Declining memberships

[T-CAB]

Just received my November Issue of TW. Excellent issue. Interesting page of the membership from all states and provinces. Was disturbed to see the declining membership numbers. It seems as us old guys drop out, there are not enough new members. Perhaps this decline could be lowered if every time a member sold their car they would pay for a one year subscription to the SDC. for the new member.

This could be a small price to pay to help keep members.

T-Cab

[6hk71400]

As a selling point for the car, bring out a copy of the new format Turning Wheels and tell the new owner that is for one year included in the price of the car. I actually had someone that had been a member with his dad renewed after a lapse when he saw the full color issue in the new format.

We all want someone to cherish the car as much as we do when we had it. They can take car of the new baby with SDC as the nanny to help

As another thought, if a vendor gets a new client, send out one of the SDC brochures with the return order. As vendors do sell parts to garages having the repair shops join provides a resource for them as well with each issue of Turning Wheels.

Bob Shaw is probably working on this as we speak. Don't forget in February, we will have an all vendor issue in Turning Wheels.

Bob Miles
Pacific Southwest Zone Coordinator

[raprice]

Declining membership is a common thread among all antique car clubs. I'm fortunate in that my two sons want my vintage cars. My '30 Model A Ford is now in the garage of my oldest son and my '59 Stude Lark is in my younger son's garage. I'm thrilled that my cars are still in the family. I've just gotten too old to work on the cars, but I still get to drive them. Thanks for listening to my rants.
Rog

[studegary]

I noticed things like; only three states have had an increase in membership, New York is now sixth in membership and Florida with all of its retirees, and more population than New York, is down 22% in membership, and has fewer members than NY.

I see a drop in membership in all sorts of things, not just car clubs.

I have usually paid for a one year membership to SDC for someone that buys a Studebaker from me, if they are not already a member.

[bob40]

Read any number of posts about any car or truck that is modified or a potential new member with questions about modernizing a Studebaker and you have your answer.

[Mike Sal]

Agree that it's not just car clubs declining. Look at almost any group. For Studebakers, it's a whole different world out there. Most of us were able to collect Studebakers because they were cheap to buy, and you could always find one stashed in an alley or behind a garage. Those days don't exist for new younger people. They have to start out spending more money just to get into the game than we old timers did.

[bensherb]

"Those days don't exist for new younger people. They have to start out spending more money just to get into the game than we old timers did."

I don't think that's really the issue, the same car we payed $1500 for fifteen years ago is now $4500 but everything else is 3 times the cost it was then too, wages are much higher too. The dollar is just not worth as much as it used to be.

I believe it has more to do with exposure. It seems that few "younger" people have had much if any exposure or experiance with cars at all. If it isn't computer involved there's little interest. Even "hopping up" a car these days involves tweaking it's computer instead of turning wrenches. Consider too that in the last 35 years cars have not generally been something the average guy could work on. So these younger folks haven't grown up watching fathers or neighbors work on cars. Not to mention most cars in their lifetimes look the same so there's little interest beyond transportation. Can you see an obvious difference between a '93 car and it's 2013 version? Think about a '33 car to a '53 car, or '53 to '73, or '63 to '83.

I believe the younger people simply lack the romance of the "car culture" we grew up with.

I've noticed attendance at car shows is dropping at an exponential rate too as we get older and die off. I expect there will be a lot of nice antique cars available quite cheap in 20 to 30 years, with few buyers. Of course, the trick to driving one will be finding fuel it will run on.

[voxnut]

I think Bensherb nailed it. I'm involved in a number of mechanical hobbies - old cars, vintage motorcycles, vintage karting, old pinball machines, Gauge 1 live steam. At 50 years old, I'm one of the the "young guys" in all the groups I associate with. I have a 20 year old son who appreciates this stuff on some level, but not enough to want any of it, or to be involved. He doesn't even have his drivers license and doesn't seem to be bothered by that. He's into bicycles and rides his bike everywhere, or takes an Uber or Lyft to places locally when a bike won't do, and Amtrak to places farther out. All his friends are the same. He grew up doing the karting with me and has fond memories, and we restored an old Taco minibike for him when he was about 10, but just never took to motorized transportation as a hobby. He does wrench on and build his own bikes, so the gene manifested itself that way.

That's the gearhead aspect of it, but in terms of clubs - starting with my generation (Gen X) each successive generation are less interested in being involved with formal organizations. It's not just car clubs that are suffering, things like the Elks Club, VFW, Shriners, and other civic and church organizations are having a hard time recruiting members.

I have to confess, I am a member of SDC for the magazine. I was a member of my local chapter for a year but didn't get out to any meetings. Part of it is burnout from being an active member of both the Crosley Club, doing the design and layout for the club magazine for a number of years, and being on the organizational end of vintage karting, organizing and promoting meets, doing the newsletters and magazines and website stuff for over a decade.

