Please forgive an intrusion by one of those nasty Tiger owners who lurks on the Alpine list because he plans to buy a nice Alpine one of these days soon.
I have watched the traffic about ID tags and forming another club with great interest. I think additional build tags are a bad idea but a new Rootes Club is a terriffic idea and I would hope to support a group if it is actually formed.
However, I think it would be a mistake to form a group totally centered around the net and without a hard-copy newsletter. This would immediately change ROOG (Rootes Owners & Operators Group) to ROOGWHTBOTN (Rootes Owners & Operators Group Who Happen To Be On The Net) and who could pronounce that?
Simple fact is that less that 20% of the target membership will be on the net. And many of those NOT on the net are among the most interesting owners... the old dudes who have been pursuing their roots longer than many of you young netters have even been around. Why throw away 80% of your membership before you even start?
You will have to have a newsletter to have a viable group, let alone a club with regional branches. Sure, the net can and will be very important for immediate communication but you are going to need a newsletter.
Fortunately, this list will provide many of the articles you will need to fill up the newsletter... Yeah, much of the stuff posted here is worthy of print!
Too suggestions: One: Make the newsletter bi-monthly or quarterly to start with. Two: Consider a reduced dues structure for those 'puterheads who ELECT not to receive a hard-copy newsletter.
And yes, newsletters are expensive. Based on my experiences editing and publishing club newsletters, a good one will cost nearly $3 by the time it reaches the reader. So, dues for somebody who is "net challenged" might cost $25 while you dedicated 'puterheads would only have to pony up $12 or so. Personally. I would opt for the hard-copy newsletter. (Bathroom reading, donchaknow?)
There are very few really good on-line newsletters around, they take a lot of space but are doable. They also take a lot of work.
I imagine that the net (this list) will provide you with your first set of officers and eventually will be the means for your Board of Directors to communicate.
All the above, IMHO.
Cheers!
--Colin Cobb, Las Cruces, NM, USA '65 Tiger & '66 Morgan Plus 4