The future of the SAAC

[Greg]

      Lets get to the point. I am assuming most of the members are in their 50' to 60's which is where I am at. I have 2 sons that are still into fast cars , but they are restomod's . We being the club members are fighting an uphill battle as our fathers did with the cars that they grew up with. This is all a FAD , that will soon die out. I am not saying that this is what I am looking forward too, but there is a new wave of Millennial that are coming up that don't care about these cars?  I will still be a strong supporter of the SAAC Forum, as I love the cars of that ERA. But just my honest opinion. Thanks for reading this Steve

Steve, I don't think its because they (the millennial's) don't care for the cars.  Its more that they can't afford them, banks will not loan $ against them so they buy what they can get a loan for.  Don't get me wrong the amenities of a new car also helps.  Our cars have become and will still be investments and fewer and fewer will get driven in my opinion.  Greg

[jguyer]

      Lets get to the point. I am assuming most of the members are in their 50' to 60's which is where I am at. I have 2 sons that are still into fast cars , but they are restomod's . We being the club members are fighting an uphill battle as our fathers did with the cars that they grew up with. This is all a FAD , that will soon die out. I am not saying that this is what I am looking forward too, but there is a new wave of Millennial that are coming up that don't care about these cars?  I will still be a strong supporter of the SAAC Forum, as I love the cars of that ERA. But just my honest opinion. Thanks for reading this Steve

Steve, I don't think its because they (the millennial's) don't care for the cars.  Its more that they can't afford them, banks will not loan $ against them so they buy what they can get a loan for.  Don't get me wrong the amenities of a new car also helps.  Our cars have become and will still be investments and fewer and fewer will get driven in my opinion.  Greg

No different now. Wanted 289 Cobra, couldn't get a $4000 loan for a used car. But for the new 1968 GT500KR convertible, no problem. Still have the KR, more than likely would have killed myself in the Cobra.

John

[QuickSilverShelby]

The amount of people and actual individuals who did not show up speaks volumes.

Was it because of dissatisfaction with the club or was it merely due to the distant needed to travel to this convention?

QSS 

[J_Speegle]

The amount of people and actual individuals who did not show up speaks volumes.

Was it because of dissatisfaction with the club or was it merely due to the distant needed to travel to this convention?

QSS

This convention wasn't any further away from members than any others. Allot don't bring cars so it's just either a plane trip to one airport or another.  Some members never get an opportunity to have one close by.

What ever the answer we can be sure there is no one answer for everyone that didn't choose to attend this year or any other

[shelbydoug]

The amount of people and actual individuals who did not show up speaks volumes.

Was it because of dissatisfaction with the club or was it merely due to the distant needed to travel to this convention?

QSS

This convention wasn't any further away from members than any others. Allot don't bring cars so it's just either a plane trip to one airport or another.  Some members never get an opportunity to have one close by.

What ever the answer we can be sure there is no one answer for everyone that didn't choose to attend this year or any other

I can't speak officially for SAAC but lets just say that "I have heard rumors" that California was NEVER a preferred location for a SAAC Convention after the first few proved unproductive.

There was always something else going on such as the Mini-Nats and for WHATEVER reason, locals preferred that to SAAC. A wine and cheese tasting festival, an air sniffing festival in the mountains to see if you could smell the wild cannabis, releasing the butterflies so they could be free, you name it?

A California convention location, all of it, was just a appeasement to a small group of local members who always demanded representation and threatened seperation. They have always promised to deliver membership to the convention and of course, never have. A smallish turn out there is not shocking, it's expected. There seems to be this east coast/west coast animosity that shows it's nasty head around California convention time?

The powers that be just yielded to the pressure rather then risk a split into two separate clubs but the reality is that there really are two not to mention the Oklahoma group.

[QuickSilverShelby]

I can't speak officially for SAAC but lets just say that "I have heard rumors" that California was NEVER a preferred location for a SAAC Convention after the first few proved unproductive.

There was always something else going on such as the Mini-Nats and for WHATEVER reason, locals preferred that to SAAC. A wine and cheese tasting festival, an air sniffing festival in the mountains to see if you could smell the wild cannabis, releasing the butterflies so they could be free, you name it?

A California convention location, all of it, was just a appeasement to a small group of local members who always demanded representation and threatened seperation. They have always promised to deliver membership to the convention and of course, never have. A smallish turn out there is not shocking, it's expected. There seems to be this east coast/west coast animosity that shows it's nasty head around California convention time?

The powers that be just yielded to the pressure rather then risk a split into two separate clubs but the reality is that there really are two not to mention the Oklahoma group.

I did not know all of that.  I guess I'm naive to the inner workings and politics of the national club.

Living up here in the great white north guarantees that I will never have a national convention anywhere near me in my lifetime.   That's the reality of being apart of this club.

