Declining memberships

[Mike Van Veghten]

Agree...what Sals54 said.
I've got 4 running or to be running Studebakers. One is a running "parts" car that is mostly stock.
I've got three others, that are pretty far from the way it drove off the dealers lot...and I wouldn't have it any other way.
And I also know that most folks here, are not a fan, though, I've not had anyone hassle me about it, here or at Stude shows.

Mike

[Hallabutt]

I find it strangely humorous the way these innocuous threads seem to always end in a cat fight, over an issue that only exists because of a small minority of owner's mindset. The facts are some people prefer original cars, some people prefer to alter their cars, and a small minority of both groups tend to vocally push back against the perceived proclivity of the other. I doubt that the drop in membership has much to do with this minority divide. Really the only fact that matters is that our membership is ageing and dyeing and there are not enough young people interested in Studebaker. Politicize it if you want, but the facts are not going to change.

[Stude Shoo-wop!]

Well, it looks like I am caught at a bit of a crossroads as a very young Studebaker owner and SDC member. I guess the only thing I can do is spread the gospel and hope the congregation will become interested. Personally, I think that Studebaker still suffers from their reputation for stodginess among most people who remember them at all. Even though this is completely untrue, it definitely puts some people off owning them.

[8E45E]

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.

There are other vintage vehicle clubs who have their share of members like we see in SDC. No club is immune from it.

Craig

[DEEPNHOCK]

Yup........

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.

[sals54]

I truly was not trying to politicize it. I'm just making those in the hierarchy know what's been happening out here in the trenches. Perhaps they are aware, perhaps not. I just got tired of having to hear about how rare my 54 Champion was and what a shame it was to have it bastardized. (a description I actually heard at a SDC show)
Anyhoo... I've had my car and hundreds of other Studebakers through the years. I love the brand, even though I'm not infatuated with some in the club. I will continue to enjoy the "difference" in my cars in spite of what politics come from the disagreement.

[junior]

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.

Can't wait to see the new version of the Coupe, and for that matter, can't wait to see the Wagon finished too. Post photos when done! cheers, junior

[bob40]

My post alluded to this forum although my experience with local chapters can be included.

[thunderations]

How about looking at a calendar prior to scheduling a major SDC event and using dates that would allow a younger family to travel to the event? Many people in their 30's, 40's even older still work in the education field or have children that they won't pull out of school for a week to make a SDC event in May or October. Even some of the "elderly" members volunteer at schools and can't make the meets scheduled during the school years.
A lot of discussion is heard that school years vary and that event costs would be higher in the summer and the roads would be more crowded.
Basically, if you are on the side of lower cost and convenience of travel, you don't care about younger members, discussion over.

The battle over "Stock" vs "Modified" has gone on since the first time a non-Studebaker part was used on one.
The question you need to ask yourself is: Would I take my Studebaker on a 3 or more day event and drive it, comfortably and safely. a thousand miles or more? If the answer is no, a younger member is probably going to pass on the car.

CASO is a term of endearment for the generations that bought and drove Studebakers for decades. It no longer holds true merit. Sure, you can still buy a comparable Studebaker for less then a Chevy or Ford as a project car, but the cost of repair is probably actually more. What's the cost of a 3 or 4 hundred HP crate motor vs rebuilding a Studebaker 185 HP engine? What's the cost to build a Studebaker engine to 300 HP? How many aftermarket vendors are there for parts? How many "bolt on parts" are there for the weekend mechanic?

Just more things to think about when trying to figure out WHY membership in an orphan car club is waning. If it wasn't popular then, it's not going to be popular now. How many times to we hear, right here in the FORUM, "it has too many doors"? Studebaker built it with that many doors. Embrace it and think about many of today's most popular cars......4 doors.

All we can do as members is put the product in front of the public and answer questions. Park a 53-55 Studebaker C/K next to the same era Ford, Chevy or Dodge and just stand back and look at them. Three boxes and a spaceship.

