Is your club an old Kustom or a PT cruiser?

Being in a car club should be like joining the mafia. Please re-read that. It should be like joining the mafia. What do I mean by that? When you join the mafia, you are not only making a personal choice to commit criminal acts for fun and profit, but you are also joining a family and a brotherhood. You may be called upon to do things that are neither easy nor convenient, but you must do them: out of respect for the family and tradition. Furthermore you should not join a club with the intention of "trading up" later on.
It has become (in recent years) "en vogue" to join a car club and then QUIT when it becomes inconvenient. It is popular to "come up with a new club name" and throw together some bylaws (or no bylaws at all) and have shirts printed and plaques made.
What does this add up to? A handful of trendsters who are not committed, in a fly-by-night club that has no history or direction, wearing gear hastily purchased and driving cars either bought or slapped together with the same enthusiasm. Although ideally suited for each other it is a recipe for disaster. Example: If one of your guys leaves the club for what he perceives as a "better" one, how do you view him going forward? You are still in the old club so is he better than you now since he traded up? In public how do you associate with the ex-member?
I was once told by someone, who I feel should rethink their views, that its not about a club with history, but simply the guys in the club. I agree on one level that character matters and it should play a factor before the fella even is considered a prospect, but how "solid" of a club is it with 10 cool fellas in a new club called the Gayassfaggots? Is it all character now? Or how about an ALL PINK CARS requirement?
Consider this: A car club formed yesterday parked next to an actual 50's club with members from 1958 and 1964 in attendance at the show? What is more intriguing? In conversation what do you say in a new club? "Yeah man our club is bad ass! It was formed YESTERDAY! We are all sooo dedicated and we know our shit, and we have history dating back AT LEAST 24 HOURS! You better respect us for hanging in there! Fuck that 50's club!"
So you say that you cannot find a 50's club in the area that you want to join, or will let you in. What to do? Well here is the "work" portion... There are PLENTY of old car clubs with members STILL ALIVE but the club is idle. Go knock on doors, make calls, and ask questions at car shows. If you say that is gonna take too long, then give up on the whole idea because you are too impatient for a club, old cars, or the kulture anyway! Anything worth a damn takes time. Going to shows without a car (painful as it is) builds character. It makes you want your car more, it clarifies things, it gives you ideas,it motivates you to get off your ass and build shit instead of logging 10 billion posts on the HAMB! Finding a car club with a history is equally worth the effort. It gives you a link to the past, which we all strive for in this kulture (if we are honest), and it gives you something to discuss with people you meet. Its 100% worth the effort. In addition, its worth it to stay in it for the long haul.
Look at it like this:
PT Cruisers are new cars that are meant to look like old ones. When you go to a car show, would you rather see: an old vintage kustom, or a tricked out new PT cruiser? Which one would you buy one year from now for the same price you paid for it today? In 5 years? In 10 years? How you answer may tell you things about the kind of car club you want.