Radio Free Registry

[Bill Sampson]

He was talking about as the current 356 owners die off most times their kids want nothing to do with the cars.

One of the plans I heard just 3 months ago from an owner on the north shore of Kauai. He said he'd enjoyed the car for 40+ years and that when he goes they can push it off the Hanalei pier with him in it.

Although I took her to her prom in it my daughter doesn't want the 356 but has demanded that we never sell the woodie.

One of the most fun things for me at shows is letting young people sit in the cars and tell them about them. Most of the people with just a little encouragement will treat them with respect and be very careful. They're just old cars you know.

[Carrera_The_Kid]

One of the interesting activities at Steve's wonderful event a couple of years back was a driving tour. Under police escort we drove part of the 17 mile drive and stopped for a picture moment on the coast.

Needless to say the cars drew quite a crowd. In the crowd was a gentleman from I believe Germany with his young son. The little kid was thrilled to see all the cars. The father and kid asked one of the participants if they could take a picture of his son behind the steering wheel. The guy flat ass refused..... I invited them over and told his son he could sit anywhere in the car and they could take as many pictures as they wanted. I hope the pictures made it to his bedroom wall and will be the start of a future 356 owner.

I was going to confront the guy about his refusal to let the little kid sit in his car. I thought it was quite sad. My girl;friend stopped me from doing so, probably rightly so.

Putting things in a bigger perspective, this is what I feel the registry should be about. Attracting young people into the hobby. Some of the policies currently in place are not helping accomplish this goal. That does not mean that I believe the current trustees are bad people, as some of you do. I just do not agree with some of their policies.

[Carrera GT]

One of the interesting activities at Steve's wonderful event a couple of years back was a driving tour. Under police escort we drove part of the 17 mile drive and stopped for a picture moment on the coast.

Needless to say the cars drew quite a crowd. In the crowd was a gentleman from I believe Germany with his young son. The little kid was thrilled to see all the cars. The father and kid asked one of the participants if they could take a picture of his son behind the steering wheel. The guy flat ass refused..... I invited them over and told his son he could sit anywhere in the car and they could take as many pictures as they wanted. I hope the pictures made it to his bedroom wall and will be the start of a future 356 owner.

I was going to confront the guy about his refusal to let the little kid sit in his car. I thought it was quite sad. My girl;friend stopped me from doing so, probably rightly so.

Putting things in a bigger perspective, this is what I feel the registry should be about. Attracting young people into the hobby. Some of the policies currently in place are not helping accomplish this goal. That does not mean that I believe the current trustees are bad people, as some of you do. I just do not agree with some of their policies.

Joris - I agree about perspective...and also interesting:

Try replacing the word "Policies" above in the last paragraph with the word "Personalities" --- then read again.

Michael Doyle

[bbspdstr]

He was talking about as the current 356 owners die off most times their kids want nothing to do with the cars.

One of the most fun things for me at shows is letting young people sit in the cars and tell them about them. Most of the people with just a little encouragement will treat them with respect and be very careful. They're just old cars you know.

This is my favorite generational gap in pictures of one 356 in one place. I had 84255 for well over 20 years as 4th owner of it being a race car from new. As I sold it to it's 5th owner, it was decided to return it to a streetable car and even take it to local car shows.

The first picture is of it reunited with it's first owner at age 86. The second picture is of a 10 year old boy who just had to sit in it immediately afterward...and the smile-inducing "Vroom-vroom" sounds which inevitably followed.

The boy's father is a German MD who also wanted to sit in the car, as did many others at that show. The doc has since gained US citizenship and bought a new silver Boxster. The Porsche exposure is both multi-national and multi-generational.

As for "personalities" or "policies":
May as well write it here again: one of my own priorities for years in regard to the Registry has been the necessary comfortable transition to younger enthusiasts, be they in their teens or older. All too soon, we all arrive at each successive decade of our lives. Let the next to lead be involved in calling the shots, not just the old farts we have become. That transition needs the acknowledgement first and the cooperation second from those few who control that rather staid 356-oriented corporation.

-Bruce

[Phil Planck]

I have always encouraged kids to sit in our PreA. Here is a tot at last years WCH sitting in it:

[S.J.Szabo]

Scope and Powers of the CommitteeComposition of the CommitteeDuties of the Committee1. Review the design and operation of the existing system of accounting for the purpose of evaluating internal controls and efficiency of operation.2. Review the existing travel and expense policies for all persons conducting club business for the purpose of evaluating the reasonableness and clarity of the policies.3. Review existing and future contracts with outside vendors.insider3. Recommend improvements in the accounting system and vendor contracts based upon the review by the Committee.4. Establish a system of monitoring the operation of the accounting system to ensure that the system is functioning as designed.5. On an ongoing basis, periodically test transactions in the accounting system to ensure that the system is functioning as designed and that all revenues and expenditures are properly recorded and in accordance with authorized policies.6. Periodically issue a written report only to the Board stating the scope of its activities and conclusions regarding the accounting system of the club.

