VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Just a question about " YOUR group"

This is a responce I received from one of your members,in regards to a inquiry I made on one of my first posts. This was from a Mr. "n2chev" You are on the wrong site Sir. This is "The Vintage Chevrolet of America" club site and we are dedicated to preserving history not destroying it. You need to go to a Stree Rod Site> [quote]

I did get a couple of kindly replies to my original inquiry, so I know not all of you guy's are as ignorant as this azzclown. Somebody needs to bend this jerk over and pull the stick out of his [bleeped] and then teach him how to spell "street rod site" or at least use the spell check feature. :o

Rant over :grin: Thank you to all that responded to my inquiry, and my apologies for waiting so long to get back to you. I just noticed the little flying envelope dealio today. :sleep:

This site is for the restoration and preservation of vintage Chevrolets, as you have gathered from your other posts. Some of these folks are rather sensitive to seeing one rodded. Most will ask the circumstances before really telling you to go to another site for info, but will still tell you that you are welcome here. All are trying to be helpful. Some parts are very hard to come by and the modification of any curls our toe nails. Obviously from your description your fathers '30 was already well on its way to a rod project. Even with all this in consideration with your attitude and language you probably ought to check into another site.

As our club tries to maintain our "lifestyle" in the coming years, it's becoming apparent that the next couple of generations use their Chevys a little differently than we did. They are more apt to "tune" them up. That's the polite way of saying "hot rod" them.

What our Board of Directors recently decided is that "A Chevy is a Chevy". So they opened up the club to ALL CHEVYS, regardless of years... and by inference... regardless of modification. That means that ALL CHEVYS can be parked on the display field at all sanctioned VCCA Meets.

Now, the "lifestyle" of our club is still being retained, in that the club only sanctions JUDGING for cars that are in original condition. But various exceptions are allowed now per the new categories that were added.

Having said that, some Regions also include MODIFIED CHEVY judging at their Regional Meets. That is their prerogative. It is a way for the club to remain flexible to the needs of the membership and to target a percentage of the future potential membership. Clubs that haven't changed in the past 30 years (and that includes thousands of non-automotive ones) are dying or losing ground daily. Elks, Odd Fellows, American Legion, VFW, Shiners, Boilermakers, Model T, etc etc .


Welcome to anyone who loves Chevrolets and likes to tinker with them. If you restore them to originality, Horray. If you modify them, then you're welcome also. A Chevy is a Chevy.

---Bill B

Bill,
Excellant post. It presents exactly the major questions facing the VCCA. What is our future? And how do we best prepare?

It would be nice to study other clubs and their success or lack there of. AACA is apparently one that bucks the trend and is growing. Many Chevrolet clubs have tried to incorporate judging for modified and stock without long-term success. Part of the problem in using that data is that several are businesses disquised as hobby clubs. Some have paid management, others totally volunteer. It is a mixed bag that is not easy to get an accurate read. Guess that is one reason that the VCCA BOD appears to be confused at times.

Bill,
You make some excellent points. I've posted my opinion before that we either need to adapt or wither away. I may not like it personally but it's necessary to ensure our survival.

Coach,


I'm wondering what you mean by "adapt" ????

Bill.

I read Coachill's posting to mean that we adapt to the current changes of the hobby, which includes street rods.

:) :grin:

If I join a National Street Rod Club will I be able to have my stock machines judged in their own class/ Will they have folks that can answer my questions? I don't think so.

Ha ha... I just love this topic. I hope that we're still arguing about this 20 years from now. If so, then that'll prove how beneficial it is to continue to express our thoughts.


but...

I sure hope that someone else has stepped up to run the Chat site by then. Otherwise you're all going to get awful tired of hearing about my old-man problems as they begin to manifest themselves.


Cheers everyone... and happy 5th of July. It's a great country that we live in, and that's a lot more important than what brand of carb I have on my car... Hell, in 5 years I'll bet that most cars don't even HAVE carbs anymore. Ha!!

--Bill Barker

I for one am proud of my "stock" '32. A lot of the guys at the local meets are facinated by it because, as a few have put it, "you just don't see these anymore."

After a few inquiring questions, and a kind nod of the head, they will often head over to some modified and chat with that guy for a much longer period of time. Why is that?

I think the answer is that there is just not much interest in the all stock cars anymore. Besides being asked were we located a few of the stock parts, or comment "so that's what it's supposed to look like...", they may take a few pictures for their own reference and move on.

Like this website, our expertise is free, but after the information is had, most will move on. That's too bad.

