Folks Of Interest How do you join a car club ?

Beano nailed it! HRP

 

I just got back from the car club board meeting, the fun part of the discussion was that we have several board positions that will be vacant at the end of the year, and no volunteers to fill them.

So we talked about how to dissolve the club....

 

None of the first 3 clubs I was in ,in 1950s and 1960s had any rules about how to join.
Only that you had too love cars.
2 of the clubs did have Does to pay,but one was $5 a year,an other was $10
The club I was Prezident of had no Does. Club stuff was done by donation !
None said ,you even had to own a car,just love cars.....

 

Soooooo.... can I go ahead and add you to the "cool *** hot rod snakes" roster?

 

Make sure it's a car club first. The last one I was a member of I left because the Rich Wives very Vocally criticised my Henry J in front of me and the rest of the Members. It was more of a money spent club than a love of any old cars club .

 

That’s sad! I have been there a few times!




Bones

 

Hate to say it, but in every club/ group/organization I have ever been ***ociated with, that had a falling out, it could be traced to the females!
I can say this because my wife does not look at this forum!




Bones

 

Isn't this one????

This the best type, all the knowledge and no physical contact .

 

That's why I like it here

 

WELL LETS PARTY !!

 

^^^^^ LMAO

 

I belong to one of the oldest continuously active Hot Rod and Racing based Car Clubs in the U.S., the Slo Poks of Vancouver, Washington U.S.A. Founded in 1952 we just celebrated our 70th Anniversary in August. We at this point have several 3rd generation members! I have been a member for over 42 years, my Son has been a member for over 10 years. We have a lot of history and we are very proud of it. We have been playing with Hot Rods and setting Drag Racing, Land Speed Racing and Track records for the entire history of the Club. We have had a 350 page history book written about us by Albert Drake and the late Don Pennington, it is called "The Brotherhood of Speed", a history of the Slo Poks. It do***ents over 60 years of our history. We meet every Friday evening at what we call the "Alley", no women are allowed at the weekly meetings....period!
Even though our membership is aging and we are to the point that we have been losing a couple of members per year we still have over 50 active members and one or two pledges per year. It takes a serious effort to join this group. First you have to love Hot Rods and Race Cars but most important is that you fit in with the group. To do this it is recommended that a prospect hang around for most of a year to get to know the guys, then if he feels that he is a fit he pledges in, this requires at least one seasoned sponsor sign on the pledge letter that is sent out to every member on our Club roster. The Pledge then attends a year of our Friday nights doing the clean up and other tasks for another year. We have our annual business meeting every September, that is when we vote on a new pledge. The pledge must receive a 80% vote to become a member, only then is he en***led to purchase Slo Poks only attire and Club Plaques. If he doesn't make it he has the choice of re-pledging for another year or opting out.
What about our Wives? They do their own thing on Fridays and are so used to having time for themselves they get pissy if we don't go to Alley. We also have events during the year that are open to Wives and Girl Friends and Pledges are invited to participate in all activities.
I know that this doesn't work for everyone but it has been sucessful for us for 70+ years. We are much more than a Club, being in the "Poks" is a lifestyle that has been very good for all of us. It truly is a "Brotherhood of Speed".

 

Perhaps you should consider a gang rather than a club, well maybe Lloyd already has you going down that road…

 

”Ya See!”

 

You guys have the secret to success! You also sound like the motorcycle clubs way of membership. It works!

Last week my friend and I and the wives were at our watering hole. The wives were setting at at another table. The female barkeep comes up to us and tells us your wives were getting in to it, pretty heavy , over there. My friend’s response was priceless! He said “I think it’s my turn…we’ll take two Miller Lites”! That is why we are still friends!




Bones

 

I am not into organized clubs so I am a bit different thinking regarding them. I have done the club thing and every time an organization gets involved with money, things get wacky and I bow out. I would find out where the local cruise nights are and look around for like minded people to you and what you like to see and build. That may not necessarily get you a “club” invite but you will at least hang around with those of a like minded nature.

That’s what happened with me and becoming a member of the HEAPS in VA. Club jacket, builds of traditionally styled hot rods, and some runs and gatherings throughout the year and that’s a bout it. I am a busy guy as well with grandkids, family, etc so I did make it clear that my family does come first. Again, that’s just me. But to me, this is the perfect “club” for a lot of us here on this forum ….. imho.

Good luck ……

 

And tell them to bring their own lawn chairs and beer.

 

Snakes, why did have to be snakes?

 

How large is your club that you have "several board positions" to fill? Does your club have events or take part in community events? Just curious.

 

The one car club I tried - meetings were at the club president place and we built his car. Nothing else got worked on. And we were asked to pay dues for the privilege.

Didn't take long for me to take a different path.

If you're looking for the club to motivate you to build your car, consider if your car is a priority for you on not. Nothing wrong with buying a finished car to drive until your time commitments settle down.

 

We usually have had 25 to 40 members. There are four to seven board positions. We put on a big show every fall, and usually a few other little club events. I've usually been the youngest, for over 30 years now.

 

Being just an observer and not a club member, I think one of the most important things is "commonality of interest and commonality of location". Harder to do in less populous areas. What I mean is that its generally easier to have a group when people ar e mostly located near each other, and you tend to interact more than just at meetings and rod runs. Thats why I think something like a Chicken Eatin Car Club works. Everyone usually goes out and grabs some Chicken or a Burger at least once a week and they can see fellow members while enjoying a meal. There was a well know hot rodder.......can't exactly remember his name.....But he drove a light blue/baby blue(?) 32 Ford for years and was real laid back. Think the 32 had a 390 FE Ford engine in it.
He and some friends had an informal club and had only a few simple rules. A "meeting happened " whenever at least two of them met somewhere. If anyone mentioned "dues" , they were summarily kicked out of the club...........Anyway, if I could remember his name I might be able to find the quote. The basic idea was that he and his friends enjoyed getting together and that was the basis of the club.......and they didn't need no rules.
Commonality ?

 

We made our “club” basically so we could have a cool jackets, tee shirts and plaques. We all like each other and have the same tastes in cars. When we discussed doing this I took it upon myself to lay down the first rule. Wearing our club logo you had to behave yourself. When asked why, because I don’t want to get ****er punched because of your bad behavior. All agree? Say Aye, all said Aye. Rule #2…..no rules.

 

That would have been Bill Burnham, he wrote for The Good Guys and Street Rodder, he was quite the character. His car was a 29 on 32 rails with a F.E. Ford that he put a ton of miles on. Bill p***ed away quite sometime ago but I believe his family still has the Roadster.

 

Thanks, Thats who I was trying to think of. I kept thinking Burnside instead of Burnham.
Anyway that helped me find what I was looking for. Here is how the "Danville Dukes" operated.

 

I met most of my friends by going to shows and cruise ins.
We get together thru the week or weekends and just go places.
Best club for me.
I host a cruise in once a month.
Trying to get more people to join in.
No dues no rules.

 

Next swap meet is next week in Toronto .

gonna go with some candy in my pocket use your guys advice and see what I can drum up .

either gonna make a friend or get arrested !!!!


“ Hey there old fellow ya want some candy ?”

 

Ok Buffalo Bill

 

The best way to start a conversation is to ask someone about their car and let them tell you about it. Maybe ask a few questions......but let him do most of the talking

 

That would be like sitting next to a talker on a flight for me. No thank you.