Car clubs/teams – from a different perspective…

[QuickBrick]

The last time I read a post like this it was all about slamming car clubs/teams, why? Sorry people I like to think positively, personally I think clubs/teams are a great thing for the this site, the community in hole, education and having fun…

I have a few questions and am looking for constructive feedback; maybe you OLD timers can help… ;)

Is it not a good thing to have friends/enthusiasts to call your second family and to share functions that keep people interested in the scene and building to improve it?

Is it not a good thing for Georgia and the scene in general to have clubs to make events popular and grow?

Is it not a good thing to keep people out of trouble and into building their rides?

Is it not a good thing to have different sites to find shows, modifications you might be interested in or ideas you might want to incorporate?

Is it not a good thing to have standards for entry? This includes the owner’s personality as well the ride…

Is it not a good thing to have guidelines to make events safe for the public and car enthusiasts?

And is it not a good thing to have people with you when showing or racing? Personally I like friends and close friends are even better…

Are you (and I’m referring to the negative people here) willing to give clubs the chance to grow like the older clubs or is it just easer to say those were the days and it will never be the same? Keep in mind I’ve been around cars and in different states for a good amount of time (that’s why I’m called the old man). Back in the day (as its referred to here) we started something called cruse night on Van Nuys Blvd. in California to have a place to hang, watch fresh creations, setup races, learn from the builders (of that time) and have something positive to do on a Wednesday night, you might have witnessed one or two of them at the movies. Clubs came and went but we didn’t bash the idea of people pooling their ideas, skills, and creations for a better tomorrow and better scene in hole, car clubs were welcome. From what I’ve seen we did it well enough to “help” Cali become the huge car attraction it is, trust me it wasn’t that way in the 70’s, we just cruised, raced, had fun and continued to try to enhance the scene as my father before me did. We all (at least the people I was around) had a club or two as enthusiasts. Have you ever given thought that it could be the same here?

From the generalities I’ve read in the lounge of late, car clubs suck, the show scene sucks and generally all but the old clubs (our club is only going into its third season) suck, someone want to explain the mentally of this negativity, I thought clubs were a good thing, making new friends is a good thing and improving upon how Georgia represents is a good thing…

Keep in mind that I’m searching for educated thoughts, not junk or drama…

Tom

[A.P. Photography]

Well the car scene has always been huge out in Cali. I mean the mecca of old school hot rodding was in Cali and they continue to be on the cutting edge of rodding and also newer cars. I think the thing that got most people here is not so much as they wanted to start a club but the way they went about it. I mean from reading the post from the other websites and on here, it started out on a good note and was going good and then it became jaded. Now it might have been one member or several that caused it but instead of stepping back and handling it internally they started lashing out. Wrong move for a new club.

Now I go way back, I think QD and myself tie here as far as this goes, but I have been in clubs since I started and at one time was rolling with some straight magazine mini trucks that were featured almost every month. We had fun, had dues, but never lashed out at anyone and if there was a problem it was handled with in the club between the conflicting members. That is just a little back ground on me. I think clubs are good and can have a positive influence on the scene as a whole, it just has to be done with respect and not so much as a populairty contest. you have to be able to respect different taste and accept criticism.

[5thgcelica]

id have to agree with what you said with all of that.

[chrisdavis]

Those are all good things, but the problem lies in the attitudes of some people. When you have a "my shit dont stink" attitude and you gather a group of people around you with the same attitude, it creates tension. I am not talking about a club I am talking about a group of people. Those people manage to ruin things for everyone else. Look at all of the lost hangout spots over the years. It seems that this crappy attitude is starting to become common and they are starting to form clubs.

What you have then is a bunch of rotten attitudes in a large quantity and it becomes a volitile mix and breaks down. I think that the clubs of days gone by were more grass roots and more about the love of cars, today seems more about taking trophies at shows and ego stroking. There are those who are still in purely for the love of thier cars but it seems like they are more content to socialize freely and not be bound to a certain "clique" and unable to mingle with others due to tensions between fellow car clubs. I could be wrong but thats my .02

[quickdodge®]

Agreed, Later, QD.

[Brett]

I personally enjoy clubs, I had some of the best times doing this when I had Civic Minded and UC going, We had some of the best people who made the club what it was. I miss that alot.

