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Re: Clubs (was Model A)

To: mgs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: Clubs (was Model A)
From: Steve Bettencourt <steveb5815@edgenet.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 08:38:55 -0500
Blow torch - ON

Rick- What is your problem and what is your point? 

You seem miffed that your choice of vehicle is not the center of attention
at your local cruise scene. OH WELL! If you enjoy your choice then that's
all that matters. 

And who's checking their brains at the door and who is bowing to peer
pressure? It seems you are for feeling that your car is inferior because
the majority of people at these events likes to see V8 Model A's with
airliner tires. (??? You must mean drag racing style tires). 

I agree that the music at these events, even here in RI, generally sucks as
far as sound quality but if no one liked it they (cruise nites) wouldn't
survive. 

I happen to like HotRods. I happen to like RB MGB's. I have a T-Bucket with
HUGE tires on the back. I also have two RB MG's. I don't recall any brain
check-in at the cruise nites. I'm glad that there are people that restore
and maintain original antique cars. I'm not one of them but I don't put
them down either. I will give a quick look at a row of meticulously
restored Green and Black Model A's (I spend more time on Red and Black
roadster pick-ups) but spend hours pouring over a row of HotRods. It's what
I like!

I also missed the point of how bashing Hot Rod people has anything to do
with British car clubs. All car clubs have problems. Interest grows and
fades. Sometimes it fades because members get sick of club politics and
would rather join a different club or be a "Lone Wolf" for a while.

As far as your cruise nite dilemma - get your buddies together, park
together and show up every week. The stupid questions will fade out when
you start to make friends - and you will. If there is a car show you want
to attend call in advance to see if they will have a Brit car class or a
class for your particular make. If you can bring enough cars most promoters
will be happy to accommodate another class. If not - just skip it - it's
their loss.

Well I seem to be running a bit low on acetylene so I will end here. Rick -
just enjoy your car as you want, maintain your club no matter the size. And
you should really try a HotRod, too. They are a LOT of fun.

Blow torch - OFF

At 06:48 PM 12/16/97 -0800, you wrote:
>Listers-
>
>Interesting ideas on the winding down of the club portion of our hobby.
>Clubs are changing and the people who want to participate are a different
>breed as well. I have formed, led, resurrected, and closed a number of
>clubs in my day. Things are just different today.
>
>There are thriving clubs throughout the US, overflowing with active and
>enthusiastic members who work on their cars in their spare time all week
>and go to events, even far off events, every weekend.  Unfortunately, these
>folks would rather see your Model A with a chopped top and a big V8 oozing
>out the sides of a cut down bonnet and wheels as big as an airliner on the
>back.  There is even enough interest for Chrysler to issue a limited
>production street rod called the Prowler.
>
>Sure, most of us BritCarGuys are fish out of water at these events (If I
>ever hear "Ain't that Morris a cute little guy" or "How much do you feed
>the squirles in there?" one more time I'll puke!) and yes, these events do
>usually feature LOUD, distorted, and very repetitious do-wop oldies and
>burgers and cola are the staple car show diet, BUT these folks do enjoy
>their cars. I have a number of friends who have attempted to to break the
>Hot Rod barrier by making a rod from a Morris, Austin or Brit Ford only to
>find themselves relegated to the novelty section with the pink and white
>Metropolitans and Issetta bubblecars. Even the better educated and better
>paid people who have flocked to the Street Rod and Harley scene seem to
>check their brains at the door at events as they bow to peer pressure.
>
>The British car hobby is suffering from two major problems: The first is
>the decentralization of middle class America. Each time I update my 3500
>file California British meet mailing list, I'm really supprised at how many
>folks have left SF and LA for smaller communities at least a hundred,
>traffic choked miles away. I have watched my events diminish to 6-700 cars
>from the top figures of 1000-1200 of the late 1980s, yet the amount of
>people attending remains the same and there are sure a bunch of sport utes
>and minivans in the car park. Our cars don't travel all that well.
>
>The other problem is a concept called the window of appreciation. This
>invisable "window" is about 15 to twenty years wide and floats along about
>25 - 30 behind the present. That about puts it about 1954 - 1974 and it is,
>as Steve Miller (the musician from Marin as opposed to the Morgan
>specialist in Emeryville) said "Time keeps slipping, sliping, sliping, into
>the future"
>
>This is why people are becoming interested in TR6s, Datsun 240Zs and rubber
>bumper MGBs and all of those 1960s muscle cars, yet have little time for
>restored Model As, T-Series MGs and stock 1930s and 1940s cars. Most
>popular Brit cars have been passed over and are viewed as quaint little
>Masterpiece Theater icons for people truly stuck in a different time and
>place - AND PROUD OF IT!
>
>Today, an MGA is considered an old classic. Cars from the thirties might as
>well have brass headlamps and be considered on the same level as the cars
>used on the Mr. Toads Wild Ride at Disneyland!
>
>Don't dispair, as eventually, folks who like cars from these earlier eras
>will be able to afford cars that were out of of reach for so many years. As
>for the future of the club scene, think "small is beautiful. Because
>everyone has been cast to the wind, small 25 - 40 car clube will form in
>many areas and there will be more local interaction between ALL marques and
>countries of origin.
>See you on the Funway! Rick Feibusch - Venice, CA
>
>
>
Steve Bettencourt
'79 MGB
'76 MGB
'89 T-10 Blazer
Steve's HotRod World Home Page
http://members.aol.com/CruzinRI
http://www.GeoCities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/4995

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