Windy City - the club

[Gumby]

What happened to WCLC?

It died.

Pretty much died a natural death a few years ago. The last official meeting was the Haloween party at the VP and Treasurer's house in 2000 or 2001. A year or so later I hear that Jim Wilkerson, the last Prez was officially disbanding the club. In a fit of idealism, I took over the keeping of the stuff and worked a little at getting the club going again. About that time, TLCA was purging clubs that were unrepresented so they could actually get a quorum and get some things done. We got purged.

I still got the stuff and I get asked from time to time about starting it back up, but here's my current position:

The internet is better.

We can get together and talk about cruisers every night if we want, without leaving the house. Trail rides and tech days are easier to set up without club meetings. The politics is non-existant. Nobody is doing all the work. The diversity of Chicagoland rigs is not a problem. Many of us dd nice trucks and many of us wheel beaters. The old club had some problems coordinating events to appeal to both groups. IH8MUD, LCML, COOL80s, and other forums don't have those problems to the same extent. i also have no idea of where to start with all of the proper way of doing things with a club. I really have no interest in elections and Robert's rules of order and all that stuff. Informal works well for me.

If you would like to start up the club as a chapter of the TLCA, great! I have the stuff. You can be the keeper, or start anew. That, in fact, may be a lot easier. What I don't have, and what would be nice if you restarted the group from it's old charter, is the URL. It's a good 'un. I'm sure Jim would want a solid group going before giving it up. Windycity.org.

Unless there are objections from someone who would like to do all the proper things to restart the club, I would think as keeper of the stuff I could say we, as Windy City Land Cruiser owners and members of this forum, could use the logo and name of one of the largest groups at one time in the nation. We are carrying on the charter of the club by getting cruiser owners together and sharing information and experiences.

The only charter member I know that would care one way or the other would be Ige. With her blessing, we'll carry on.

[nuclearlemon]

Originally Posted by Gumby

The only charter member I know that would care one way or the other would be Ige. With her blessing, we'll carry on.

you have my blessing.

i was talking to steve hanson, who, along with myself, was one of the three founding members, and he was sorry to hear the club was gone, so i'm sure he welcomes the idea also. i haven't spoken to lane (the third founder) in six months or so, but a call is due.

[archie]

everything sounds good to me. Thanks Todd for taking the lead for some organized events. Now when are you gonna have a birfield day so I could order up da parts .

[chitown40]

I am very interested in becoming involved in the "club". I will help out with whatever is needed, including creating a web site for us should we get to that point. Look forward to getting this going.

Oh yeah, I also agree with Todd, the whole formal meeting things is a way of the past, at least right here in Chicago. IH8MUD is the easiest way to communicate, and trail rides, work days, or just a cruise around town in your 40 night works for me.

Rob

[Hulk]

Good to see you guys! Here's a bunch of pictures from a Windy City Run back in 1996! Hard to believe that was almost a decade ago.

http://rustybrain.com/cruisers/nicolet/index.html

[chitown40]

Great pics Hulk, thanks for posting that up. Inspiration for the future...

RB

[tarbe]

What a shame....WCLC was one of the "premier" chapters in the old days. I guess folks move on and take their enthusiasm with them. Hope you guys can revive the chapter.

Seeing the pics made me wonder what ever happened to Elsie the mascot? I bought her down here in Houston and "Cruised" her up to Moab in '96 to start the cross-country tour that was chronicled in TT. Someone must have her...I hope she is being treated well

[Goebeler]

I am not the club type due to the time commitment, but if WCLC started up again, I would pay the dues and get involved.
Better yet, there needs to be a run up in the Nockolet National forest again. McCaslin Creek Campground would be the best point to leave from and everyone with cruisers of all shapes and sizes could have a blast. Woody knows that place like the back of his hand so I am sure he would join us and lead us around.

Clubs are tough to keep folks interested in for a long time. We all need to plan more trips locally and get out on the trails more. I like abusing my beater and then my liver. What better of a group to do it with then some cruiser owners!!!

The Green Oaks sub chapter consists of at least one!



Rob, Gumby, and Kenton, we need to wheel soon!

Goebs

[kenton]

Originally Posted by Gumby

What happened to WCLC?

It died.
...
I still got the stuff and I get asked from time to time about starting it back up, but here's my current position:

The internet is better.

...

If you would like to start up the club as a chapter of the TLCA, great! I have the stuff. You can be the keeper, or start anew. That, in fact, may be a lot easier. What I don't have, and what would be nice if you restarted the group from it's old charter, is the URL. It's a good 'un. I'm sure Jim would want a solid group going before giving it up. Windycity.org.

Unless there are objections from someone who would like to do all the proper things to restart the club, I would think as keeper of the stuff I could say we, as Windy City Land Cruiser owners and members of this forum, could use the logo and name of one of the largest groups at one time in the nation. We are carrying on the charter of the club by getting cruiser owners together and sharing information and experiences.

