Keeping the car club 'family' together

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Jack Bittner was troubled by lack of contact with his fellow car club members. There had been no events or meetings for almost one year — since the world went into COVID-19 lockdown.

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As president of the British Columbia Ford Retractable Club – a chapter of the Skyliners of America club celebrating Ford’s hideaway hardtop built from 1957 through 1959 – he had to do something to keep the club alive.

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To make matters a little more complicated, he lives in Bellingham, Washington, and can’t cross the border into Canada for any club function.

“I didn’t want the club to go into the dust bin,” he said about the dilemma, adding that he turned to technology for the answer. He got the club executive together on a Zoom teleconference call and messaged members to download the app and get ready to meet on the Internet.

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“Normally, we would be planning meetings, a barbecue, and driving events,” he says. “We have to obey the public health restrictions and can’t do any of that. But we can still get together on the Internet to keep in touch, share car stories and get technical help in repairing and restoring our cars.”

Neva Ledlin, a long-standing member of the Vancouver Chapter of the Early Ford V8 Club, has stoically kept publishing the Lions Gate Vee-Eight newsletter every month. It’s the glue that holds the club together. Her colourful and informative award-winning newsletter shares members’ stories, restoration and preservation tips, news from other club chapters from around the world, and even jokes to brighten the dark days of the pandemic. She put out a request for stories and photos of members’ first cars and the current edition of her newsletter features pages of interesting personal car histories.

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For a few months after the pandemic was declared, a dozen clubbers would meet every Wednesday for coffee at a member’s house and then go to a local restaurant for lunch. Many would drive their vintage and classic cars. But that ended when the health regulations tightened.

“As we drove away from our meeting last March, little did we know it would be our final meeting for months or maybe years,” Neva says wistfully. “Many community events which appeal to car folks such as street shows were cancelled so we met in parks or parking lots, Tim Horton’s, or at the A&W.”

She says it is more important than ever that clubs send out rosters listing its members, the vehicles they own, and their contact information. “Rosters for each club to which you belong are so helpful. You always have a friend to call, you can share restoration tips, source parts and skilled labour.”

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She points out car clubs are support as well as social. A recent issue of the Lions Gate Vee-Eight newsletter was dedicated to the memory of a past president of the club who was a founding member. The tribute included photos and member recollections of the late member’s contributions to the club and the hobby.

“Over the years, we have developed long-term friendships that are close, like family. In the event of a crisis, birth, death or illness, members step in to provide support. They help to drive members to appointments, hospital visits and even provide meals. Now we can only keep in touch by phone, email or Facebook.”

She notes that, prior to public health restrictions, car clubs travelled to other communities for events, meeting new people, seeing new cars, and making new friends.

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“Now, during the pandemic, members are working on their cars and it’s so refreshing to pick up the phone and talk to a fellow member for advice and encouragement,” she says.

Walt Wagner publishes the monthly Headliner newsletter for the 425-member British Columbia Hot Rod Association that began in 1957. It features a report from the club executive, a members’ car of the month item, parts and vehicles for sale, historical ‘rearview mirror’ articles, and retro car ads to keep members engaged. The club regularly updates its website (bchra.ca) with new information along with member profiles and projects.

Jim Carpenter, president of the Vintage Car Club of Canada, with 22 chapters and 1,100 members, agrees it’s hard to keep the interest and membership up in the pandemic with no car shows, swap meets, or even in-person club meetings allowed.

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“One thing we have done is to open our club up to owners of modified cars. This has attracted new members,” he says, noting that membership of the Peachland chapter of the VCCC was boosted by 15 when a group of modified car owners who had only met through Facebook joined the club.

“We are deprived socially so we have to be more creative to be COVID-19 compliant and that’s what we’re doing. We can’t do anything on a national level because that would involve travel,” he says. “So, we hold our meetings on Zoom and all we can do is plan to drive the cars, practice social distancing and follow the rules when we arrive at a destination.”

The B.C. government recognizes the value of car clubs and their members by designating a date in July as Collector Car Club Appreciation Day. Car clubs support local charities and attract attention to local community events while members spend money on events, car parts and labour.

Alyn Edwards is a classic car enthusiast and partner in Peak Communicators, a Vancouver-based public relations company. aedwards@peakco.com

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