can of worms is opened again - since it was mentioned at the last meeting

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Two cents

Just for the people that don't know, this is my story.

My name is Craig. Yes, I drive a Jeep.

Back around 1998/99 I started hanging out with the CC. Steve and I had been friends for close to 20 years at that point. For a couple of years I was wheeling and camping with the club. I made some great friends, like Phil, Rob, Gary, Brad, Bruce, Mike.... and so on. They were the core of the club and I respected their views. I originally was not attempting to get into the club, but to just hang out. Yes, I did occasionally feel like an outsider, but that was the way things were.

This is when it all changed for me. I met a lovely lady named Karr. (You can ask Phil what her qualifications are as to TLCA bylaws). One day while wheeling she asked me if I was a club member. I said "no, you have to have a cruiser". She told me that was not so. I got a phone number for someone in the TLCA and that person informed me about the 30% rule. So I put it up to the club and was voted in. Since then I have gone to great lengths to promote and support the club. Should I not do this because I drive a Jeep?

Now, as a club member, the only thing that changed is I can vote on issues. But it does make a differance to how I feel about being there. There are still things I cannot do. Like, I can't go on a sanctioned TLCA run (River Shiver, Rubithon...). I can't belong to the TLCA. And I agree that non Lancruisers should not be in the Cruiser Days show, it's a cruiser only thing. This also includes Runners and mini trucks. It's not like a person with a Ford wants to invade the show, they just want to feel a sense of belonging.

So, to the members that want just Landcruisers, are you really willing to give up the comradery on wheeling trips just to be ultra pure? Even "men only" clubs have realized the benifits to deversity. So, make a rule. How about, must be a close friend of a Cruiser owner, wheeled with us for a year to gauge thier character and not exceed the 30%.

My two cents. Oh, and sorry, I didn't post this on the private forum so we can hide it, seems like sensorship. :censor:
 
Well said Craig. That pretty much sums it up for me too. I had never expected to be a member of the club until someone suggested it at a meeting and I was voted in. When I get the $, I still am planning to eventually buy/rebuild a Cruiser but its not because I feel I have to. I'd just like to own an old Piggy or a 60. If not that then maybe a 4WD Tercel wagon.:grinpimp:
 
Well put Craig, This also applied to Tracy, she chose to hang out with CC, and we chose to make her a member... when she was actively involved with the 4WDABC she was named 4 wheeler' of the year and she was a Coastal Cruiser (more or less)... I thought that was pretty cool.
Like Mat has so eloquently stated, the great thing about this club has been, and hopefully will continue to be, that we are not political. I've always felt it's a bunch of like minded people, getting together to discuss trucks, camping and dancing girls. For the women folk, maybe we can get Steve to do a jig.
GG
 
Heres the deal, senority rules( no not age)

SteveT
MikeM
GarryT
Phil
RobM

those are our senior members. they are the "origional CC"

let them chime in and Im sure they will tell you all to shut up:grinpimp:
 
Here’s my take on this plus some background of the club.

Well put Craig (x2)

The Coastal Cruisers club began with domestics and import 4x4's.
There were Cruisers but also an Early Bronco, Dodge Raider, but mostly chev powered FJ40's. That's when I joined. The non Land Cruisers guys retired from the club and the LC guys remained (Mike M. and Gary T. and myself).
The name of the club is the Coastal Cruisers Land Cruiser Club. We have non Cruiser members and always have had non Cruiser members like Craig, Traci, John and the early members.

Mike and Gary are the most senior members and have me beat by a few years. I joined in 93 or 94 when we didn't really care what you drove and didn't make a big deal out of it. I know the focus was for Land Cruisers though. We all stopped and talked to LC owners, gave LC owners our contact info, made an effort to get as many LC owners as we could to come to a meeting. We did not focus on tagging Chev 4x4's, Subaru’s, or ATV guys.

So for all you “open minded” members quoting bylaws about 30% allowed please think of this.
I'm guessing none of you have ever tagged a new Dodge running 20” chrome rims or have flagged down a new JK Jeep in the middle of a rain storm and talked for an hour about your recent mods. I’m sure most of you have no Chev, Ford, Delica, Mog, or ATV parts in their collection of spares or have domestic parts vehicles parked in the driveway. You did join a Land Cruiser club knowing we’re a very relaxed bunch (mostly) and have a few non LC owners in the mix. You paid dues to join and no one had their arm twisted off.

No one has ever had their friends “not allowed” to come on a wheeling trip because they didn’t drive a Cruiser. I’ve invited non Cruiser driving friends to wheel with us over the years. My own brother drove a Tracker, and then a small Chev P/U. He’s even done the Whipsaw with us. Most runs are open to all friends no matter what you drive. Bill’s nephew drives a Jeep and he’s been on runs with us. I would not expect a 1 ton Ford friend to be allowed to wheel on the Rubithon Run just because he’s a friend though.

As a shop owner, I’d like to have a bunch of new domestic 4x4 driving club members. They have money and money is GOOD.