Some people dont look at clubs like that, They feel its stupid to join them, stupid to pay dues, etc. When clubs have a structure ( They need to in order to make it ) Dues and other aspects like that are needed, people dont understand that. When we had UC going we collected dues, Not always on a monthly basis but we did do it, and people werent paying to be in the club, The dues went to the website fee's I paid each month, Went to other things we needed along the way, But sometimes I do feel a club shouldnt collect monthly dues because with many members what does any club need a huge monthly income for, but on a as needed basis I see why and understand why.

Shows can be alot of fun wehn you roll in with a club and show as a team, and you take great pride in your team members placing and getting props for the work they do, when one wins the whole club wins.

But when you have a club and have executive members who are not even into cars and you have people just not into the scene or use the club to get back at other clubs, etc then it wont work. If you join or start a club, it needs to be for the passion of the cars and the people in it.

WE NEVERE BASHED OTHER TEAMS when we had our club running, It was out of respect and we would not tolerate others doing it, we kicked people out for that. Clubs can help eachother alot and when they all work togther it makes thing salot smoother. Clubs are not gangs so there should not be any shit talking between them...... :2cents:

[Julio]

one thing, attitude.
You need a good attitude for everything you do in life, no matter what it is.

[FrnkPwrs]

I think a lot of focus of previous convos was on unenthusiastic clubs. Nice cars win shows. If everybody is joining a club because they have their first car and its the cool thing to do, then how are you going to win a show? Yea, a team that you can get along with is essiential, true. But Baseball teams you try out and you usually want to have some sort of talent beforehand. a CAR CLUB includes some sort of enthusiasm about cars. A system shows enthusiams towards music. A 2 12s and amp and cd player system doesnt win a show.

Im sorry, but talking about "Im about to get" doesnt win shows either. We all want the hottest turbo setup, we all want the newest JDM 2.5 lb wheels, we all want the carbon fiber door skins, etc. but its the person who says to hell with going to the movies this weekend, to hell with buying a new abercrombie jacket, to hell with buying concert tickets, that will stay home bondoing and sanding his car until 6AM over a 6pack who will have it quicker than anyone else. Thats all im saying. People just want to be in a club to be in a club. They just want the sticker on the windsheild, but not the car that is supposed to be attatched to it. People are "buying" their coolness

[collins]

But when you have a club and have executive members who are not even into cars and you have people just not into the scene or use the club to get back at other clubs, etc then it wont work. If you join or start a club, it needs to be for the passion of the cars and the people in it.



brett, i think its obvious who you are referring to and i dont think you know the whole story. come to barnacles tonight. i'd like to talk to ya s'more about it.

[QuickBrick]

GA_Teg your absolutely right on all counts thanks! The way problems are handled should be priorities from the get go of any club. I also think we need to address comments made behind a screen verses in front of a person or organization, we didn’t have the internet back then so this is a new testing ground for many of us to handle. Here’s an idea for the new comers and some of the more troubled, ask yourselves would you say that to his face! I believe a lot of these issues would be remedied quickly if more people would put that into practice. Most people like to get along, there will always be a few that ruin the party and that’s why any club should screen the personality along with the ride… Thanks for the background :D



Chris I hate to see that too but you will always have “the my shit don’t stink crowd”, gathering them is the worse thing you can do and you are 100% correct on the volatile mix and break down, but that’s actually a good thing, let them go away. To help you can get other good clubs/teams to combat those people and show them it’s not an acceptable practice by simply not conversing with them (don’t let them in). Note: I/We will never belittle another organization (bad or good) but I will make damn sure my members don’t associate with the bad ones, it happened last year with a club that was more a gang than a car club, safety is a priority here. I also understand your feelings about joining a “clique” but if you’re with the right club or team you will never have the problem of not being able to mingle…

I can relate to the loss of hang outs (an understatement), believe it or not they ended up shutting Van Nuys Blvd down to cruse night because of a few and it’s a shame, it was a long tradition ended. ARE YOU LISTING NOOB’S, don’t be an azz when you come to play, you’ll ruin it for us all. And to the senior members of this board and other organizations I suggest this, stop them any way you can, you might save them from hurting others or getting killed themselves…



Brett my old friend, unfortunately dues are important for overhead, the trick here is to collect only what the club needs and not take members to the cleaners (as I’ve seen happen before). I think we all enjoy having club sites to visit, banners to display, tents to sit under, fans to keep us cool and that all takes capitol, most reasonable people understand overhead as long as its laid out in front of them. As far as respect goes you know me, that is the way I live and we as a club function. You and I met with our organizations, God only knows if that would have happened had we not been involved with showing and our clubs… ;)


one thing, attitude.
You need a good attitude for everything you do in life, no matter what it is.

