A few of us liked minded guys have kicked around he idea of starting a local club, I'd like to hear from someone who already has started a club and how they kicked it off. My parents were some of the founding members to a club in the early 70's and they had a great time attending shows, running a road ralley run, and traveling as a club to events all over the USA. Let's hear what current club members think.
I can see the high and lows of being in a club. I think as long as you keep the main goal of having a good time #1 priority, I would think things should stay ok. I'd love to be part of a club, but I live in the middle of no where with no car guys within 60 mins. Good luck
It's a LOT more fun just getting together as friends and doing something with your cars/trucks. Clubs suck. Lots of threads here about how clubs are great, or they suck ass, or whatever. Been in enough of them to know I never want to be in another. Remember, clubs are for baby seals!
You don't have to have a club to enjoy traveling together and attend shows. Once you stick the "club" stamp on it, it introduces a bunch of other issues... Dues? Meetings (mandatory?) Who is in, who is out? Who decides who is on or out and how? Why? Are you going to be the chump who gets stuck telling other people they are out because the people who brought them in the club in the first place have no balls? Just running as buddies makes it a lot easier. If you want to hang with your friends, you invite them. If they want to hang with you, they show up. If you don't like someone, you aren't obligated to hang with them all weekend. You aren't obligated to attend shows so your club makes a good showing. I dunno. I guess I get enough drama at work that I don't need to add it where it is absolutely not needed.
Well as said before its for some and not for some. If you stick to the rule of having a good time and dont focus so much on the politics then yea. But why be in the club then just hang out together.
Guys, it can be done. The Prairie Pussies is based here in SW Nebraska, but we have members in Tennessee, Massachusetts and Colorado. First of all, we have no dues since none of us can be trusted with all that money. We have no meetings due to geographical issues. We have no officiers. We all suffer major self-esteem issues. We do have a newsletter...sorta. Actually, just an bulk e-mail once in a while to keep our members informed as to the news. No club jackets. When you become a member you must buy a white t-shirt. We will send you a magic marker. Just do the best you can with it. Membership requirements....just own or be building a hot rod or custom. We do have a license plate topper. They are free to members. PRAIRIE PUSSYS FOREVER!!
Wow, so much drama and this isn't even a club! I don't understand the negitive feedback about clubs. My parents were part of a club for over 13 years and they really enjoyed it. They are still friends with most of the original members and their club did alot of cool stuff around our county. They hosted the "Gumball Ralley" for years, went to the county "old folks home" once a year, and delivered gifts to needy children at X-mas (Santa in a T-bucket!). Us kids always had a good time too. No matter what run my parents went to (and there were a lot) we always had other kids to run around with. I guess I'll look for advice elsewhere.
You aren't getting the "Hell, yeah, start a club, they are soooo cool to be in!" advice you were seeking. Don't ask the question if you are afraid of what the answer is likely to be. A formally-organized "club" of ANY kind involves personalities, politics, and bullshit. When all three are mixed together, the result is hardly something tasty. It usually leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Remember, insanity is defined as doing the same shit over and over, and expecting a different result. Keep it simple. Go to an event with your friends. Enjoy yourselves. Screw the club nonsense! Granted, clubs are usually the ones putting on the events, but you'll also see ten to fifteen percent of that club membership doing 99% of the work to put it on. Keep that in mind. Start a club, go for it. Out of the ten or so friends that are the charter members, how many are friends in five to ten years? Several of us OKC-area HAMBers get together once every four to eight weeks for breakfast. Don't have to be a club to do that!
I will be in the Canadian River Cruisers a little over 2 years. We took all of the bad stuff that we had in other clubs and got rid of it. We started with 5 guys. 3 in one church and 2 others. We found a coffee shop with not much going on on Saturday mornings. Each guy told a few of their friends about the new club and invited them to coffee on Saturday. Now the club has no dues, or officers. We do meet every Saturday at usually the same place for a couple of hours 9-11. We do get about 20- 25 cars trucks and motorcycles every time. We are open to every car nut, and everyone is welcome. We started it as a way to communicate what is happening in the area, like shows and swap meets. We have some people in the club that own a repair shop, they have done some new business from the club. The car shows are plentiful and 3 guys pick a show and announce where they will be, then report back. No one has to go with them, just a heads up We have an email list and members are at 250 right now.Probably over 325 cars. There is a core of around 15 guys you see at everything, and the one in charge of the webstie. We have one guy that loves taking pictures, he is the one that provides most of the pics. We have Pebble Beach restored cars and daily drivers , Model Ts the Dodge Magnums and projects out the butt. We have a built in system to let 200 people know when a car is for sale. There have been at least 10 cars bought by club members and then traded or sold again. 4 cars have been brought to our attention to be sold and club members have bought them. The best car show is every Saturday and there is always something new there and something new is learned by me every week too. I said I would not be in another club either, for all of the reasons given above by others. however this works and it works really well.
The Road Runners and the Gear Grinders have been going since the mid 30s. Clubs can work but you have to work at it.
did a search here on this? lots of info posted. not as simple and cheap as you may think. help out some other clubs with putting on their shows, etc first.
Never asked for anyone's approval or a "they're so cooool" reply, I asked for information on how others got started! (thanks Vette and a couple others. With the replies generated from a few, I can see why the clubs they have tried didn't work out. Come to think of it, if iwas worried about different pesonalities and attitudes I would visit the HAMB anymore either. This place can have more drama than facebook but its benefits still out weigh its problems.
I'm just an FNG, but the best info I've seen so far on this forum about a psuedo-club is the Clutch Popper Wednesdays thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=547349 Every week I read the posts. It's a bunch of guys helping each other out and really enjoying cars. No jackets, no dues, no apparent politics and no drama. just cool cars and good friends.
Thanks for the mention! Sorry to revive an old thread but just to make a correction on your comment, we do have jackets! You will see them every once in a wile in our thread, We do however try to keep it informal, have fun and stay friendly. It's some of the best times I have had in my life hanging with my buddies.
It's not a gang, it's a club. Or is it the other way around? Clubs and organizations/associations where 10% of the people do 90% of the work. That was my only "gripe". Butch/56sedandelivery.
Like someone said....Keep it a club and not a gang. My club has not politics. Buddies who are into cars. Sure you vote on stuff and get stuff done but keep it simple and let members do what they can. Not everyone is loaded with money etc, and everyone has familys and real life so not everyone can make every event. Keep it fun, do stuff with other clubs and don't think of it as a gang and it will be cool as hell.
The Jalopy Journal
