<VV> Convention results

[Bruce Schug]

On Aug 10, 2007, at 11:32 AM, Brian wrote:

> Yes, there are 'rules" but if you read them there is very little about 
> the things i mentioned.  I call upon you and the other Board members 
> to carefully consider revising them.
>
>

I think I disagree with most of the criticism I've seen posted here 
about the Economy Run Rules.

I participated in the last revision of the rules. Many of my 
suggestions were adapted, but not all. I was aware of the problems with 
slow-moving vehicles. That's why I suggested minimum elapsed times and 
a check point along the route (the check point allows you to monitor 
how you're doing against the time limit). Tires do need to be DOT 
approved, etc. Obviously, anyone should have their tires inflated to 
safe pressures, no matter what event they're participating in. I don't 
think you can or need to police how a participant tunes his vehicle. 
The problem isn't in tuning or vehicle set-up, it's in course design.

Economy Runs, like Rallies, need to be held on back-roads away from 
masses of traffic. A realistic time limit needs to be set and adhered 
to. I remember the first Economy Run conducted under the new rules, 
which might have been Daytona. Several cars were disqualified for 
taking too much time, i.e., driving too slow.I thought it was great!

In case you wondered, the rule change I proposed that didn't get 
adapted that disappointed me the most was the class structure. Vehicles 
are classified by early-model and late-model, as well as transmission 
and engine-type. However, the most important factor in fuel mileage is 
vehicle weight, not body-style (early/late). I had proposed a structure 
that split all Corvairs by weight, taking into account body style and 
whether or not they were air-conditioned, the major modifier to 
body-style that affects weight. Therefore one division would have 
lighter vehicles (most earlies, except for converts, late coupes) and 
another heavier vehicles (all convertibles, AC cars, sedans, etc.) I 
don't remember the exact structure but this is close. I thought it was 
quite fair and better than the early/late structure.

I was told that CORSA members wouldn't be interested in such a 
structure, they just see it as an early vs late situation. So, if 
you're competing in the Economy Run (and maybe the Cole Award) with an 
air-conditioned late convertible, against all those stripped-down late 
coupes, good luck!

I had a similar disappointment with the Rally Rules. I tried to write a 
set of rules that would define a real national-championship class rally 
and result in a true national-championship class winner. Such a rally 
would be a TSD rally, which is a true rally that measures real rally 
skills, not luck or knowledge of local landmarks or the ability to 
solve riddles, puzzles, etc., as found in gimmick rallies. Again, I was 
told that convention participants aren't really interested in such a 
rally (a real rally), most of them simply want to tour the countryside 
and see the scenery.

It's this kind of thinking that seems to permeate CORSA that makes me 
care less and less about such things as conventions and "national" 
competitions. The one thing we all have in common is that we like 
Corvairs. Besides that, I feel I have less and less in common to many 
CORSA members or at least those who tell me what they think most CORSA 
members want.

Bruce

Bruce W. Schug
President, CORSA South Carolina
Greenville, SC
bwschug at charter.net

CORSA member since 1980

'67 Monza. "67AC140"