Ideas & Suggestions for the future of the MMOC

[MoggyTech]

This thread is so huge, forgive me if these points have been covered aleady.

1: The club must have an attitude that attracts all age groups.
2: Promote every car type from Concours to Custom, with no stigma between the various groups of cars.
3: Offer fully paid up MMOC members a hefty discount to join their local branch
4: Be proactive in challenging any EU legislation that effects the classic car movement in general.

Would like to add the MMOC seems like a strong club compaired to some others.

[lynda]

Thought I'd better add my input, as one of the 'younger members'. I've moved around the country in the past few years, founded the Cambridge Branch and chaired that for a while, since been to meetings in Lincolnshire and have just started going to the North Wilts Branch. In all of the branches I've been made very welcome and have never felt excluded though my age, nor have I ever had any negative comments about my car being slightly less than original spec! I have nothing but praise for the local clubs. However most non-classic owners seem to think that moggy owners are old, and it's not seen as a younger persons car. I second Moggytech's comments above, but I don't have any useful suggestions about what the national club can do to make the car seem more cool and trendy for the younger generation! Maybe it's just about getting out there to different events and promoting the club as open to all.

[Judge]

Maybe it's just about getting out there to different events and promoting the club as open to all.

A very important aspect in my view.

[StaffsMoggie]

Whether people like it or not, the future of the Morris Minor and this club rests with the younger generation. There are many young classic car enthusiasts out there which the VW Beetle scene make more than welcome. Just look how many Beetles are used as daily cars, far more than Minors, round here at least and many of them are owned by the under 21s.
I recently encouraged a mates son to join the club as he has a great pick-up. What was in his first issue of Minor Matters? A group of 50 somethings who had posed for a nude calendar! Hardly something which a young bloke wants too see. No offence to those involved but it was an unwise decision to publish that.
Another difference between the Minor and VW scenes is that of originality. The Beetle/Camper crowd encourage owners to personalise their cars but in my experience the opposite is true of the Minor fraternity.
Again, how many Minors are really still used daily? I didnt see a single one all through the winter while I was using mine, yet come the spring the fair weather only ones will be seen out on Sunday afternoons, much like the MGB enthusiasts. Beetles on the other hand are still used and enjoyed, whether immaculate or tatty and that is just as it should be. Old cars need to be used, both to preserve the car and to promote the scene to others.

The Morris Minor scene could learn much from the VW enthusiasts, the Minor is just as usable as a Beetle, and is just as "cool" according to some young friends. We all need to make young enthusiasts welcome.

[mal]

Offer fully paid up MMOC members a hefty discount to join their local branch

Just one point to make about that idea.... several years ago when I owned a spitfire and stag and was a member of the TSSC, this gave you free membership of the local branch, which I may add was always full to capacity and I know is still thriving. Just a thought to ponder

Mal

[Judge]

I must admit that I have been really enouraged by some of the postings made here, and can only hope that the committee will not only note them, but also act on them.

[Orkney]

do we need to show our cars at different events

Do the club not attend events as a matter of course? e.g. in the context of setting up a trade stand at a show type thing ?

[chickenjohn]

This thread is so huge, forgive me if these points have been covered aleady.

1: The club must have an attitude that attracts all age groups.
2: Promote every car type from Concours to Custom, with no stigma between the various groups of cars.
3: Offer fully paid up MMOC members a hefty discount to join their local branch
4: Be proactive in challenging any EU legislation that effects the classic car movement in general.

-snip

I agree and as the East kent branch is quite cheap to join anyway, how much difference would a hefty discount on £7 make?

To put the cat among the pigeons, there is too much talk here of making the Minor "trendy"and appeal to young people. Not a good idea.

It wont work! Something is either cool and trendy or it isn't and being trendy is not good for the long term survival of the Minor as trends change and when they do and the cars fall out of favour again with the "young and trendy" then the cars will be discarded and scrapped. You cannot make young people see something as young and trendy when they percieve its not.

We should be attracting people of ALL ages by presenting the Minor for what it is, a good practical usable classic car with good spares back up and knowledgable helpful club. Judging by the new members we get in the East kent branch, they are of all ages, with the most new owners being in the 40's 50's. This is fine, if you can KEEP attracting 40-60 year olds year after year then the club and the Minor will keep going. Lets attract new members to the Minor by presenting it as timeless, classic and durable and not a trend to be discarded next year.

Maybe some of these beetle owners will realise that there is a better classic they can drive and will get a Minor.

The East Kent branch has members ranging in age from 20 somethings to 70 somethings and keeps attracting new Minor owners and want to be Minor owners.

