Combining MARC, MAFFI & MAFCA

[John LaVoy]

While I wasn't a member of the Model A hobby at the time of the split I did join in the early 60s and was told at the time the split had to do with geography as much as politics. A large faction of Model A owners lived in California and felt they would be better served by an association with a club that was headquartered in their area.

Now with the use of things like this site and better highways etc. where the headquarters is located shouldn't matter as long as the activities were set up to be inclusive of all those involved. We run into insurance problems when hosting an event and this is the requirement to belong to the club that is the host, which is understandable but perhaps we need to investigate ways to incorporate any Model A owner who wants to attend an event as a member or not.

Encouraging people, young or old, to be active will keep the hobby going and deciding on one or two clubs would be come something that isn't that important, at least to me. Just for the record I do belong to both clubs, MAFCA much longer than MARC. That comes from being on the West coast and all the chapters were MAFCA connected. At that time MAFCA was pretty much West Coast and MARC was East Coast. Each approachedthe conventions and activities in a similar fashion but each have things that the other could use, again in my opinion.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by H. L. Chauvin

Per reply #8:

"WOW" ......... anybody know if he is still hanging ...... or did they cut him down yet?

Naw, they left the body swingin' in the breeze, the kind of treatment they used to give to pirates in 1700's Charleston, S.Carolina

John LaVoy touched on an important part of it all "...every Model A owner who wants to attend an event as a member or not....." This is the key. Sometimes the clubs become too inclusive and shun the newly interested guy out. I've seen this happen over and over again. Main reason I refuse to join any car clubs locally at least. Used to participate years ago but never again. I was never treated rudely but I sure saw it happen to others. It was a real turn-off.

[John LaVoy]

Because of the magazine I looked at how other "car" organizations did their events, magazines, tours etc. I don't look at "the other" club as competition for the Model A hobby, the competition is the street rod faction. I have attended huge gatherings of street rods, of course I was in the minority in my "stock" Model A but was still accepted. As one Model A guy who was moving over to the street rods said "they throw a better party!" When I was attending a MAFCA meet several years ago I had walked down town for lunch. I was still wearing my convention badge and was approached by a local guy who owned a Model A but was not a member of any club. They wouldn't let him in to even see the cars. With that kind of approach we don't get a lot of people to want to join. I remember years ago there was always an open to the public viewing of all the cars and the public was encouraged to attend. Now we run and hide and don't want them there it seems. Maybe we need to look at ways to show people our hobby and invite them in. I know driving the cars is one way that works well. We get all kinds of comments on our Summer Tours as we travel through various states. So think of ways to open our hobby up and invite people to come and enjoy the things we do about the hobby, the car and the companionship!

[[email protected]]

The wives have to be a part of the team to get the locals to become new members. Many years ago when I bought my first Model A I found out about MARC and joined. Then I saw that their was a local region in my area and I called the phone number. The wife of the club president answered the phone and actually talked me out of joining their club. She told me it was just a bunch of Old F*rts that did a parade or two but not much else. It was going down to just a few members. Luckily for me I later ran into actual members of this local club at a National MARC meet and found them to be active, delightful, and just great people.

Another example is a wife of a guy that have a very nice looking Model A that they used the empty out the checkbook method of restoration on it. A perspective new member of this same club showed up at an event with his "new" rusty Model A barely runner then going through a piece at a time restoration. This particular wife was rude and hurt his feelings when she told him that she couldn't believe that he would drive that PoS. He should at least get it painted before he could join in with us. Sometime they just need to know politically when to keep the mouth shut.....

On a plus side for the wives. Our club would not be the same without their participation and support. These women are a special breed when you run them in Model A in a summer parade with temps in the HOT and hardly a complaint. Also if you can find one that can crank a Model A she is a keeper.

[oliverguy]

lots of interesting points of view especially newshirt and [email protected]. I was lucky to find a local club that really embraces new members. They also really like to have families, kids and wives participate. Happens to be the Lehigh Valley Model A club.

There are plenty of choices out there for old car clubs. Likely there will be some consolidation at some point.

[nhusa]

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As a non-club member with a newly re-acquired Model A, I find this discussion very interesting.
I have met numerous people with T’s and A’s that do not belong to a club because they see no benefit or feel as though they don’t fit in.

