Purpose of the MTFCA

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Purpose of the MTFCA
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 12:41 pm:

I recently read the "About the MTFCA" section of this site. It does not say anything about having a purpose to 'preserve and restore Model T's' or anything like that. My question is.....Didn't it used to? Or am I confusing it with the MTFCI, AACA, MAFCA, or MARC or some other similar club?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Zachary Dillinger on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 12:44 pm:

I would argue that the first sentence of the third paragraph sums it up.

"The focus of our Forum is to provide a place where questions and answers regarding the history, maintenance and restoration of the Model T can be shared"

History, maintenance, and restoration are pretty clear to me. But, I'm a purist.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 01:13 pm:

The first paragraph states the purpose of the club: ...for the purpose of bringing together people who are interested in the Model T Ford, its history, its evolution, and its place in the American scene. The third paragraph designates the forum as a means toward preservation as a part of that purpose.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 01:15 pm:

May have to go back to some of the early documents when the club started as the terms could have changed with laws and so forth for non profits. Just a theory.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Wells on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 02:22 pm:

And I believe "evolution" refers to factory changes from 1909 through 1927, not disc brakes, e timers or waterpumps. Just so we understand that.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 02:34 pm:

The purpose is fun.

When it stops being fun, it's time to find a new hobby.

We get a topic on here almost monthly asking about the future of the hobby, and how to attract more people to keep the hobby alive... then there's a few on here who seem to make it their mission to drive away anybody who wants to enjoy the hobby differently than their narrow view of how it should be done.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 04:38 pm:

My question is.....Didn't it use to say something about preserving and restoring?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Rutherford on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 04:54 pm:

I'm in my early 40's and no one here has scared me away yet. (Don't take that a challenge...)

I also belong to a sports car club and that scene is aging and shrinking too. Sadly, cars aren't where it's at for many of the young ones.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Willis Jenkins on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 05:22 pm:

Water pumps? That so needs to be dropped from the list of things to crab about! Something so minor that can literally be changed back to original in minutes. I would much rather see 100 Model Ts with a water pump than 1 Model T hopelessly disfigured.

Willis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 05:25 pm:

Your right Jim. Nowdays its texting, twittering and etc. Us old guys have just picked up on some of the above.
Maybe its the changing of the times. I have a friend in his 60's who has a great collection of signs, several Lionel train set ups and old cowboy collectibles. His 2 boys have no interest in any of it. Another has a son who inherited a nice 66 Mustang which had been restored. He later traded it off for a 'more modern car'.
The hobbies for the upcoming generation probably will be collecting old cell phones and computers.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 05:30 pm:

Yes, the MTFCA still has something similar to your question -- please see below: [I’m not sure the IRS would approve a non-profit if the only thing that was listed was “To have fun” but I’m really glad our club, cars, forum, members etc. are all a lot of fun.]

From the inside cover of the Jul-Aug 2014 “Vintage Ford” it says:



And from the Membership Brochure it at: http://www.mtfca.com/brochure-current.pdf it summarizes:

The Model T Ford Club of America is the world’s
largest club of Model T owners and enthusiasts.
You do not have to own a T to join in the fun!
Founded in 1965, together we share a passion to preserve and promote the Model T Ford for future generations by educating people in its history, lore and maintenance. We have members in all 50 states and 41 foreign countries, with more than 130 chapters that provide local activities and fellowship for Model T enthusiasts.

I'll drop Chris a short note and suggest that he add some of those words to the web site "About the Club" area -- the next time he updates it. As a volunteer he does so much for us.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 05:35 pm:

I'm paraphrasing, not direct quoting, what Donald Ball (MTFCA president 1985) wrote in the introduction to Bruce McCalley's book, Model T Ford The Car That changed The World, that the original purpose of the club and The Vintage Ford, was to ensure a standard of guidelines by which Model T's could be restored. I quoted this statement on another recent post, but if you have the book, you can read it for yourself.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Vaughn on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 07:57 pm:

Model T Ford Club of America
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
PURPOSE AND CLASSIFICATION
Section 1
The general purpose of this club, incorporated as a nonprofit corporation, shall be to preserve and maintain Model T Fords of ancient age and historical value and to serve as an accurate and technical source of information concerning Model T Fords for the benefit of its members as well as the general public.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Vaughn on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 08:12 pm:

Hap, The BYLAWS are contained in the operations manual accessed at the bottom of the home page of the MTFCA. http://www.mtfca.com/Manual.pdf


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 08:17 pm:

Thanks guys. I'm still not sure if it ever said it on the website, but I thought it did. I may be confusing it with one of the other websites I have frequented in the past.

I really don't mean to start another urination competition. There's enough of that going on on another thread that I am not about to get involved in. However, I have stated multiple times in the recent past, that the "Purists" are getting a bum rap here lately. Yes, some people lack tact in some of their responses. However, if the club's objectives are indeed "to preserve and promote the Model T Ford for future generations by educating people in its history, lore and maintenance", then why are purists mocked for trying to keep cars as original as possible and trying to educate people on how to maintain it's systems rather than replace them?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 08:26 pm:

And may I say Amen to that Hal.

Tact and respect and manners would do the other thread alot of good.
Experimentation has been done on T's since new. But preserving them as built or as used in their time frame is important so as not to distort history as alot of other things get over time.



Ps,none of ye can run me off, dont waste your breath or fingers trying. :>)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 08:34 pm:

Mike -- thanks for pointing out the "operations manual" link...I never went there because I thought it was going to talk about how the forum worked...dah...

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Vaughn on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 08:43 pm:

Hap, No problem. The reason I knew where they were is because I had to read through it when we hosted the National Tour a couple of years ago.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Henrichs on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 08:52 pm:

Hal,

I totally agree with and support your comments. Maybe some people joined the club not knowing what the goals and purposes of the organization is. The "hot rodder" approach seems to be the fashion these days in a lot of endeavors.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 09:12 pm:

There are two extremes in the hobby. One is to have a car which is either completely as Henry Ford designed and built it. The other is to have a body that is either Model T or looks like one and has any type of drive train.

In between is where the MTFCA stands. We believe the car should have a Model T chassis and Model T engine block. The body can be altered in ways which it was often done back during the days when Model T's were built and for about 10 years thereafter. It is OK to use an aftermarket body which was built for a Model T or to build a speedster, depot hack or pickup which were done in the day. It is not OK to drastically lower the suspension and use a modern drive train.

During the day, there were many aftermarket accessories and "improvements" which either enhanced the stopping, or improved the ride. There were also overhead valve conversions sold to increase the speed and auxiliary transmissions to give greater low end power or high end speed.

It is also not necessary to own a Model T to be a member of the club.

There are other clubs for hotrods and that is where people interested in them should be. However I have always said, "It's your car. You can do to it whatever you wish to do."

We are a very tolerant group and welcome all who are truly interested in Model T's
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tony Bowker on Friday, August 22, 2014 - 01:49 am:

The statement of purpose of the MTFCA has changed a little over the years, but I don't think the essence has changed.
This is the original from March 1966


And this is from July 2014


Not too different..


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration