Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Declining membership

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Declining membership -- page: 1 2 3 4     oldford2 07-03-2019 @ 10:46 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 275 Joined: Oct 2009 There have been numerous posts on the lack of interest in old Fords. I just went in to get my latest Roster of members (2019) to get info on a guy I wanted to contact. For comparison I pulled out a 2013 Roster. 2013 roster 184 pages of members 2019 roster 102 pages of members I guess that tells the story John woodiewagon46 07-03-2019 @ 11:44 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 696 Joined: Nov 2012 Every "hobby" such as ours is cyclical. I'm a bit of a pack rat and tend to save "stuff". My first year attending HERSHEY was 1968. I have the program from 1968, (nothing like the program we get nowadays) and can count over 220 Model A Fords in the book that were being exhibited on the show field. Last year there were about 10 Model A's. I hope someday, the heirs of those owners, will get involved and get those cars out of storage and garages and get them back on the road. Today the hot car is the Muscle Car. Just enjoy it for as long as you can, we can't stop time! 3w2 07-03-2019 @ 12:29 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 815 Joined: Oct 2009 While there has been a decline in this Club's membership since 2013, it has not been 45% based on your page count. Much of the difference in the page count in your example is due to deletion of material that is readily available on the Club website, such as the bylaws. efv8CofAAdmin 07-03-2019 @ 7:10 PM reply profile send p.m. Administrator Posts: 412 Joined: Feb 2016 And if I may add -- since society has been changing and there is a concern for privacy, the Club not offers the option to NOT have a members information in the Roster. While this is probably not a large number, it also should be considered when discussing membership numbers in the National Roster. Web Administrator supereal 07-06-2019 @ 10:57 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 The drop of interest in old and collectable vehicles is not unusual. Most collectors seek to buy and restore vehicles that inspire pleasant remembrances of their earlier years. The supply of these vehicles has steadily decreased as their prices have increased. Many, if not most, of us were "shade tree mechanics" when simpler systems were the norm and can be repaired without special equipment and experience. Thus, the emphasis on cars becoming "transportation appliances", unworthy of the time and money necessary to participate in the hobby. This is reflected in the attrition of suppliers of the parts and materials required. I wouldn't expect a reversal of this trend anytime soon. This message was edited by supereal on 7-6-19 @ 10:58 AM 1934 Ford 07-06-2019 @ 4:53 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 567 Joined: Oct 2009 I agree with mostof that, but we don't try hadrd enough to get others involved.. I'm as guilty of that as others. Two examples I've been a 34 Ford guy for nearly 50 years and I'm d 1945 Model, that's hardely selecting cars from my youth. When two guys my age or older walk up and look a my 1934 (With a greyhound ornement) and say "Nice Jaguar", I ask the non-speaker if he goes hunting with the other guy. Then I'll explain that it is a 1934 Ford with the optional Greyhousnd dog ornement, probably inspired by Lincoln. Andthat if the speaker can't tell the difference between a cat and a dog, I'm not hunting with him. Somethins that will start a fun conversation and we'll all learn something. Maybe I should hold my tongue. Very often young people will ask abour the car and say they've never seen one like it, and I ask of they ever saw the movie Bonnie & Clyde. Answer is usally NO. We all have a frame of reference from our past interactions, and we need t get past that. To me a 1932 Ford 5 window Coupe is still a 32 Ford even if it has a Mustang V8 or a 53 Mercury engine. I even know a guy with a stock looking 48 Jeepster with a stock looking 48 Ford Flathead engine. Both interesting cars whose owners have more in common with us than the guy who thinks my car is a Jaguar. I think we should welcome & included them in their own classes. Many of them know a lot about Early Ford V8's and enjoy seeing our original ones. 1934 Ford's since 1972 trjford8 07-07-2019 @ 8:13 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4202 Joined: Oct 2009 Something we have not tried as a club is to possibly have docents at our concourse events. Since our events are open to the public maybe we should set up a small information tent at our concourse. Have docents at this tent to take small groups around the concourse to explain the cars to these people. It's also a chance to promote the V-8 Club, hand out sample copies of the V-8 Times, and perhaps get them interested in subscribing to the V-8 Times( joining the club). If we as members don't try to promote this hobby/Club we are our own worst enemy. If each current member brought in one new member this year we can double the size of the V-8 Club in one year. The interest is out there we just need to capitalize on it. I still think the glass is half full. This message was edited by trjford8 on 7-7-19 @ 8:13 AM supereal 07-07-2019 @ 12:52 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Good idea , Tom. I think the lack of interest is also a product of the decline in car shows. We see it around here (Iowa). I began to enter my '47 convertible 25 years ago when a local car show was always a part of festivals of one kind or another. I have a shelf of trophies for the car, but the few shows that appear now are mostly hot rod focused. I know my car still draws attention. A couple of weeks ago when I stopped for refreshments, several people came over to ask questions and take photos. Some of the shows began to require a sizable entrance fee which, I am sure, dampened entries. flatheadfan 07-07-2019 @ 1:19 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 450 Joined: Oct 2009 Supereal has summed up much which many of us already know from watching the passing of time in recent years. The days of $50K+ prices on early v8S are rapidly disappearing with the times. Reversing the trend boarders on trying to stop the sunrise. However, the trend can be slowed down if some changes were implemented by the Club. First. early modified V8s were part of the V8 story. To ignore this is akin to building a family tree purposely ignoring relatives who were "different." Like it or not non-stock modifications are part of the V8 family tree and should be shown not hidden. Second, to get greater exposure to the major car shows the Club should schedule major viewing events on weekends. Not on midweek days when the general population is not readily available to attend as a result of other conflicting activities such as school or business. Lets face it, it is hard to get interested about something you haven't seen. Obviously, this is a very short list which I feel could have a positive impact on future club membership. I am sure others can suggest some ideas worthy of further discussion. Tom hupdoc 07-08-2019 @ 2:10 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 11 Joined: May 2015 Even in New Zealand we have the same problem . While I have no problems with lightly modified cars (and think we should encourage such cars into our club) but often that is not what shows up to meets . Recently I took my original 1934 Fordor to an all Ford day . The guy parked next to me had what he described as a 1934 Ford roadster. It was all fibreglass with a small block Chev in it . I doubt if it had one Ford part in it other than the blue oval . On the other side I had a 1926 T Rat Rod on which (other than the body tub) again nothing was Ford . Both of them insisted that their cars were Fords. Having spend countless hours and lots of money getting my car as close to original and as reliable as possible I really couldn't be bothered being there and left after I had looked at what few original and lightly modified cars were there . Yes my dwindling car club could do with these guys membership but I have nothing in common with them nor would most of my car club .

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