It sounds like belonging to a local club is a bit like belonging to a church.
Sometimes you find a local church that is friendly and sometimes you find one that is not.
Sometimes you find people that think the way you do and sometimes you do not.
Sometimes they will let be part of the group and sometimes the clique excludes people.
Sometimes they encourage you and sometimes they do not.

I did join the local Model T club (not national) shortly after I got the T and go to meetings when I can - but since am not into touring 50 to 100 miles I do not fit into the focus of the group and am a bit of an outsider. I get enjoyment out of taking the T to a local car show a couple times a year and talking with kids – young and old. I also like taking my grand daughters and friends on trips to get ice cream and apples etc. .

For the new guy like me the “open door policy” on forums like the Ford Barn and the Model T Club of America are a great help. Their encouragement, knowledge, guidance, and humor make it possible to not panic when there is a problem. For me with a stuck A motor – I can’t say enough about the info and visit from a FB forum member. Without it I would probably have sold the Model A and missed out on a fabulous experience.

[spdway1]

This SURE us the truth around here "Sometimes they encourage you and sometimes they do not"

[RockHillWill]

These responses are very interesting and display a wide range of opinions.

The most obvious observation is that folks who are both members of a National club AND are here on Fordbarn are able to observe from a much wider perspective than those who are only here on the Fordbarn.

One of the major differences seen as a participant of one of the National clubs is that you can observe first hand the results of a large number of folks who spend a great deal of their own time, effort and even their own money for the benefit of the National club and it's members. The folks that have the testicles to step forward to present a national event sign up for as much as two years of work, planning, scheduling and gathering information and sorting out details, that is all done for the betterment of others, and that is a significantly different set of requirements than a cup of coffee and a keyboard, 15-20 minutes at a time.

Monday morning quarterbacks are paid EXACTLY what they are worth.

As always, just thoughts.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by RockHillWill

These responses are very interesting and display a wide range of opinions.

The most obvious observation is that folks who are both members of a National club AND are here on Fordbarn are able to observe from a much wider perspective than those who are only here on the Fordbarn.

One of the major differences seen as a participant of one of the National clubs is that you can observe first hand the results of a large number of folks who spend a great deal of their own time, effort and even their own money for the benefit of the National club and it's members. The folks that have the testicles to step forward to present a national event sign up for as much as two years of work, planning, scheduling and gathering information and sorting out details, that is all done for the betterment of others, and that is a significantly different set of requirements than a cup of coffee and a keyboard, 15-20 minutes at a time.

Monday morning quarterbacks are paid EXACTLY what they are worth.

As always, just thoughts.

This POST was WAY over due !! Thank You Will..

[DougVieyra]

At this late date in the Forum Posts regarding the merging of the two clubs, I hesitate to add yet another point. But I will do so nonetheless.

There is a definite 'Mind Set" in the MARC leadership that prevents the MARC leadership from having much of anything to do that is not concentric to the Eastern half of the country. When was the last time you remember a MARC event of any kind in the Western third of the country ? And that is the real reason why the Southern California boys formed a Model A club that would better serve Model A members in the Western third of the country. They wanted some National Events to be held in closer proximity to where a goodly number of Model A owners lived - in the West.

Fifty years have passed since those early days, but I have (perhaps I missed it) yet to see a MARC sanctioned event in California, or Oregon, or Washington, or Nevada, or Idaho, or Montana, or Utah, or Arizona, or New Mexico, or Colorado, or Wyoming, etc.

But if you count the MAFCA events that have been held in the Eastern two-thirds of the Country, I think you will find quite a few.

The two national clubs are just 'different' in their attitude. Until this issue is laid to rest, the likelyhood of their merging is not going to happen.

I think it will happen right after the Democats join together with the Rebuplicans to form 'One party for the good of the country - and to avoid deplication of efforts". When that happens, then I will revise my estimation of the likelyhood of the two National Model A Clubs joining together.

Bye the way, I joined MARC in 1959, and MAFCA in 1963, AACA in 1965.