[Mycar]

Good to see you back on top form after your recent vacation SJ.

Mike.

[Bill Sampson]

Nice work - excellent summary SJ. Thanks.

[bbspdstr]

Good to see you back on top form after your recent vacation SJ.

Mike.

It's a funny irony that I am back from a business "vacation" of a PPI done a day's drive away and back through rain I believed was an advertizing prop for the movie "Noah" and I open my less time-sensitive email and this forum to read not only SJ's humorously crafted epistle but also my reminder to renew my subscription to the Registry magazine, AKA "dues."

I'll pay that piper out of 40 year habit...call it 'continuity', but the very well written critique by SJ (including some 'LOL's) of how the R is run reminds me of how much less fun it has become to write that check.

There is also an emailed 'update' of the R asking for volunteers to organize Holidays. Ironically, where I went to perform this most recent 356 PPI, the conversation turned to an idea that to me has long had credibility. As we get along in our lives with 356s, we build a repertoire of anecdotes and stories that if not shared, will be lost to those who inherit the cars and the enthusiasm.

The woman who instigated this idea expanded it to take the form of a gathering similar to a Holiday but less 'complicated.' Just a weekend of what's commonly called a Bull session...with BBQ. A round table of old-timers telling full or half truths about the cars and personal experiences, blending in technical expertize, opinions and history, all taking turns and answering questions. That, mixed with good BBQ, would be a fun way to get 'messy.' We laughed about who we'd invite and then open it to all. This is, I guess, what Gary Emory's Campout events were like and smaller gatherings all around the country have been, but this latest idea was predicated on too many 356s being sold by and for widows and the 'oral histories' not being included in the package being passed along, even if a 'totally original toolkit' is.

This is why opening the R to a more youthful and imaginative leadership is so critical at such a critical time. This IS the time of generational change and transition and it needs to be done cleanly and smoothly...NOW. A slick magazine about the 356 is great, but involving more real people in real people 'stuff' for all interested generations is what will keep the fun we old-timers enjoyed with 356s, alive.

How many think a lawsuit over the R-corp future financial viabilty shouldn't have been needed to bring this awareness out and around or an alternative site like this become the place where all of this can be discussed without fear of censorship or worse? I am very happy to speak with more and more 356ers both old and new who are waking up to this smoke and mirror show that SJ so eloquently describes.

The basic core of those charged with guiding what's left of the club 'feel' has not changed, so an open change toward a younger involvement in leadership has not occurred. Unless those stubborn few are replaced or the current core finally breaks and says "OK, OK, so what else should or can we do???" and begins open dialogue by request and participation after stepping down to the level of what they really are... merely other members.....then the R will fade as the Subscribers themselves are fading now.

In the meantime, let's add Bull and BBQ to Justin's great site and spread the word for an effort to 'pass the torsch.' (Like my new word, a combo of 'torch' and 'porsch'? Spell-check doesn't like it, but I think it's appropriate.)

-Bruce

[MMW]

bbspdstr wrote -- "Just a weekend of what's commonly called a Bull session...with BBQ."

The reason you find me hanging with the VW & 914 crowd is because this is exactly what they do. Just had one yesterday. A cruise to a lunch spot & then back to the campground for some air-cooled bench racing.





We even got permission from a local airstrip along the route to stop & take pictures.





I do my best to invite 356 guys & some do come. So I just keep trying to have fun.




And replicas are always welcome.

[Bill Sampson]

Mic:

Thanks for those pix. That is how it should be.

So, now that I am WAY too late to the VW bus game, where do I start?

[S.J.Szabo]

[bbspdstr]

Whether or not a reader is to agree or disagree with the premises or factual content of S.J.'s writing, whoever has claim to his intellectual wordsmithing should segregate same into a book. As Justin's Club has yet to create a "goodie store," perhaps Diane can hide some under her counter so an interested 356er could say the secret word and a copy in a plain brown wrapper could be passed in a clandestine fashion for reading and chuckling, even a few guffaws. Good work, Mr. Szabo!

-Bruce
(Gordon, I sent a check to you 2 days ago to renew my subscription and thanks for the reminder! You may want to remind the other trustees that if the name in Ohio for "PORSCHE 356 Registry, Inc." is still available, they should lay claim to it...if y'all have Porsche's blessing.)

[Bill Sampson]

Well written SJ. Thanks.

[MMW]

When Bruce mentioned (in foam car thread) about the disgruntled who are now complaining about the R classifieds I realized it is basically the same color scheme as here. I never put two & two together until now. I do find their classifieds harder to read & I think it is that the font size is one size smaller than here?

Interesting how the pitchforks have come out about it. To use an old argument I remember hearing somewhere before, -- it is only a small percentage of the 7000+ members so they must be labeled as .........