Sadly I have received my last ACtion.

[GSouthee]

Its time for me to depart from the ACOC. I have received my last ACtion.

I see in Simon and Keith letter show that for the last few years we have had some secrecy from the council, no wonder they did not want to publish minutes of the meetings.

Glad to see this appears to have changed in that minutes are seen in brief by the members.

It is a shame that the club still appears to be Cobra/Ace centric, but that's way of life they are the 'money' cars.

I see the CRP&G is also being hidden from the membership. Another cover up? I agree with Simon and Keith Registrars should run a registry of the facts relating to any car, not opinion. The rest is up to prospective buyers. Simple!

Anyway I will be at Le Mans and then that's it. I have moved on to a model friendlier and more inclusive club.

I will always pop up on here with the Ol Girl.

So tatty bye.

Gary

[rstainer]

All members and bona-fide non-members can get Council's RP&G (ACOC Registrar Policies and Guidance) from any registrar or Council member.

"Not to pass judgement, and to include adverse as well positive information" has been Council's written policy since January 2002.

RS

[Eric Lipper]

Heck, I just joined this week and looking for my first

[Old Crock]

What is 'CP&GP' ?

[GSouthee]

Old Crock. Not many members know!

R Stainer. I wonder what a 'Bona Fide' Non member is, as against a Non Bona Fide member?, surely all non members are Bona Fide in being genuine non members.

Gary

[DGoose]

Sorry to see you go Gary, hopefully you will be back sometime. 

A couple of things I will point out for the benefit of current and future Members alike.

Assuming that CPR&G should read RP&G (Registrar Policies and Guidance) this document is published within the members area of this website along with the Articles of Association, a listing of Club Officers and the Accounts. You will also find this years AGM papers if interested.

Less than a third of of the club's council / committee members own 1960's Cobra or Ace models, fortunately there are many far more affordable AC's for us mere mortals to cherish and enjoy.

Best for the future,

David

[rstainer]

I wonder what a 'Bona Fide' Non member is, as against a Non Bona Fide member?, surely all non members are Bona Fide in being genuine non members.

Gary, a 'bona fide' non-member is one with a legitimate enquiry (no deception, no self-interest etc), from the Latin 'good faith' meaning. This legitimacy requirement was first stated by Council over twenty tears ago (31 Jan 2002): 'To provide enquirers with a car's historical information, subject to the enquirer having legitimate reason'.

RS

[GSouthee]

Hi David

Will see you at Le Mans.

I am sure some members of the council own AC's other than Cobras/Aces, however I feel that the general feel of the club in towards the Ace/Cobra. My thoughts based on the way I see it.

Maybe, you should also point out that at Santa Pod seat belts are 'Mandatory', as this may preclude some models from participating.

R Stainer, many thanks for the clarity and a Latin lesson to boot ;), I now see it is Non Member with a Bona Fide interest. Maybe a grammar thing.

Stay safe all and keep the shiny side up.

Gary

[B.P.Bird]

Dear Gary,
I hope you might change your mind: I for one will miss your pithy comments and not having your regular updates on the 'Old Girl' will be greatly missed. We all get our Club impression from ACtion and this Forum so losing your 2 litre Saloon perspective might tend to reinforce the Ace and Cobra centricity which you oppose....
Turning to the relationship between Council of Management and The Membership I suppose it is no great secret that I am uneasy about recent Council activities, including some 'diplomatic' care being applied to the minutes prior to publication and yet, in fairness, I find myself having to defend our Council from your comments about secrecy: The Council meetings are open to observation by Members and with the adoption of 'Zoom' this has become easy. Members are made welcome and their views are, where appropriate, solicited and listened to. Meetings are recorded and the minutes are written up from the recordings. Of necessity ACtion cannot publish, in full, the verbatim script from a two hour meeting. Possibly Gary you have already attended a Council meeting as a Club Member ? If not perhaps you should before leaving us.
Finally the difficult and universal problem of Registers. Remembering that 'the love of money is the root of all evil' we have seen the serious difficulties which other 'one make' clubs have got themselves into in recent times and, again in fairness, our Club had the foresight some twenty years ago to sort out some policies and guidelines which, thus far, have saved the Member's subscriptions being wasted on legalities. With respect 'running a registry of facts' is not simple. Going back a few years I would have agreed completely with what you propose - record in the registers what is known and let the rest of us make our own minds up. However we live in a World where truth is subordinate to self interest and even a Registrar who proposes such a system, as you describe, finds it necessary to form a judgement on a claim of ownership based on forged papers. Quite correctly that Registrar formed an opinion and rejected that claim.
I hope you and the Old Girl enjoy many miles of A.C. motoring and I hope we might meet one day should you be this far north or I make a rare appearance at an A.C. event thus far south
Yours aye
Barrie

[GSouthee]

Hi Barrie

I will always be loitering around here on the Forum. The Ol Girl will be mentioned from time to time as and when I am fiddling about. Still attempting to complete the front Disc conversion. Now looking at Bike carbs for better performance and something different, 6 carbs  lovely intake sound  :P.

