A Challenge for the new KFOCI Officers

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I see that in my previous posting I neglected to mention that this policy was established after an issue came up a number of years ago when a club publication picked up info on an event and added it to their calendar as a courtesy only to be told by the meet organizers that the editor of that publication should have requested permission from the meet organizers before putting it on their calendar.  As a result, KFOCI publications are not supposed to "add" some other KFOCI publication's information without written permission from the organizers. 

Barbara and I did this for all our meets and if you still have a copy of my old SO YOU WANT TO HOST A MEET? the need for organizers or meet committees to get the word out is noted there.

[Dragon]

Thank You Barbara.  You do a fantastic News Letter and always on time.

[Bulletin Editor]

Thank You Barbara.  You do a fantastic News Letter and always on time.

Thank you, Dragon.

[Terry T]

Barb,
Your comments about bringing others by name into this thread to justify your own existence is inappropriate.
You continue to make several of these threads way-too personal and off subject.

No one was asking you to take on an additional task, but apparently you incorrectly inferred that.

I, or any others, should not need to reveal in this Forum, what our weekly jobs require.
We go about our duties without breaking our arms with a self-induced pat-on-the back

[Gordie]

The membership does not have a clue how much work goes into your jobs but they sure do appreciate the great jobs  that you are doing.  The club would fall apart without your efforts.  Lets end this conversation now as it is not the place to be talking about it.

[darrin502]

unfortunately our club members are aging along with me and the young people are not that interested in KF cars. most of the cars that the young people are interested in our modified. I have experience with modified cars and how the members can react to these cars and their owners. In my opinion if we are to increase our membership we are going to have to seek out these young people and convince them that this is the club for them. It took many years for me to get accepted by a lot of the club members. I of course have two modified Darrin's. When I took my first modified Darrin to my first convention I got the feeling that I was sac religious  for modifying a Darrin. I however persevered for several years and now most of the membership seems to like me. I am not sure other members would have stayed in the club with this kind of welcome. 
My point is that we need to open our arms to all KF cars no mater  their condition or modifications, when they do attend the conventions we need to make them feel welcome. Some times the club members can be very cliquish. Please remember We need all the members we can get.
I am not trying to blow my own horn and I know that not everyone can spend the time and money that I have but everywhere I have taken my cars people love them, I have won awards at almost every show and it is not because of the money I have spent, all though I am sure it has helped but it is mostly because people do not see these cars very often at car shows and they are excited to see something different.  Everyone that I have talked to that has taken their KF car to a show  tells me the same story, the people love their cars. If more of the members would take their KF cars to local car shows they would not only enjoy the great feeling when you show a car but would also be great ambassadors for getting new members. Carry club applications with you I do.

Many people need To make KF cars able to make it to the conventions, some modifications will help get more cars to the conventions. Engines, air conditioning, tires, brakes will help make the cars trip getting to the conventions a more pleasant  adventure.
Another thought might be to partner with another club, maybe the Studebaker club and have a combined convention to get more cars and people. Just a thought.
Thanks for listening
Lee Abrahams
SEE YOU IN SHIPSHEWANA

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Lee,

As long as I have been in the club there's been a Modified Class for such vehicles where the quality of workmanship and tne engineering behind revisions counts rather than correct spacing for pleats, brand/type spark plugs, etc.

My experience has not been so much what you describe as much as it is a perception is that because you don't see the cars around too much so they are very expensive to begin with (look at what some people ask for what condition on eBay, for example) or you can't get parts for them to keep them on the road.  This is especially true if someone known to have several old cars never takes the K-F or Willys car out to a meet, etc. 

It's probably a mixture of various things but we need to act like car dealers.  If we enjoy the product, we need to take them out, show them and tell people their story.  Have issues of KFOCI MONTHLY BULLETIN or other lists along to show those curious that you can get parts for the cars and prices for same (compared to eBay or other places) as well as the variety of cars for sale within the club.  Over the years it worked for me on a number of occasions.

[wnyfrzr]

Just a quick comment -
Terry, although you are absolutely right about getting notice to major publications such as Hemmings Classic Car mag, but this year was not the first time.  My dad had an add in HCC for the 2006 National in Grand Island, NY and actually one of the writers/editors was there (Rich liantornio, or something like that since I do not have the magazine here with me).  He was to do a feature on the Frazer but never followed thru.  Also think an add was in 09 as well for Matamoras.

Nonetheless, we all recognize the key points to get notice out.  Nice job to this year's National committe in doing just that.  Enjoy the National to all those going.  And those who are not, get out there to your local shows and push the club some new members.

[JFerriss]

unfortunately our club members are aging along with me and the young people are not that interested in KF cars. most of the cars that the young people are interested in our modified. I have experience with modified cars and how the members can react to these cars and their owners. In my opinion if we are to increase our membership we are going to have to seek out these young people and convince them that this is the club for them. It took many years for me to get accepted by a lot of the club members. I of course have two modified Darrin's. When I took my first modified Darrin to my first convention I got the feeling that I was sac religious  for modifying a Darrin. I however persevered for several years and now most of the membership seems to like me. I am not sure other members would have stayed in the club with this kind of welcome. 
My point is that we need to open our arms to all KF cars no mater  their condition or modifications, when they do attend the conventions we need to make them feel welcome. Some times the club members can be very cliquish. Please remember We need all the members we can get.
I am not trying to blow my own horn and I know that not everyone can spend the time and money that I have but everywhere I have taken my cars people love them, I have won awards at almost every show and it is not because of the money I have spent, all though I am sure it has helped but it is mostly because people do not see these cars very often at car shows and they are excited to see something different.  Everyone that I have talked to that has taken their KF car to a show  tells me the same story, the people love their cars. If more of the members would take their KF cars to local car shows they would not only enjoy the great feeling when you show a car but would also be great ambassadors for getting new members. Carry club applications with you I do.

Many people need To make KF cars able to make it to the conventions, some modifications will help get more cars to the conventions. Engines, air conditioning, tires, brakes will help make the cars trip getting to the conventions a more pleasant  adventure.
Another thought might be to partner with another club, maybe the Studebaker club and have a combined convention to get more cars and people. Just a thought.
Thanks for listening
Lee Abrahams
SEE YOU IN SHIPSHEWANA

I remember going to the KF nationals in Appleton, WI and seeing Ken Lindsay's 1953 Kaiser Manhattan. I had to leave early so I did not get the chance to talk to him but I was told that his car reflected the modifications of a retired Chrysler engineer, with a 318 V8, air-conditioning, and other cleverly engineered conveniences and a modified upholstery to allow for the convenience of the 1953 Dragon armrests. His car from the outside looked entirely stock, and it caught my eye because it was Sabre Jet Blue over Australian Beige, the exact same look as my former 1953 Manhattan, which is a beautiful combination. The rest of the interior remained faithful to the boucle vinyl, bamboo dash and other features associated with a stock 53 Manhattan. Looking back over the history of cars owned by Ken it is clear that he had some choice originals before and chose to modify this particular car for the enjoyment of long road trips with his wife in air conditioned comfort and at respectable highway speeds.  Being a neophyte to the club at that time, to me I fully understood and appreciated his modified car. I also had back issues of the club's quarterly going back to the late 1960s so I was aware that Ken was not a hot rodder but an informed club member.  As a newcomer this conveyed to me the understanding that it is okay in general to have modified cars, but even more appreciated if the owner understands the marque and its roots and values original cars as well as the modified ones. I think some comments on this thread reflect on the fear of those modifying the cars in a vacuum without the understanding or appreciation of the original. I agree with Darrin 502 that we must keep an open mind. To me, the best remedy for keeping balance between originals and modified cars is to maintain continuity of education about the original marque, and as Jack has suggested before to have a solid archive of accurate information about what the Frazer and Kaiser was in reality when it left the factory, and to give the modifieds that choose to show, their proper appreciation especially with respect to innovation.

[joefrazer]

As a member who leans heavily towards originality in my Kaisers, I can appreciate the value that a modified car brings. Things like a modern drivetrain with parts available most anywhere, an updated interior, and air conditioning are all hard to ignore. I own a 54 Manhattan that is essentially a one owner car...it's been in the family since first titled. It has 314K (yes, 314,000) miles on it and has gone thru 4 engines and 2 transmissions. I am seriously considering a mild mod to this car...drivetrain only...so that I can take it any distance I wish. I'm hoping to hit 500K and with an updated drivetrain, it's entirely possible!

[dusty]

I also prefer originality, but with todays speed and distracted people on the highway I deemed it necessary to mod my 52 AV green Dragon with power brakes, what a blessing, it has saved my bacon twice. Ed Ewing located 200 power brake units in Sacramento,Ca. and with the fabrication of one bracket I mounted it where the window washer bottle had been. The unit when used in a panic stop WILL lock up the rears.

[retired wrench]

  I belong to an antique tractor club and we have shirts with the club info on them. I wear mine when going to other shows and you would be surprised how many questions I get.

[HJ-ETEX]

You guys are talking about these issues during the Summer?
Well good for all of us! I have thought during the past year that we don't talk enough. There are several Club problems in recent years that I think could have been avoided with better communications.
Jim Lape has been a regular here and Gordie is increasing his posts. Jack and Barbara Mueller are here every day.
What we are missing are most of the Regional Managers though.

[HJ-ETEX]

Getting back to a posting Jack made earlier, I have found that it is important that a knowledgeable member be available in the parking lot during daylight hours. As an example, on the Thursday evening of the Shipshewana  Meet, most every member went down the road to the scheduled event in the next town. Hal Naumann & I were the only members in the parking between 4 and 7 PM and we talked to 8 groups of people who drove in the depleted parking lot. At least one person was a Club member who who was making a guest appearance (not registered) and had not studied the agenda.
Several decades ago,  I became rather pissed at a Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club because it was the 1st Studebaker Meet (it was a Divisional Meet) I was able to attend and the Studebaker guys decided everyone they knew was there so they all left to see a car collection without telling the motel where they were going or leaving a member or wife to tell any late arrivals where the people were. These lessons stay with you.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

This is why KFOCI conventions should have a properly staffed Hospitality/Registration area that takes into account late arrivals.  There should also be someone out in the parking lot who not only covers the cars (keeps an eye on them, help new arrivals park if you are segregating by age, category, etc.) but talks to those interested about company history, availability and prices for cars & parts and so on.   You may even want more than one person out there.

You can look at this not unlike the idea of being a K-F salesperson.  Non-members will stop to look at the cars because you don't see them that often.  If there is someone to talk to who knows what he or she is talking about you may get them interested enough to join the club and even try to find a car for themselves.