Projects The H.A.M.B. Coupe - It's yours!

Maybe just three or four of us could own it? With the right people in charge this will work without many hassles. 10c each?

 

Please understand I meant nothing bad about the guy that made the offer or his intentions are not good, they might well be but as you say he "runs" the charity. What if next year someone else runs it and decides the money raised by selling it will do the charity more good then owning a car. Heck, they might decide to raffle it off for $5000 in raffle tickits and some clown gets our car for a $5 tickit! We all just "donated" to a charity whether we like it or not.
Out of the 5 choices I see # 2 as the only viable option, least ways to follow along with the intent of this project (to benifit the HAMB and it's members). Other then some dealing covering his legal issues, I don't see this being too big a burden on Ryan. We have a lot of vollenteers to get everything else done. I think he might see the benifit worthy of the time involved.
#1 would be too much to ask of you or anyone else to pay for a car too be shared by all.
#3 has the same issue as #4, who really owns it. A company, yes, but who owns the company? Any "pubic" company has to be managed by someone, that person or persons will control it. That's what happened to our car club, the "elected" president found out as long as the vice president signed the check he was able to use the funds as he saw fit. Didn't matter the club members didn't like it. Heck, isn't thats what caused a lot of the issues with the financial crisis here in the states?
#4, same problem as 3
#5 I can't think of any other method. Anyone?

 

I'm sure no offence was taken. I didn't see your comment as having a dig (and I'm sure neither did he) so it's all good. Appreciate the input. Wise words, sentiments and advice.

 

I think the Ryan ownership option would be safest and simplest.

 

I agree.

 

i think this is great idea if all details get worked out there is tone of talent on here with great ideas and great vendors on here with great products this idea would be total postive for hot rodding and the h.a.m.b

 

This is great.....

 

I'm in for a gallon of Bondo. Looks like we're going to need it.

 

It has a couple of gallons that need to be removed first.

 

Re idea #5:

This may be off the wall, but it might be able to be incorporated. I.e everyone who contributes is given 1 share in the company/entity that owns/manages the car. This company/entity could be run more in a corporate style, rather than club lines.

This would mean the president/chair could set policy but not have the power to arbitrarily decide things (or run off with the cash!) or have the responsibility of the day to day running. Everything would have to be referred to a board of managers and ultimately to the shareholders. It would mean a little more organization, especially of the board/committee, but since everything regarding the actual build will be done by polls I don't see that it makes much more work after it is set up.

Ryan for President!

 

I say quit wasting time on the nay-sayers.

And what do so many want to give the car to Ryan? Ryan is not a god. He does not have anymore hours a week than we do. Let him keep doing what he's doing and not pile on another project onto his plate!

Let's do this. I can sling cable. When it makes it out to my neck, I lay down some mean wire, just to take a slow ride in this baby.

I agree that it feels kind of like the old R&C Dream Truck. Keep it and let all the guys and gals who worked on it or donated have a spin as a driver or pass whatever works out.

I'd like to see this at different stages and give all of us a chance to enjoy a real hotrod even if our situations do not.

Thanks for the coupe!

 

Maybe this should be given some thought.
Use one shop to complete all the work. With a couple more CLOSE BY to jump in if first one goes belly-up. Sending the car all over the US is just asking for trouble. Too many cooks will always spoil the dinner.
Send parts and money to one location also.
The HAMB is way too big to do this as a simple car club project. In the old days, a club project was built by four or five guys, with every member either donating money or parts. Then those four or five guys went about building the project the club decided on.
For the HAMB membership as a whole to be involved, the use of a poll with a time limit would be a good idea. That way motor, induction, tranny, rearend, and venue (drag, bonneville) could be decided. Then useful parts could be sent, and other parts could be sold and the money sent. With the winning combo posted, a project thread is started and "stickied". Would be nice if the car could be accessible to all HAMBERS for viewing also.

Bottom line.

For this to work, EVERYBODY should have a hand in it. BUT only a FEW should be HANDS-ON.

 

Oh man why hang all the negative shit on me?

