Experience w/ starting a Car Club, am I being foolish?

[msuguydon]

Of course I am being foolish, I am a member to Team Smart.  

My buddy and I have bitten the bullet and are trying to start a no dues, no officers car club. Our hope is to get 15 or so liked minded people and  we would get together once month and do something.  Maybe cruise somewhere for dinner/drinks, caravan to car related events, hang out and drink beer and lie about woman at someone's shop, or in my case in my palatial rumbus room, :b-d:  cuz I am a gold chainer and do not have a shop.

No hosting car shows, no trophies, no politics (we hope)!

Are we delusional :?:  

Please give me advice... ooooo wise ones

[Leon]

It may start out that way but can lead to getting blamed for stuff and being stabbed in the back.  I've enjoyed rodding more since I got out of a club.

[Rrumbler]

A noble idea, but such things never work out to the satisfaction of all involved.  

Any group of people, no matter how loosely organized seems to develop the need for a leader or leaders, or it quickly falls apart.  Those who gravitate to the leadership positions will then get the hammer for anything that is deemed unsatisfactory by others.  The group also develops a need to be "identified", as it coalesces, thus the need for jackets, patches, plaques, and so on, and the need for some sort of financial leader, who will then be on the hot seat for many things unpleasant in nature.

My advice: go where you want, do what you like, and if your friends do likewise, so much the better; but if you organize, your friends may just turn out to be adversaries, in time.  Experience tells me so.

[msuguydon]

A noble idea, but such things never work out to the satisfaction of all involved.  

My advice: go where you want, do what you like, and if your friends do likewise, so much the better; but if you organize, your friends may just turn out to be adversaries, in time.  Experience tells me so.

OHHHH wise one, this is what I seek... the truth!

Bless you!

[kb426]

I agree with the no club sentiment. Try to get people to get together to bs about the cars and to heck with the club. If someone has a garage that you can all drop in, it can be great. No rules, no expectations.

[tomslik]

clubs are for seals...

[enjenjo]

The RRT is as much club as I want.  I have been in a couple clubs, i didn't like it. I agree that it's fun to get together, but as soon as it's a club, there are obligations, and that can take all the fun out of it.

[Dave]

I was president of a club once .. The vice pres and I actually sent registered letters to all the members with our resignations and where they could pick up the clubs property at.. It was a bad sad deal.. Although it doesnt matter it wasnt a car club but it was a club none the less..  We were lied too about being a non profit org. and when we couldnt find the proper paper work we decided to hit the hi road... Don your idea is cool so go for it but just keep it a 15 person friendly lets do sumpin deal.. Forget the club... Well thats maybe a little harsh so forget you have a club
Dave  

[donsrods]

I joined a club and after a couple of years was elected President.  It was the worst non-paying job I ever had in my life, and probably accelerated my breakup with my wife of 28 years.  I was always on the phone trying to smooth one thing or another, and being pulled 20 different directions at once.

People are hard to please, and when you get 20, 30. 40 or whatever different personalities in any group, there is going to be conflict.  I felt like a baby sitter most of the time.

Also, that illusion that you will each help one another work on your cars ends up being bs too.  You will end up doing everybodys work, and come time for yours, no one is around.

The only thing I really enjoyed was getting a bunch of old cars together and driving somewhere far away, like another show or some restaurant no one had ever been to.  It drives people crazy when they see a bunch of old cars traveling down the interstate or highway, and you get lots of thumbs up.

But for now, my license plate frame says it all.............

Don

(in case you can't read it, it says NO CLUB>>>>>>>>>LONE WOLF )

[donsrods]

Why aren't pictures posting?  Trying again.

Huh, for some reason I can't post pictures for the last several days.


Don

[Leon]

The legal aspect is important.  As a club, every member can be sued for something that happens at an "event".   It can be as simple as everyone meeting for dinner and someone gets injured by one car.  Now it's everyone's problem.  It may not hold up in court, but you get dragged into it to defend yourself.  The minute you make it a club it's asking for trouble.  Incorporate, get insurance, etc......   Not worth it.

[Eliot Ness]

I have a small group of friends that belong to an unofficial car club.  No official meetings, no officers, no dues, and nothing that is mandatory except to love old cars.  Wherever two or more of us are gathered it becomes a club event.  Since we're spread out over two states there aren't many car shows that all of can make, but there are a few.  We do have a name and logo:

[sirstude]

I am in a couple of clubs, one is the structured second Friday meeting, dues, presidents, rod run and the rest.  Lots of time and arguments, like you would expect.  

The other club is, no dues, no officers, no regulations, no requirements.  We go every Wednesday for a cruise and dinner.  Bring your car or not, winter time most don't bring their cars.  Buzz is the exception to the rule, he brings a 460 powered Pinto all winter.  Jack, that is the guy you met with the Ford collection.  Vern and his wife Vonnie, do the schedule printing every year, and as a group we kind of select where we are going, and it has worked for almost 20 years.  We also have a notebook that is passed around after the meal that everyone writes down their opinion of the resteraunt, so if it is too bad, it does not make the next year, that stops lots of arguements.  This is why I miss most of the Chats.  

The other club started out that way, just a cruising group, but it evolved into the regular club.  What I am saying, is it can work, but "no club" clubs are the exception to the rule.

Doug

ps, going to be 70's here today, so looks like I can get the car out once move tonight before I put it in storage for the Winter.

[rumrumm]

I would not want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.

[Dave]

I would not want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.

         
too late
Dave