History Our car club turned 45 years old today

I just got home from our monthly club meeting and Gary the only original member brought a copy of the charter from 1/12/1972 and there were 4 other guys that met that first night at his kitchen table and decided the name and hand drew the club logo at that very table.

Crude by today's computer graphics standards but after 45 years we are still happy with it.



The club had huge growth in the 70's & 80's and we would have as many as 40 members on the roster in a banner year,the times change and so does interest,some have moved and regrettably many have passed away.

Attendance at most meetings average 12 to 15 and we socialize,hold a meeting and of course eat....that's what old farts are really good at doing.

This was the hot rod I was working on at the time.HRP

 

I like the logo ...don't care how old it is ,it gets the point across . Good that you have been together that long , those friendships from the early days are usually the best .
I was just talking today to the " kid next door " whom I've known for 61 years ....he's 3000 miles away but is still good company .

 

We have made life long friends with the club members and their wives and girlfriends,and it gets Danny out of the house one night a month.

 

45 years is a good run. I hope it keeps living on through more generations for you guys.

My brother and some of his buds founded a local car club. One of their bylaws is that every member has to have built their car or refurbished it to the point of a rebuild. Yeah.....I laugh because these guys bought turn key cars and then show them off as if they did all of the work. It's hilarious watching them squirm when asked what they have done to the cars.

 

Several years ago we were at a show in Pigeon Forge and a friend of mine ask me to go look at a chopped top 40 Ford sedan,I went and look and listened to the owner telling a potential buyer all about the car,then he turned his attention to us and ask were we interested in the car?

My pal said yes,I'm interested and the guy goes into a long winded description of how he chopped the top and why only the drivers door had been changed to suicide style and then Alex said OK,I have heard enough,the owner said,"What"?

Alex then told the guy he was a lying SOB!

The guy really got pissed,Alex said I can't believe you DON'T REMEMBER ME! ~ YOU BOUGHT THE CAR JUST LIKE IT SITS with the exception of paint AND I DID ALL THE WORK 20 YEARS AGO.

A crowd had gathered and the guy didn't say a word just hot in his car and peeled out,Alex looked at me and said,"Damn,I didn't know that car could lay rubber" HRP

 

Congrats on Anniversary - great logo, helps show the "Cool" style of the day - CC have a lot of positive influence on our lives - but, it takes some work to keep it all going

 

Thank you and yes it takes work,,most of the members have a long history with the club,we actually had a new member join in November last year. HRP

 

That's great the club has lasted so long. I was a member of a club for a couple of years until the usual mistrust and money problems reared it's ugly head and they disbanded. Happens to a lot of clubs. I have been associated with another club for about three years now. I'm not a member, and may not ever be as they are real picky in their membership, they ask you instead of you asking them to be a member. I'm real good friends with several of them, attend a lot of their shows and cruises and try to be of help when they need an extra hand. They're good folks and I enjoy their company. Probably better that I'm not a member because I don't have to commit to anything, which would be hard for me to do, even making meetings the way I work is just about impossible. And I get to participate in the door prize drawings that the club members don't get to!

 

Congratulations!
Our club, Kingsport Antique and Rod Club (KARC) is just a little behind you. We passed the 40 year milepost in 2014. Still have new members joining. Of course, it's not limited to pre-48, so there are some 50-60's pieces, but still well turned out.

 

Wow...that is quite a testament to the changing times, and the car club determination to survival! Right on!!! I never lived anywhere that had a car club myself...very small towns and isolation & all that sort of thing! I kind of feel like I missed out on that score. Love the idea of all that camaraderie and friendships over the years. You are fortunate, I'm sure you are much aware!.....congratulations to all involved!

 

Congratulations, that is something very special to keep a club together that long. I quit a local antique club years ago after the people running things ran it into the ground. Bob

 

Congrats, Danny! Our club started in '81 and I became a member in '82. We hadn't had a meeting for almost 10 years and I chased everybody down [everybody who was still alive] and arranged a meeting. Instead of talking about cars, all the members were talking about their new hips, knees and various surgeries. Now, our President had passed and I don't know if I want to put another one together or not although several of us still hang around together.

 

Our club (Franklin Street Rodders) turns 40 this year. First meeting was at my parents house, these days we own our own land and clubrooms. We currently have around 70 members, every member has to own an American vehicle prior to 1973. The majority of club cars would be hot rods and 1950's cars.
Hot rodding and the American car scene is booming in New Zealand.
Russell

 

Rocky,I think you called my number so I will answer the phone~ Seem like at the age of our group the health subject comes up when we start shooting the breeze.

From my shoulder replacement last February,Steve's rotator cuff surgery,Mike & Frank B having both hips replaced and Frank S having surgery on his hand...I could go on but I won't.

We have 2 active members that are 86 years old and our youngest member is 52 years old,we have hosted a lot of indoor shows,cruse-ins and swap meets over the years but have reached the point where we let the newer clubs do all that now.

We get together for some of the shows & cruse-ins but we also visit with the veterans homes and nursing homes,these men and women really get a kick out of our visits and it's always fun when I hear I had a car just like that.

On our 40th anniversary we rented the Farmers Markets and invited every past member we could get in touch with to celebrate with us,we had 47 past members and there family's join us for a big cookout and we are talking about doing it again this year.

The club brought us together but friendships are the glue that keeps us together,than and the ability to tell each other what's on our mind and after we have a good natured disagreement about it we are all still friends.HRP

 

Danny, y'all in that Tri City club should be able to get a group discount toward the purchase of Depends.

Gary

 

Gary,that's cold but there might be some truth to the idea,we do seem to drink a lot of coffee ~ 40 years ago it was beer. HRP

 

Incidentally,ladyhrp and I will celebrate our 45 anniversary also. HRP

 

The GNRS was one of our club's annual get togethers. Formed 60 years ago next fall, there are only a few of us left on the right side of the dirt. Looking forward to hoisting a beer with another survivor next week

 

Congratulatory wishes a little early but what the heck,that is indeed a milestone.

What's the name of the club Denis? HRP

 

Well let me write my 1,000th post to congratulate you on your 45th. That's great to hear about clubs with real history.

Sent from my SM-G920V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

1000 post,that's also a milestone. HRP

 

Piston Pounders, San Diego Timing Association. We were hoping that Charles Schultz would sue us for using the Linus figure! No such luck!

 

Congrats on the 45 year survival.

Sadly, our local club dissolved this Thanksgiving after 27+ years. I was fortunate enough to be president (albeit the last) at my younger age. I too, enjoyed reading the charters, how club colors are picked, and so on.

 

There have been several clubs in our area that have come and gone,both hot rod and antique car clubs.

Many small things can cause big problems. HRP

 

Congratulations and best wishes on both anniversaries!

 

Thank you sir. HRP

 

Congrats from me to, on both anniversaries.
My old club started out over forty years back, called Greenstone Rod and Custom, but split in early seventies, and became Greymouth Rodders.
I started hanging out with them in early eighties as a young teenager, joined in 2000, and left after ten years.
Funny how the original club plaque looked like your one, except for more T Bucket like.
We found some at the local dump when the club split. Wish I'd hung on to one, If I can get a pic off my mate, I'll show you it.

 

Thank you and yes I would like to see the plaque. HRP

 

Ouch


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Friends like that who needs enemy's? HRP