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NCRS question

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Old Mar 25, 2018 | 04:21 PM
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Default NCRS question

If you buy a Vette that is NCRS Top Flight rated, is it always NCRS as long as nothing is ever changed? Does that rating stay with the car to the new owner or does it have to be reinspected at some point?
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Old Mar 26, 2018 | 05:21 AM
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Originally Posted by laurelboy
If you buy a Vette that is NCRS Top Flight rated, is it always NCRS as long as nothing is ever changed? Does that rating stay with the car to the new owner or does it have to be reinspected at some point?
haven't been associated with NCRS for years, but IMO, the ratings or awards or whatever you want to call them, is just a snapshot in time. old awards would carry less weight than new awards, and at some point, they become meaningless. to say, nothing has changed is somewhat subjective - things always change, so, newer is better. i'm guessing there are folks go through the awards process yearly, and to some, it's more of a personal challenge.

so, are you buying, selling, or just curious?
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Old Mar 26, 2018 | 06:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Joe C
haven't been associated with NCRS for years, but IMO, the ratings or awards or whatever you want to call them, is just a snapshot in time. old awards would carry less weight than new awards, and at some point, they become meaningless. to say, nothing has changed is somewhat subjective - things always change, so, newer is better. i'm guessing there are folks go through the awards process yearly, and to some, it's more of a personal challenge.

so, are you buying, selling, or just curious?
Thanks Joe, I am considering buying a 91 and was curious about the NCRS. It is in extremely good condition and low miles. The NCRS inspection was done eight years ago and has a lot of paperwork with it but like you say, probably meaningless other than it has been well cared for. Just trying to determine if this 91 coupe with 30,000 miles is a good buy at $12,000. I like the car and would like to get back in a Vette. I have had a 74,75 and an 02. I am overly cautious with everything but looking at comparison's it seem's pretty good because of it's condition. Thank You for your thoughts.
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Old Mar 26, 2018 | 09:01 AM
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Was the NCRS Inspection a 'Chapter' or 'Regional'? Was it for the current owner? It's relevance at 8 years I'd think negligible and if it wasn't for the current owner couldn't be used to maybe evaluate maintenance that followed. Miles recorded at the NCRS event?

Maybe maintenance records for the past 8 years are more relevant than the NCRS Inspection.
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Old Mar 26, 2018 | 10:01 AM
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$12,000 seems a little high but hopefully C4 prices are going up. With that said I purcased my current C4 92 a little over a year ago and paid $9,500. It had 20,304 miles, 6-sp coupe with all options available in 1992 including the ZO7 option. It had been stored for 7 years so I spent almost $1,000 in preventative maintenance but it looks and runs like the day it came off the showroom.
Prices vary by region but here in the Pacific Northwest low milage C4's are readily available for under 10k. However if the one you are looking at is close to you, has everything you want, and is in great shape it is worth whatever you are willing to pay.
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Old Mar 26, 2018 | 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted by ihatebarkingdogs
If it is a black 6-speed you should PM me with the owner's name on the score sheets and if it is the car I'm thinking of that was judged in this time frame, it was gorgeous. If it's even close to the same condition it was in in 2011, I'd feel $12,000 is a bargain. It was taken through the system to a Crossed Flags Award in 2011 by a very experienced NCRS guy.

Probably not the same car, but we haven't done that many L98 91's, so it's possible it is the same car. The vast majority of the 91's have been ZR-1's.
Thank you Sir, I will get back to you when I get some more info. Yes, it is a black 6 speed.
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Old Mar 26, 2018 | 08:12 PM
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a NCRS award is only good as the day it was awarded. NCRS does not "inspect" or "validate" any car. they judge a car based on a standard
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Old Mar 29, 2018 | 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by ihatebarkingdogs
From 8 years ago; I'll put money on it being the same car because there have been very few 90-91 L98's in the 12 years I've been judging C4's. Of course there's no way to know how it has been treated since then, but again, it was exceptional 8 years ago. At the time it was in New Jersey. The owner I'm thinking of is still a good friend, and active in NCRS. I can put you in touch, if this is the car. I judged it several times, and while I don't recall the mileage, it was probably in the teens or twenties based on what I remember about the condition. I'm now intrigued. Please keep me posted.


100% correct-o-mundo. Not many people understand what NCRS does and does not do. NCRS is the best-kept secret in the collector car hobby.