Words to live by!!! Thanks Julio…


I think a lot of focus of previous convos was on unenthusiastic clubs. Nice cars win shows. If everybody is joining a club because they have their first car and its the cool thing to do, then how are you going to win a show? Yea, a team that you can get along with is essiential, true. But Baseball teams you try out and you usually want to have some sort of talent beforehand. a CAR CLUB includes some sort of enthusiasm about cars. A system shows enthusiams towards music. A 2 12s and amp and cd player system doesnt win a show.

Im sorry, but talking about "Im about to get" doesnt win shows either. We all want the hottest turbo setup, we all want the newest JDM 2.5 lb wheels, we all want the carbon fiber door skins, etc. but its the person who says to hell with going to the movies this weekend, to hell with buying a new abercrombie jacket, to hell with buying concert tickets, that will stay home bondoing and sanding his car until 6AM over a 6pack who will have it quicker than anyone else. Thats all im saying. People just want to be in a club to be in a club. They just want the sticker on the windsheild, but not the car that is supposed to be attatched to it. People are "buying" their coolness

Good points but I respectfully disagree with the tail end of your post, not all people want to be in a club to be in a club. I think a good amount of enthusiasts look to apply to an organization with history and a certain level of accomplishment having a goal in mind. Granted there will be a few who have nothing, try to start a club and are short lived. One thing I really wanted to stress with the original post is can you give time to the new players…?

I have two young members under 18 (our membership ages range from 16 to over 50, most are in their 20’s), both are just starting but both had to meet club specs for entry (three major mods ect…), I can guarantee you that both are doing what they can to become show winners and one is extremely close. Should I have not let the club vote them in because it’s going to take time to improve, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the enthusiast and having a club? I can relate to doing and putting everything into your ride, been there done that (and I used to paint cars so I defiantly can relate to sanding all night), but as I look back I should have said my priority here is for the whole experience to be fun and do it slowly, enjoying life, trust me its way to short. Trophies will come if you build and have patients, and that is a lot easer to do with a club. People might be buying their coolness but not with us, it takes a ride and good personality to join the family…

If I took it wrong please let me know, this is not meant to be derogatory in any way…

Tom

[The Ren]

Now I have only been around the car scene for a short while.. and only IA for less than a month but since I have been here all i have noticed is bickering.. When I first got into cars down in Savannah/ Statesboro we would have meets and meet with other clubs.. none of the clubs had some of the qualifications im hearing now-a-days.. not i understand every club has to have some sort of requirements.. but as it has been said some people arn't even given a chance to show what they can do because they dont have the "Initial requirments".. Modding isnt done overnight and it takes time to make a real show/drag/autocross car a bad ass car...

I just think alot of this club vs club BS.. (as said before) has almost turned into small gang-like shit.. this is for the love of modding not because my car is better than yours..

-Ren

[A.P. Photography]

Tom,

I think most of us are on the same page here. Persoanlity will always out weigh the car and it should be that way. As long as clubs work together, understand each other, and respect each other it will make the scene a lot better and will begin to grow. Now sh#t talking between club members has always been around and is good clean fun unless pushed to the point of degrading the person. I mean I was in with a club and me and one of the members went way back and we ended up with the same truck. We both started working on them, he dropped well over 10k into his with new paint, air ride, and system. I come in with the factory red paint buffed out, jet black windows, mini system, and hammmmmmmeeeeerrrrrred to the ground (no air, hydros, just straight on the ground drag it off if it gets stuck) and I would beat him at some shows. Always got the girls attention and he couldn't, and it was good clean fun with no one getting pissed. It is all about the attitide.

