Technical Car clubs, Car gatherings, Opinions?

Ok, I have been thinking about this for some time.
I am looking for opinions, how to's and do or dont?
That being said.
I have thought about starting a car club around my area for awhile. Not sure if it would be better to start one up or look at the already going car clubs.
Just looking for like minded people.
And I guess if starting one up how to go about it?
Or just a casual hot rod gathering . Thought about talking with a local store or shop around town that has a large parking lot and see about using a section out of the way to gather up for a meet and greet type thing. Once or twice a month?
Along time ago (seems like), there used to be several hot rodders gather at our local sonic once or twice a month but that stopped (for unknown reasons to me) before I ever had a hot rod.
There is also a any type of car gathering's across the state line south of me ( once a month), I have went to, back when I had muscle cars.
I guess I'm just looking for something more than the occasional car show. Although the car show scene has alot of nice people and car ( in my area), alot are also coming from a distance.
Any thoughts or advice is appreciated.

 

Now, here come all the people who just must say that they don't like car clubs. Watch.

 

We have cruise in's once a month. Just a social gathering. Most people here frown on clubs. Dues,one works events while other stand around,rules.... etc. Other towns have cruise in's also.

 

Clubs are only as good as the people in them. Gatherings are great because you can meet new people and you don't have to hang out with everyone after the gathering is over. And opinions are like ass holes. Everyone has one.

Where I live, car gatherings mostly just happen at the parks. They get the required permits from the Parks and Recreation and pay the fee.
BOOM! There they are. And sometimes the car groups try to take over a park. Not recommended...

Advertise for your gathering. Flyers, pro bono radio spots, local news paper, etc.
Explain what you want at your gathering.

Have a small get together with your friends at a neutral spot and expand from that.

The list goes on and on...

 

I have been a member of tri-city rod & custom for almost as long as the club was established, if you start a club make the rules simple and keep the due's,if there is any cheap.

In two more years we will celebrate 50 years, first and foremost we are friends, we have had hundreds of members over the years, some lost interest, moved and regrettably some have passed away.

We use to attend a members home for a meeting but this year we met at a local restaurant and have access to a private room to have our meeting & meal.

Our club members are all now in their 60's & older, as long as we can we will keep seeking out each others company and going to shows,cruise-ins and local events, we are also the longest continual car club in the State.

Being a member of a club you always have like minded people to hang out with., I say go for it and join or start a club. HRP

 

As the Prez of The Orlando Misfires Car Club and a longtime member, I’ve learned allot about clubs, event planning and people.
Being somewhat middle aged, we seem to have less spare time, than the younger crowd or retirees. We are somewhat of a loose knit organization. No dues or regular scheduled meetings, but a common bond of traditional Hot Rods/Kustoms and a strong brotherhood.
Next Saturday will be our 20th anniversary Groundhog Gala.
Most everyone brings something to the plate. Helping each other on their projects is part of that bond.
Close friend up north has weekly/bi-monthly?? meetings at each member house/shop to all pitch in. Seems to work for them just fine.
Lay down the law from the beginning.
Having a frontman to be spokesmen and negotiate deals is a big plus IMHO
Secretary/finance officer also crucial in my book.
Lastly it should be for fun. If it gets too serious takes away from the whole purpose
Just my $.02
Zzzz
JT


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I was a member of a club, not a car club we only had two wheels, for a long time. The secret to any successful club is to make the people want to be members! Once you figure that out , in your area, you will have a successful club. It is different, with different types of clubs, areas, and people !

One of the most successful things we did was a “ work night” at one of the guys garage. Usually the same one. He had a lot of tools and stuff. Everyone helped out. Sometimes some planned work.... some times just pot luck. Seems like with a lot of guys and gals around.... big jobs didn’t seem so big!








Bones

 

Define your intent for a club - would it be a way for people to get together just socially, to help work on each other's cars, to race, to fund raise or do some other community type events.

Have you talked to others in your area, is there enough interest and enough people to make starting a club a viable idea.

 

Ive been looking to Join a traditional club here in the Detroit area since I bought the 53
after reaching out to several ... I gave up ...when the answer was always no

 

Just go to shows that you like and meet new people. Travel and enjoy the ride. You will find people in your area to hang out with. People think no one is out there, maybe they don't know your out there. If you drive alot they will find you and want to hangout.

 

That seems odd. Here in Oklahoma, they always seem to be recruiting new members.






Bones

 

Our club hadn't had a meeting for 10-15 years. I contacted all the old guys and we had a meeting in our old meeting place.....the upstairs of a Chile's resturaunt. Most of the guys no longer had project/club cars. Talk centered around the member's new hips, knees, stints, grandkids etc etc . Only a few of us actually drove our hotrods to the meeting and those guys were the guys I still hang with.
We had a lotta fun back in the 80s with picnics, dances rod runs, road trips and dinners but only a few of us still have customs/hot rods like the old days and we found we really don't need a club to enjoy each other's company.

 

I am I guess more interested in the gathering side of it. Not paying dues or anything like that.
Mainly get togethers, help one another out on projects, hot rod runs out and about or cruise through town with the occasional stop and talk look at the rides.
Not many of my friends have hot rods I have talked to them but as good friends they say cool to both ideas and would go along with either.
My dad owns the truck in the pics. And we do alittle cruising. When weather permits.
Normally when I see other hot rods out I'm at work with no chance to stop and talk.
The information giving is good though some areas of a car club I hadn't thought about.
So far valuable opinions that are leading me to more of the gathering/ rod run side.

 

We have a CCC . Christian car club that meets at a members house once a month for dinner/bbq and meeting. The club would go to shows as a group and my neighbor , who was a retired Pastor ( before passing away) would do the Sunday service at the Good Guys shows in Washington. Mmmmm bbq

 

You might have a gold mine , there in Branson, Mo. Check with one of those Hotels/ Motels that is struggling, you know one not on the main strip, and work with them to sponsor you a room to meet, with a sign out side and a few hot rods sitting around, you could have guys from all over joining your get togethers. Trying , maybe to get away from all those shows their wives dragged them to!







Bones

 

this is a quiet time of year for most car related stuff - keep your eyes out for other old cars around - most get together for a breakfast - don't expect people to just jump on board to start up a club - usually established friendships seem to get things motivated - if you do not find anything going on wait for car shows and ask ahead of event if those running it need any help - evening car gatherings at a restaurant need to be regulars at a particular food place working with owner - some of it involves being at the right place at the right time - many have tried to do a gathering or car club with limited results - if you know of any shops that work on old cars you might go in to get an estimate on some type of repairs - even if not ready now, or you can do yourself - they likely would know other car guys and if there are existing clubs and gatherings - have fun

 

Good Luck, many good people out there, don't be shy, stop and introduce yourself to any/every hot rodder/car enthusiast you come across, gas stations, cars at restaurants, sitting in driveway, etc, maybe you can hookup with like minded guys. If starting a group I suggest you keep it very loose, no car restriction type as the HAMB style IMO is a very small percentage of car guys in the car hobby as a whole. From my experience the less is more applies for a fun group to hang with, but be prepared to do the work as any help will be limited.

 

I joined the St. Joe Valley Street Rods in '74 that was founded in '71. Our membership now is 29, with ages ranging from the 50s to early 80s. The main club cars are pre- '58, but many members also have latter classics. A few of us are still building or re-working cars, but most still enjoy and drive their cars often during the summer. We do have rules, collect dues, and meet at members homes every other Wednesday. Our main activities now are raising money for our local Hospice center and being part of the Kalamazoo MI. Nat's North show and swap meet every Sept. Clubs are not for everyone, as we've had numerous members in and out over the years, but we must be doing something right to still enjoy our friendship, club meetings, functions, caravaning to shows, and looking forward to our 50th!

