M.F. Dobbins:
Fact Book Author

by Barbara Spear

Why does a scholar with a PhD in Chemistry (Chromatography to be exact) abandon his laboratory and test tubes and exchange them for an automotive repair shop? And why would a noted author of textbooks on Chromatography turn his pen to the subject of Corvettes?

For M.F. Dobbins, the transition was a natural one.

A Corvette enthusiast since his youth, Dobbins bought his first Corvette in March of 1969. It was a 1967 convertible and made a sporty sight driving around the campus where Dr. Dobbins was a common sight.

In 1970, Dobbins joined the Corvette Club of Delaware Valley. An active member, he volunteered to help the club assemble some judging rules and criteria for a Cavalcade of Corvettes, scheduled for 1971. The club divided Corvettes into classes, not unlike those eventually used by the NCRS. The classes included: 53-55, 56-62, 63-67, and 68-and up.

Dobbins and his volunteer colleagues examined all of the Corvettes they could find, then created charts showing color combinations, paint tag numbers, and descriptions for other major components. It was a classic example of field research using scientific principles of deductive logic.

Once the volunteers assembled the charts and component descriptions, they made up point sheets for judging the Vettes entered in the Cavalcade contest.

The first Cavalcade of Corvettes was a success, and its tradition has continued for 20 years. The original rules have been amended over time as new observations updated the initial findings.

The work of the Delaware Valley Corvette Club volunteers did not go unnoticed. In 1975, Bill Rhodes, Judging Chairman for NCRS 56-57, used the Delaware Valley rules as a draft for the NCRS judging rules.

Throughout this period, Dobbins remained an active member of both his local Corvette club and the NCRS. He continued to observe Corvettes, especially the midyears, and keep detailed notes.

Dobbins gathered his notes and photos on the midyear Vettes he'd been studying, and compiled them into the first Fact Book, published in 1978. The 1963-1967 Fact Book contained just 128 pages, had a limited run of 2000 copies, and sold for $10. The first ad for the new Fact Book was a one-page ad in Keepin' Track of Vettes magazine!

As soon as the book was published, Dobbins began to receive letters and calls from Corvette owners. Their contributions were reflected in a revised edition.

With his reputation as a Corvette author growing, Dobbins received requests to publish another book that would cover other years. Satisfied that Noland Adams had thoroughly discussed the classic Corvettes in his Corvette Restoration and Technical Guide Volume 1, Dobbins focused his new research on 1968 - 1972 Corvettes. In 1987, the second Fact Book became a reality; the same year the 8th edition of the first Fact Book was released.

Again, accolades from the Corvette community were quickly followed by requests for new research. Still reluctant to duplicate the efforts of Noland Adams, Dobbins explored the possibility of a 1973 - 1977 Fact Book, but decided that without NCRS recognition, the interest for this information would be limited -- and probably wouldn't justify the ever increasing cost of publishing.

Ever the scholar, however, Dobbins continued to collect information and photos for 1973 - 1977 Corvettes. Public pressure increased, and with the NCRS announcement of a new class for 1973 - 1977 Corvettes, Dobbins decided to go to press with his third Fact Book.

Will there ever be a fourth Fact Book? Will Dobbins ever take a step backward and add a Fact Book for Classic Corvettes to the series?