I will say that your club seems really cool and when I make it out to a show where yall are there I would love to hang out with you guys. And Buddha and I have been talking and he knows I am building a 55 chvy (hopefully) and restoring it, so maybe I will be showing with you guys in the future :p

[A.P. Photography]

Now I have only been around the car scene for a short while.. and only IA for less than a month but since I have been here all i have noticed is bickering.. When I first got into cars down in Savannah/ Statesboro we would have meets and meet with other clubs.. none of the clubs had some of the qualifications im hearing now-a-days.. not i understand every club has to have some sort of requirements.. but as it has been said some people arn't even given a chance to show what they can do because they dont have the "Initial requirments".. Modding isnt done overnight and it takes time to make a real show/drag/autocross car a bad ass car...

I just think alot of this club vs club BS.. (as said before) has almost turned into small gang-like shit.. this is for the love of modding not because my car is better than yours..

-Ren
What you have to understand is to be let into the club the car has to meet some requirements. Those who are close and show a desire to be part of the club and contribute to the club are put on probationary status for a certain amount of time. During this time club members will help out and try and get the mods done on the vehicle but only if the owner shows a true intrest and has the right personality. I have been doing this since 89 and it has always been the same for a club that will be around for longer than 2 years. LIke I said when I got into the truck club, I did not meet the requirements but was put on probationary status and we got the truck there and I was in. With out some requirements you are setting a low example of a car club. I mean there is no way I would even compare mildly stock rides to a club like ECI that is just awesomely done show vehicles. They have a reputaiton for building cutting edge show cars, and they did it by having requirments.

[Brett]

^^ Agreed, Clubs need to have requirements for the cars/turcks, You cant ever set a standard and be taken serious if you dont have a standard atleast.

[QuickBrick]

Now sh#t talking between club members has always been around and is good clean fun unless pushed to the point of degrading the person. I mean I was in with a club and me and one of the members went way back and we ended up with the same truck. We both started working on them, he dropped well over 10k into his with new paint, air ride, and system. I come in with the factory red paint buffed out, jet black windows, mini system, and hammmmmmmeeeeerrrrrred to the ground (no air, hydros, just straight on the ground drag it off if it gets stuck) and I would beat him at some shows. Always got the girls attention and he couldn't, and it was good clean fun with no one getting pissed. It is all about the attitide.

ROFLMAO, let the chit talking rock its all in good fun!!! :D


I will say that your club seems really cool and when I make it out to a show where yall are there I would love to hang out with you guys. And Buddha and I have been talking and he knows I am building a 55 chvy (hopefully) and restoring it, so maybe I will be showing with you guys in the future :p

Please do, I’d like to meet you. And when you get the ball rolling on the 55 let me know ;)


What you have to understand is to be let into the club the car has to meet some requirements. Those who are close and show a desire to be part of the club and contribute to the club are put on probationary status for a certain amount of time. During this time club members will help out and try and get the mods done on the vehicle but only if the owner shows a true intrest and has the right personality. I have been doing this since 89 and it has always been the same for a club that will be around for longer than 2 years. LIke I said when I got into the truck club, I did not meet the requirements but was put on probationary status and we got the truck there and I was in. With out some requirements you are setting a low example of a car club. I mean there is no way I would even compare mildly stock rides to a club like ECI that is just awesomely done show vehicles. They have a reputaiton for building cutting edge show cars, and they did it by having requirments.

Exactly!

[Kristi]

i agree with everything you said

[Chuckster]

man thats alot of reading

[FrnkPwrs]

I understand you abotu the fun aspect, and having members that are progessing. I totally understand. My car, pretty nice. I have a TV, nice speakers, a set of rims, and I know people in some nice clubs. I plan on progressing, true but I would not join a club because I konw that my enthusiasm isnt as high as some of the clubs that I respect. Take XLR8Shen for example. Nice cars, no doubt. I have plans for my car, but one way a person can kind of "guage" a club is the show season. It is competitive. I can not afford to lose the functionality of my car [i.e. body kits chipping, $10k system and losing my trunk, car slammed to the ground, 600+hp setup] so that I could compete. I would be slowing my team down. There are some people who are capable of paying that money [im not] and willing to make the sacrifices associated with winning shows. Usually in shows, someone tries to do something different before the next show. The same car layed out the same way can only get so many trophies! so you MUST be enthusiastic and into the scene to be "Elite" I guess, LOL. But be enthusiastic, not financially engulfed...