[Mike V. Florida]

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12310

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12243

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12297

[jimalabam]

As long as there are at least two Model A'ers, one in MAFCA, one in MARC, and neither one a cross-over in both clubs; there will never be a merger. Ego-Ego-Ego!!!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

When was the last time you remember a MARC event of any kind in the Western third of the country ?

I guess the San Diego MARC meet a couple of years ago doesn't count???

[RockHillWill]

Brent, this has been as issue with us recently. We did try to extend our presence to the West coast, with the San Diego event, and it was very poorly attended and from all the first hand feedback that I have received, it appears that the western folks were not overly interested in supporting a MARC event as the preponderance of the attendees were from MARC. I am under the understanding that the organizers lost quite a bit of their own money.

Many of these posts would be more easily digested if they were more often related to actual facts.

If the fact that MAFCA events are well attended on the East Coast by both MARC and MAFCA members and the MARC event in California was predominantly attended by the MARC group, what would be the most logical conclusion using the words commitment, support, courtesy and respect?

I attended both the MARC National in Wisconsin and the MAFCA National event in Michigan the year before last. Setting aside the courtesy and respect aspect of MAFCA planning a Meet one week after the MARC event and in the next door state, the Wisconsin meet was attended by many folks from both MARC and MAFCA, while the Michigan meet was attended by a large contingent of MARC folks.

Some of the better MAFCA associated judges that attended the MARC meet went home prior to the MAFCA meet. What would that say about commitment and support? This little detail did not prevent some on the West coast from making discouraging comments (even here on the Fordbarn) regarding the 'quality' of the judges that judged the Michigan event. Those folks that put forth the effort and the time to host this event were only able to pick the judges from those folks that actually took the time to show up. Commitment?

Once more, these are only thoughts.

[brum1]

It would be interesting to have the national clubs put the concept of a merger(with all the associated benefits) to a membership vote??

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Yes Will I agree but folks will only believe what seems believable. I did make that 36 hour trek to the meet that year and I feel it was definitely a fine meet. Gary and all the hosts did a great job, ...and Yes, politics from the MARC-haters likely did play into the lower attendance.

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

Yes Will I agree but folks will only believe what seems believable. I did make that 36 hour trek to the meet that year and I feel it was definitely a fine meet. Gary and all the hosts did a great job, ...and Yes, politics from the MARC-haters likely did play into the lower attendance.

I truly believe that to be a terrible misconception and unfair characterization. In the overall scheme of things not many folks attend national meets of either club as individuals. Most attendees come and participate in groups, i.e., chapters or regions. They plan their schedules and events of choice within their their own little social group but often know and connect with other folks or groups from their own geographic area.

As silly as it may sound to those of us that participate with both clubs and have done so for decades, for most of these folks 'crossing over' is entering an unknown. "Will I even know anybody?" "Why would I spend the time and money only to be surrounded by hundreds of folks I don't know?"

Most individuals won't do it so it requires one or two strong, experienced folks to motivate most of their group to jump in with assurance they will indeed have a great time.

For the masses that make up either club it has NOTHING to do with politics, hatred, or snubbing. It has everything to do with personal social issues and comfort zones.

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by John LaVoy

...When I was attending a MAFCA meet several years ago I had walked down town for lunch. I was still wearing my convention badge and was approached by a local guy who owned a Model A but was not a member of any club. They wouldn't let him in to even see the cars. With that kind of approach we don't get a lot of people to want to join. I remember years ago there was always an open to the public viewing of all the cars and the public was encouraged to attend. Now we run and hide and don't want them there it seems. Maybe we need to look at ways to show people our hobby and invite them in.

I've never encountered that however I HAVE heard of it occurring at a couple NCRG meets which startled me to say the least. I believe in both cases they were county fairground based events and folks weren't allowed to enter buildings unless they were registered for the meet. That seems pretty COLD to me.

The vast majority of meets are centralized at a host hotel. In this case ANYONE has the freedom to wander through the hotel, parking lot, etc., and can only be excluded from ticketed events just like everyone else.

[msmaron]

Sorry to hear that but is is based on Liability of the "PUBLIC" with the clubs insurance which is an entire can of worms we need not go into!

[RockHillWill]

I have never personally encountered a snub to any sort of person with an interest in 'looking' at a Model A at either of the National Club events. Neither club overlooks the advantage of inviting a 'newby' to look around.