 

It looks like you already have 3 like-minded people. Might be hard to get many more than that (that get along with each other). I belong to two "clubs". One has 5 members. We all like each other. Even our wives like each other! The other has over 20 members. That's too many. Differing opinions, interests, ages, abilities, means, etc. My advise is keep it small and informal.

 

Car clubs are great if EVERYONE pitches in and does the needed work.
Once you start putting on shows, collecting money and dues it needs to be registered as a non-profit
with insurance coverage as per the regulations of your State.

 

You have 3 of you there, stay small, bring others in if they mesh with yall and your lifestyle... Have fun and dont let drama or money get in between friendships.

 

Used to be a member of an aero club and we met in a hangar where projects and related stuff were at hand. To me it would seem that a car club needs to meet at a centrally located garage or shop...........not at a restaurant or family bar.
Bill Burnham believed there should be no rules and true "meetings" should be kept to a minimum. My exception to that would simply be that members must own a vehicle (running or not) made prior to a certain year. Just like on the HAMB, if you get too restrictive on what cars and engines and dare I say "tires", you simply cause friction. So the only rule should be an American car/truck made prior to the year of choice and containing an American made engine.

Get everyone on an Email/Call List and anyone can propose a meeting. The meeting can be a general call for assistance at some members house, or a general meeting to discuss going somewhere or a club project.

 

I often attend a Sunday morning "Gathering", all kinds of cars. Casual to the max. Every time I go, theres new stuff that shows up. Usually lasts about 3 hours. Ever in "Vegas, stop by.

 

Much like any other guy when I became involved in cars as a teenager I started to seek out a club to join. I soon realized as infighting and drama began to emerge it was better just to meet up with guys you got along with and had the most fun with and stop worrying about belonging to a club. We met at cruise nights, drove to shows and campouts and had a blast. Even though now most of the guys either don't have their cars anymore or don't bother with shows Almost forty years later every fall we get together and have a party and retell stories and have a good laugh.

 

I would like to thank all that have commented so far. There is a lot of knowledge here. Several comments I hadn't thought about. Specially on the starting a club side.
I do think the gatherings and rod runs would be more my speed.
I do like the " keep it small" and simple comment.
Most of my running around is done with my dad which is great. He really like getting his truck out.
There are several old hot rod running around I just need to get mine out more and meet some people.
The best part i guess is the wife and kids love to get the car out as much if not more than i do.
She enjoys getting the hot rod out for a drive, cruise around town and a few car shows each summer.
All is good!!
Thanks again

 

250 HAMB-friendly cars show up at this every spring. This year it's April 11.
http://www.hotrodhundred.com/sw-missouri.html
That would be a good place to meet lots of people from SWMO and Northwest Arkansas.
You might also contact these guys who are not that far from you
@bchrismer @gonmad @gbrown

 

We have a Friday night get-together every Friday at a local McDonalds. If everyone showed up at once, we'd have over 50 cars but during the winter months it has varied from 2 to a dozen or so.

 

Thanks, Duncan, for the shout out! Made me go back and add the entry form link to the web page, since I had forgotten to. LOL

@Tall t 26, we'd love to have you and your pop join us. The "focus" is still pre-64, however, some of the "peripheral vision" cars and trucks will show up and participate with us. The event is going to start at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, do a 100 mile route, and end down at the Crane, MO City park. If you register before March 15, you get a t-shirt in your goodie bag at "check-in", and we provide a pulled pork lunch at the park. We're expecting around 250 cars, again, and about twice that many people.

 

You guys are great I will check these out and show my dad, and thanks for the invite's.
I actually was looking for gatherings hot rod video awhile back, and came across one of the hot rod hundred videos and thought that would be fun. So I will be showing it to the family and some friends who knows I just may make it to that one.
Thanks again