One extremely good example, Brett. Ok, his car, admitted by him, OVER AND OVER, not a stop in your tracks Wild class car. BUt he CLEANED up in mild all over GA. Creativity. Putting small touches that made big differences. Being original. A person that is into their art will work with what they have. Some of us have kids, some of us jobs, some of us run our own businesses, its understood, no problem at all! But he actually attended shows, actually had a love for cars, the man is a car enthusiast! There are so many people who are just putting banners on their cars and hanging out at different spots, but its nothing about the cars! The car meets back in the day, people popped hoods! I guess the main frustrating thing is, it isnt about the cars! Its about just saying you were on the forum, and hanging out at the spots!

[Brett]

One extremely good example, Brett. Ok, his car, admitted by him, OVER AND OVER, not a stop in your tracks Wild class car. BUt he CLEANED up in mild all over GA. Creativity. Putting small touches that made big differences. Being original. A person that is into their art will work with what they have. Some of us have kids, some of us jobs, some of us run our own businesses, its understood, no problem at all! But he actually attended shows, actually had a love for cars, the man is a car enthusiast! There are so many people who are just putting banners on their cars and hanging out at different spots, but its nothing about the cars! The car meets back in the day, people popped hoods! I guess the main frustrating thing is, it isnt about the cars! Its about just saying you were on the forum, and hanging out at the spots!

Thanks Frank ;)

[blacknightteg]

thank god.....an acutal civilized conversation.....im new to the scene and honestly , with all this beef thats been going on between people.....i consider a learning experience for me. i love reading yalls advice or opinions that yall alwasy post up and i jus try to learn, ill be honest, im one of those guys that has a mildly stock car only has an intake a shitty aftermarket exhaust and some cheap after market rims, but i baught it that way off a guy....none of that will be the same in the future, i want to make a very nice show car....more then anything you have no idea....but right now im strapped for cash with no job, which i might add im in the process of looking for...like i remember in a post a while ago, someone saying how they worked so many hours so that they could have money to put into their car, and thats wat i plan on doing, do i have a minor set back yes but i so heartedly what to work on my car, hel i have an exhaust right now, but i cant put it on because i dont have the gaskets. i cant even get the gaskets because there 40 bucks and me being strapped for cash i cant afford to pay for anything else except for my cell bill and gas

ok, i got a litttle off topic, but what i was saying at the beginging is that i enjoy reading everything that appears on this site, whether it be bashing or advice giving, it gives me a learning experience

i appologize if that made no sense at all.....

[A.P. Photography]

I understand you abotu the fun aspect, and having members that are progessing. I totally understand. My car, pretty nice. I have a TV, nice speakers, a set of rims, and I know people in some nice clubs. I plan on progressing, true but I would not join a club because I konw that my enthusiasm isnt as high as some of the clubs that I respect. Take XLR8Shen for example. Nice cars, no doubt. I have plans for my car, but one way a person can kind of "guage" a club is the show season. It is competitive. I can not afford to lose the functionality of my car [i.e. body kits chipping, $10k system and losing my trunk, car slammed to the ground, 600+hp setup] so that I could compete. I would be slowing my team down. There are some people who are capable of paying that money [im not] and willing to make the sacrifices associated with winning shows. Usually in shows, someone tries to do something different before the next show. The same car layed out the same way can only get so many trophies! so you MUST be enthusiastic and into the scene to be "Elite" I guess, LOL. But be enthusiastic, not financially engulfed...


Frank,
While you have hit on some good points, the overall tone is a little off. Your view of Brett is correct and he does have nice little details that draw attention to his ride and it is done tastefully. The real reason that Brett wins a lot of shows is because it is clean. I have judged shows all over the southeast and the ones that win are the ones that are clean. You can have a car with 5k in it and one with 2k and the 2k car will win if it is the cleaner of the two. Now once you get to the world of wheels arenas then that takes on a different tone and more comes into play. Now to be a best of show contender, yes you have to have some money in your car and 9 times out of 10 it cannot be driven dailey.

The most successful clubs know that (with the exception of clubs like ECI) when going to shows you cover all aspects of the show. Stock, mild, wild, and so on as this will create a standard and competivness that will be recognized by others. I know when we pulled into a truck show with all of our trucks people were upset with us because we raised the bar at that show. And in between shows is not when cars change, between show seasons is when the majority of the cars will change (good example is Tim West-it changes between every show season). Most clubs usually start at mild and begin to set the standard there, but some will have stock cars that will compete with but it all depends on the club and the image they are creating.

[Jay B II]

This is what I do not understand about the whole club deal...why does it take show worthy or track worthy cars to have a club? That is just rediculous to me. Why can't a group of friends who hang out on a regular basis identify themselves as a club. You know there are some of us in the scene that can't and I mean can't no matter how hard we tried heavily mod our cars anytime in the near future. Take me for instance, I have two kids 4yrs and 11mos, I have mounds of debt and right now I'm working a shitty ass job so basically unless I'm given parts I don't see body kits and turbos and all that other shit coming my way any time soon. So why couldn't I start a club for people who are in my same position...people who have enthusiasm for cars and tuning but don't have the funds to run with the likes of the "elite" clubs?

Another thing, why does my car have to be nice by somebody elses standards for me to be accepted in the scene. I've never had more than a few bolt ons and some small hand made mods on my cars and because of that I've always felt like I'm on the outside looking in because unless you have thousands of dollars worth of custom mods you're basically a nobody. I mean why does how your own car looks, determine how enthusiastic you are about cars?

[Rabunchic]

AMEN!!

[A.P. Photography]

Clubs are put together to compete in shows and hang out. You can have a club of nothing but friends who are into cars, there is nothing wrong with that. What does change is the minute you deceide to compete in shows that takes on a whole new level and you have to be competitive in shows to have an image. I have built all of my cars to suit my taste not someone elses. It just so happens that a lot of people like what I did. Now you do have people that build cars to suit other people and you always will, the difference is for you to know which you want.

You keep saying that you are broke and can not affored to do anything and with two kids I can see how that can be hard. Set up a small fund and deposit your left over change or extra dollars into the fund to help you with the car. If there is a will there is a way. You have to want to find a way and stop expecting it to come easy. Another thing you will find is when you hang with a club you will become family and they will also donate their talents to help you along.

[collins]

good call jb! oh, and love the sig homie! lol.

[collins]

something else i dont get is why its always about the shows? yeah, i had fun at a few shows over the years, but i'd much rather participate in some kind of track event. there are clubs out there that do various things. i see no issue with the fact that not everybody wants to sit around at a car show and watch people look at their car.

[Kristi]

yea i like the sig - women love the rod

hey james - get online please sir

[A.P. Photography]

something else i dont get is why its always about the shows? yeah, i had fun at a few shows over the years, but i'd much rather participate in some kind of track event. there are clubs out there that do various things. i see no issue with the fact that not everybody wants to sit around at a car show and watch people look at their car.
I don't mean to keep saying shows, there are plenty of teams out there that compete in both with a race division and show division. Really it depends on what area you want to take the club/group/drunks/rednecks/leghumpers etc. :p

[A.P. Photography]

yea i like the sig - women love the rod


Thank you :D

[collins]

hahaha, leghumpers. hahaha, thats funny. but yeah, i hear ya.

[buddha@TeamFX]

Thats one of the greatest things about our club...We have ppl that just do stereo, some that just do shows, some that do both, some thats into track, and some thats into drag racing...in the end its all about having fun, making friends( ours is some ppl that couldnt imagine not being in my life now...like tom I think he has became like a 2nd dad to most of us. ) and all sharing the love of cars whether what aspect or make of them it is.

[©hris]

It took me awhile to read all of this but, Everything that was said I agree on as well, And I accually thought back to wTn and I remember how fun it was. And i prob made a mistake, but I look at what us Equal Minds has and I see a good future because of what everyone said in this thread. We may or may not make it, but I think we have a good chance.... Thanks! :goodjob:

[Brett]

Chris, I have no dount you all will make EM work, I know the peopl ein it along with you truley want to make it work, and thats what is needed to make it work, Passion.

