Normally I don't comment about STOA's TAC stuff but in this case, since I coordinate most of the SoCal TAC activities, I'll write about my involvement.
The "newbies" probably don't know that the TAC program in SoCal really didn't exist ten years ago. About then CAT arranged for a team of STOA inspectors to head south to do some TACing. After a couple visits the STOA started training some SoCal inspectors, myself included. Over the years, others have stepped forward and have also taken the inspector training. The SoCal program is still a work in progress and we continue to grow. It's totally a volunteer effort. The inspectors get no pay. (The $50 charge goes directly to the STOA to defray costs of the program. I have no idea where Warren got the $75 number.)
We at CAT routinely host two TAC events per year, not counting the TAC at TU. Guys have trailered in cars from out of state, from Mammoth and all points south to have their cars TACed. Yet I've gotten calls a week after a TAC event from a Tiger owner who wanted me to arrange for myself and two inspectors to trek to his home to inspect his "special case" Tiger. I had one guy insist the inspectors should drive by his house after a scheduled TAC even reasoning it was so close! Talk about helping someone who won't help himself!
Sometimes I have had trouble arranging for enough inspectors to cover a scheduled TAC event, so you can guess how eager the inspector team is to take more of their free time to cater to these special cases. However we still have managed to get a number of these special cases done so far this year. I've probably put in a dozen freeway hours on these cases this year. As I recall, Warren's car was a "special case" a year or two ago.
It's common knowledge that the STOA is upgrading its computer system which is why some of the TAC certificates don't currently show up.
Which brings me to the manpower situation. The STOA membership is about a third the size of CAT. I doubt that it's half. My point is that their manpower is much less than we have at CAT. And at CAT, with over 600 members we have about 10 who do the work (and 90% of that work is done by about 5 of those dedicated volunteers). I know where I am in that mix. And STOA is considerably smaller. So they could probably use help even more than we could.
I give a lot of time (& other stuff) to the Tiger community. I wear a lot of hats - a CAT hat, a TAC hat and a Tiger Racer cap, and others. They all compete for my time and, to be honest, there are times when TAC takes a backseat. Last week the CAT autocross was in the front seat, replaced this week by the SCF Tiger that needs to be put together for a trip to Willow next weekend.
From this thread it seems some of you don't like level of service you are getting from (unpaid) volunteers. I see two choices. You could give them a raise or step up and pitch in yourself. (I could supply all the inspectors you'd ever want if each inspector got $300 for driving to someone's house to TAC a car.)
When one pays nothing, how can he have the "stones" to gripe? Beats me.
Just to be clear, 67 Tiger didn't ask me if there would be cars TAC'ed at Woodley. (Lot's of Tiger owners call me with these questions (Warren certainly found me) - my number is in the front of every Tiger Tales.) The answer is "yes", we had 3 judges there and I brought all the TAC paperwork. However nobody asked me to TAC their Tiger. And no question about TACing was raised at the CAT Meeting. (I figure I'm pretty hard to miss, especially at the meeting.)
And Bob Knight, I look forward to inspecting your car at Big Bear. Too bad you also missed TAC at Woodley.
As far as the thousand miles thing... It's no secret that a Tiger with a TAC certificate has a certain value in the marketplace that cars without don't have. Perhaps the increase in perceived value offsets travel expense? Every year more TAC groups are being established all over the country. I traveled to the UK (on my own dime) twice last year to train inspectors over there. (OK I also drank some Scotch and visited a few pubs.) Anyone can step up and do what we did here, i.e. start an inspector team. It takes work. It takes volunteers who will give the marque some of their time.
The Tiger community is only as good as its members choose to make it. Most members give, but quite a few only take. "Givers" make us better. "Takers" to me are just leaches. The marque needs the givers! Please consider your words carefully when you choose to criticize their efforts. You might end up driving them away. I've already got too much to do. Please don't make it harder. Remember the old Folger's commercial? "You get what you pay for!"
bt
CAT President
Senior TAC Inspector
74 SCF Tiger
CAT Forum Administrator
Friend of the Archive... etc.