Pittsburgh next year will be a long haul for me as was Indy and Mid Ohio.  Sonoma was super easy to get to for me, 2 1/2 hour flight and bam, there I was in heaven, amid hundreds of my favorite cars.

I don't actually know if Sonoma was bigger or smaller than Indy or Mid Ohio and I don't really care.   I do know I had a great time, visited an incredible garage and bought an incredible dining table from them (Denbeste Motor Sports), saw an amazing museum(Cobra Experience)and had an absolutely great Saturday at Sonoma/Sears Point.

I realize that many of you have gone to 30 and 40 of these national conventions and it may not be "like the good old days" but I'm loving it. 

I hope our club can stick together and resolve the internal issues and become stronger than ever.  The major issue I see is that this club is a for profit club.  I'm ok with that but I sure hope we can get it together.  It's hard to read some of these posts and maintain my youthful enthusiasm.  After all I'm still in my 40's and somewhat of a young pup compared to you all 

QSS

[gt350hr]

   Every "entity" survives by support. I fit loses support it collapses. I have seen several forums go away because "go to" people leave. This forum has THE greatest network of experts in the field of "Shelbydom". IF that network falls apart because the experts flee , this forum will be doomed. ( IMHO). "To me" ownership is not a big deal , someone has to run it and if there is "something to lose" they usually put forth the effort to keep it going.  Sure SAAC is not the same as it used to be but little is as time marches on.
    Randy

[Bigfoot]

The amount of people and actual individuals who did not show up speaks volumes.

Was it because of dissatisfaction with the club or was it merely due to the distant needed to travel to this convention?

QSS

This convention wasn't any further away from members than any others. Allot don't bring cars so it's just either a plane trip to one airport or another.  Some members never get an opportunity to have one close by.

What ever the answer we can be sure there is no one answer for everyone that didn't choose to attend this year or any other

I can't speak officially for SAAC but lets just say that "I have heard rumors" that California was NEVER a preferred location for a SAAC Convention after the first few proved unproductive.

I attended the Fontana, CA show with Kiwi and my son and I could not believe how few people were there......
Lack of participation
Why.....

[Bigfoot]

The amount of people and actual individuals who did not show up speaks volumes.

Was it because of dissatisfaction with the club or was it merely due to the distant needed to travel to this convention?

QSS

Not distance

[Doug C]

   Every "entity" survives by support. I fit loses support it collapses. I have seen several forums go away because "go to" people leave. This forum has THE greatest network of experts in the field of "Shelbydom". IF that network falls apart because the experts flee , this forum will be doomed. ( IMHO). "To me" ownership is not a big deal , someone has to run it and if there is "something to lose" they usually put forth the effort to keep it going.  Sure SAAC is not the same as it used to be but little is as time marches on.
    Randy

A question that I have is the SAAC the club and who we pay membership THE SAME as the SAAC Forum?  Meaning the same people?  As I see it the forum is were we have all the "experts" as I see it, but I may be wrong.

Doug

[Greg]

   Every "entity" survives by support. I fit loses support it collapses. I have seen several forums go away because "go to" people leave. This forum has THE greatest network of experts in the field of "Shelbydom". IF that network falls apart because the experts flee , this forum will be doomed. ( IMHO). "To me" ownership is not a big deal , someone has to run it and if there is "something to lose" they usually put forth the effort to keep it going.  Sure SAAC is not the same as it used to be but little is as time marches on.
    Randy

A question that I have is the SAAC the club and who we pay membership THE SAME as the SAAC Forum?  Meaning the same people?  As I see it the forum is were we have all the "experts" as I see it, but I may be wrong.

Doug

From what I understand no, the SAAC is company owned by an individual or individuals (not sure on who).  The Forum is owned and ran by a member of the SAAC from what I understand (My hat is off to them because they offer their time and their money I assume, to keep the site running).  Regardless, the people that participate on the site are awesome as well as the registers.  I'm sure the owner/owners of the SAAC are great too but I don't know them.

[kjspeed]

If you go back through the earlier posts on this thread most of these questions have been asked and answered. Just not by anyone who is on the board or has any official capacity. ~Kevin

[roddster]

  Lack of attendance in the California conventions?  Maybe the neighborhood has  changed......Build the wall!

[Bob Gaines]

  Lack of attendance in the California conventions?  Maybe the neighborhood has  changed......Build the wall!

It has been the case for several decades that the attendance at the CA and for that matter western conventions (Utah, Oregon ) have had much lower attendance compared to the ones back east.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

I'm sure if you stuck pins in a map the majority of members would be living in the north eastern 1/4 of the country - east of Ohio and north of New Jersey. The wide open spaces of the west are less dense population wise. Fly in participation is more likely for those east of the Rockies. Western ownership is probably concentrated in So and Mid CA where cars can be drug out and driven any day it strikes you. There are several track days a year so driving 400 miles from SoCal to SF to use Sears isn't much incentive.