When I check the classifieds or ebay prices I can see that our cars are selling for far less than any modified. The interest clearly is not there anymore. Unless you have a 60's or early 70's muscle car it seems like the public is not interested in all stock.

I think the public's attitudes would change if we opened up our events to include all Chevys. A Chevy guy is a Chevy guy no matter what the condition of the car. We as the VCCA must come to recongnize that. Everyone of our events and this website should be open to responding in a possitive way to all Chevy lovers. We should hold on to our original greed to preserve the factory design, because we are respected for that, but accept the guy who has choosen to make changes simply because it's his car.

(modifications in bad taste not withstanding,...or to open up another can of worms, what's in bad taste?)

One issue with street rods that has only recently been addressed by officials (in California) is licensing and registration. So far they can be registered with the original (or claimed) year of manufacture even if the percentage of original parts is very low. In my opinion it is a loophole that eventually will close as regulators and officials realize that street rods are actually newly manufactured vehicles using some vintage parts and not vintage vehicles using some new parts. Once that happens street rods will become unfavored. They will need to meet safety standards, emission standards, etc. It will lead to the end of the street rods popularity.

42Bill,
Your question made me pause to make sure I used the right word. So I checked the thesaurus on MS Word and came up with the following synonyms:
become accustomed
get used to
adjust
...and others.

So, like Popeye, I meant what I said and I said what I meant. I understand the rules, and I understand the 'need' to let non-traditional VCCA type vehicles in our happy group but that doesn't mean I have to like them.

Coachhill,
I agree with you. We have the choice.....keep going down the road that we were on a few years ago, being inclusive only of what we see as Restored and preserved, Chevrolets restored to ORIGINAL. We were quite clear about "restored to original" But that road seems to lead to the club getting smaller and smaller as our numbers became older and older, loseing more members than we were retaining, many of the old club members are dying off and getting to the point that they can't enjoy their cars.
It is sad to me in the same way,to see the WWII vets dying off by the thousands each week and year, that is also going to happen to our club, Many of those that formed VCCA back in 1961 were retired and Senior Citizens.

We do have a fair bit of success in signing up brand new members, just check the "Welcome Aboard" page in the G&D....but! we were not having success of retaining them after that one initial joining. We don't have a "Didn't renew and stay in" page.

Maybe we were not providing what the new members were expecting.
I hold with the "restored to original" it kinda sticks in my craw when I see a 2001 Vette or a 1996 Impala or a 1996 Blazer on the show field,....but I also would want the club to be able to show healthy growth, so if we have to flex a bit and salvage the club by being more inclusive of all Chevrolets and growing the club,so be it.

I would like to believe that VCCA will be around many years after I am gone.

Chevnut, I don't know about all street rod clubs but I belong to the Comanche Car Club, primarly because the The Lone Star Region of VCCA (which I love because of the members) meets 135 miles to the North east of my home and The Comanche Car Club is made up of my neighbors. The Comanche Car club is an open club, all makes and manners of old cars, street rods, originals and even members that have no car but they want to enjoy the club activities. I have taken my "Restored to original" cars to their cruises, shows and meets (Lone Star Street Rods) They sometimes look kinda side ways at an original 4 banger 1928 or a hot water six 53 Belaire, but they have never denied me participation and have never been rude to me. Most of them like the 1968 Impala sport sedan with a 275 HP 327 and HT400, but many wish it were a SS 2 door HT.

I am sorry to say I have seen a Chevrolet owner with a prewar Chevrolet with a 350/350 and air conditioning and mag wheels that showed up at a VCCA event be treated with disdane and pure-old uncalled for rudeness, just as they have been here on the Chatter, on ocassion.

IMHO... that is uncalled for and should no longer happen.....

I will try to point them to a forum that may be better able to give them information and help with their problem, but I don't have to be rude as to how I address the situation. Let them stay around and maybe they will be an asset to the site.

By the way, skyskier
I don't think that Hoppy meant to be rude...... and I hope VCCA never, never, forgets where their roots, and primary obligation is to: The Restored to original Chevrolet car or truck

Hi Coach,

To be sure, I was just wondering. And frankly, I think you used the perfect word (adapt) for the circumstances.

The VCCA that I (and others like me who have been members for 20-30-40 years) have known for years and years likely does need to adapt. For two reasons.

1. I just don't see younger guys appreciating the older cars. And we need the younger guys to join and re-new. Younger guys to me are in their 30's and 40's. It seems to me their preference is for the 50's and 60's cars. MANY of those cars have been modified. Some mods that can't even be seen. And a lot of those younger guys also seem to like the resto-rods.