Hi Ihatebarkingdogs, This is the inspectors signature on the L98

Last edited by laurelboy; Mar 29, 2018 at 02:15 PM.
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Old Mar 29, 2018 | 03:08 PM
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Barking dogs. I bet it cost the owner more then the selling cost to get that award. Unless he lived real close to where those events are. There are plenty of C4s out there with no miles that can easily get those awards. But the cost involved is very high
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Old Mar 29, 2018 | 03:16 PM
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I don’t think we’ll hear back from Laurel until he has the car in his garage. I wouldn’t waste a moment on the logistics of a purchase after reading post #12.
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Old Mar 29, 2018 | 03:18 PM
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Very cool story! Thanks for sharing it! Unfortunately, a car of this caliber becomes a show car only. I like to drive mine!

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Old Mar 29, 2018 | 04:25 PM
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I agree with the comments re the NCRS award being an "as is/where is" situation. Same for Bloomington Gold. My '84 has been BG Gold certified, Survivor certified, and received an NCRS Top Flight score of 98+. I am the original owner and it has only 26,000 miles. The last award was several years ago and although I've changed nothing deterioration does take its' toll. It would still Top Flight, I'm sure, but at a slightly lower %. I've owned several Vettes since the '84 and currently have a 2014 as well. That is the one used for road trips, etc. At this point I'm not interested in expending the time/energy/$ to campaign the car for additional levels of awards.
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Old Mar 29, 2018 | 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by colo63sw
I don’t think we’ll hear back from Laurel until he has the car in his garage. I wouldn’t waste a moment on the logistics of a purchase after reading post #12.
I think I'm done with logistics. Selling points have been made very well. Now to get it in the garage.
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Old Mar 29, 2018 | 05:24 PM
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Originally Posted by ihatebarkingdogs


Easily?
A 30 year old car with 90% born-with ORIGINAL parts, fabric, and finishes is plentiful?

Low miles is not the defining factor. ORIGINALITY is. My 85 received a Crossed Flags in 2008 with 39,208 miles on it because less than 10% of the line items in the 4 areas had been changed.

I've seen lots of "no mile" cars that had such significant condition problems that no-way would they 97.0+ without changing a lot of parts. Cars not properly stored corrode and deteriorate. Changing stuff to get it to 97.0+ knocks it out of Crossed Flags consideration, because more than 10% of the line items have been changed.

I've seen lots of owners and broker ads claim "all-original" that would barely top-flight. No-way McLellan or Crossed Flags. As I said it is a VERY high bar, and a rare award in NCRS. This thread posed the question "Does a Top Flight Award add value?". In MY opinion, in this case, I know the car, and what is involved to get THIS car's "NCRS Awards", and it definitely DOES add value, in this particular case.
seems to me every year at our chapter events there are always no mile C4 to be judged before they go the regional, and national events. to many of these cars where stored in hopes values would increase of the original selling prices.
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Old Mar 30, 2018 | 02:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Nowhere Man
Seems to me every year at our chapter events there are always no-mile C4's to be judged before they go the regional, and national events. Too many of these cars where stored in hopes values would increase from the original selling prices.
How's that working out? Here's an extremely nice '91 that's selling for $12,000. What was its original price . . . $38,000 or so (in 1991 dollar$)?

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Old Mar 30, 2018 | 12:24 PM
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It's obviously not working out in terms of being an investment; that ship sailed long ago. I hang on to mine as I got it on my wife's birthday in the year we were married so more of a 'family' connection that I don't want to drop. There aren't a lot of low mile original C4's out there, but even so they probably won't ever get back to MSRP except possibly the Grand Sports and ZR1's. At least my '84 only needs to get back to $24,890 and that's doubtful.
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Old Mar 30, 2018 | 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by trivette
It's obviously not working out in terms of being an investment; that ship sailed long ago. I hang on to mine as I got it on my wife's birthday in the year we were married so more of a 'family' connection that I don't want to drop. There aren't a lot of low mile original C4's out there, but even so they probably won't ever get back to MSRP except possibly the Grand Sports and ZR1's. At least my '84 only needs to get back to $24,890 and that's doubtful.

there is more out there then you think in private collections and such. C5 are the same way. they might be right who knows. the point I was trying to say is to get a car for all NCRS awards it cost 10K minimum unless you live very close too all the national meets and they move them around the country every year. and you only have so many months in between the events depending on the award to be eligible for the next award so you can't just wait. flight judging there is no time period.
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Old Mar 31, 2018 | 05:50 AM
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Dogs this is my dad and I at a regional a few years ago I know all too well what it takes

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Old Mar 31, 2018 | 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Nowhere Man
Dogs
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