<VV> Interest in Corvairs LONG

[Joe Robbins]

I thought I would add a little to this thread. I took DaVair to his second
show yesterday. I went to my first about a month ago just to see what people
would say. I was ready for the Nader comments and "where's the motor"  but
people seemed to really take notice of it since it was the only one at both
shows.

 

Show #1 , it had 18 classes with 3 awards per class, when I pulled in they
asked what class I'd like to be in. Didn't matter to me, they said Stock or
Special Interest. Special Interest had no one in it yet and they asked if
I'd do that , I noted the location would be well shaded and Stock was in the
sun so I did Special Interest. 

The class was pretty wide open, a nice 68 VW Bug ragtop, an MG Midget, a
Cobra kit car, a Schwinn chopper bicycle , and 6 Ricers of whatever brand.
One of them was next to me, had mirrors under it, all sorts of sign boards,
a huge trophy stood in front of it, I think it was a 300ZX but to be honest
they all look the same to me. As the day wore on, I had some people say the
stuff that I have always read about here and I chuckled, but still it was
fun to get the car out. I didn't think that I had any chance to get an award
but at the end of the day I got a nice 3rd place trophy, I was very happy at
my first attempt to show the poor old car that once was a rust bucket from
Hell. OK what won the class you may wonder, well the nice Bug got second, I
thought the Cobra would win, as a matter of fact one, one brain surgeon told
me that he liked my car but he had to vote for the Cobra, I said yes those
kits are really cool, he said, no this is a real one. Man the turnip truck
almost ran over that dude when he fell off it, the car was nice but not one
of the best kits that I have seen. Ok, the winner of the Special Interest
class, the Schwinn Chopper bicycle. The youngster was very happy , he even
had on one of the shirts that the host club folks had. I wasn't upset by the
loaded club voting, heck I wasn't in the club and got a 3rd, that was cool,
maybe that youngster will become a car guy someday. I think a few people
there were a little upset by that turn of events and a couple of people told
me they won't go back to that show but I might, lots of shade and that's a
good thing. When I got home I told DaVairs owner about the renegade bike
beating her car and she said I thought it was cars only , so did I but it
was his special interest so I guess that works. I told her look at it this
way, the Cobra and the high zoot big buck Ricers got beat by a Bike, a Bug
and a Corvair !  ( Sounds like a Carnack bit ) Their self esteem was
probably shattered.  I had fun and got to drive the car so I was a winner no
matter what, the award was icing on the cake.

 

Show #2 was yesterday, It was a top 25 with awards for Best Chevy, Furd and
MOPAR. In a field of 54 cars I knew  I was out of luck but it was in my in
laws home town so I got to visit with some of the them and see some neat
cars. There were rods, old stock cars, pony cars, but lucky for me no bikes.
The people there seemed to enjoy the car, some looked at the resto pics and
I even saw someone taking pictures of it. No head swelling here, just  pride
knowing where the car came from. I see all the flaws and weak points but I
guess no one sees that but me. One fellow said, " there's only 2 cars here
that I like, this one and a 54 Chevy over there, Nader was wrong on all that
stuff he said back then " . Geez, just the opposite of what I was used to
hearing. One guy there with a nice Street Rod said he quit working for the
local Chevy dealer many years ago when he had to change fan bearings on
those things while looking at the Vair.   The weather was hot and rain was
all around but it never rained and somehow at the end when they were reading
off the top 25 they said my name. I was floored, how could my home built car
be one of the top 25 there ? It was participant vote so I guess the other
folks there saw something they liked. I was shocked to say the least. I met
some nice folks there with a red 72 Mach 1 with a 429, I thought it was
easily Top Ford and maybe contend for BOS but it did not get anything, how
fickle the other car owners were, I had it on my score card, even though it
was against my Chevy roots, I was honest and put it and ( 4 Chevy's ) on my
ballot.  That car had the best of everything, all the hi-po goodies direct
from Ford , my brother in law built the 429 and said it was rather expensive
since they used parts from Ford and not after market. The body was done by a
pro shop and a bright red. How could my Corvair get  picked over a Concours
quality pony car ? I am still trying to figure that out. Once the show was
over, I dropped the top, secured my prize and drove home smiling. I would
have dropped the top and smiled all the way home anyway. Can't beat a "car
day". Who knows, I may try another show in a few weeks.  I'll try to get the
car in public as much as possible. Having fun... 

 

Joe Robbins

CORSA

PCCA

BBRT

Group Red Graduate