The ZR-1 Club saga Part 2 (long) from jvd

[vandornjim]

(Con't From Part 1)
[But what Larry didn't realize was just how much he was appreciated by everyone including Dave Bright. In fact, many of us had saved each and every single issue of the newsletter, and it was prized just the same. I still have them all. Larry and his staff did a magnificent job on them.]

A little background on Larry Merow.
Larry was a school teacher on Long Island but was on some kind of medical leave/workman's comp for years. He often blamed his illnesses and his aches and pains on the asbestos used in his classrooms. Larry died August 12th, 2005. He was survived by his wife and high school sweetheart Sue. They had no children.


Back to the Gathering:
As I mentioned, when Dave Bright started the ZR-1 Net, it created immediate jealousy on Larry's part. On numerous occasions he complained bitterly about the list and the internet in general. He refused to admit he looked at any email nor monitored the list but we all knew ZR1Larry@aol.com was watching and listening.


It all finally came to a head one May when Larry attended one of the Gatherings and somehow felt he wasn't invited to one of the parties or something. He left early and without so much as a goodbye. He continued to collect Registry dues until June when he announced the Registry was no more, he was done. I called Larry and asked him if he would consider letting someone else run the Registry and he told me I was the only one he would trust with it. I thought about it for a long time before responding, then told him I would take it over and keep it running and see how it went. Having never thought I would take it, he then added the clause that I would have to quit Auto Masters to run the Registry full time. Of course I had to decline.

Larry kept most everyone's dues and earned a lot of disrespect for it. Many could care less about the $35, but those who had contributed so much for so long felt they deserved a much better explanation. Many wrote for the newsletter, organized events in their regions, devoted their time and invited the Merow's all over the country. They bought his shirts and hats, even drove across country to his call for 500 ZR-1's at Carlisle in '96. But Larry left without so much as a Thank You. He couldn't and wouldn't accept the change that was coming. But he could have and should have done it much better.

Then came some hot rod in Texas, Hooter somebody. He had confronted me more than once on the list and I used my normal diplomacy to clip his wings. He was gonna do a club so much better, a newsletter far superior, he was going to be the man for sure. I think he lasted 2 newsletters?then he too disappeared.

The ZR-1 clubs weren't doing well as dictatorships. People kept taking their ball and going home.


Then Dave Bright began the club dubbed the ZR-1 Net Registry. I had known Dave since the beginning. He was one of the founding pioneers. Over the years Dave kept a keen eye on the ZR-1 hobby, even after selling his car many years ago. He continued to man the website and began selling items on the Registry's website to offset expenses and hopefully make a little profit.

I didn't think it was a good decision when Dave turned over the organization of the annual event over to the NCM. They needed all their time and effort to be a museum, not an amusement park. But I do realize it took all of Dave's off time to keep everything else going so it?s excusable of course.

(I believe each club should organize their own events and use the NCM only to enhance them.)

I think it was '05 or '06 when the NCM used our very own banquet to inform us we were a burden, and in fact, such a small group didn't warrant using the NCM's resources. We could tell. Virtually no effort was put forth to accommodate us. Finally, we were informed we were not going to have an event the following year unless we came with another group, say, the Z06 group. Then we could be called the ?Z-Fest?. Now wouldn't that be great??? It would be like Frasier and Ali all over again!!

I stood up from our table and proceeded to take the microphone and told everyone there it wasn't the museum's place to decide whether we came or didn't. They were strictly a host and did not dictate who came or when. I was aghast that after the ZR-1 Registry had given so much to the place, they wanted to snub us out of the picture. I made some enemies that night, but we kept our event. Since then we've made amends and in fact, friendships. Remember, the museum is here to serve its members and the community, not the other way around.

I want to talk about that commitment to support our Museum for a few minutes. The ZR-1 Club was formed and set the "Registry concept" in motion back in 1991. We have been supporters of the NCM before it was even built. When it was, we came in large numbers in support at the Grand Opening in 1994, and later organized "The Legend Lives", an appreciation event in 1995 for the last ZR-1 which was one of the largest events for the NCM.

(This is unknown to most but a very few but it involved our NCM in a big way)

In late 1996, several of the staff of the NCM called and told me they were broke, mostly without management or support, and the bank was getting ready to make a move they feared might close the place down. They only had a part-time "manager" who came in on Thursday mornings from about 9-11 am, before he headed home to Nashville. For that he collected a handsome salary. One of the other Founders also received a nice "consulting fee" along with an "expense account" in the form of a NCM credit card. In short, the place was in complete disarray without a chance of survival.

We came up with a plan. In order for them to hire an new manager for the NCM, I submitted a resume!! Had to scare them to death! They soon found Wendell Strode, a local banker with plenty of financial contacts. Just what we (really) needed. Then we sort of intimidated GM to unveil a C5 in conjunction with their already planned events at Detroit and LA auto shows. We knew there would be all kinds of media surrounding the event so we also took the initiative to ask for a meeting with the NCM leadership, including newly hired Director Wendell Strode. We assembled a highly professional and knowledgeable "board" of members to represent the Corvette community, but most were from the echelons of the ZR-1 Registry.