I aint one bit fizzled! I just got stuck under the seat of an old F1 pickemup truck for a few days longer than was fun. I'm out of there now now, livin the good life downunder and when the big hairy dude ventures across the pond again I'll be back home to annoy you folks up close and friendly. Thing is shit happens and we have two choices. Let it drag us down or get over it and move on.

In life things often come in spurts (oh man that didn't turn out right, butcha knows what I mean) as it might well do with a project like this. However, if ya kills it with negativity before it's got a chance to get rollin' then of course all the naysayers win. Then they'll end up bleating all around the place, "See, I told ya so!"

I've read all the posts up to this one, where I was reminded of a word Bob K told me I shouldn't ever use, but I'm going to anyway. I reckon if yoose folks puts your minds and some effort into it, this idea can grow wings and soar with the eagles. But then Old Bob did try and learn me sumthin' else when I was stuck with him; "It's hard to fly with the eagles when yer surrounded by turkeys."

Since it's now clear that rumours of my demise are grossly premature and I'm alive 'n well, livin downunder with a glass more than half full kinda bloke, who also has an oversized opinion on everything, I'm gunna add my 2 cents for ya'all to consider.

If you're havin those negative thoughts, STOP! Have another beer, take a deep breath and think again before typin'. Then type what might be done to overcome the obstacles your mind has put in the way. Or as Carps keeps tellin' me, "Don't tell me the problem, give me the solution!". Then type that idea instead of perpetuating the negative vibe.

Maybe, just maybe, then everybody will be able to see the the way to make good of this idea, figure out how best to get over the hurdles and produce something incedible from Bill's offering.

 

OH MAN! If I had pants, I woulda just peed in 'em.

 

As unpopular as I'm sure this idea is (everyone wants to work on it) I agree to a point. Trying to organize 100 different shops and have everything come out like it's suppose to could become a nightmare.
I see no problem however breaking the project down into segments (chassis work, engine, bodywork, paint ect.) Have shops throw their hat in on what they want to do and have the shop picked by a poll. We have transportation guys around the country offering to move the car around so I could see 10/ 12 shops being involved. It would spread it around the country so it would be more of a "group" effort. Maybe the shop owners would be up to having HAMBers in their neck of the woods come by for a build / tech class day or two. The shops picked would have to agree to contribute everything they do to the build thread to keep everyone in the loop.
I also think a deadline to have the car finished would be a good idea to keep it moving foward and not stagnated. I'm thinking a debut at the 2011 HAMB drags would be a good goal, gives us a little over a year to get it done, a doable time frame.

 

These are all excellent ideas. Hopefully the legal eagles will get back to Ryan before very long and we can start planning it for real.

 

I have sortblock SBC i will give ya

 

DUH I meant short block
Where are you located?

 

Build 2 cars
One in Australia,One in Usa
Build both to run the same class at Bonneville
Who ever wins the best time
Both cars go home with them
and Donated to a Museum (on Loan for 50 years for a dollar?) so they can't sell it
Or
Sell them for charity in your country
Maybe Peterson's Museum might want it
All tech articles to be done on H.A.M.B

 

Bones and RJP are both right on the money.

 

Some pretty wise thoughts. Specially coming from a skull. I can't contribute to the effort, nor do I want to. That being said, I think it is a great idea for those how can, and I hope it happens.

 

I think some great thoughts and experience are coming through with all new posts. Good to see some excellent suggestions (except I'm still pretty sure I don't want this car to ever stop being a H.A.M.B. car (that's presuming that body can even be repaired - I may have contributed junk) or to ever stop driving or racing. I will strongly campaign for the coupe to remain an active worked on car. When it's finished and we're bored we'll change it. Maybe one year salt, next year drags, next year salt again...etc

Yes, you can contribute Kramer. In fact whether you wanted to or not you already have. Seriously though, most members will contribute by telling us their opinions and ideas. As to why you would not want to contribute that's up to you but I'm curious as to why anyone would not want to contribute. Perhaps you could share with us why you would not want to contribute? Not having a go at you but I'd just like some insight into the reasoning behind why a member of the H.A.M.B. wouldn't even want to contribute. Not being able to send cash or parts is one thing and perfectly understandable but not wanting to add anything to a community project intrigues me.

