles on it. It had the original tires, muffler, window sticker, manuals, floor mats. You name it. I could not even bring myself to replace the AM radio because to tarnish somthing that pristine and original was absolutely sinfull to me.

However with my 69 Vette, that did not have the original motor, and had been half azzed restored several times to the point of being a virtual bubba show case, doing what I wanted to bring the car back to life was completely acceptible.

Regaurdless of the camp you fall into or both, I love your rides and really appreciate all of the help I have gotten on the forum. You have all been an inspiration to me as I continue restoration.

(Natashsa) my 33 year old baby Vette thanks you too.

:cheers:

 

I've been with NCRS for the last 6yrs or so and I like it for the friendship of fellow Vetters at all the meets I attend, plus all the information. There are "different degrees" of this part of the hobby too. Of my "four sharks", two are really only "NCRS" cars-meaning my '74 and '80 which have gotten several Top Flight Awards(4 Star Bowtie for my '74 too)and both also received Bloomington Gold "Survivor". I chose to go this route with these two cars because they were in super "original" condition when I purchased them, so I am trying to preserve them in this condition. My '68 and '75 are'nt "NCRS" cars as they don't have their "original" smog pumps(both don't have them now, and I refuse to spend the money to put them back on), they also don't have the "original" carbs, starters, shocks, exhaust,etc but I enjoy the two non-NCRS probably more because I don't have to worry about them as much in trying to maintain their "originality". Some people go so far as much as to buy these $200 air filters, $240 repro batteries that last two years,etc. I don't "buy" into that stuff at all. I respect the people that do it and all, it's just not me. Even though the '80 is very original, I drove it over 6,000mi to various NCRS events and cruise-ins.

If I make fun of a "modded" Vette, it's because of some silly "ricer" thing they may have done, but I like nicely done and detailed "custom" Corvettes too. Some of the "craftsmenship" put into some of these cars is beautiful.

I enjoy all aspects of the hobby going to either NCRS meets, NCCC meets, Corvettes@Carlisle-anything Corvette :seeya

 

I am a NCRS member, been one off on since 70s. Enjoy all types of vettes, I will say some members look down at those who modify and seem to think they are better than others, but most of NCRS guys are just corvette lovers who chose to restore to original status. :cheers: