Wheres The Ark?

[Cadillac Jack 82]

I would go further and suggest CLC members 'sponsor' a new member by paying for their first year membership.  We recently gifted an electronic membership to a younger Cadillac-finatic friend and hopefully he is enjoying his membership. He currently owns a Ford Retractable but his dream car is a 1957 Eldorado convertible. With a wedding planned for this year and likely children to follow in the next few years, it might be a while before his dream is fulfilled but always good to keep an eye on the goal. 

Also planning to gift a membership to another friend. He can well afford CLC dues but has never followed through with joining. We're hoping once he sees the Self Starter magazine, reads the articles, sees show results, member stories, etc. that might be the impetus for him to continue as a CLC member after his gift year ends. 

When Lauren Schweitzer Cody was previously living and involved with the Vegas Region, she was an amazing resource for ideas and suggestions how to connect with Cadillac dealers and owners / drivers of 'new' Cadillacs.  The easiest opportunity is for members / Regions / Chapters to interact with the Dealers and try to get them involved with their group even if it is as simple as them providing newsletters, membership applications, event schedules or coordinating an event with the Dealer. 

While not a convertible I have a lead on a nice project 57 Eldo Seville.  PM me for details.

[marty55cdv]

John I see that you are associated with a wide range of Cadillacs from various years. What Cadillac of yours has that effect on the younger people that "...they can't believe GM made cars like that"? Which one in your fleet gets the most attention? Clay/Lexi

Clay I know you asked John this question but I will chime in with my experience and hope he doesn't mind, My 41 Fleetwood attracts as much attention as any car I own from the 20 to 30 year old crowd, followed by my 55 and 56 and with these the color is the first thing mentioned. But if there is a Subaru anywhere around that is where their heart is.   

[Lexi]

59 CDV for sure.

Not surprised. Plenty of eye candy with a '59 Cad. Clay/Lexi

[Lexi]

My vote is the 1959 SDV

That would have been my vote as well. On my bucket list to own one someday. Came close about 30 years ago. Clay/Lexi

[Lexi]

Very good suggestions by Sue regarding buying someone a CLC membership. Clay/Lexi

[Lexi]

Clay I know you asked John this question but I will chime in with my experience and hope he doesn't mind, My 41 Fleetwood attracts as much attention as any car I own from the 20 to 30 year old crowd, followed by my 55 and 56 and with these the color is the first thing mentioned. But if there is a Subaru anywhere around that is where their heart is.   

Marty always good to hear other member's experiences. 1941 Cad is another one on my bucket list to own. Stunningly beautiful cars. Clay/Lexi

[David Greenburg]

Maybe this should be a new thread. That said, while it's true that a lot of interest in our older cars is driven by memories from our past, I think there is also interest from younger people, from "Gen Whatever" all the way down to toddlers and pre-school kids, in these old space-age cars that they've never seen before. On several occasions I have come up to my car in a parking lot and found a father or grandfather explaining to an awestruck kid that there was a time when most cars looked like this. If time permits, I will invite them "inside" and encourage dad or granddad to take a picture of junior behind the wheel.

[Tom Boehm]

This is off topic but everyone else is chiming in with their stories. I just got my seats back from the upholsterer last week. I took my 1940 Lasalle woodie out for the first time in over a year for a spin around my subdivision. You'd think an unfinshished woodie would be a spectacle but It was invisible to anyone under 60. I got a few double takes from white haired men.

[Bryan J Moran]

Somewhat back on topic - I disagree with those that are supporting Laurie's lack of decorum as acceptable.  Social media, emails and other forums allow people to express bravery they would not do in person.

If Laurie would have acted the way she does in correspondence in person she likely would have been restrained or arrested. 

Can you imagine her at the GN general membership meeting absolutely screaming, dropping f bombs, and making threats?  Thank goodness she had the sense to drop out and move on. 

[Highwayman68]

Somewhat back on topic - I disagree with those that are supporting Laurie's lack of decorum as acceptable.  Social media, emails and other forums allow people to express bravery they would not do in person.

If Laurie would have acted the way she does in correspondence in person she likely would have been restrained or arrested.

Can you imagine her at the GN general membership meeting absolutely screaming, dropping f bombs, and making threats?  Thank goodness she had the sense to drop out and move on. 

   Hi Bryan, obviously you have never visited Laurie's Facebook page, your entire statement is completely wrong concerning her. The language is probably from her life long career in the Navy.

[badpoints]

I could tell from the first time I read her posts that you had to walk on egg shells around her.
She worshipped her mechanics that loved seeing her because she was paying for their new boat.
You could not state anything critical to her or there would be a long tirade.
Wonder what ever happened to the massive insurance caper with the Prius . 

[Highwayman68]

I would go further and suggest CLC members 'sponsor' a new member by paying for their first year membership.  We recently gifted an electronic membership to a younger Cadillac-finatic friend and hopefully he is enjoying his membership. He currently owns a Ford Retractable but his dream car is a 1957 Eldorado convertible. With a wedding planned for this year and likely children to follow in the next few years, it might be a while before his dream is fulfilled but always good to keep an eye on the goal. 

Also planning to gift a membership to another friend. He can well afford CLC dues but has never followed through with joining. We're hoping once he sees the Self Starter magazine, reads the articles, sees show results, member stories, etc. that might be the impetus for him to continue as a CLC member after his gift year ends. 

When Lauren Schweitzer Cody was previously living and involved with the Vegas Region, she was an amazing resource for ideas and suggestions how to connect with Cadillac dealers and owners / drivers of 'new' Cadillacs.  The easiest opportunity is for members / Regions / Chapters to interact with the Dealers and try to get them involved with their group even if it is as simple as them providing newsletters, membership applications, event schedules or coordinating an event with the Dealer. 

How ironic it is for you to suggest that here in this thread LOL, Laurie became a member her by me sponsoring her membership. I did it because when I saw her passion and interest in her "New to her" Fleetwood and she was a retired military person. She was asking a lot of questions and explained her family history with used Cadillacs and how the 70 Fleetwood her dad had meant the most to her. She had strong intentions of making the one she got as exact to the one her dad had and she was following through on that, I just had to get her in as a member here so others would be more willing to help her.

I don't sponsor often but when I did I would simply call Mike Book and he would take care of everything, so simple. Sometimes just getting them in with some support keeps them here for good. Unfortunately after May 1st we will no longer have those looking around or asking questions here to sponsor because non-members won't be allowed to visit the forum.

[Carfreak]

Non-members will still be able to visit the Forum, they just won't be able to post. 

[gkhashem]

I for the life of me cannot get over the objections to paying $25 to become an e-member.

Can these posters complaining about that give it up? $25? YIKES.... if that pushes you into bankruptcy it's over for you. Sorry to speak some truth. I get it, times are tough and here's a bulletin for everyone out there they will be getting tougher. Its not a matter of if, but when.

If you really love your collector car, $25 is nothing in today's new normal of money printing. You make an old fashioned  budget adjustment if you are truly that destitute. Give up going out to eat just once a year or do not buy a drink or two with a meal when eating out.

The acrobatics being done to complain about the $25 membership are illogical and ridiculous. I suspect some people just want free stuff and try to get as much free stuff as they can, or are just plain cheap. Without dues payers all of this goes away. Freeloaders beware nothings is free, someone else is paying for it.

[gkhashem]

Furthermore when this e-member idea came out I was not sure about it. As it turns out this might really help the CLC finances and enable it to survive.

[jwwseville60]

All of my Caddies get attention by young folks, as Im sure everyone's does.
Hard to pick one out as the most exotic and emotion-stirring.
Yes, the 59. One little girl put pinky to fin tip and asked: "Daddy, why does this car look like an airplane?"

[Lexi]

All of my Caddies get attention by young folks, as Im sure everyone's does.
Hard to pick one out as the most exotic and emotion-stirring.
Yes, the 59. One little girl put pinky to fin tip and asked: "Daddy, why does this car look like an airplane?"

LMAO! Good one John. Reminds me of the time a pair of "Valley Girls" were staring at my car with one commenting "OMG...OMG...OMG...what is it?...I don't know...It looks like a dinosaur". Clay/Lexi

[Carfreak]

Furthermore when this e-member idea came out I was not sure about it. As it turns out this might really help the CLC finances and enable it to survive.

It wasn't my idea for electronic memberships but when there was an item on the January 2023 Winter Board Meeting Agenda to consider increasing Magazine Memberships, I did a survey of about three dozen other major marque vintage car clubs. 

My research compiled data including number of members, how many pages and how often a publication is provided plus what types (black/white, color, electronic only, etc).  Also whether the clubs were offering a printed or online member directory, ability to search other members online, multi year discounts, youth memberships and other unique features. 

Results showed the majority of other clubs do not offer a printed directory and most of the larger clubs do offer electronic membership.  Interesting was the Ford Mercury Restorers' Club offered only electronic memberships.  While most of us 'older folks' enjoy holding a paper copy in our hands, their reasoning was significantly reduced costs due to no paper, no printing, no postage or problems with the Postal Service.  A few clubs offered only electronic memberships to international members, again to avoid postal problems and costs.   

[TJ Hopland]

How many CLC board members are there?  And how many of those participate in or even read the forums?     

[badpoints]

I for the life of me cannot get over the objections to paying $25 to become an e-member.

Can these posters complaining about that give it up? $25? YIKES.... if that pushes you into bankruptcy it's over for you. Sorry to speak some truth. I get it, times are tough and here's a bulletin for everyone out there they will be getting tougher. Its not a matter of if, but when.

If you really love your collector car, $25 is nothing in today's new normal of money printing. You make an old fashioned  budget adjustment if you are truly that destitute. Give up going out to eat just once a year or do not buy a drink or two with a meal when eating out.

The acrobatics being done to complain about the $25 membership are illogical and ridiculous. I suspect some people just want free stuff and try to get as much free stuff as they can, or are just plain cheap. Without dues payers all of this goes away. Freeloaders beware nothings is free, someone else is paying for it.

It is just that everything has some sort of fee now and it is more of the point of it than the cost. Most content on the internet was free for many years.
I work with a guy who is very well off and he is jumping through hoops to get rid of his cable bill, even though it is insignificant to him cost wise. He is making his own H.D. antenna.
After a while things add up. Pay for your golf, camping, swimming pool, BMW and whatever forum. Just like the multiple streaming services you need to watch sports and shows.