In the local stude club that I belong to, many of the members are older. My lady friend and I are in our mid 50's and we are some of the youngest ones in the club. There are a few others in their mid to late 30's, but no one younger than that. Is the situation like that in ur club? My point is this. Shouldn't we, as a collective group, be figuring out a way to get the younger folks involved? Has any one addressed this issue, to study it a bit, and start planning on how we can get the kids away from the video games and the malls for the sake of passing the torch, and such? I don't imagine that stude clubs are the only ones is this boat. What are the other clubs, i.e. fords & chevy's, etc. doing about this issue. The sky isn't falling yet, but I do see some cracks in it.
Pretty well said. I want to say (IMOHO) that the aging membership, as a whole, has done little to enthuse younger people to pursue the Studebaker hobby. The hoarding tactics, the selling ideals, and the criticism of anything other than stock has chased the young'uns off to other venues that are more willing to tolerate and accept them. Say... The street rod crowd. The aging Stude type tends to be more cynical and critical, more close minded, and less tolerant. It has been this way in this club for over...well, since it's inception. (Spoken from personal firsthand experience). If this same course is continued, the biggest growth segment of the Studebaker hobby will be the estate sales and cars on Ebay from heirs. Sound critical? Yep. Universal and absolute? Nope. Until the club does 'more' things that are fun for people to do, it will not grow. (No slam here on what the club is doing now...but there needs to be more... A LOT more.) And fun is not having a Q&A session at a banquet and doing memory tests about what trim option was on a 19whatever convertible. Want to put a youngster to sleep? One of the better 'events' is the Tri-State meet in Asheville... They do wacky stuff (Valve cover racing, with awards and cheaters and everything ) and fun stuff that has only a little to do with Stude's. But the kids have fun. My goal is to only participate in clubs that are fun. Time is a finite and irreplaceable thing. If it isn't fun (or I can't make it fun)... I'm not going to hang around long. Too many other choices. That is exactly what the young people are telling us...without saying a word. They are off elsewhere. Merely having possession of a Studebaker and knowing every nut, bolt, adjustment, and second of it's existence is not enough. Being an ambassador, jester, and entertainment coordinator to the hobby is more like it. Some are great at doing just that. Some could care less. This issue has been brought up annually for decades. I guess it is the season to see it here again. Jeff (Thinking hard about the delete key...oops! Too late!) Rice
Off the top of my head: How about talking to a 16 year old and seeing if s/he would like a car for free: If so, supply him/her with a runner and offers of advice in improving it and maybe even some hands-on help until it is a good running 50 ft /
50 MPH car.
At that point, get it apprased and offer the title to him /her for what the car was worth when you "loaned" it to him.
You get the first chance, should he sell it in the next five (?) years after it's running.
Any modifications offered to the above? (Could be an individual or chapter offer.) Karl
I have a '52 Commander HT rust bucket I'll give away to anyone wanting it. It needs more than a little work to get running though.
Seriously, I like the idea, and it could be a club project for a chapter looking for one. Our chapter is taking a much needed break from club projects. '51 2R16 dump trucks are great projects! ;)
Matthew
snipped-for-privacy@earthl> Off the top of my head:
Just drive your cars, thats the best thing you can do to get the word out. I'm 24 and bought my first Stude when I was 16, the reason I go to meets is to find parts and talk about the cars. I have restored 2 Larks for far less than I would have spent on 1 brand X and they are bone stock. Part of the pride of driving a Stude is knowing that I can keep up with the other guys with my little out dated 289. IMHO your not going to increase membership by bringing in the street rodders, because they just care about the body, but instead looking for the purists that want a Stude powered Studebaker.
I disagree... And I think the very statement you just made is at the core of the problem. You just labeled a Studebaker enthusiast as negative because of your view, and not including his view. There are many, many Studebaker enthusiasts out there that have modified, as well as stock Studebakers. Saying they don't care about anything other than the body is cold, and rather callous. Now, having said that..... I think you are seeing a trend in keeping Stude power in Stude's right now. Maybe the bell curve of magazine sales ad built hot rod's is past peak, as more respect is being shown to Stude engine's in Stude bodies. Jeff
Welll...think of a twin turbo on that B&S, and hybrid-electric drive for the front wheels to quadruple the horsepower....naaaahhh, still a Mobi with a funky exterior.
Jim Bartley on PEI--but that combo would be fun on the (red, topless, 5 speed) lawn tractor
I would like to add my two cents worth, if I may. Back in the early seventies when I was new to the club(20) now (55); I have evolved from the "kid" into the "older guy"-- Herb Keller, then Pres of SDC and Harry Barnes were having a discussion about this very topic. Basically they both told me to listen, learn, and help start the L.I. Chapter. I adhered to their advice and have seen the club survive, grow and thrive. Their secret was to quietly guide and never criticize. I have spent 35 years in the old car hobby. Many SDCers are still close friends from the 70's. I also saw duty as the National Nash Car Club V.P. Many Long Islanders will remember my 60 Rambler at Studebaker functions. Simply put: "toleration" seems to be the best course! As stated before opinions and personalities always come into play. But the good always outlives the bad and my tribute to this tirade is simply the 1952 Studebaker that my brother and I, both under twelve, convinced my father to buy after his 48 Ford bit the dust. Teaching for thirty five years has taught me that the more things change the more they stay the same. Live long and prosper!! Flathead.
The Ocean Bay Chapter is 40 years old and I think that, in addition to those who are still members from the start, there are some who are younger than the club and membership is bigger than when it was a year or two old.
If you think long and hard,almost anything is do-able. I have produced dyno tested 11.2 horsepower from a certified legal 5 HP Briggs&Stratton for the Super stock class of WKA Kart racing. That engine and it's offspring won 67 races,and 3 championships in 4 years. I was at a small track 50 miles from home for a benefit race, and 2 "old timers" wearing Bib overalls saw and heard it run. One fellow commented to the other "That thing would be hell on a garden tiller! Anyone into bar stool racing?? Some people would even race a Stude Valve cover!! It's amazing what can be dreamed up to have fun. Fun draws people, don't let the competition get too serious ,keep it fun. The "meet, eat, and beat feet" cycle needs to be broken. My two sons have started an informal VW (aircooled) club- no dues,officers,etc. The have a contact list and meet the same place and time each month. They meet at a local restaurant in sight of the interstate, and the meet night coincides with a local free cruise in. After dinner they convoy to the cruise in ,enter and park as a group. During the cruise in, the do an unannounced contest-last month it was the search for the VW with the dirtiest oil- the winner recieved an oil change kit. Afterwards they may travel 2 miles to my oldest son's house and have an informal music jam session until midnight. Last night, no cruise in- a 7 member band played 4 hours at the restaurant (brought in by the VW club,-free quality entertainment!), next month, they are going bowling( Group rates several lanes reserved).All this done with zero budget,and no club officers. They have 50 people on the contact list and growing,some from 75 miles away. We need young enthusiastic members. Young people and boredom do not mix. Young people will figure out how not to be bored.Bring them in, give them a voice in your local club.
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