...and yes, you read that right. "Supper Car" Club.
Why "supper"? Simply put, supper is the term usually used by my kids when refering to dinner-time here, and weekday dinners (or "supper") are usually nothing over-the-top or spectacular, just a fill-you-up on good food moment in the day. A necessary part of the day, without a lot of fluff. Kind of fitting as you'll see when we get to the cars that would be in this club.
I had stumbled across the supercar club idea back in 2000, and thought "novel idea"... but then dismissed it, and went back at my day job. This past week, the thought popped back in my head while parking at the Post Office to ship out some designs, and I parked next to a perfectly preserved Gremlin. (I know!! Bitchin'!!) How long has it been since you've seen one of those? Apparently, the three other folks checking it out had the same thought. (note to the owner of said ride: What I wrote on my card is serious. I want your car.)
If you're into exotics, you no doubt know of organizations like Group 20's incredible Super Car Club, or P1 Prestige and Performance Car Club, or a few others. The basic idea is a shared-access plan, wherein members have access to a number of exotics and luxury cars for about the same cost as owning ONE. Pretty slick, and not unlike shared-access plans for yachts, jets, beach mansions, islands and so-on. So, for like $30k per year, plus a $5-10k membership fee, you're driving a number of cool cars throughout the year, insurance included. Nifty if you're of the persuasion that can afford it. Me? Nope. I fall more in line with my nifty idea:
The Supper Car Club.
Regular folks cruising regular (and occasionally rare!) cars. We'll round up a group of investors, and purchase a fleet of hand-picked, basic transportation cars from the past and present (if you can get 'em from the future, well, we'd like a word with you, too!). We'll set up a membership fee based on the value of the cars, say $75.00 to join, plus like $300.00/year, and base it all on a points system, allowing everyone access to the cars. You may buy extra points, or trade points for allowing off-use days for cars, etc. Naturally, cruising the Cavalier rag top in June would be double he points of the Cimmaron with the broken A/C, but hey, this is about exclusivity.
I can hear it now-- "Why would anyone want to drive a car like a Citation, or a Fairmont sedan, or an '80 El Camino with a broken tailgate?"
NOSTALGIA.
Unless you were some spoiled brat as a teenager, chances are that through college (or beyond if you draw cars for a living and have kids), you've driven some questionable-looking, as well as performing cars. And what always comes up in converations about those times past (or present... it happens)? "Man, I hated that car, but I miss it!" Admit it. That '79 Delta 88 with the door skins flapping in the breeze was pretty cool. You had FUN with it. I sure as hell did. And my friends still remember that car... even the ones I bump into so many years later... And think about it: If you're into cars like I am, you check everyhing out. Like the afforementioned Gremlin. I was drawn to that like flies on... oh wait, bad comparison... but you get the idea. A car that hits home will draw as much, if not more attention than some exotic ride. (consider Playboy's Farmer's Daughters specials--- I read it for the article on cobbler -- was that a fluke? The girl next-door is always more approachable, and often more realistic. I bet they sold millions. Cars are the same way, I've found.)
Admit it: You had this poster right next to that one with the white Lamborghini.
We'll offer typical high school and college-year cars, and even a few hot rod-style versions... Maybe '78 Malibu with a severe rake, N-50's and Jensen 6x9's on the package tray, or even a hand-me-down LTD in powder blue... The kind of stuff you had back then. Imagine pulling up to your reunion in a Camaro with a dented fender, a Moroso decal and sheepskin seat covers, just like you had back in school? Talk about keeping it real. No rental Caddy for you. Just bringing back memories, much like your mullet and parachute pants.
And for those who were in all of the musicals, or had weird parents, we'll round up some used Volvos, VW's, and the cream of the crop:
...it's tres chic
(I'm showing the smaller cars so that we get the "green" folks on board. Fret not, my fellow size 34 EEE carbon-footprint friend, I'll be battling you for points on the Granada with the bad valve seals and cracked rings. We'll have a little something for everyone. AMC Eagle? We'll have THREE.)
All told, I think that once the trendies see Justin Timberlake pull up at the ESPY's in the Monaco with the Keystone mags, bad paint and bubbling tint on the windows, this club will be hotter than some crystal and gold-leaf decoupaged Von Dutch hat in an LA boutique after seeing it on a video awards show.
If you're in, hit me up... This will be huge, and a total blast. I have a line already on a Volare' wagon and a cherry Grand Prix...
More insight/design/lunacy over at www.problemchildkustoms.com.
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The amazing Mercury wagon in American Rodder is worth the price of admission alone, we've already been over the amazing '54 Merc (hey, I see trend here) in R-n-C, and the special horsepower section in Truckin' makes for some good reading as well! Thanks to Dan over at Truckin' for slipping my artwork once again into the Radical Renderings pages (and look out soon for a project that he and I collaborated on, which spawned some great concept art!). I hope you enjoy them all as much as I did creating them...
