I visited the main Office and asked for the names emails and phones of members in my area ( say 50 miles from South Bend Indiana) I hope to start a small chapter up here to share tools, knowledge, and fun. Anyone else start a chapter ? Advice? So far after two weeks still waiting for a list of potential members to contact from Main office . I figure contact them host a meeting at my VFW Post 360 in Mishawaka after labor day
I wish you luck. I have tried contacting people that are listed in the mtfca info for central Indiana. Not sure if the info is old or the people are not involved anymore but I haven't received any response. I'm sure people are out there, I'm just wanting to join something that can help. That other set of eyes and ears of folks who have forgotten more about a model t than I will ever know. It is frustrating to say the least. I'm grateful for the response I've gotten, but sure would be nice to have a club I could show my car to and ask what the hell is that..
I am a little to far south of you in Logansport but if you guys get down this way contact me.
Try putting out a call on some of the Facebook Model T groups. I think Model T Ford Club of Facebook is the biggest, but there are a few others too. Getting a response from clubs, especially local ones, seems to be a problem with a lot of them. The problem with asking for a list from one of the national clubs is that the state is all they know about where people are located. Example: San Ysidro and Yreka are both in California, but they're a thousand miles apart. If you get lists of people in Michigan and Indiana from the national clubs, you'll have to look up most of the towns to know how far away people are.
The Michiana Model Ts? (I play no favorites in that, it was the most obvious logical blend.) You can probably come up with a better name.
A lot of people join the national clubs mostly for the magazine, and the dream of driving someday. Many of them have no interest in local clubs. A complaint I have heard from numerous people even with running Ts that they drive often is "if I join the club, they will ask me to help out and I don't want to". I do not agree with that, but that is something I have heard too many times to ignore it.
For family health reasons, I have not been able to be active with the clubs for a few too many years now. For that and financial reasons, I have not joined a couple local clubs that I should have, and did not maintain membership with the Mother Load Model T Ford group. They are a good bunch and the closest local club to where I now live. I really should be maintaining my membership there. If I can get a couple financial problems ironed out, I will join them, and maybe a couple Sacramento groups as well. I have maintained membership in a couple Bay Area groups, because their newsletters is how I keep track of many old club friends.
Getting people to form a new club, can be a daunting task. Good luck! I hope you can get a good group to have activities in your area.
I have always said that an antique car club is a great way to see things that you otherwise probably would not. National clubs can sometimes get you to go many far away places you might not otherwise. Local clubs always have members that know of little parks, museums, and private collections, that you likely do not know about. When I was more active with the local clubs I belonged to, I went many places I would have never seen otherwise.
I tried Facebook and got the national in Richmond. Sent a message but have not heard back. Richmond is only about a hour and a half east of Indy and I thought there would be club members close by. I wish David luck in starting a club. Mishawaka is pretty far north of Indianapolis or I would join him. I would be glad to host a club. I got the room and a garage, and the time but can't get any response from anyone. Don't want to hijack this tread so good luck David.