[Julio]

honestly, screw a car club/teams, Just be friends and have fun with you cars Don't need a name to feel accepted in this passion. In some cases.

[HiPSI]

honestly, screw a car club/teams, Just be friends and have fun with you cars Don't need a name to feel accepted in this passion. In some cases.


you're just jealous because you're not in a club, right julio? ;)

clubs are fun, as long as everyone's friends and it's just for that one simple fact... FUN. it's when you try to become all official and make it into some sort of task just to be a part of the club that everything goes down hill. we call Underpressure a club, but there are every few of us, we don't have official meetings, we don't have requirements, we don't go on recruiting raids and try to get people to come over to our way of thinking. we are all friends and get together when we can, which isn't often these days, but we still all get along and have fun when we can. maybe that's the key, we aren't all over each other's backs day in and day out trying to arrange meetings and playing club politics ;).

[flysi00]

^^^ thats how clubs should be

[green91]

i think most car clubs are for people who are on a power or ego trip

i like it when some of us casually meet up and chill... i could give a fuck less about winning shows. i build my shit for me. if someone else likes it - great! if not i could care less

[quickdodge®]

I've always felt like I'm on the outside looking in

Bullshit. Later, QD.

[Jay B II]

^^^you're right I did not always feel like I was on the outside looking in...I think it really came about when I started seeing things differently than the people around me.


Set up a small fund and deposit your left over change or extra dollars into the fund to help you with the car. If there is a will there is a way. You have to want to find a way and stop expecting it to come easy.

See I'm too impatient for that...I think that's one of my biggest problems...I want results right away I don't want to have to wait and save for stuff.


Another thing you will find is when you hang with a club you will become family and they will also donate their talents to help you along.

I agree with that when I was in a club I did feel like the input of my fellow club members helped me alot.

[Brett]

Jay B, You make it sound like you are the only one who has kids, Wife, Lotsa bills, etc..... Trust me alot of us are in the same boat, Hell I cant afford to do much to mine either. There is so much shit Id love to do to take it to that next level, But to take it to that next level I need the cash, and I dont have it. Just make the most of what you have at any one given time, and enjoy it, Fully done or not, You can ejoy the show scene, or whatever you enjoy.

[Jay B II]

I do make the most of what I have...I'm not complaining about what I have...I just don't understand why what I have or what I do to my car has to determine whether or not I'm enthusiastic about it...why making my family a priority over doing stuff to my car makes me less of an enthusiast. Believe me even now, with me making only 2.13 an hour plus my couple of hundred dollars in tips each week and bill collectors breathing down my neck I still put anything I can into my car but it doesn't amount to much.

[Brett]

My family will ALWAYS come before the car, I feel ya on that man, And I dont think you have to have tons of $$$ to be a part of this culture, If you enjoy the cars, thats all it should take :)

[Jay B II]

Yeah Brett I know you think that way...you and I have always been cool from back when my car was just stock with some rims...It just seems like other people on here don't think that way though.

[A.P. Photography]

No one every said that you were less of an enthusiast for putting your family first. THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. Anyone who puts you down for that is low life scum. Most clubs know that you have family and do not say a word when you spend time with them or something comes up. Being in this scene is not about how much money you have in your car but how much passion you have for it. Anybody can buy a car, take it to a shop, drop mad money on it and show it. The real car people are the ones that do it all or as much as they can and are able to rattle off every little detail of the car down to the last bolt that was put in before the show. My first cruise in was in a bone stock escort GT, I met some really cool guys there that helped me get started and I did most everything with very little money because they all helped and guided me. That is what you NEED to realize is that if you stop BITCHING about how this club was/is or how much money I have or lack there of and actually get in with a good group of people either club/IA/friends that mods will come as you get to know more people and they offer talents that you might not of had access to alone. Now granted if you are shooting for ECI type cars then you will need money but local shows is the heart of the scene and that is where friends/club/IA comes in.

[QuickBrick]

honestly, screw a car club/teams, Just be friends and have fun with you cars Don't need a name to feel accepted in this passion. In some cases.

Damn Julio, in a large way isn’t IA one big club/brotherhood of its own? Maybe you don’t give a rats azz about any club or team but they definitely don’t hurt you. Think about it buddy, we help market and support IA year around!