Is there something about this that has put you off the idea? Or is it just the cash and parts thing because if it's just that you are not in a position to donate any time, money then I'd say you are in the vast majority and I wouldn't concern myself with that as it looks like too many parts and too much labour has been pledged already but a few us are capable and willing to donate more cash and parts and all we'd want from you is an insight into what you would like to see happen. I do note that you wish the project well though and that's a smile maker. Thanks.

 

I've already had that idea bubbling away in my head (originally it was going to be shipped down under and built here) and was eyeing off my 32 5 window but I've got a little too much money in this body to give it away but it's a good idea.

The magic behind this car is that it's so distressed that it went for a price cheap enough to snap it up. If we can find another 32,33,34 coupe (as they are the shapes that get "most" - <--notice I said MOST - member's smiling without too much effort) we can make two cars.

I'm leaning towards just the one H.A.M.B. coupe so it can remain special but I can see an Aussie competition coupe being built as a few have privately PMed me to suggest it.

Anyway, the first job is to get the coupe so once we get some direction from Ryan on this we can begin. This has been a very long "burnout" already, we should probably get something started. The coupe needs to be moved and member Fred aka "h.i." has volunteered to go and pick the coupe up but doesn't have anywhere undercover to stash it. Can we get the coupe undercover somehwere near Wheat Ridge, CO? I'm willing to pay for a bit of rental space just so we can "secure it". I think that would be wise.

 

Bill (32ford5), as we have discussed before nothing is beyond repair, and this coupe is no exception. Though I do believe it to be more economically feasible for someone wanting to build a 34 Coupe to start with a better body. This body needing so many patch panels, new top, subrails and floor, by the time you spent the money on such parts to save it you could have bought a more solid body to start with.

That said, I think this is an opportunity to save an old 34 coupe through donations of time, parts and labor in a community effort. What is not economically feasible to a lone builder can be feasible through the efforts of many...and the end result could be a car that becomes an icon to our community.

 

Figures, Mr. Bones and maybe 4 or 5 others seem to be about the only Old School Hambers left. Most of the rest are just lighting their farts. There's enough negative crap and hot air running around in this place. If you can feel this coupe's soul and have the skills, parts, time or transport to help it along the road to recovery and redemption, step up and run with the ball. If you don't, just watch the others and learn, but don't piss in the punch. Think of it as the HAMB version of Project X or the Dream Truck. How many of you waited every month to see what that yellow 57 Chevy was going morph into next or who was gonna do what to that old pickup. This beat up old coupe just might give the HAMB back it's lost soul if ya give it 1/2 a chance.

 

This sums up the feasibility of this project exactly.

Then we NEED to get them on board. Without their guidance us neo-trads (and by "us" I mean "this" as in me) stand a chance of doing something uncool and that would be uncool. I don't want this car to be an interpretation of what some new guy thinks the H.A.M.B. is all about. This is about me respectfully laying a coupe down at your doorstep and respectfully walking away backward, one thumb up, nodding.

I'm not going to suggest (for at least several more years) that I represent the H.A.M.B. and all it stands for but from what I've seen in my short time here so far I like it, it resonates with me and I think this is a pure and staunch group here that can represent all that is great about "mucking around" with old cars and I want to be a part of it.

 

I didn't bother to read the whole thing, 20 pages filled with what I'm guessing to be a handful of can't do attitudes. So I'll step up and donate a caddy flatty and a couple of airplane seats if this build ever gets rollin'

 

Cool! Thanks for the parts offer! If this gets off the ground (still waiting for the legal department's go ahead) we'll start a design thread then a parts request and we'll just have to play it by ear.

And to just catch you (and others) up, only on the first page was there really some concerns and rightly so as this was a new and fairly large idea. The main concern was voiced by only one guy who then PMed me with support for the idea and that his comments have been taken out of context and not what he meant. The rest of the 20 pages (and countless private messages) have been almost totally in support of the idea so you're not alone. 99% of members who have responded to my offer have been positive and supportive.

 

Glad to hear it....keep us posted when it ends up in a shop where we can pool parts.

 

Find 52 people who are seriously interested in donating time, parts and talent. Let each one have it for a week in their shop to add their touch. See what you have at the end of the year.