<VV> [Corsabod] "Improved" Concours class

[Mark Corbin]

Bill and all,

Since leaving the Concours Chair position, I was "officially" on the
committee for several years. After that, I have not since been asked for
any input to the rules or even been asked to be or stay on the committee.
Sure, every year I get asked to help judge. But that's as far as it goes. 

It's true that there have been few Chairmen, as you have cited. But what is
telling is that Bob Dunahugh, a current board member, posted that he wasn't
even aware of my concours experience. Hence, my post about the state of
affairs.

BTW, because of the poor records-keeping of who has done what, I have
probably been passed over for some kind of higher recognition. I figure
that I probably should have the equalivalent of whatever Larry Claypool (or
anyone else, for that matter) has. Besides, Larry has never been National
Concours Chairman. But I'm not griping about that, really. It is the total
lack of input, or even the barest of consultation (about the change of
class names), that irks me.

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> From: William Pierson <billpier39 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> [Corsabod] "Improved" Concours class
>
> The past 2 concours chairs, Ray Fallott and Bob Norwalk ,are members of
the current concours committee. The 2 before that, Mike  Harrison and
Ceceil Miller, have passed. I don't remember who chaired concours before
Cecil. Both Ray and Bob have much input to the committee. All concours
rules changes have to be voted by the BOD, the committee can't change rules
without their approval.
> I do agree that the only classes needed are factory stock and factory
stock restored. The concours scoring system now judges only the car on its
own merits for either a gold, silver or bronze award.
> Some improvements have been made in concours over the 20 years or so I
have been involved. The above  mentioned awards and time limits(5 minutes
per section per car) are the 2 most important. Other wise, the rules are
pretty much the same as Mark and the committee set up many years ago. So it
was a good job Mark.
> Bill Pierson
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Mark Corbin <airvair at earthlink.net>
> Subject: Re: <VV> [Corsabod] "Improved" Concours class
>
> Bob and all,
>
> It occurred to me late last night that we seem to have little use for
experience. Just WHERE are the past National Concours Chairmen, and why
aren't they ever consulted on anything? In Masonry, we honor Past Masters
of the Lodges, and rely heavily on them for their experience and expertise.
It occurs to me that we don't do that kind of thing in CORSA.
>
> So I'd like to propose the following amendment to the Concours rules:
>
> "The National Concours Committee will also include ALL past National
Concours Chairmen as permanent members, with the full rights of members of
that committee. They will also retain the right to propose any amendments
to the rules, after consulting with the current Chairman; and collectively
as a group have the right to veto any proposed amendments made by anyone
outside of their group of Past National Concours Chairmen."
>
> By amending the Concours rules accordingly, we will be relying on the
expertise of past Concours Chairmen to approve any changes to the concours
rules. We will keep them in the loop and always have their experience from
which to draw upon. After all, who knows better than somebody who has been
in that hot seat?
>
> -Mark
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Bob Dunahugh 
> Subject: RE: [Corsabod] "Improved" Concours class
>
> Mark, As a Corsa board member, I'm interested in anything involving
Corsa. All dialog is good , but it must go threw the proper channels. Corsa
has a very capable concours committee that can revue any input.  You, Bill,
and Harry all have good points and should be lessoned to. It's all a work
in progress. As for Harry, he is an employee of Corsa, but he is also a
member of the concours committee, and a Corsa member. Corsa is a vary
divers group and this is our strong suit. We all love this strange little
car. I'm vary aware of the time and money we all put in our cars no matter
what our interest. I know of one person that just spent about $8000 on his
performance motor and that's on the bench. I know of a Yenko that has over
$45,000 invested and it was a rust free car to start with. I was not aware
of your involvement in concours. We can always us help.  Bob
>
> From: airvair at earthlink.net
> Subject: [Corsabod] "Improved" Concours class
>
> All,
>
> First let me inform/remind everyone of my credentials concerning
concours. I first entered concours at the first CORSA convention in 1971,
and have been active in concours, either showing, displaying, judging, or
administering concours and concours rules ever since. I was CORSA National
Concours Committee Chairman for five years, on the committee for more years
than that, and even wrote the original CORSA concours rules and its first
revision, rules that are (in modified form) still in use today. I am a
Certified Master CORSA Concours judge, and Master Specialist, to name a few
recognitions. Thus my credentials speak for themselves.
>
> In the early days of CORSA Concours, Woody Schwartz (another long-term
CORSA Concours Committee Chairman) and I talked in length about naming one
of the classes "Improved". For very good reasons, and based on considerable
experience, he advised against using that term. He had observed firsthand
how touchy concours people (and especially stock class owners) are with
details, such as the names of classes. My experience concurs with his.
>
> To put it precisely, the Corvair needs no "improvement" from its
factory-issued condition. It is, from the viewpoint of a stock vehicle
owner, perfect as is. That doesn't mean that it can't be further
"improved", depending on how one views changes. But stock vehicle owners
will rightfully be offended by the usage of that term. And, trust me, there
is nobody more high-strung than concours people. After all, with the money
and "labor of love" efforts they put forth with their vehicles, they have
every right to be.
>
> Neither anyone in the CORSA management office, the present members of the
Concours committee, nor for that matter anyone on the CORSA board can't
even get within spitting distance of someone with my, or Woody's,
credentials. So when I say that Harry and the committee are flat out WRONG,
wrong, wrong on this matter, I am speaking from my considerable experience
and knowledge of concours. It is not a frivolous opinion from the peanut
gallery.
>
> Concours rules, even so "small" a change as this, deserve long,
well-thought-out deliberations before such changes are made. Concours rules
MUST be guided by and follow a well-though-out philosophy in order to be
successful. The success of the judgements I made in the writing of the
initial rules is born out in their continued longevity. Simply put,
Concours rules changes are nothing to be taken lightly, and this change has
all the earmarks of being ill-conceived, rushed, and frivolously made. Bill
Hubbell is absolutely right, and just the tip of the iceberg.
>
> -Mark Corbin
> Treasurer, Stock Corvair Group
> President, Air 'Vair Group
> perenial Concours judge