So you’ve joined the club and now you’re a member of the National Corvette Restorer’s Society (NCRS). Congratulations! Owning a Corvette is NOT a requirement of club membership. In fact, the best time to join and get active in this organization is BEFORE you make that first “Baby’ purchase…
You are probably asking yourself, “What’s up with this National/Chapter organizational structure.” Well, NCRS was originally formed back in the early 1970’s as a nation wide organization. But, it quickly because evident that members wanted their spotlight a little closer to home. Hence, local chapters spawned catering to local member needs.
Who has a good selection of parts in my neck of the woods? If I don’t have the special tool that’s needed for this job, can I borrow one from a friend? If I don’t know how to do this/that task, can I consult with a local ‘friendly’ who isn’t out to rip me off? These are just three questions classic Corvette owners who should really belong to a local NCRS chapter might ask.
Yes, the National organization has an EXCELLENT library of publications replete with a wide range of ‘how to’ articles. But, our sport/hobby is dynamic. What wasn’t of interest to you yesterday, can be a burning question today. Can I get some help planning a path through the forest to my target destination at a reasonable cost?
Also, there’s safety in numbers. When you put ‘Baby’ out on the road, what happens if things go south? Case in point. I invited my brother-in-law from New York City to visit. We held an annual event then we called Vettes to Vail.
This was a one-day freeway cruise from Denver, over the Continental Divide to the ski Town of Vail. We parked our cars outside a well-known restaurant in Vail’s old town under a parade permit. Then, we went onto the porch overlooking our cars for a group lunch of gourmet food.
The weather was great and this outing was typical. When we returned, my brother-in-law commented that he’d just seen one of the most amazing things in his life. He’d witnessed this group of Corvette enthusiasts put a mixture of old and new American sports cars on the road for an outing. A few of the older cars broke down enroute. Hoods went up and people stopped to help their friends cure this/that ill and the group pressed on…
His key was, the few cars that broke down were actually FIXED and pressed back into service! Not in NYC… (New York City???).
There, if a car breaks down, the owner pops the hood and looks beneath with honest ignorance. Mobile phones come out and a wrecker is called for the clean up.
Here, was a group of fun loving folks actually driving, repairing, and sharing their knowledge with each other. Plus, that lunch was DARN good to boot!
