<VV> RE:declining membership in CORSA and the Communique

[Kent Sullivan]

All,

I am replying since I noticed that Russ mentioned the articles I wrote on
body tags. This semi-rant is not at all directed at him.

The Communique depends on YOU for submissions. No one in CORSA or the
Communique staff commissioned me to write those articles or even suggested
it. I didn't even tell them I was working on the project until fairly late
in the game.

As Mike McGowan (Editor) has said many, many times, the quality of the
Communique is due in large part to what the members decide to write and
submit. A club magazine is very different than a commercial magazine because
there are no paid writers.

Mike has also said that he is not thrilled to take up a lot of space
publishing club news but if that's what he has, that's what he publishes.
Ladies and gentlemen, this situation is entirely in our hands. The only way
to change it is to spend the time doing something worthy of being published
in the Communique, writing about it, and submitting it.

Please don't hope that someone else is going to submit something--do it
yourself!

Thanks.
-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Russ Moorhouse
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 9:03 PM
To: VV
Subject: <VV> RE:declining membership in CORSA and the Communique

As someone fairly new to Corvairs (2 years this month) and new to
Corsa/Communiqué, while being in the over 60 group, I have to agree with
what Roger Gault had to say about the Communiqué; "it's just plain boring". 
One issue is just like another with, only with different clubs mentioned and
different people.  I can see why younger people aren't interested in it.

I have several Communiqués from the 80's that are much more interesting to
read, because there are more tech tips with great pictures and lot's of
articles on peoples cars.  The one I have from December of '81 has 40 pages
in it, with 6 pages of classifieds, 8 pages of Tech Tips, 1 three page
article on how to photograph your Corvair, a very interesting 6 page article
on the Corphibian, and 3 other stories on owners Corviars, one being an
Ultra Van.

Being still fairly new to Corvairs, these tech tips are still great reading
for a newbie.  I have the Corsa Technical Guide and supplement and also the
Corvair Basics book, but these old Communiqué articles often cover things
that aren't in any of those other books.

I'm not knocking the currant Communiqué.  I usually find three or more
articles that are of interest to read, but I really don't give a hoot how
somebody finished in some chapter's meet.  To me, that is only the concern
of that chapter and they can publish it in their publication or on their web
site.  All these type of articles makes the Communiqué look like a magazine
for the good old boys club.  Publishing some older or more new tech tips in
that 4 or 5 page space would be much more useful to newbies.  Maybe the long
time Corsa member prefer to see how their friends are doing in their club's
competitions, but I believe newbies would rather see articles on other's
cars; what they have done to them in the way of refinements/improvements and
more tech tips - old or new!  Also an occasional article on the Corvair
history, with stories on the development, special project/show cars.  I read
about how the Monza came about in another magazine, which should have been
in the Communiqué instead.  Maybe this is ancient history to long time Corsa
members, but it sure was interesting reading to someone new to Corvairs

The two Communiqués this year, that had the body tag decoding, were
especially interesting and helpful.  This is the type of stories we need
more of.

Russ Moorhouse
'65 Corsa coupe 140 HP
Group Corvair Member
Corsa Member
Kent Island, MD


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