Re: [BaadAssGremlins] AMC Owners Participation

Doc, yes I do get tired of the non participation, but also understand it is
a case by case basis. For me, some meets like when we did the Nationals here
I drove each AMC 80 miles round trip to host hotel to display. That was 7
cars!!! And Paige was 8 1/2 months pregnant. In the blistering Texas July
heat. And NO AC driving down Beltway. So some efforts were more than others.

We can have all the exposure we want on internet, don't mean shit. We can
also have all the great exposure in national magazines like Hemmings Muscle
Machines and Muscle Car Enthusiast. Don't mean shit. You have Hurst Olds
W30s and Yenko Camaros and Plymouth Superbirds plastered in glossy magazine
covers. When was the last time you saw one at a cruise night or car show?

Rarely if at all.

Doc, I have seen meets come and go. For the first time since I founded it,
the AMC SouthWest Regional was not held (since 91) and the Dallas AMC club
which was supposed to hold it, folded for lack of interest. Also whole clubs
come and go. AMC World Clubs comes quickly to mind with over 1500+ members
in early 1990s. Great but possibly ill advised AMC ides like the full color
AMC Magazine a few years ago. The guy could not sign up 200-400 people to
subscribe....and he had a booth at the largest AMC event in history with
well over 10,000 people going thru the event in several days! AMC Forum.net.
AMC-Ya. AMC Council of Clubs, see you, AMC Unity Club, what the hell is that
all about, sounds great on internet, but that was all it was, idle chatter.
And God only knows where Charity AMX is, which was supposed to be finished
for the huge 2002 shindig in Kenosha, but no chapters want that albatross
although lots of people have donated time, effort, work and money.

Which brings me back around to this. Any chimpanzee or manatee can sit at a
keyboard and type in a photo of a banana or frozen fish. It all comes back
around to individual partipation. Yes, I realize in out ever changing and
fast paced world there is lots more important shit to do than go to a old
car show. But what justifies NOT going unless health, family member sick,
financial. Even if one must drive their non AMC vehicle to a meet, at least
you showed up and made the head count. Maybe buy something supporting a AMC
Vendor. Maybe take photos of AMCs that interest you, knowing YOUR car will
look like that one day, and now you have photos to know how to restore it.
But most of all, you went and hopefully had fun with people of same
interest.

Could even be $3.00 a gallon of gas. I DO know that some local meets have
suffered because of this. When you have to trailer your showcar X amount of
miles, and gas was $2.10 a gallon this time last year, and now in some
places a dollar more, this really affects some decisions to skip events,
have already been told this, whether trailered cars or AMC that gets
10-16mpg.

While not taking a smack at Nash people, they seem to be the most stubborn.
And hard to get them to bring their cars out to any meet, even if you have
special class for them. It might be their average age, or might be they are
afraid to put their Nash on highway here in Texas where it is legal to drive
80mph (I-10 W of San Antonio to El Paso; blink and you miss, a mesquite tree
or cactus). Some just think it is a hassle. And I do not understand why.

I agree with you about people crying about the 'lack of recognition' also.
At the FM1960 Street Meet here in Houston, it is not unusual to see a car
that the hydraulics system is worth more than most AMCs are restored. But
they brought it out. And you see daily drivers, might be a Aspen wagon, a
K-car, Volkswagen. But they bring them out. Laugh if you want, at least they
are there supporting the cruise night. And probably enjoying a delicious
swap meet sausage on a stick, of whihc no one knows what is in those, like
life's great mysteries, might be best it stay that way too. But damn, those
are yummy, but never see any domestic animals walking around either.

One thing that has always bothered me is that people don't seem to realize
that AMC was America's last big independent automaket. And while it was
almost 20 years ago they ceased to exist, there are still a lot of cars out
there, especially 75-up that people could easily fix up and enjoy. But we
are quickly becoming like studebaker, sort of a invisible marque, and maybe
only place people will eventually see AMCs is sadly on internet and magazine
pages. Not at cruise nights, not at swap meets, not at shows. Hopefully more
people will get off their asses and get involved, join a club, support local
and regional events, even attend national events, with or without their AMC,
it makes a difference. And again, it all comes down to the individual who
happes to own a AMC anything in 2006. And any condition!

Eddie Stakes'
Planet Houston AMX
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@planethoustonamx.com
*email is currently HEAVY
Call if important*
www.planethoustonamx.com

----- Original Message -----
From: <AMC74HORNET@webtv.net>
To: <BaadAssGremlins@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2006 6:55 AM
Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] AMC Owners Participation

> Eddie after being such a staunch advocate of bring out your cars aren't
> you getting tired of not seeing any increase in participation? Me
> personally I have given up. Me and my friend the Ardsley show promoter
> are the only ones to regularly attend any cruised or car shows. I have
> not seen a more stubborn group of people than most of the AMC people.
> They cry about no recognition of the brand but don't take the cars out
> to be seen. Me I was always visible with an AMC my whole life before it
> became a hobby. Let them all let their cars sit and rot in the garage,
> me I am going to enjoy my cars even though with my disabilities it is
> difficult for me to work on them and attend events I still do. My Dr's
> say it is good exercise and therapy for me. To me AMC's have been a way
> of life for me my whole life.
> "Doc"
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