Joining a local club

[Mike V. Florida]

There is a guy that we met at a local car show. He was asked if he would like to join our club to which he answered " Never found a good reason to join one, I drive when I want where I want." Ok no problem.

It was noticed that he had a broken shackle on his rear springs and they were resting on the rear axle housing. It was brought to his attention and he said he did not know how to replace it. He was told no problem we have the parts and the tools necessary and went over to his home and fixed it up for him. When he offered to pay for the work we told him no just pay for the shackle and he was invited to a display we were putting on for the church. He was given tickets for the carnival food as he brought his woody and when other members asked if he wanted to join our club, he said " Never found a good reason to join one".

[Aok]

Well on the positive he did offer to pay for the work. I have lived long enough to know everybody is different maybe he is not comfortable with people like a hermit. But at least you guys tired to get him to join and did fix his car which was a nice thing to do.

[Georgew48]

Who was the comedian that said "I would never join a club that would have me as a member". He might have been doing your club a favor. LOL

[ford3]

my guess for who said that would be RODNEY DANGERFIELD

[luckyal]

iT SOUNDS TO ME THAT YOU DON'T NEED HIM IN YOUR CLUB. HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT HAVE A TREMENDOUS GRASP FOR THE OBVIOUS !iT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE HE MAY BE A TAKER AND NOT A GIVER !

[Raven]

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It was Groucho Marx...

[jim1932]

Instead of asking him to join (which sounds like an obligation in time in money), just invite him to a meeting. Recruiting is more a matter of treating him like a member to show him what its like. Have a couple guys (low pressure) check in with him now and again.

[ford3]

GROUCHO? darn i was sure i had that one right

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by ford3

GROUCHO? darn i was sure i had that one right

Don't feel bad I thought it was W.C. Fields

[Mitch//pa]

i can dig it where this guy comes from. i have some local friends here with A's we pal around in our cars and have fun without having an official club. there are some local clubs here but not everyone is interested in that. he did offer to pay so he was not looking for something for nothing. he just wants to hang out now and then no strings attached....
will he be shunned if he doesn't purchase and wear the official club granpoobah moose hat

[ScottNW/Ohio]

Some guys are just not 'member' people
It means committments, dues, (and participation) I don't belong to a club either, but won't say "never"
Lot of us "lone wolf" club member out there

[matt92vr4]

Of course he doesnt need to join, you fix his car for him without membership! Lol, people are people.

[Mike Peters]

As Jim1932 says, go easy on this guy. Invite him to a fun event you may have coming up. (Meetings are a bore to a lot of people. )Tell him there is no obligation. You can't pressure people, and don't come on like holy rollers. Keep it fun, and maybe you will see more of him and others as well.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Mike Peters, by the looks of your avitar you're out getting plowed again!

Farmall is the way to go.

[Terry, NJ]

I guess I'm like that, There are times when no sane person would want to be around me and I know it. Rather than piss off a lot of good people, I just keep my distance. I don't dislike anyone, but I know what my ADHD makes me capable of and that's a side I'd rather not show anyone. His phrase, "I never found a reason to join a club" sounds like a cover for something else.
Terry

[John LaVoy]

My take on belonging to a club, you get out of it what you put into it. If you don't want to participate then belonging is not for you. I actually have a lot of subscribers that like the fact it is just a magazine, not a club.

[Steve Plucker]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Mike Peters, by the looks of your avitar you're out getting plowed again!

Farmall is the way to go.

But Tom...some of us have green in our blood!

Pluck

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker

But Tom...some of us have green in our blood!

Pluck

One of our guys painted his 30 Tudor JD green with yellow wheels.

[Mikeinnj]

Clubs are not for everyone. Some A owners just enjoy driving and working on their cars.

I would bet there are as many A's in the USA who's owners do not belong to "clubs" as there are who's owners are "club people".

It also depends on the type of club available geographically and if they are "business (Robert's Rules nuts) oriented, social oriented( (shows,picnic's, partys etc.) or the "era-fashion freaks" or just a bunch of guy's who actually enjoy driving and working on their cars.

I have belonged to several "A" clubs where most of the members bought their "A's" already restored and did not have a clue, nor did they want to know, how to work on them. They just polish them up and drive them.. There is usually one or two fellows in the club, the "go to" guy's, that repair and fix everyone else's cars when needed. Speaking of clubs, I will never understand why there are two National clubs (MARC-MAFCA) with two publications, creating duplication of services and articles etc. Perhaps someday they will merge into one colossal club.....Think of how boring life would be if we were all the same type of personalities .....

[Mike Peters]

My avatar? 1953 Super W6 International. Dumb old farmer is me. Same exact engine as the Super M Farmall. I just like the styling of the standard tractors, even though they are clumsy and steer hard. Photo was taken at one of the plow days held at our farm a few years ago. There were about 20 neighbors plowing with old tractors and 50-100 spectators and a good time was had by all. About 50% of the tractors were green and yellow, the rest everything else. I like red as well.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Mr. Mike V.

Very interesting subject.

One can experience similar circumstances with participating members & non-participating, non-members of a partiular church organization.