BTW, I am 42 and got my traveller when I was 31. It was the fact that the Minor was NOT a trendy thing that attracted me, the durabillity, practicality and classicness of it. The young people we want to attract are the individualists, the ones that are not fashion slaves. There are plenty about and there is no need to paint the Minor in garish colours, the original colours are fine- they suit the car much better than "modern" colours. Original colours will still look good in 10 years time whilst a "Modern" colour will look dated by then. A Minor is individual enough compared to boring modern Euro/Jap boxes and does not need to be customised.

So lets attract ALL age groups of enthusiasts and not try and be trendy and modern, thats not what the Minor is about.

[chickenjohn]

As for what the club can do that it's currently not- how about commisioning the manufacture of batches of DECENT quality spares, chrome, brake drums, etc whatever the commercial companies are not succeeding in doing.

[Knitty]

Just putting my 2 cents in. Have only had my Moggie for about a month (1950 lowlight) and bought it as my daily driver. Have had a few pangs of guilt that at its age it should be resting comfortably and taking the odd weekend outing instead of being used everyday to get me to and from work. BUT..... I love the car and want to enjoy it!!! I am fortunate enough that bad weather is not a problem here (although we are just coming out of our worst heatwave in recorded history.... 16 days over 35) so I can drive my car year round without a problem (havent actually had to test the wipers yet...lol). You guys are all doing a great job promoting the Minor...keep it up!!
PS. My 23 year old drives a 1966 VW...but she does love my car too...

[Kevin]

1: The club must have an attitude that attracts all age groups.
2: Promote every car type from Concours to Custom, with no stigma between the various groups of cars.
3: Offer fully paid up MMOC members a hefty discount to join their local branch
4: Be proactive in challenging any EU legislation that effects the classic car movement in general.

Sorry but have to disagree with 3: as we charge £12 a year and that includes a monthly branch mag and includes our costs for hiring a room in a local village club and occasional speakers and we wouldnt expect the MMOC to subsidise us otherwise where would our individuality be.
As for point 4: we already do Sandy Hamilton is our representative for the FBHVC.

So lets attract ALL age groups of enthusiasts and not try and be trendy and modern, thats not what the Minor is about.

Well I dont think the classic car movement is about being trendy or modern but I take your point John.
The main issue is how do we get the younger people involved and the image updated we really do need to listen to the what the current younger members would like to see and do, as we are often our own worst enemies and we can all be resistant to change at times.

[jonathon]

John wrote

how about commisioning the manufacture of batches of DECENT quality spares, chrome, brake drums, etc whatever the commercial companies are not succeeding in doing.

What makes you think that the situation would be any different if it be a Club or commercial company doing the commissioning?
The MMOC is now Ltd so it too is a commercial company of sorts.

[Judge]

[quote="Kevin"]As for point 4: we already do Sandy Hamilton is our representative for the FBHVC.
[quote]

Sorry Kevin, as I understand it this is no longer the case.

[Kevin]

When did that stop Bill and has anyone taken over.

[Judge]

Here you go Kevin, bottom of page 6.

http://www.fbhvc.co.uk/assetts/newslett ... letter.pdf

[ASL642]

That snippet from the newletter is correct Sandy Hamilton has resigned as our rep and I think Nigel Harrison has taken over - but I dont know when the takeover occurs.

[Jefftav]

Hi All, My tuppence worth is that as club the MMOC is pretty good value as I get cheaper insurance, Minor Matters as well as meeting some really good folk who are genuaily helpful.
The future of any club is in the youth coming through - how does this happen? Young kids influenced by Family members and/or making the club appealing by being good value for money! We are all the converted and so maybe we should be asking the non converted what they would like from a club, or look at other clubs as examples and grow from there.
As for the club getting involved in producing spare parts, I think the MM is really well catered for although I am sure there are parts that are difficult to obtain but then in the Minor Matters there is always a list of parts stocked by the club. At least with different companies there is an element of competition but if the club were the only supplier then I doubt prices would stay as they are. Cheers Jeff

[les]

I think you've summed it up pretty well there John, regarding the appeal of the minor.

[FrankM83]

Jeff yes I think the club is still pretty good, comparedto it the local club over here is nothing the MMOC newsletter arrived before the local!!! regarding parts the club yes has a very good range of parts but it's the parts from other suppliers that are in question as these don't fit at all! So what we are hoping is that the club does somthing to help improve the situation

[chrisd87]

Just an observation about the popularity of the Minor, in part from a thread on another board of which I'm a member.

It seems that the (proper) Mini has a huge following including a large and well-accepted custom scene, but this has driven up the prices of 'average' cars to way above Minor levels - even really grotty ones seem to change hands for reasonable sums. Obviously the Mini has the advantage of Heritage shells being available but I was wondering if we might stand to benefit from the increasing affordability of tatty/project Minors as compared to Minis? Perhaps if the spares situation was better we might possibly be able to tempt people into getting Minors instead of Minis?

One aspect of the Minor I think is under-marketed compared to other classics is how fun they can be to drive.