The day before our meeting, the former NCM management convinced Strode we were only troublemakers and we would cost him his job if he allowed the meeting to be held. So late the night before, Strode declined to attend the meeting. We informed him that it was too bad that GM would have to endure yet another barrage of very public criticism regarding the NCM, something they really, really hated. (hint, hint)

Especially after just hiring him as their new manager and all. (hint)

And if the NCM was so broke, the very folks warning him of us were the people responsible for it.

But in any case, there was plenty of media coming to our Unveiling, and they were already prompted for the results of our meeting. Either we were allowed to examine the NCM?s books and practices, which had been hidden away secret, or we would tell the world the NCM was corrupt and failing as a result.

What a way to start a new job! (hint)

Man, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes?.:-)

Early the next morning (Jan 6th, 2007), with Strode and the former manager in attendance, we had our meeting and it was successful. We then held a press conference explaining that we had opened new doors within the NCM and we would help it prosper as never before. We unveiled the new C5 in front of hundreds, and we held an auction which resulted in tens of thousands of dollars that kept the museum's doors open. With that we gave Strode the time he needed to affect changes. In short, the ZR-1 community, and its allies, had come to the aid of the NCM in its time of dire need, when no one else cared or had the resources. We found out later, the bank had planned to foreclose just two days later?


Using the ZR-1 Net, we also organized our own race team dubbed Pirate Racing. ZR-1 owners came from all over as we toured across the nation and Canada with the World Challenge GT series. We had over 250 members who paid to be a part of this renegade team. We cheated, we stole, we pillaged and we completely assassinated the ego of one Porche driver. But most importantly, we won. IN fact, we led the series points in an old ZR-1 for half the season one year, before debuting our new C5R race car. ZR-1 owners couldn't have been more proud and supportive of the team.

My stoutest supporter was Douglas K. Johnson. He pushed me into organizing the Museum investigation and was instrumental helping us get Wendell hired. He pushed me into doing Pirate, and when I told him I was thinking of moving to Bowling Green, he was ecstatic. IN fact, he had been weakly fighting cancer. He had brain tumors, lots of them. They were getting worse by the day but as long as he was not in terrible pain, the doctors just let him live as comfortable as possible. I knew his prognosis was terminal but when he asked if I had a place for him in the Bowling Green project, without hesitation I said "A place? Shoot man, you're gonna be head of our marketing and PR departments!" If not for more than a month or two at best, the old Doug Johnson came alive. He called daily, told me of new exciting ideas he had, etc., etc. He told his doctors to try some new treatments; after all, he was going to be in charge of two departments at the most fantastic Corvette restaurant the word had ever seen!! And there were going to be pretty girls....

Within a month or so Doug passed on.

If I ever get my restaurant built, I'm going to have an outside smoking patio named "The Doug Johnson Pavilion".
(Is that a big green cigar I smell??)

It was a proud day in 2003 when we donated that 'ol ZR-1 to the NCM in Doug Johnson's and Dale Earnhardt's memory?

Stay tuned for the conclusion (part 3)
The Registry today, and in the future...plus a surprise!

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Great reading, JVD. Thanks

[tccrab]

JVD:

Thanks for taking the time to tell a story that really needed to be told.

Over the 6 or so years that I've been a ZR1 owner I've read snippets here and there about the trials and tribulations of the ZR1 community.
Mostly it was just little comments here or there, nothing really substantial.

Here you've taken the time to put it all together and put faces to the names, exposing the good and the bad and the ugly of our Brotherhood of the Beast.

I can't wait for episode 3.

TomC
'Crabs

[gbrtng]

episode 3 had better include the saga of Johnny Dangerrover ...

[4DSZR1]

This is the story that every ZR-1 brother should read....

[ZR1FUN]

Jim:

The story here is life goes on!! Even with up and downs the Registry keeps going. Thanks Jim for sharing the Registry history.

Doug

[Rex Ruby]

Originally Posted by tccrab

JVD:

Thanks for taking the time to tell a story that really needed to be told.

Over the 6 or so years that I've been a ZR1 owner I've read snippets here and there about the trials and tribulations of the ZR1 community.
Mostly it was just little comments here or there, nothing really substantial.

Here you've taken the time to put it all together and put faces to the names, exposing the good and the bad and the ugly of our Brotherhood of the Beast.

I can't wait for episode 3.

TomC
'Crabs

Same here, thanks JVD

[vandornjim]

Originally Posted by gbrtng

episode 3 had better include the saga of Johnny Dangerrover ...

THAT deserves a whole separate chapter....but I'll do it!

[tomtom72]

I must echo what TomC posted. This is an education for me. Thank you JVD for the time you took to do this.



Tom

[vandornjim]

Originally Posted by tomtom72

I must echo what TomC posted. This is an education for me. Thank you JVD for the time you took to do this.



Tom

Ah heck, what else does an old grey dude have to do with his time? JUst like all the other old dudes, just sittin back rememberin' the good 'ol days...