Sometimes its the non-participating non-members who offer to perform church repairs for free when asked to do so, while the participating members offer to do the same work for a small fortune.

There are many wonderful & generous people most of us met in life who just do not like being in any kind of lime-light, or being among organized groups of people -- never met two (2) identical human beings.

[Mike V. Florida]

Interesting comments made here.

I just thought that having knowledgeable people assist you on keeping your car running so you can enjoy it would make the few bucks membership a good deal by having a what amounts to a mechanic on call worth the price of admission.

Add to that being with people that have knowledge of and go to private collections such would be a bonus.

Join, don't join, it's just the reason he gave made no sense to me.

[Tinker]

Mike, you are a good guy. It is very noble and should be done more often.

Seems to me the guy we have outted is very happy or content. Maybe not knowledgable, but not a lump.

Ive been in a few clubs, ffa and 4h and enjoyed them. If you call ill be there. Ive been around a few hotrod clubs, put an effort forward but the drama is not interesting. The people that i like are people i try to keep in contact with whenever.

Its interesting, as few as they are, the small amount of people that judge this nice guy without really knowning whom they are talking about.

Keep doing what your doing. Its appreciated and respected.

[TonyM]

I belong to a national club and two local chapters and I am glad of it. Several weeks ago I recieved an e-mail from the president of one of the local chapters I belong to berating me as to why I had not attended a non-car event that the club had participated in. I wrote him back explaining that the truth of the matter is that I was actually working on my Ford V-8 automobile--you know, the real focus of our club life; he did not respond.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I know fellas that think car clubs should be just a "GUY" thing. Lots of tinkering, GREASE, etc. Bill W. (And some wives don't give a HOOT about car stuff)

[montanafordman]

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Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

I know fellas that think car clubs should be just a "GUY" thing. Lots of tinkering, GREASE, etc. Bill W.

While I like that aspect - another nice benifit is that it gets my wife involved and excited a little more. When we have a family its something we will all be able to participate in. She usually has to work when we hold our monthly meetings but enjoys the newsletter and has had fun on some of the events we have gone to. It helps to have her see the positive side of the hobby and get into the social aspect rather than just see me spend our money and disappear into the garage to spend time with my "mistress" as she calls it. .

My local club has almost become a bit of a family in many ways. My wife and I lost our first daughter this year at birth and the support, cards and well wishes from the club was pretty amazing. I'm a rural guy at heart and grew up on a farm and now that I'm living in a city its a good way to get to know people while we are expiriencing a lifestyle and area that is not nearly as "neigborly" as what I was accustomed to growing up. My church and my model A group has helped me to refrain from running screaming back to Montana yearning for a change of setting. Farming is no longer an option for me and I love flying so the city is where the jobs are at. Connecting with like minded people helps keep me content in a time when I DON"T know everyone on my street, block, city, county. Of course my club has also helped me find original parts, given me invaluble advice on how to make repairs, where to buy parts the cheapest, and helped me with a few jobs that were outside of my expeirience or skillset and loaned me specialty tools that are otherwise pricey like spring spreaders and reamers. If you don't want to join a club thats fine, but realize that while you may not get along with everyone or appreciate or want to participate in ALL that they do you'll still be missing out.

[Steve Plucker]

OK...So he did not join the club after the help he was given him...Question is...would you help him again if he so asked?

(I would)

Pluck

[brum1]

I too belong to several local clubs and a national club, I know several A owners in my nieghborhood whom I've encouraged once or twice to join but i just recognized there just not that type of person. We still converse about the hobby frequently and help each other. They have more enthusiasn than some of our club members. Just learned to enjoy for what they are

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker

OK...So he did not join the club after the help he was given him...Question is...would you help him again if he so asked?

(I would)

Pluck

Well, Pluck, I probably would, I'm a sucker & an easy touch. If I did help him again, he might feel GUILTY & join just to appease his conscience, you can't win for losin'! Bill W.

[jim1932]

Funny that no one has touched on one of the main issues with clubs, they all take on a personality, due to geography i belong to two ev8 clubs, they are as different as can be, one is older and the meetings are very so ial, the wi es also come and socialize, the other club tends to be relatively younger. Working guys as opposed to retired guys. There are rarely spouses at the meetings and meetings are more about issues restoring cars. The members of each club enjoy it very much. But there are few that would be happy in the other club. Long winded way to say we all joined be ause we liked the type of club. But we. Ant assume it fits eveyone.

[BrianBurkert]

A local fellow came into my shop to buy some bed wood for his AA express truck. I sold him the wood and offered help in the form of leads on parts, information, etc. I've been in the hobby for a few years and know local people... even another local guy with a well-restored express truck as a reference. I said there is also a local club that he might find handy, but I wasn't pushy. He seemed worried that his truck wasn't up to snuff to be in a club and I explained that the club may be a big help BEFORE the truck is finished. He still seemed intimidated, so I left it go. I'd be happy to help him whether he joins the local club or not.

[stainless steve]

I grew up useing a IH ..h..and<<super m then when all boys off farm dad gets a 460 IH with powersteering and the works good times .