Early yet but anybody planning on going to Detroit?

[greg g]

The Plymouth National Meet in Auburn Hills July 30 through Aug 3rd?

Events include visit to Walter P Chrysler and Ford Museums. Other Plymouth stuff also.

Here is a link to the basic info. Put on by the Detroit region of the POC.

http://www.plymouthclub.org/

Another parking lot get together of the POCO (POC outcasts) may be looming.

430 miles for us according to Mapquest, this year maybe I will tow the Plymouth with the Studebaker truck.........

[Young Ed]

Greg I plan to be there. Not sure I want to be included as an outcast though

[40phil41]

We may be going with our '41 'Plymouth bodied' Canadian Dodge. Just depends on other commitments at the moment.

Phil

[Norm's Coupe]

I won't be there. Ed, if you come close to me on your way there or on the way home, let me know.

Greenfield Village is a must see if you are going, and so is the Ford Museum.

[JerseyHarold]

We're going to try to go. If I land a job I probably won't have vacation time, so that might change our plans.

[Young Ed]

Norm both those places are on the agenda. Will be traveling with a group of POC guys from MN so not sure how well a side trip would work. Maybe if we are close by you on the way back.

[toddbracik]

Detroit is about 6 hours from me here in Indy. Maybe I will wagon train with Bob Vanbuskirk if he and his wife are going. Todd Bracik

[Norm's Coupe]

Norm both those places are on the agenda. Will be traveling with a group of POC guys from MN so not sure how well a side trip would work. Maybe if we are close by you on the way back.

Ed, I noticed that when I looked at the registration form. Wife and I were there back in the 90's sometime. Was early fall and all the leaves were turning and falling. The pictures we took at Greenfield Village were great with the color and leaves in the streets of the village. Of course, you will be there when everything is all green. Should still be nice though.

I noticed on the registration form they were having it as a bus tour. Sure hope they give you lots of time to spend in both places. The village is a great spot to really take your time. Nice park benches in the square with a really nice ice cream shop. Buy an ice cream and just sit on the bench and enjoy all thats around in between visiting the buildings. Bad part about bus tours is though, you only have so much time and I usually feel rushed and probably miss some things because of that. Would probably be better if you could take your own car, and take your time looking around the village and the museum.

[Young Ed]

You usually have the option to drive yourself too. Plus our MN group is probably going to head there a day or 2 early and do our own sight seeing as well as the clubs.

[greg g]

Our trip will pass through Ontario to Sarne then to Port Huron. So if you clear your calendar, let us know and perhaps we can met up on your side of Niagara Falls.

Can we drive at 100 KPH in Ontario without getting run over???

[Suddensix]

Our trip will pass through Ontario to Sarne then to Port Huron. So if you clear your calendar, let us know and perhaps we can met up on your side of Niagara Falls.

Can we drive at 100 KPH in Ontario without getting run over???

NO, the norm now seems to be 120 in the slow lane and about 140 in the fast lane. 150 will get you in a whole lot of trouble.

[40phil41]

Our trip will pass through Ontario to Sarne then to Port Huron. So if you clear your calendar, let us know and perhaps we can met up on your side of Niagara Falls.

Can we drive at 100 KPH in Ontario without getting run over???

With two of us together we might have a chance, especially if it's mid-day or very very early morning during the week :-)

Phil

[Don Coatney]

Lisa and I will try and make it. This is very much work dependent.

I have still not yet decited on weather or not to join the POC. Actually had more fun as an POC-OC in the Carloina meet:D The POC means little to me but the friends I have met on this forum mean a lot

[Captain Neon]

The POC means little to me but the friends I have met on this forum mean a lot

I must concur w/ you, Don. I attended my very first RMPOC meeting on Sunday, and it was as expected. Nice people, but most of them are quite elderly and rarely (if ever) drive their Plymouths. I am interested in involving myself w/ the occasional tour and am considering offering my services as region webmaster.

A website may help attract younger members that are more techno-savvy. There is one active baby-boomer that probably unintentionally turns a lot of younger members off from getting involved. I may even plan a slow car tour this fall. Any tour that I would plan would be more of a P15-D24 Drivers tour than a POC tour, but that's to be expected.

The RMPOC reminds me more of a "Best Year's Fellowship" than a car club. I know little of what is going on w/ the POC's many other regions other than their reports in the Plymouth Bulletin, but I suspect that they may be similar. Regular meeting attendance is not in my plans, but I am looking forward to getting the monthly newsletter. I also enjoy receiving the POC's national magazine, The Plymouth Bulletin.

I enjoy this forum very much, and am glad to be involved. I check in many times a day. I've learned much, laughed a bunch, and hope that I have helped a few.

[blueskies]

Don't think such a long road trip is in the cards this year... I will not be attending. But if I could, I'd be there.

Pete

[Norm's Coupe]

I must concur w/ you, Don. I attended my very first RMPOC meeting on Sunday, and it was as expected. Nice people, but most of them are quite elderly and rarely (if ever) drive their Plymouths. I am interested in involving myself w/ the occasional tour and am considering offering my services as region webmaster.

A website may help attract younger members that are more techno-savvy. There is one active baby-boomer that probably unintentionally turns a lot of younger members off from getting involved. I may even plan a slow car tour this fall. Any tour that I would plan would be more of a P15-D24 Drivers tour than a POC tour, but that's to be expected.

The RMPOC reminds me more of a "Best Year's Fellowship" than a car club. I know little of what is going on w/ the POC's many other regions other than their reports in the Plymouth Bulletin, but I suspect that they may be similar. Regular meeting attendance is not in my plans, but I am looking forward to getting the monthly newsletter. I also enjoy receiving the POC's national magazine, The Plymouth Bulletin.

Did I miss something in your statement? What is a club made up of? People, and along with people comes fellowship, regardless of the type club were talking about. With the POC or other car clubs it isn't about how much we drive or work on our cars. It's there to promote the hobby and is for anyone, even those who don't own an old Plymouth, but does have an interest in them. Its the same with other old car clubs too. The members don't need to own a Plymouth, Ford or Chevy to join one of the clubs. For example, I've often been ask to join the Ford V8 Club and I don't even own a new Ford. But I do have an interest in old cars and thats why they ask me to join.

For the record, I don't belong to a formal car club either for the same reason as you stated. Not into being expected to go to meetings on a regular basis. I also know several people from the local POC club around me. So far, the ones I've met are all nice people. However, where ever you have a group of people, not everyone will agree with you or with your thoughts. Some may rub you the wrong way even. But..........you have to take that one or two along with the group if you want to be a member of the group.

As for them all being older people, you are probably right. Remember the older people won't be around as long as the younger ones. So.........as time goes by, the younger people will eventually take over the helm. Then, they can institute their beliefs into the club. In the meantime, the younger people get the knowledge of all those old farts like me. Some of that knowledge may mean nothing to the younger people, so you just weed that knowledge out and keep what you want.

Bottom line though, it's all about fellowship, even here on the forum.

[Captain Neon]

Norm, I was not trying to be overly critical of the RMPOC or the POC in general. If I appeared that way, I am sorry. I hope you noted that I am interested in doing what I can to make the POC more visible and interesting to those of us that are still working and may have more mundane responsibilities.

I was merely making an observation that would account for the lack of baby boomers and younger at the meeting I attended. I did not mean to get on anyone's nerves. It seemed to me that the folks in attendance, while interested in getting more people, were more interested in getting together to chat over a meal and planning when they can get together again to chat over a meal. I also think they may be at a loss on how to get new people to join the group. While mildly nervous about the future, most seemed content w/ the status quo. Old Plymouths seemed more of a tertiary interest among the group rather than the tie that binds.

I do, however, believe that one individual that does much for the RMPOC organisation may be the cause of its own potential demise. I am willing to overlook this individual's peculiarities, but I can definitely see how others would choose to spend their time elsewhere knowing that this individual was present.

I am always concerned about the health and future of a group that has almost no younger members. My observation of having been a POC member for many years: there are many death notices in each Plymouth Bulletin but few birth or wedding notices. 20 years ago, there were pictures every summer & fall of the weddings that members had driven their cars in for their kids or nieces and nephews. Many pictures of proud parents and grandparents w/ their new bundles of joy. I think the last wedding notice was over 5 years ago when my wife and I got married. The POC's membership is getting older and there are few younger folks interested in joining despite the official acceptance of cars of the muscle car era. Few of these guys feel welcome in the POC.