The only charter member I know that would care one way or the other would be Ige. With her blessing, we'll carry on.

Hi Gumby and other Chicago-area LC/Toyota 4x4 fans. I agree with everything you said except I would like to add that having an honest-to-goodness club, with a charter and legal standing etc, has some benefits that informal internet-or-what-have-you get togethers don't. The biggest one being the ability to give back to our sport, by organized participation in land-use issues, local and not-so-local politics, contributions to ILFWDA, MW4WD, UFWDA etc through membership dues. Also, it extends our reach by including people who aren't comfortable with a completely computer-based community (and you'd be surprised how large that group is).
So, I'd like to see a club formed, even if it rarely meets 'formally'. I'm a member of Prairie State FWDA, and I see the face-to-face meetings helps promote familiarity, grows friendships, gets kids together for picnics, airs out issues, raises money for March of Dimes etc...
I'll volunteer to help support the standing up of a club with a charter etc if someone else will take the lead.

Kenton

[tornadoalleycruiser]

If you need assistance getting back into chapter status please let me know..
Our club TAC is mainly web-based with one official yearly meeting and other than that, we gather at a picnic once a year and wheel as a club about twice -3 times a year..
Don't make it hard make it fun..
Now.. "Officially" putting on my TLCA hat..
All we really need is a roster with TLCA members, a dedicated delegate that will attend meetings and a current chapter in good standing form.. Nothing too hard.. We just wanna have someone participate in the BOD at the meetings..
Remember in the end, it's a car(truck) club and it's supposed to be fun!
If ya'all wanna, Holler, I'm more than willing to help..
Erik.. TLCA Secretary.

[cruiserhunter]

I'll help in any compacity I can. I have and can learn a ton from you guys.


Patrick

[PhilC64]

I think Tornadoalley has a rather workable idea. Net based with an annual meeting. That could be extended to a quarterly if someone really wanted to push it. If this thing gets rolling like I think it is, I'll be more than happy to donate to the TLCA and WCLCA through membership and a little sweat.

[Hulk]

Here's the old logo:



Check out this page, with the schedule of events from 1997:
http://tlca.org/clubs/windycty/

[nuclearlemon]

"old logo"??? that's a new logo. the old logo is tattooed on my back

[Hulk]

They're both old, now.

[Lawrie3b@mac.com]

Originally Posted by Gumby

What happened to WCLC?

It died.

Pretty much died a natural death a few years ago. The last official meeting was the Haloween party at the VP and Treasurer's house in 2000 or 2001. A year or so later I hear that Jim Wilkerson, the last Prez was officially disbanding the club. In a fit of idealism, I took over the keeping of the stuff and worked a little at getting the club going again. About that time, TLCA was purging clubs that were unrepresented so they could actually get a quorum and get some things done. We got purged.

I still got the stuff and I get asked from time to time about starting it back up, but here's my current position:

The internet is better.

We can get together and talk about cruisers every night if we want, without leaving the house. Trail rides and tech days are easier to set up without club meetings. The politics is non-existant. Nobody is doing all the work. The diversity of Chicagoland rigs is not a problem. Many of us dd nice trucks and many of us wheel beaters. The old club had some problems coordinating events to appeal to both groups. IH8MUD, LCML, COOL80s, and other forums don't have those problems to the same extent. i also have no idea of where to start with all of the proper way of doing things with a club. I really have no interest in elections and Robert's rules of order and all that stuff. Informal works well for me.

If you would like to start up the club as a chapter of the TLCA, great! I have the stuff. You can be the keeper, or start anew. That, in fact, may be a lot easier. What I don't have, and what would be nice if you restarted the group from it's old charter, is the URL. It's a good 'un. I'm sure Jim would want a solid group going before giving it up. Windycity.org.

Unless there are objections from someone who would like to do all the proper things to restart the club, I would think as keeper of the stuff I could say we, as Windy City Land Cruiser owners and members of this forum, could use the logo and name of one of the largest groups at one time in the nation. We are carrying on the charter of the club by getting cruiser owners together and sharing information and experiences.

The only charter member I know that would care one way or the other would be Ige. With her blessing, we'll carry on.

Hello,
I work in the photo business I have a client who is looking to rent a vintage 4X4 Toyota Land Cruiser for a one day catalog shoot on July 18 in Barrington, IL. Good renumeration. I am hoping you might be able to help me find what I am am looking for!


Please call me at 312-315-9830 or 773.276.7434

Thank you,
Lawrie

[Lawrie3b@mac.com]

Originally Posted by cruiserhunter

I'll help in any compacity I can. I have and can learn a ton from you guys.


Patrick

Hello,
I work in the photo business I have a client who is looking to rent a vintage 4X4 Toyota Land Cruiser for a one day catalog shoot on July 18 in Barrington, IL. Good renumeration. I am hoping you might be able to help me find what I am am looking for!


Please call me at 312-315-9830 or 773.276.7434

Thank you,
Lawrie