A Tale of Two Pretties

In the run-up to the Sturbridge convention we chronicled Cal Clark’s restoration of his Rampside. (To see Before, During, and After photos, scroll down and click on "Rampside" in the Blog Archive in the right-hand column.)

As promised, Cal’s truck had it’s debut at Sturbridge and it dazzled everyone. It spent a few days in the exhibit hall, alongside the Clark’s Corvair Parts display and in the company of the Fitch Phoenix, before moving out to join the 200-Corvair Car Display on Saturday. Here it is at Sturbridge:

But Cal’s truck was not the only show-stopping Rampside at Sturbridge. Octogenarian James Law was there with his Rampside, and where Cal’s truck is largely stock, James’ truck has modifications such as air-conditioning, a "rumble seat," and more. One look at this photo and you can see why James’ truck was getting its share of attention, too.

And look at this photo of the engine compartment in James’ truck! Does that look like an engine that was driven 1600 miles to Sturbridge? It doesn’t, but it was!

(Click any of these photos for an enlarged view.)

Model Car Concours RESULTS

The results of the Model Car Concours have been posted on the convention web site, here.  Scroll down slightly to find this and other results.

Call an Ambulance!

Certainly one of the more attention-getting vehicles at Sturbridge was this one:  A 1962 Chevy ambulance, owned by Paul Sterinberg.  Paul was a vendor in the convention flea market, and this was his parts hauler!

Phabulous Photo Slideshow

Dave Silvia, from Bay State Corvairs has posted an outstanding set of convention photographs on his Flickr page.  Check 'em out here, and be prepared to have the time slip away as you are drawn in to the convention experience.

Snapshots from Sturbridge

Just a few of the many photos taken over the past few days of Corvair owners having a fun time in Sturbridge (Click any photo for an enlarged view):

The "Back Seat Driver" game

These cars are supposedly rare!

Staging for the Road Rally

A stop along the road rally

A portion of the Concours, alongside the lake

At Old Sturbridge Village

Jay Leno and one of his two Corvairs.

Jay sent a video greeting that was shown

during Saturday evening's banquet.

Okay, we cheated, this is a publicity shot.

But Darrell (left) and Janet (2nd from right),

the Corvair-owning members of Cobblestone Crossing,

did a great job entertaining us not only with the full group

at Friday's Ice Cream Social but also informally,

at the hospitality room, on Thursday.

Cedar Pond, the lake behind the hotel, alongside which

the Concours took place, the Wednesday evening Karaoke singalong

took place, and which the Oxhead Tavern overlooked.

200 Corvairs

For Saturday’s big car show, by mid-morning the number of Corvairs in the Sturbridge Host Hotel parking lot was 184, with more still on the lawn alongside the lake and some in the general parking area -- and more were coming in!  Eventually, audits will be done, the census bureau will send canvassers into the field, and we’ll have a final number. But for now, the official tally is Wow Look At All The Corvairs!

Here’s what it looked like at one point:

New England DJ Cruisin' Bruce did a great job with the tunes, the vintage commercials, the announcements and the awards, and the Sturbridge Host Hotel nicely put a refreshment stand alongside the show. Mother Nature did her part by holding back the rain until all was over except the awards presentation, which was moved indoors when the skies opened at 3 PM.

Take the Phoenix Home

Today we secured the Fitch Phoenix to the trailer for delivery to Sturbridge. (Click the photo for an enlarged view.)

While at the convention, you can not only see this beautiful one-off car in person, you could win one of the Automodello scale models, as detailed in our earlier post here.

(Sorry, you can’t have the real car, we’ll be returning it to John Fitch following the convention!)

Time's UP!

Not really. But the time for advance convention registration is now past, so if you have not sent in your registration, don’t do it – just show up!

Registration can be accomplished on-site, beginning at 3 PM on Tuesday and continuing right through 1 PM on Saturday. (The complete schedule of registration hours is on the convention web site, here.)

In only a few days CORSA’s 2012 convention – the 42nd annual convention – will begin. Come be a part of it!

Skirting the Big Apple

Corvair Enthusiasts will be coming to Sturbridge from all directions, but many will be coming from the south, from the mid-Atlantic and southeastern states.  Many will be utilizing Interstate Route 95 for much of the way, but we want to recommend that you not follow I-95 through New York City.

Why not? Because it is an exceptionally congested route. Delays are not only possible they are probable. The road is a battered urban highway carrying an immense amount of traffic through a large and crowded city. So we offer this alternative:

If coming up I-95 from the south, once you cross into New Jersey, plan your route to pick up the I-287 loop through New Jersey to the west of NYC. This loop will carry you into New York State, at which point you can continue to follow I-287 to cross the Hudson River on the Tappan Zee Bridge.