It didn't help when about 8 years ago, there was a ballot issue in the POC seriously considering barring cars newer than 1970. Since the Plymouth is an "orphaned" car marquee, I have actually thought it would be prudent to allow any Plymouth recognition by the POC. That would include Prowlers and Neons. Again, my own constructive criticism and suggestions about how the POC can be more open to younger folks and assure its own longevity. I am not out to change the world (or the POC) over night, and am one who is often leery of those that try to change a lot quickly.

[Norm's Coupe]

Benjamin,

Wasn't coming down on your concerns. Was just agreeing that the club membership is older. Seems to be that way with a lot of car clubs, not just the POC. All of the car clubs need to get more younger members if the club is going to survive.

Here on the forum we have a lot of people from their 20's on up. Because of that more people actually work on their cars, and drive them if drivable. The older we get though, the less energy we have to work on them though. Plus, the older we get (especially after retiring), the more we want to do other things and travel. Some people when they get older don't travel though, or do much of anything else that interacts with others. Whereas, younger people who aren't retired are interacting everyday at the workplace. So.........those club meetings and meals become very important even though they aren't discussing cars. It's like the place my wife retired from in 2004. Once a month on Saturday mornings some of the retirees meet for breakfast at the same place, same time. They call it the "Company name Old Farts Club". All they do is eat and talk about old times as well as what they've heard is going on with the company they retired from. That's why I said a club is a fellowship. All of the people in that club worked for the company at least 20 to 30 years or more before retiring and know each other pretty well. It's a social event, just like the club meetings you were talking about. Gets them out and about each month. They probably don't much care if the club goes on after they're gone. So.........its up to the younger people to try and work around that to keep things going. Also, because they are older, what they call a good time is usually not what a younger person considers a good time.

As far as no cars before 1970, you'll see a limit put on by most car clubs. Even the Good Guys that have lots of hot rod and custom cars have a cutoff date for show cars. Think its only up to about 1974 or 75 now.

Actually, there are clubs for all years. For Mopar, it's the WPC club. You can drive a brand new Mopar to that show, and they have a class for judging the newer cars.

If you can't get the older guys in your local POC club to perk things up with a website for their region, just make one on your own. Use a free site to get it started like on Google, etc. Don't use the POC Club name as the title, just make up one. Then reference the local club in the page to recruit members. Maybe, after that you can get the officers to go along with making it the official site for your local club. Especially if it brings new and younger members in. You might even end up with getting some muscle car people who will then want to get into the older cars of the 40's and 50's, so everybody wins if that happens.

[Young Ed]

Norm I often wonder if someday its going to be just me in our region. I'm the youngest by about 20 years.

[Captain Neon]

Norm, I intend to set-up the website on Yahoo!/Geocities, and then ask them if I can tweak it to make it the official RMPOC website. I have learned over the past many years, esp. in volunteer organisations, that it is often much easier to receive forgiveness than permission. The only drawback with an unofficial website is that if the national POC doesn't recognise it as the official regional website it will not get any significant traffic. Folks would have to stumble upon it, esp. a free Geocities site.

[jd52cranbrook]

Woodward Dream Cruise will be right behind you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodward_Dream_Cruise

[Young Ed]

that says third sat of august. we will be there on the first

[Norm's Coupe]

Ed, you may just end up the only one. Especially, if the rules stay as strict as they are concerning the judged cars at the shows. You fit into the 30 to 40 group like my own son. What he likes in a car is not necessarily what I want. (goes for other things too). That's natural, and I understand that. However, many older people don't feel as I do. They think you should do as they did and we all know thats not going to happen. So, the older generation of the clubs are going to have to understand that before they change their ways. That could be harder to get them to do that than it is for us to travel to Mars.

Really, I don't see why that can't be done though. Many of the same people visit this site and take part in it. So, they should be able to see by becoming more accepting of change (like we are here), they will increase their numbers, just like this site has. There's a reason many more people visit this site instead of the POC forum.

[jd52cranbrook]

that says third sat of august. we will be there on the first

Opps

[steveplym]

Norm I often wonder if someday its going to be just me in our region. I'm the youngest by about 20 years.

I feel the same way in my local car club. Just gives us young guys more reason to get our friends and children involved in the hobby.