The other reason is, altho I see many of the 50-55 and up year olds, who have been long time members, still have one or two of the old Chevys that are perfect examples of the VCCA mission statement. "Original... etc." But it seems like more-and-more of those long time members in the 50-55 and up age group also have one or two of the 50's-60's cars. Many modified with crate motors, electronic OD trans, PS/PB added that weren't there when the car was new, etc. etc. Some of them also have a Resto-rod. Like a '41 that more-or-less looks original but has a V-8 and AT and so on. It seems they have a car like that in order to make is easier to "get along" on the freeways and even in just regular traffic/driving.

It seems to me the bottom line is we all love Chevrolets. I suspect that for the good of the organization it's best if we all accept these Chevys (i.e. adapt), regardless of exactly what "form" the Chevys we love come in.

Bill.

It puzzles me why people would take an old car and change it. If they want the experience of driving an antique then why modify it? To me it would be like restoring our governer's mansion ( ou all heard it was torched), and putting an esculator in it!!!Why change history?

Good idea! putting in an esculator in the Texas Governors mansion
also a bowling alley in the basement.

I get quite a chuckle at the dissention in the ranks concerning this issue. There's also a lot of dissention on the rod forums between the street rodders, traditional hot rodders and rat rodders (yes, there's a huge difference between them all).

Over my 62 years, I've restored cars, built traditional hot rods, toured in restored antiques and rods, had cars judged (both restored & modified), drag raced and even did a little stock car & motorcycle racing. I appreciate the work & effort that's been done to most all cars to keep them active, even if I wouldn't want a particular car for myself or agree with the execution.

About the only thing in the entire hobby I don't care for is the incessant intolerance to somebody else's dreams and ideas. Dang, if you don't like what somebody's done to their car, don't look at it. If you don't want something done to a vehicle, buy it yourself and do what you want to with it, otherwise, forget about it. Why get all upset about something you can't control ?

My 2¢

Gee !!!!!!

Yep, where there are several enthusiastic hobbyists for any hobby there will be dissenters one direction or another, that alone should not be cause to narrow the application in order to appeal to more hobbyists. We all just need to see if we can get along,and enjoy the cars and trucks as long as they are all Chevrolets, of course! :vcca:

Bob, I agree 100 percent...Oscar

i agree everbody we should all respect the other guy interest on the other hand if i go a long way to a vcca meet i believe in truth in advertising i go to see vintage chevrolet not what ican see on car lotts on at a local cruise you can belong to more the one club rather have a small good club then one like everone else that just my 2 cents worth don t mean i dislike other people interest my interest is old chevys have a good day and get some kind of chevy

I like going to a good car show and go to Good Guys every year in Des Moines. Yes rods are great and to see folks ingenuity is a lot of fun.
But I attended my first VCCA event in Grand Junction, Colorado at the 45th meet and there is nothing like seeing all those old cars chugging along. A site and sound no street rod can make.
I belong to a tractor club for the same reason. Once they're gone, they're gone.
I know an argument is that they drive and ride so much better with modern up dates. But if you have something of some historical value that will never be the same and a piece of history is lost.
The most important thing in all this is to enjoy what you have.
The aggravation, the accomplishment, the pride in your ride.

I agree With you Tom.
I also think that is another good reason to have the VCCA Anniversery Meetings out where we can drive the the older Chevrolets without having to worry about the traffic conditions of a large metro-area.

I think a lot of the posts here are an indication that change is on it's way.

I will keep my 32 just as it is, all stock, but will probably get a mild modified in the future, Why?, because I'm 58 years old and I grew up with that type of Chevy. My memories are very strong from back then when my buddies and I would get together on Friday nights in the garage and then go racing on Saturday nights. We all had Chevys, from 55's with Vette engines to dead stock 69 Chevelle SS's.

Given my age bracket, a lot of us now have the time and money to get back into hanging with our car buddies. I still love the old stock cars for historic, and preservation reasons. We shouldn't let that part of Chevrolet history fade away. That's why I'm in the VCCA.

There is also a part of Chevrolet history that I feel ought to be preserved. That is during the sixties and early seventies when Chevrolet gave us it's blessing to go street racing. Wow! Those were exciting times.

That is the other part of me that longs to participate in my era of Chevrolet. I was 17 to 19 years old and all of us wanted a "cool car". We all wanted to make some noise and go fast! That was the sign of my times.

I'd ALSO like to participate in that again and not be looked down upon by the VCCA.