This route will be longer but likely faster, certainly easier, and will have less traffic – unless you try it during rush hour. There is no good way through or around NYC during rush hour.

Once around New York City you can vary the route in other ways, too, eventually reaching I-84 which takes you to Sturbridge.

Be alert, be careful, and enjoy the ride!

I-95, the Cross Bronx Expresway,
in New Uork City.
We suggest that you avoid it!


 

Ray's Ride

On Sunday, July 15, the Milford Daily News of Milford, Massachusetts, featured this 1962 Monza in the newspaper’s My Ride, My Story feature. The car belongs to Ray Bombardier, Deputy Chairman of the 2012 CORSA Convention.

The My Ride, My Story feature is one of several "Print Extras" that are available only in the printed edition of the paper, not to the general public on the paper’s very nice web site.

But click this link to see a brief video of the reporter taking a drive in Ray’s car.

And check out this photo of the neat Powerglide instruction sleeve on the sun visor of Ray’s car – such instructions came with the first-generation Corvairs.

Come to Sturbridge to see Ray's car, and upwards of 200 more, at the convention beginning next week!

A Last-Minute Disappointment

In a prior post, last December, we told you that Mel Francis and his project partner, Dick Reinders, were going to bring their spectacular Monza SS re-creation from Wisconsin to Sturbridge.

Alas, life’s realities have gotten in the way. Mel writes, "It is my sad duty to inform you that our Monza SS cannot be brought to Sturbridge this summer."

The reasons are those with which everyone is familiar – other duties, responsibilities, and priorities must come before a hobby trip.  Mel had been planning to do more than simply bring the car to Sturbridge.  He was going to participate in all the convention events -- autocross, road rally, and show.  A real car guy!

And we have been featuring the original Monza SS show car at the top of our blog for some time now.  So, yes, we're very disappointed, but of course we understand.

Still, the convention will not be without distinctive Corvair-based vehicles to see. In addition to (as of this writing) the nearly 200 individual Corvair cars that have registered to participate in convention events, we are currently arranging to get the one-and-only Fitch Phoenix on site, and the pre-registered vehicle list includes such rarities as the Corvair-powered UltraVan motor home.

By the way, back on April first we referenced car collector Joe Bortz in our April Fool posting about 1969 Corvair #6000, but it is no joke that Mr Bortz is restoring the Lasalle II show car and Mel Francis has been tasked with making up a new windshield for it. Recently the car has been at Larry Claypool’s Vair Shop in Illinois for brake work. Here’s a shot of the windshield job in progress:

Another Dead Lion *

Recently we reminded our blog readers of the deadline for the advance registration discount (read that post here.)

The new deadline is for advance registration, period.

If you are submitting your convention registration in advance, it must reach the CORSA office by the close of business on Thursday, July 19. Whether you submit your registration online, by mail, by fax, or by carrier pigeon, if it arrives in the CORSA office after July 19 it will just sit there – the staff is coming to Sturbridge.

Of course, this does not mean that you must register before July 19. It only means that after that date you should register on-site, in Sturbridge. Still, advance registration is greatly appreciated by the convention committee because it helps us prepare for the number of people who will be there.

Don’t delay! Register now!

* There is a connection to be made between the Corvair and the use of "Dead Lion" as a pun on deadline. Do you know what that connection is? If you do, send us an email here. First correct answer gets credited here on the blog!

Update 7/13/12:  We have a Winner!

In our post above we asked you to tell us the connection to be made between the Corvair and the use of "Dead Lion" as a pun on deadline.

John Gephart, from Mission Viejo, California, was first with the correct answer. Dead Lion for Breakfast was Ernie Kovacs’ nickname for his 1950 Philadelphia TV show Deadline for Dinner.

John wrote to us, While enjoying the convention blog I saw your reference to Ernie Kovacs’ old Philly TV cooking show Deadline for Dinner which he nicknamed Dead Lion for Breakfast. The connection being Ernie Kovacs and his untimely death in a Corvair.

I have yet to attend a CORSA convention. Shortly after I bought my ’65 Monza ‘vert in Connecticut the convention was a few miles from where I grew up in California. Now that the convention is in Sturbridge, I have recently moved back to Southern California. One of these years I may be on the correct coast.

Decades after Kovacs’ death, muckracking journalists would attempt to blame the Corvair for Kovacs’ crash, but his widow, Edie Adams, would hear nothing of it. She correctly pointed out that at the time of the crash Kovacs was burning the candle at both ends, was sleep-deprived, hung over, was trying to light a cigar, was speeding, and it was raining.