To those talking about rules (or there lack of) this site has rules, requirements and monitoring (basic structure for any business) to not only keep members in line but also keep IA and its board out of court (while enhancing the members experience), is see no difference in the two. I guess its ok to agree to rules on a site but God forbid you have structure in a car club? Most of you joined IA because it has something in common with you, aren’t clubs/teams the same?

The major point I’ve been trying to share here is that clubs have a lot of positive aspects; yes there are negatives too but mostly positive. And Julio I agree wholeheartedly, having friends in the scene is the whole idea, having a group of close friends to share in the scene and play together, even better!


i think most car clubs are for people who are on a power or ego trip

i like it when some of us casually meet up and chill... i could give a fuck less about winning shows. i build my shit for me. if someone else likes it - great! if not i could care less

Most of the people I know work on their rides as a hobby plain and simple but to address your comments, enjoying competition is not an ego trip “unless your shit don’t stink”, it’s a competition letting a judge or judges decide if your build design is better, worse or equal to the next competitor. Do you compete in anything? IMHO to each his/her own, if you’re not into competition so be it, but why piss in someone’s Wheaties because they are?


No one every said that you were less of an enthusiast for putting your family first. THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. Anyone who puts you down for that is low life scum. Most clubs know that you have family and do not say a word when you spend time with them or something comes up. Being in this scene is not about how much money you have in your car but how much passion you have for it. Anybody can buy a car, take it to a shop, drop mad money on it and show it. The real car people are the ones that do it all or as much as they can and are able to rattle off every little detail of the car down to the last bolt that was put in before the show. My first cruise in was in a bone stock escort GT, I met some really cool guys there that helped me get started and I did most everything with very little money because they all helped and guided me. That is what you NEED to realize is that if you stop BITCHING about how this club was/is or how much money I have or lack there of and actually get in with a good group of people either club/IA/friends that mods will come as you get to know more people and they offer talents that you might not of had access to alone. Now granted if you are shooting for ECI type cars then you will need money but local shows is the heart of the scene and that is where friends/club/IA comes in.

Well put!

Tom

[quickdodge®]

There is so much shit Id love to do to take it to that next level,

Brett, if I were you, I wouldn't do shit else to that car. You can't top what you have, honestly. Later, QD.

[A.P. Photography]

Brett, if I were you, I wouldn't do shit else to that car. You can't top what you have, honestly. Later, QD.
Agreed

[innerhole]

i agree totally about car clubs i mean not all car clubs are same and for each car club they are looking for something different in order to be in there club. but i think it's the negative attitudes of some people in them that has given car clubs a bad rep. i know from my experience, once people find out what type of car i drive all i get is negative feed on it. not even knowing what all i have done to it or how much time i have put in to it. and the people that seem to approach me are in a car clubs and just think that they are all that because of what car they drive or the fact that they are in a car club. just my 2cents

[green91]

Most of the people I know work on their rides as a hobby plain and simple but to address your comments, enjoying competition is not an ego trip “unless your shit don’t stink”, it’s a competition letting a judge or judges decide if your build design is better, worse or equal to the next competitor. Do you compete in anything? IMHO to each his/her own, if you’re not into competition so be it, but why piss in someone’s Wheaties because they are?



Im just saying that if i build a car how i want it, its not for anyone else to tell me someone elses car is better.

[innerhole]

very true

[Brett]

i agree totally about car clubs i mean not all car clubs are same and for each car club they are looking for something different in order to be in there club. but i think it's the negative attitudes of some people in them that has given car clubs a bad rep. i know from my experience, once people find out what type of car i drive all i get is negative feed on it. not even knowing what all i have done to it or how much time i have put in to it. and the people that seem to approach me are in a car clubs and just think that they are all that because of what car they drive or the fact that they are in a car club. just my 2cents

What type of car do you drive?

[innerhole]

a honda and a kia

[BTLFED]

Holy shit. Cliff notes please, and I can't believe we are discussing this AGAIN.

[Brett]

a honda and a kia

Thats kind of a broad range there, You dont want to put what type of Honda and Kia? I want to know, because you say people judge you because of what you have.......

[innerhole]

naaaaa i was in a hurry!!!, plus i didn't know if you wanted to know.