I think we need some guidelines as to where to draw the line however
-If your friend wants to join and drives a Nissan. Fine, let him or her join.
-Should we solicit Dodge dealerships to gain new members. NO
-Tube buggies are very common nowadays, should we focus on the newest crowd of 4x4 owners and let tube buggies join. It’s not realistic on most runs we do but they have money and money is GOOD.
What do you think??
-If a Land Cruiser Head wanted to join but drove a Honda civic, I’m sure he would be allowed to join regardless of the fact he owned a Cruiser or even a 4x4. Correct??

I’m for letting friends join regardless of what you drive. It is however a Land Cruiser club. If you need spares for trail runs, you better pack them. If you need a spare tire with a 5 lug pattern, you better find one before we go wheeling because most of us are 6 lug.

We could take a final vote on it if needed but I don’t think it’s going to please everyone.

Phil is senior
I prefer real pearls over ping pong balls
I’ve known Craig since I was a 145lb long haired teen. As yes, he drove a Jeep too
I’ve always wanted an Early Bronco but they rust worse than Cruisers
Has anyone read my whole reply?
 
Read it, like it.

So Mr. Prez, do we need to vote on this to finally put this to bed or what? I'd rather not and simply just get on with enjoying knowing the great people in this club, but I'd also not like to see the issue keep coming up.
 
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Granite Grinder said:
Christ... I'm a senior again...
GG
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Hey Phil, don't you know, anyone with a V8J40 is a senior, get with the times, it's all about the JDM thing now, yo!;)
 
Criag and Steve,very well put.I agree with both of you,completly!Lets now put this crap to bed.
 
Mud_Guppie said:
No one has ever had their friends “not allowed” to come on a wheeling trip because they didn’t drive a Cruiser. I’ve invited non Cruiser driving friends to wheel with us over the years. My own brother drove a Tracker, and then a small Chev P/U. He’s even done the Whipsaw with us. Most runs are open to all friends no matter what you drive. Bill’s nephew drives a Jeep and he’s been on runs with us. I would not expect a 1 ton Ford friend to be allowed to wheel on the Rubithon Run just because he’s a friend though.
it's not about not being allowed because we have never (at least from what I saw) done that, it's more of a matter of some of our friends (that drive something else) wanting to be part of what we have. And I fully agree that they would not be allowed on a TLCA sanctioned Toyota only run.

As a shop owner, I’d like to have a bunch of new domestic 4x4 driving club members. They have money and money is GOOD.

I think we need some guidelines as to where to draw the line however
-If your friend wants to join and drives a Nissan. Fine, let him or her join.
Agree
-Should we solicit Dodge dealerships to gain new members. NO
Agree
-Tube buggies are very common nowadays, should we focus on the newest crowd of 4x4 owners and let tube buggies join. It’s not realistic on most runs we do but they have money and money is GOOD.
What do you think??
Money for your business, yes, if the dune buggie owner is a friend of ours and someone we want to wheel with then sure, if it's some random person who no one knows then he would have to prove him/herself by attending several runs and coming to meeting so we can get to know them.
-If a Land Cruiser Head wanted to join but drove a Honda civic, I’m sure he would be allowed to join regardless of the fact he owned a Cruiser or even a 4x4. Correct??
How many members do we have that are Cruiser-less? and had them in the past, at times certain things happen and we have to sell what we had, that shouldn't mean you get kicked out of the club and can't hang out with your friends.
I’m for letting friends join regardless of what you drive. It is however a Land Cruiser club. If you need spares for trail runs, you better pack them. If you need a spare tire with a 5 lug pattern, you better find one before we go wheeling because most of us are 6 lug.
trail prep is everyones responsibility, granted we can't all carry everything to fix our trucks but everyone should show up well prepared regardless of what they drive.
We could take a final vote on it if needed but I don’t think it’s going to please everyone.
s*** happens, i do agree with you and Craig, well put.
Phil is senior
I prefer real pearls over ping pong balls
didn't need to know that and will have nightmares now
I’ve known Craig since I was a 145lb long haired teen. As yes, he drove a Jeep too
I don't believe both of those statements about you.
I’ve always wanted an Early Bronco but they rust worse than Cruisers
at least they are cheaper
Has anyone read my whole reply?
no :beer:
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Thank you all for proving once again that this club is first and foremost about the people and about having fun and working together for a common goal. I'm done stirring s*** up for now :D
 
Deny said:
Hey Phil, don't you know, anyone with a V8J40 is a senior, get with the times, it's all about the JDM thing now, yo!;)
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Aaah I got it. As it turns out I'm thinking about a major restoration of Ducky. I have a 1 ton cube van sitting in my yard, I'm going to yank the sbc/ 700r and work on building a buggy. Thinking maybe an Atlas as well...
GG
 
Enigma said:
Pshh...I have both, and even a South African model, and a South American model. I am worldly, a global collector even :)

You are all slackers!
Click to expand...

You may be global, but think about getting a 60 and 70 series before you piss on our parade.:D Then we will bow down to you, pimp daddy of the cruiser world:grinpimp:
 
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