Nonetheless, his was the highest-profile Corvair crash, and it was nothing less than a tragedy.

Kovacs had chosen to drive the Corvair, a 1961 Lakewood wagon, that night, so that Edie would have use of the couple’s other car, a Rolls Royce.

If you don't know who Ernie Kovacs is, Google and Youtube are ready to educate you. You can search for Ernie Kovacs, or Percy Dovetonsils, or the Nairobi trio...

A Message from the Convention Chairman

A Message from 2012 Convention Chairman Brian O'Neill:

The 2012 CORSA International Convention is fast approaching. Plans for a fun-filled event are set and the convention committee is looking forward to being your hosts. The Sturbridge Host Hotel is going all-out to make your stay enjoyable.

There is more than ample space for all our activities. The hotel, being both a hotel and a conference center, has a big parking lot with nighttime surveillance. We have only one small issue. The layout, while allowing more than ample parking, is not conducive to trailer parking. We want to offer an clear view of our cars particularly during Saturday's Car Display.

So we have made arrangements with Old Sturbridge Village, which is just across the street, for trailer parking. The grounds at Old Sturbridge Village are actively patrolled and trailers and tow rigs will be safe. But to make everyone's arrival go smoothly and to avoid traffic congestion we'll need folks at both the hotel and the Old Sturbridge Village parking area.

Two-hour shifts start at 2 PM on Tuesday and then 8 AM the other days. The last shift ends at 8 PM each day. We need your help. We have a great committee for the convention events but this manpower requirement is testing our limits.

I'm asking for your help because NECC events have always received great support in the past. If you can help let me know your availability and I'll reply with a proposed shift. Please contact me here. Thanks so much.

Don't Be Late!

UPDATE 7/4/12:  The deadline noted in the original post, below, has since passed.  The next registration deadline is the deadline for advance registrations.  If you are registering in advance your registration needs to reach the CORSA office before the close of business on Thursday, July 19.  If you can't get your registration into the CORSA office by then, register on-site at the convention in Sturbridge.  Thank you!

A deadline is approaching!

Early registration prices for the 2012 CORSA Convention in Sturbridge are valid for registrations received through this coming Friday, June 29.  After then, higher prices apply!

Registration is strong to this point and some events are very close to being sold out.  Don't risk being shut out, and don't lose the opportunity for the lower early registration prices.

Registration information is available on the convention web site here

and on the registration form included with your CORSA Communique.

Visit Clark's Corvair Parts!

It may be obvious to many, since Clark’s Corvair Parts is located in Massachusetts, that Clark’s would be a convention sponsor. But what may not be as obvious is how great a cheerleader Cal Clark has been for this convention. He has been supportive of the plans from the very beginning, and Clark’s Corvair Parts has signed on sponsor of the convention’s Lakeside Picnic and as one of the sponsors of the convention’s hospitality room.

Clark’s Corvair Parts is the world’s largest Corvair parts supplier and is based in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. This is less than an hour and a half from the convention site, and Clark’s is opening the doors to all who wish to visit during convention week.

That’s right, on Tuesday, July 24, convention-goers can stop in for an Open House at Clark’s Corvair Parts, between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. Clark’s is located on the Mohawk Trail (Route 2) in Shelburne Falls, a short distance east of town and very easy to find.

Tuesday, July 24, is the preferred day for this, because it is the day before the convention officially begins and so there are no direct scheduling conflicts. But, Cal Clark knows that not every convention visitor will be able to make it on that day, so Cal has said, "if you are not able to visit on Tuesday, we will welcome you during those hours any day that week." So between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM on any day, Monday, July 23, through Friday, July 27, convention-goers can visit Clark’s Corvair Parts.

This is a great opportunity for Corvair owners from other parts of the country who may otherwise never be in the area or be able to participate in the biennial Fall Classic at Clark's car show.  Clark's is not a "walk in" business and so opportunities to visit are few.

Of course, Clark's Corvair Parts will have a big display at the convention itself, so even if you can't make it to the Open House you can still see the latest products and get the best deals.  Whether you visit Clark's in Shelburne Falls or in Sturbridge, be sure to thank them for all they do to keep our Corvairs going!

The Revolutionary Corvair in Stained Glass

Greg Gorski, a member of one of the NECC member clubs, has reproduced several popular Corvair styles in stained glass, using the Tiffany copper foil method.  Each reproduction is hand made using a variety of semi-transparent and opalescent stained glass colors.  The finished size is 14” x 18” framed with the 2012 Convention logo adjacent to the vehicle.

Photos appear below.  Click any photo for an enlarged view.

Greg has four styles of Corvairs available, each in several colors of stained glass:  Early Model Coupe, Late Model Coupe, Greenbrier, and Rampside.  He has sold several already at $100 each, and once his current stock is depleted he will be taking orders for more, with delivery at Sturbridge.  Greg will be in Sturbridge on Friday, July 27th and Saturday, July 28th.

Interested?  To learn more, contact Greg here.

Convention Tour Schedule Update

Among the off-site tours being offered during the Sturbridge convention are a bus tour to historic Boston and a bus tour to the mansions of Newport, Rhode Island.

But – whoops! – until recently, the departure times for each of these tours has been listed erroneously in the CORSA Communique and on the convention web site.  Happily, tour coordinator Kevin Gaudette noticed the error, and now the web site has been corrected and the July/August issue of the Communique will reflect the correct times. (The June issue of the CORSA Communique has already been printed and so it will show the incorrect times.)

If you have signed up for either the Boston tour or the Newport tour, or are planning to sign up for either of these tours, please be advised that the Boston tour departs the hotel at 8:45 AM, and the Newport tour departs the hotel at 8:00 AM.

The reason for these departure times is straightforward. The Boston tour is leaving at a time that will allow it to miss the morning rush-hour traffic into the city, and the Newport tour is leaving at a time that will allow for the extra travel time necessary to reach Newport.

You can see the complete convention schedule on the convention web site here.

Boston Skyline

The Breakers, Newport

Lifemobile

Among the events taking place alongside the big Saturday car show at Sturbridge will be a book-signing for a wonderful new book, Lifemobile.

Lifemobile is a novel written by CORSA member Jonathan Rintels. Mr Rintels has been a writer for film and television, and this is his first novel. We’ve been able to read an excerpt and it is nothing less than funny, moving, and inspirational.

Lifemobile is based on Mr Rintels’ experiences with his special-needs son, and how he became fascinated – obsessed, really – with his father’s Corvair, and its features, history, and controversy. In many ways, the Corvair experience changed his life.

Readers don’t need to be Corvair enthusiasts to become engaged with this book, but it seems obvious that the Corvair community will respond to it enthusiastically. The book is to be published in June by Prospecta Press, and at Sturbridge in July we’ll have a traditional book-signing event where Mr Rintels will read from the book, answer questions, and sign copies that will be available on-site.

Support our Supporters!

Cotrofeld Automotive, of East Arlington, Vermont, has joined the 2012 convention as an event sponsor, sponsoring the autocross at Stafford Speedway that is to take place on Wednesday, July, 25.

Many CORSA members know Bill Cotrofeld who, in addition to operating what is billed as "America’s Oldest Corvair Shop," has been a CORSA member and convention attendee for decades. Bill was the force behind the 1997 convention in Lake Placid, New York.

Through the years Bill’s personal and professional partner has been his wife, Kathy, and today their son, Tim, is the manager of the Corvair shop. It’s truly a family business!

Cotrofeld Automotive is located at 3630 Route 7A, East Arlington, Vermont, and is on the web here.

Memo from Iowa

In early March, after an absence of two and a half years, my car came home from the body shop. It was well worth the wait. You can’t really tell from the picture, but this is a 42,000 mile 1966 Monza convertible.

It was purchased new here in my home town of Cresco in April of 1966. The car has spent it’s whole life here in Cresco. I am the forth owner and have the enviable pleasure of knowing all the previous owners, so I possess a lot of the car’s history.

It was purchased by the owner of the local bank, who bought it for his wife. They sold the car to a bank employee in 1969, and she drove the car back and forth to work every day until 1985, a trip of four miles a day. The car was then sold to the wife of a local mortician. I happened to be working at the local GM dealership when that transaction took place and had the opportunity to work on the car. After the work was finished the car virtually disappeared.

I had been secretly eyeballing it in prior years as I drove by the bank in my ‘65 Monza 140/4 on my way to high school . I had made inquiries as to the possibility of purchasing the car and got a "We will add your name to the list" type response. So I was pretty devastated when the car showed up at the dealership with a new owner. I decided not to give up on the car and started a years long campaign to convince the owners to sell the car to me.

Every time I had an occasion to talk with the owner’s husband I would ask if they were considering putting the car up for sale. The answer was always, "It’s my wifes car and she isn’t ready to sell it." This process went on and on for years until April of 2002 when I finally heard the response I was waiting for, "You may have asked at the right time, my wife is ready to sell."

Within a month the car was in my garage and that is where my story with the car truly begins. There are some interesting twists to the story and a mystery that no one can answer. I will tell you more later, but you can see the car and talk with me about it because I am driving it from Iowa to Massachusetts for the convention in Sturbridge this summer. See you there.

Jamie Reinhart
CORSA President