Are you a member of the National Corvette Museum (NCM) If so, why? If not, why?

[Baldie88]

First off I am not a member of the NCM. I don't consider membership at the NCM makes me any more or less of a Corvette enthusiast than the next person. I'm grateful that there are people who are willing to put a lot of time and money into developing and maintaining the Museum. I just don't think the $100 a year or whatever it is gets me as much as if I donate $100 to cancer research or any of the other hundred charities all vying for my money.

Everyone seems to have their own particular passions. We have several club members who are passionate supporters of the Museum. Some would like to turn over our entire treasury to them rather than to support some local charities. At the past Eureka Springs event I talked with a person who is a NCM Ambassador who basically said it was a sin to own a Corvette and not belong to the Museum. The browbeating definitely turned me off.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I appreciate the NCM. But I'll be the one to determine where my money goes and that my lack of a membership does not anyway influence my love of all Corvettes.

Ron
"Baldie88"

P.S. One of our very loyal supporters is taking delivery of his new 08 Vert on June 23 which is the 50th anniversary of his first Corvette. Almost our entire club is going down for the event and we are even taking over the Museum with his Museum Delivery and 7 others doing the Xperience. I'll write more on this later.

 

[GS Diva]

My husband and I became members about a year ago, although we've been Corvette enthusiasts for many years. To us, there's something about having a museum that is dedicated to preserving the Corvette history and which is devoted to our passion. We're very happy to be a small part of it. We also had a brick made a couple of years ago, and we love to see it when we visit the Museum and the plant.

Elaine

 

[Paul T]

Hey Yoda and Baldie88. Great inputs. It's always good to hear other points of view and know what people are thinking about Corvette subjects. I know it's hard to seperate the GM/NCM connection but as you know, GM provides little to no monetary support to the museum but are always there at events to deliver great technical symposiums and show off the latest models, improvements, and accessories. This involvement benefits both GM and the members. As far as the museum catering to the latest and greatest models, I know they also have events for the C3 and C4 crowd but I have not attended any of those so my knowledge about the depth of involvement for those generations is extremely limited. The ambassador brow beating people is sure not the way to win friends and influence people. You have to instill the desire to be a member in owners and hope they join your army. The point I was trying to make in joining the NCM was that if your inclination is toward museums, then support them and don't expect a one for one return on your money. Your enjoyment of belonging should be reward enough. And if you aren't a member for whatever reason, that doesn't make you any less of a Corvette lover. Member or not, let's all be glad it exists and with the new expansion and build up of the archives it should become a true center of the Corvette world for all of us.
Paul

 

[SurfnSun]

Therefore, if you are a true Corvette enthusiast and not just a Corvette owner, I think you will come to the right decision about being a NCM member

Sorry Paul, but that last statement is a load of BS. Ive owned Vettes for 17 years and have been to shows all over the US. Are you saying Im not a true enthusiast? Anyone that knows me will take objection to that. It sounds incredibly elitist and condescending.

The NCM is run by a man who has very little understand about our hobby and what it means to be an enthusiast. If you want to point fingers to the Non-enthusiasts...start with the management at the NCM.

 

[Paul T]

Sorry Paul, but that last statement is a load of BS. Ive owned Vettes for 17 years and have been to shows all over the US. Are you saying Im not a true enthusiast? Anyone that knows me will take objection to that. It sounds incredibly elitist and condescending.

The NCM is run by a man who has very little understand about our hobby and what it means to be an enthusiast. If you want to point fingers to the Non-enthusiasts...start with the management at the NCM.

Please read my last post. I do appreciate being called elitist however. My wife has been trying to instill a little class in me for years and she would be proud. As far as a non enthusiast running the NCM, we tried that route for several years and as you may or may not know, the museum floundered on the brink of bankruptcy until Wendell took over and applied professional business acumen to its operation. As a result the NCM is flourishing and the expansion now underway is proof. The added acreage for the motorsport park will further enhance the museum as a Corvetter's destination. Elitist, wow, like the sound of that. Can't even spell condescending without looking at your post.
Paul

 

[Cape Cod Bob]

Paul,
Well stated on your text about the museum. I go down there almost every April to the Birthday Bash. Only missed one year.
Corvette was a scattered band before the museum. Now I have a place to go that is terrific. As an example...this past April we were treated to view and sit in 2 ZR1's. A complete presentation by the chief engineer, a table fill of internal ZR1 parts that we could all pickup and touch. (Those brake rotors are awesome). Birthday Celebrations, Fantastic Museum Delivery (I did that in 2000 and it was an experience to remember), they rolled out the complete 2009 line of Corvettes, Factory tours, Drag Races, Autocrosses...the list goes on and on.

We have a great museum that is well run and growing each and every year. I'm very excited to be a small part of this wonderful experience. If there is any way I can support the museum, I will.

Those that choose to not support the museum, well, that's their choice. To me, that's a poor choice. But that's my opinion, and I still think I'm entitled to it....last I heard.

Duntov has his ashed in the museum, (he was a big fan of the museum),there are great displays of the history of the Corvette. Many SUPPORTERS of the museum lend their cars to be displayed there. (Some are very valuable).

And the friendships I've had the pleasure to develop since going to the Birthday Bash...that alone is worth the membership.

I spent over an hour this year with engineers from the assembly plant as they wanted to get feedback from '07 and 08 owners on their cars. A team of engineers spent 2 full days interviewing loads of owners.

And now one of my most favorite Corvette guys in the whole Corvette community will take the wheel of the Corvette Museum. Wil Cooksey will take on a new hat as Chairman of the Board National Corvette Museum. It doesn't get any better that this!

I'm very happy to be a lifetime member and I fully support the museum and the work that they are doing. The addition will be something else and the new motorsports complex should be extra special.

Bob Baker

 

[Baldie88]

I previously posted on this thread that I was not a member of the Museum so I'll update this a little.

I joined as a member on Monday while down there for one of our club members museum delivery. (I've got a separate thread on the delivery because it was the 50th anniversary of his first Vette.) We had a big dinner the evening prior and I got to meet a lot of the Museum staff. We had 7 other club members do the Museum Xperience and got to go with one of the couples doing the Xperience so we saw stuff not on the public tours. I think what might have done it was my wife getting to start one of the first 09's coming off the line on Monday. All along she has kind of tolerated my "Corvette obsession" (it's a guy thing) so I was kind of surprised when she brought up the subject that we ought to join. So join we did. And as a bonus several of us got to tour the new Museum expansion after the workers had left and signed one of the support columns.

Now if I can just convince the wife that a nice 35th wedding anniversary present would be an upgrade from a C4 to a C6, everything will be perfect.

Ron
"Baldie88"