I like the interaction with the public at generic car shows more then the biased opinions I hear at SDC events. If you go to a Ford, Chevy, Dodge only event, you will hear the same type of comments from their long time members, so it's universal.

Long story made short.............we may be beating a dead horse. Enjoy it while you can.

[swvalcon]

Bob40 is right. It seems Studebaker people more so that other makes think if that's the way Studebaker built it and you change it I don't want to talk to you. What they don't seem to realize is the black Studebaker with the third bolt under the hood that is pink isn't because Studebaker thought that was best. It's because they had a huge pile of them in the parts bins and wanted to use them up and were to cheap to repaint them.

[PackardV8]

Long story made short.............we may be beating a dead horse. Enjoy it while you can.

For true; this discussion is a faint echo of Studebaker-Packard Board of Directors discussions in 1954. It hasn't gotten any better since then.

FWIW, what has gotten better recently is the quality of Studes at shows and IM. I've been a member since 1969 and back in the bad old days, most of the better cars were the few low mileage survivors. Hardly anyone was putting money into restorations. There are more really nice Studes today than any time in the past thirty years.

To really brighten everyone's day, getting better just before the end is known in hospice as an End-of-Life Rally.

End-of-life journeys are complex. In some cases, a loved one’s decline suddenly and inexplicably seems to stop. They become more stable and may want to talk or even begin eating again. This period of perking up can be accompanied by such a notable change in cognition that hospice professionals have coined the term "terminal lucidity" to describe it. We grasp at what seems to be a turnaround in their health and sigh with relief. It appears as if they are going to hang on for a while, right?

Sadly, rallying is usually an indicator that death is near. Many hospice professionals have seen their patients rally shortly before death. Some patients want to talk, and some become restless and act as if they need to start preparing for a trip. Others will simply become more relaxed, yet tuned in. Still, others will show signs of physical stability when, seconds before, they seemed on the edge of letting go. A rally can last for a few moments or even days

.

jack vines

[what huh]

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.

Nail.... head... hit it with a sledgehammer

Funny though cause as soon as you decide to fix something to Studebaker factory specs and you start to ask those questions you will then start to get repsonces that involve modernizing.

Vis-vesa when you want to modernize folks tell you that it has worked just fine for however many years.

Interesting thought: what happens when we all have floating/flying cars and the roads are no longer maintained and disappearing. 😂 bye bye factory correct restorations lol

Car are evolving and there will come a time when stock parts supply will run out.

[SusieQ]

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

Membership here in Ontario has declined. However, when a member of our chapter sells a car, we give a membership to the club to the new owner. Our Hamilton SDC membership is at an all-time high at 71 and that is 71 couples. We also have the privilege of meeting at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Just some thoughts.

[rbruner]

When my membership comes up next spring I'm not going to renew. After 11 years of Stude ownership it's time to call it quits. It just doesn't make sense anymore to keep putting money in an old truck that needs more attention than I can give.

Now that I'm 65 and pondering retirement, I realize that I have spent $30k in purchase, repairs and improvements to a $10 vehicle. Obviously I'm no CASO but without mechanical skills the fun is over.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Some people have no clue as to why they want some things. They just want them.
Caring for, repairing, rebuilding, rubbing on that item is more than some people want to do.
Owning a piece of older machinery is one thing. Actually using it and running it is another thing.
No worries.. Hopefully someone else will buy and enjoy your soon to be ex vehicle.
What I find interesting us that you are exiting the hobby at 65, and I am looking to dive deeper into it approaching 65.
Sometimes I think you are the smart one

When my membership comes up next spring I'm not going to renew. After 11 years of Stude ownership it's time to call it quits. It just doesn't make sense anymore to keep putting money in an old truck that needs more attention than I can give.

Now that I'm 65 and pondering retirement, I realize that I have spent $30k in purchase, repairs and improvements to a $10 vehicle. Obviously I'm no CASO but without mechanical skills the fun is over.