The other thing is I find that with the limited free time I have, I spend it tinkering on my stuff, or driving/riding it (not nearly as much as I'd like) and relationship-wise, spending time with friends I have that aren't into the same hobbies as I am. I feel like I don't have the extra time or energy to actively participate in club activities and cultivate new friendships, even though I know things will go the way of the dodo bird without participation. I keep telling myself "maybe next year I'll become active" and it just hasn't happened.

[Commander Eddie]

As I have watched this discussion expand to include lots of other hobbies I am reminded that our model railroad club is experiencing the same problem with attracting young new enthusiasts. They are out there but in vastly diminished number that even 25 years ago. Young people today have moved on to far different interests. We got a bit of a boost when we introduced digital command and control on our train layout. Putting computer boards in the locomotives and using wireless control seemed to get their attention. But not enough to matter.

[studerodder]

bob40 got it right.

[sals54]

bob40 got it right.

Yup. I've been dealing with it for over 40 years. And I'm still modifying. Wait till you see what my 54 Coupe looks like in its next iteration. Coming soon, but not at a Studebaker meet. I wouldn't want to have it towed away when I wasn't looking.

[bensherb]

Read any number of posts about any car or truck that is modified or a potential new member with questions about modernizing a Studebaker and you have your answer.

OK. you guys seem to think bob40 got it right, what the heck did he say here ? His was the one post that makes no sense.

Does he mean the decline is due to people prefering to update older vehicles so they can be driven safely and reliably with todays traffic and road conditions.

Does he refer to the way people with questions about making an old vehicle more driveable in todays world are quickly dissmissed?

Does he refer strictly to Studebakers and this forum or "about any car or truck that is modified" in general?

If I'm guessing; I think he's refering specifically to this forum, Studebakers, and to the way anyone asking about modifying one is generally treated here. If this is it, I'd say yes, this may be one reason SDC membership may be in decline.

At any of the Studebaker event/outings I've been to there have been at least as many modified cars as stock ones. Where do the post '64 non Studebaker powered Avanti's fit in?

[Bob Andrews]

Don’t forget the whole CASO thing. This is the only club I know of that is proud of being cheapskates and actually brags about it. That’s a huge turn off for a lot of people. Most come to the hobby looking to have fun, not to fret over every penny; nor to be associated with those who do.

Whether that is what is meant by CASO or not, that’s the image the club has.

[sals54]

OK. you guys seem to think bob40 got it right, what the heck did he say here ? His was the one post that makes no sense.

Does he mean the decline is due to people prefering to update older vehicles so they can be driven safely and reliably with todays traffic and road conditions.

Does he refer to the way people with questions about making an old vehicle more driveable in todays world are quickly dissmissed?

Does he refer strictly to Studebakers and this forum or "about any car or truck that is modified" in general?

If I'm guessing; I think he's refering specifically to this forum, Studebakers, and to the way anyone asking about modifying one is generally treated here. If this is it, I'd say yes, this may be one reason SDC membership may be in decline.

At any of the Studebaker event/outings I've been to there have been at least as many modified cars as stock ones. Where do the post '64 non Studebaker powered Avanti's fit in?

The way I read it was thus: For decades I drove modified and customized Studebakers. I found regular nagging and naysaying about the "non stock" nature of my cars by the old timers of the club. I grew rather tired of it. I found my cars to be much more accepted and appreciated by the folks at the generic car shows. Today I like the shows where the younger crowd hangs out. They've never seen, nor ever heard of Studebaker and are fascinated at the site of one. I've never been much of a fan of stock anyway. I know its better now than it was in the past, but it soured me. The ingrained attitude of exclusion was shown again in the deliberate disrespect of the gentlemans 52 at the International Meet this year. It's just another example of old attitudes dying hard.
But that's just my opinion. No one else's.

[6hk71400]

"Most come to the hobby looking to have fun" Nail on the head. We had two weekends ago at a local park a burger and dog cookout with 14 Studebaker's parked. Fun time everyone talking about what they were doing. A few had to leave early after we eat because of ill health.

A few people at the park looked at the cars but then left for soccer and other things going on. We are trying and have 6 new members join this year. I think people are more inclined to come out to events and leave the details to the board. John Lewis, our Tourmaster/Vice President does a good job of planning events. We only have a few months of weather that will keep people from attending but for 9 months of the year, lots to do.

I am sure that the things that have been brought up in this tread are "fun killers" and many more could be brought up. What are we going to do to stop that? Face the fact that as of now, we are the future of SDC at the current time. What will that turn out at the present? How will we be 5 years from now?

Bob Miles
Pacific Southwest Zone Coordinator