<VV> Report - 2023 CORSA Chula Vista Convention

[Tom Berg]

 Carl,
Thanks, first of all, for traveling so far to attend the convention. I only had to drive up from central Ohio USA, and because Wisconsin is my home state, it was doubly enjoyable to journey to the Dells and attend some of the convention's attractions (especially the cars -- would that my '64 Monza looked half as good!).   
Next year's convention is in Dayton, Ohio, and my club (Mid-Ohio Vair Force) will help out. I noted your suggestions and maybe Kevin Clark and others from the Dayton CC will take you up on your offer. If so, you'll have to suffer another 17-plus-hour airplane ride, but we'll shake your hand and offer you a cold local brew. 
--Tom BergDelaware, Ohio
    On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 02:39:53 PM EDT, Arlette Pat & Carl Kelsen via VirtualVairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org> wrote:  
 
 Reply to Ed Thompson's Chula Vista Convention "report"
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Date: Thursday 29 June 2023 Ed reported.......
"Not much to report, just five of us turned out for the Virtual Vairs
(Thursday night?) meeting, the room could have easily accommodated well
over a hundred.  Perhaps no longer necessary to ask for a meeting time slot
to be assigned at subsequent gatherings?

Carl Kelsen was among the five of us there, he thoroughly entertained us
concerning all things Corvair and Chevrolet in his native Australia.  If
Carl will be attending the '24 Convention in Dayton (perhaps, as this was
his twenty-third extended stay visit to the USA since about 1992!), I
suggest next year's hosts invite Carl to make a presentation, I think
attendees would be thoroughly entertained!

Ed Thompson
Milwaukee
'66 Monza sport sedan, 110-glide, LA-built
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Carl Kelsen's response.

G'day everyone from Washington DC, in the USA.
Firstly, thank you Ed, sincerely for your kind comments. As a foreigner, the real highlight for me when attending CORSA conventions is the opportunity to meet 'face to face' with fellow Corvair enthusiasts and seeing Corvairs on display. Attending these Conventions for foreigners like me involves expensive and for the most part, lengthy (17 hour plus) international flights but as they say, "you can't take it with you".

I am very much appreciative of the considerable effort put into planning and running these CORSA conventions, largely by volunteer unpaid Corsa members. I also appreciate the challenge of locating venues that will suit the varied CORSA membership. It's not an easy task. That said, I am of the view that the structure / layout of these conventions could be enhanced by the inclusion of presentations and or workshops that are Chevrolet and or GM related but perhaps not directly Corvair related.

As everyone knows, GMs Chevrolets division only offered a 'Corvair' for a short 10 year period (1959-1969). But our much-loved Corvair went on the influence the design of other GM products and after the last Corvair rolled off the assembly line, GM itself continued it's now 100 plus year history.

I think CORSA conventions could benefit by expanding its content to include GM history that surrounded the Corvair. With this thinking in my mind, I offered to give an hour-long Power Point presentation, at this years CORSA convention. My presentation would have covered the post Second World War history of the Chevrolet brand in Australia, and I 'think' it might have been of interest to attendees and might not have gone someway to add additional variety to the convention. But it seems that the program was full.

The hospitality room was 'outstanding', but the provision of single map of the United States for showing where attendees had travelled from was surprising when you this convention is billed as an International Convention. I appreciate that 98% of the attendees were from the USA, but a small map of the rest of the world might have been worthwhile. I could have placed a pin in the ocean off the west coast of the USA with an arrow pointing south, but even that was not possible. Even Canadian visitors were not included. This issue seems to repeat its self at annual CORSA Conventions and I think needs correcting.

Above all, I really enjoy my visits to the USA, and tomorrow, my wife and I are looking forward to spending the day with CORSA members Bob and Carol in Washington DC.
Regards
Carl Kelsen
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
RHD 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza convertible
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