The secrecy element I was alluding to was from the past when minutes did not appear and many things were kept out of the loop. I am sure that now there are improvements, I just don't do Zoom or any other form of hi tech comms, social media etc etc.

I have run a registry in the past and found it quite simple, record facts against a serial number/VIN etc and make no comment on authenticity. let the buyer/owner make his own mind up. But then I live a simple life with a simple car, I don't care much for its value to others only to me.

I have joined another club and the Ol Girl and AC marque has been welcomed and some great comments and interest.

I hope the club does come good and maybe I will revisit one day, but  at present have no interest in the club and its activities. Hey ho each to their own.

Take care

Gary

[bobbylangley]

The magazine can only publish articles that are received. John Spencer, the Librarian, pens a magnificent historical article each month on the diverse history of AC etc, rarely ever about a Cobra. If 2 Litre owners want to write in, also PVT or Vintage we'd all be interested to see the article and read about them. The Forum does dilute some interest in the magazine as it is more immediate and being 'open' has brought its problems to the club, notably the removal of the right to use the AC logo by Mr Lubinsky. The recent very successful National Day was mainly populated by Ace/Aceca/Greyhound but also 3x PVT, 4x CRS, 2x Superblower, 2x MkIV, 1x 378, 1x Frua, 2x 2 Litre, 1x Special so if you wanted to see what AC cars were like, there was a great representation of its products. Interestingly the model proportions probably equal magazine content when you look at it.

[GSouthee]

Hi Bobby

Sadly you have either misread my post or just going on a rant. I did not say the magazine does not have some interesting articles, in fact I did not mention the magazine other than to say that I have received my last ACtion, as no longer a member.

I am glad the National went well, just not my thing. I already know about the various models of AC.

I still believe the club is generally Ace and its derivatives/Cobra centric. It would not recognise the 75th anniversary of the 2 litre Saloon  last year, it was stated that there may be a celebration of the Ace's 70th (point made me thinks). Look at all the Auction info in Action mostly Ace/Cobra.

I never had the desire to write a story/article about the my car for ACtion, I prefer the immediacy of the Forum. It is a shame that it is not used more to pull in new club members. Post some pics of the National so that non members can see what the National is about. Maybe stick on a video of the National. It is no good just sticking it in the Mag as only members will see them. The club/association I have moved to does just that and the Ol' Girl features in a number of them.

Still Hope the club grows and starts to get a younger membership.

I have lost interest in the club. My Bad. However, If I can find a way to fit a seatbelt to the Ol' Girl, I will attend the Santa Pod visit and lend support.

Stay safe all.

Gary

[Eric Lipper]

My view is that everyone with an AC gets a voice but, please understand, I am new here.

[bobbylangley]

Not a rant Gary but the Forum is open to all, not just ACOC members but not all ACOC members use the forum so even though articles are placed on the Forum it would be nice to see them appear in the magazine for the whole membership to enjoy.

[GSouthee]

Bobby

I know the Forum is open to all, and glad that it is as hopefully non-members get to see and hear about AC cars. You never know they may take it upon themselves to join the Club.

Unfortunately, ACtion does not lend it self well to ongoing resto's, mod's etc as much as the Forum does. Take the resto/mod of BE646 as an example. It is live and current, you can zoom in on the pics for a better view, not possible in the small format ACtion.

Surely, it is better to fly the flag for AC cars outside the Club as those that are members already no about our cars. Maybe more members should try the Forum.

Anyway, I will still support the AC Marque and the club by using the Forum, and driving my car around the UK and Europe, attending meets and generally chatting to people who really don't know the Marque beyond a Cobra.

I am not happy about leaving the Club but there was not anything in it for me. I hardly ever read an ACtion cover to cover, sometimes, there was something that I found interesting, but, not often. Yet, I find many things on the Forum of interest and of use.

Each to there own, I hope is will be well.

I will be pottering around Suffolk soon, so anybody who see's me stop and have a chat.

Gary

Gary