<VV> Re: CONCOURS PHILOSOPHY 101

[Gary]

While I somewhat agree with what you are saying, I think you miss the point.
We could have 100 different classes for each combination, but what you have
in effect is a modified car.
It really should not be a problem as you are judged against a standard. If
it is a 94 point car it still makes it a senior (and on down the line) even
if the car you are parked next to has mag wheels and fuel injection. It is
not a first second third event so you are not being treated unfairly. You
still have a chance at an award based on what your car is, not as compared
to someone elses.
I think your point would be valid if you lost out to someone with more
visible and noticeable modifications.

I run a local all makes and models car show. 2 day affair with 50 classes
between 2 days. Every year it's someone else that is complaining they do not
"fit" in any of my classes. Like the 66 Ford with the cruiser skirts, side
pipes and curb feelers, doesn't want to be in modified, can't be in stock,
doesn't want to compete with the "customs and lead sleds". Basically expects
me to make a class for 60's customs just for her. The guy with the austin
healy with the small block chevy, is not stock enough for foreign class,
doesn't want to be with the "american modifieds". etc........

Gary Swiatowy

> From: airvair <airvair@richnet.net>
> To: Virtual Vairs <virtualvairs@corvair.org>
> CC: Bob Norwalk <RJNJR1@aol.com>, Sarah Jones <sarahvair@juno.com>,
>    Bill
>   Hubbell <whubbell@umich.edu>, Rich Thompson <RThompson@mirro.com>,
>    Tony Vizyak <glt@cros.net>, Seth Emerson <sethracer@aol.com>,
>    Kent
>   Sullivan <kentsu@corvairkid.com>, smorehead@mailcity.com,
>    bigsky1@ftc-i.net, mdvair@aol.com, larry@forman.net,
>    jamesandloricorvair@telus.net, ddpleau@earthlink.net
> Subject: <VV> CONCOURS PHILOSOPHY 101
>
> During a recent discussion I had with Bob Norwalk about my "infamous '69
> Corsa," he stated that he'd like to make an addition to the existing
> concours rules to automatically designate "model change" cars as
> modified cars. He (and the previous chairman) and I have butted heads
> about this for years, and I think it's time I took the issue to the
> court of public opinion. I'd write the Communiqui, but I don't believe
> I'd be allowed a fair discussion of the issue. For those who don't know
> my car, I built it years ago using only late model stock Corvair parts,
> thus creating a complete and exact rendition of a stock, air-conditioned
> '69 Corsa. Yet to date, I cannot show it in a judged concours because he
> will not allow it to compete in what should be the APPROPRIATE class for
> it.
>
> My position has always been that there is a philosophy to concours that
> must be consistently followed. There is a reason why we separate stock
> cars from modified cars, that being that it's inherently unfair to pit
> stock parts (which are often reconditioned used parts) against modified
> (and thus often new) parts. We also have an "update-backdate" rule that
> allows stock parts from within their respective year groups to be used
> in any "Street" Stock class car. Further, each car in the concours
> should always be placed in an APPROPRIATE class that allows it to
> compete against like cars. So for these reasons there has been nothing
> in writing to date that automatically classifies model-change cars as
> modified. From all this it can be fairly concluded that a
> complete-and-exact model-change car, if built to Street Stock class
> standards, should NOT be arbitrarily placed in a modified class. To do
> so is patently unfair! Worse, Bob admits that it's totally arbitrary.
>
> Bob said that they made that ruling because "they didn't make a '69
> Corsa." So what's the problem? In concours, cars are judged only on
> cleanliness and condition, and classification is supposed to place every
> car in an APPROPRIATE class according to its competitive attributes with
> one another, not according to some puritanical ideology. The factory
> produced ONLY pure stock cars, not modified cars, nor even street stock
> cars. Read the class definitions! The existing definitions were designed
> to separate cars by competitive attributes only, while reserving only
> the PURE STOCK class from being combined with anything else. Street
> Stock class cars are only slightly removed from pure stock, and are NOT
> changed enough from stock to really be called modified. Such is the case
> with my '69 Corsa.
>
> Even though he denies it, I suspect the only reason for this verbal (to
> date), arbitrary, capricious, and totally unfounded ruling is because
> they simply hate the idea of a '69 Corsa. Regardless of the reason, he
> has never offered a rational explanation for this verbal ruling.
> Certainly any explanation he has offered to date has had no foundation
> in logic whatsoever. All I get are flimsy, prejudiced, opinionated,
> "because they didn't make it" and "because I say so" excuses. Concours
> is about judging and comparing QUALITY, not soothing someone's insulted
> purist ideology. This ruling is heresy and I am justly outraged.
>
> Thus I am requesting everyone who agrees with me to email Bob and the
> CORSA board and object to this blatant trashing of the foundation of
> sound concours principles, and also to demand a retraction of such
> verbal and arbitrary rulings. Concours rules should be based on logical,
> rational, and sound principles. And the Concours Committee should follow
> the WRITTEN letter of its own rules. To do otherwise, as does this
> verbal and arbitrary ruling, is to disgrace the whole purpose of
> concours and of written rules.
>
> -Mark Corbin