Since pistons and spark have combusted fuel, powering the horseless carriage, car clubs have been a thing. And, although these days, there is a lot more pageantry and fellowship, the first clubs were born out of necessity.
If you think many of our roads could use a bit of TLC, imagine riding down a dirt road that had been the travel route of horses and buggies, and largely still were. Simply put, roads were rough and cars were unreliable, requiring mechanical expertise to keep them running. With the lack of YouTube, shared knowledge, experience, and even tools were essential.
In order to support each other, those who actually had cars began forming social clubs in order to provide support and help to others who had traded in hay for petrol.
The first car club, as we think of them, the Automobile Club of America, was founded in 1899 in New York, as a way to provide that needed support, but to also promote vehicle ownership in general. The Big Apple, however, did not have the market cornered, as clubs in France, Great Britain, and other places in the word. In fact, within a few years of the ACA forming, there were over 50 clubs in the United States, which led to the eventual formation of the American Automobile Association, which we all know as AAA.
It should be noted that the early versions of clubs were less about bragging rights and more about simple survival – drivers often traveled together so that they could help each other out when one broke down. Keep in mind that cell phones were eighty-five years away.
As the initial decades passed, and we entered the post-World War II era, families were becoming more “nuclear” and familiar to today, where, as a society, we began to focus on homes, families, vacations, and yes, vehicle ownership.
As suburban life started growing, providing novelties like driveways and garages, people discovered home workshops were the perfect place to restore classics, customize rides, and even build some from scratch. In fact, it was the whole “hot rod” idea that really kicked off the modern love of car clubs, with a strong movement in Southern California. Quickly reaching across the country, the 1950s and 1960s are often referred to as the “golden age” of car clubs, where the cars themselves became the central social focus of “meetings,” which were often held in parking lots, garages, and even places like diners where enthusiast would show off their works of art, and of course, exchange ideas, tricks, and hacks.
Although the “golden age” may be thought of in James Dean terms, fast-forward a few more decades, according to the Three Rivers Region Porsche Club of America President, Melissa Sprouse Browne, they are very much a vibrant, growing community, regardless of the nameplate on the motor or trunk.
She said that car people know they are car people, with many of us having poster size dream cars on our bedroom walls as kids. “It’s pretty basic really,” she said, “At its core, you are getting together and sharing an appreciation of something.”
Browne said that clubs are very much families, but it is more than just a saying; they are a family affair that often starts with parents and their kids. Many times, it comes down to a shared experience, where “Dad or Grandad had a car in the garage that needed repairs, and it is a way for them to do something together, to build that bond.”
She said that historically, it has been popular with fathers and sons, but the car club lifestyle is certainly not just a boy’s club. “For me, I was always interested in cars, and my dad would take me driving, and let me shift, and it was cool.” Browne pointed out that there are even clubs that are for ladies, such as Charlotte’s Porsche and Pearls Club.
As far as what the clubs “do,” there is a wide range of community and fellowship. Browne said that there are certainly shows where people do just that, show off. Then there are meet-ups, which harken back to the golden age, where you just enjoyed fellowship, and many events are tied to raising money for various charities in the Community where they are based.
Generally, the clubs, regardless of the car owners that are members, have guidelines and rules that govern the organization. They outline event rules, for shows, meetings, and even organized drives, where a group of members might drive to Charleston for lunch.
There are many different types of car clubs, including classic and antique, off-road, modified clubs, and of course make and model specific clubs, like the Porsche Club in Columbia, which requires you to own a Porsche to become a member.
Browne does point out that one thing that is a common thread amongst car enthusiasts is that although there has been a push for electronic vehicles over the last decade or so, most clubs focus on old school. “A lot of the car owners I know are not a fan of EVs and want to collect internal combustion cars.”
Online forums, social media groups, and even specific websites have created hybrid communities that pull together all the aspects of the clubs of days gone by, continuing to push them into the future. Regardless of the type of club or engine, luxury, classic, off-road, or modified, car clubs remain big business, with the North American car club enthusiast market reaching over nine billion dollars over the next five to eight years. This is being powered by the old school Saturday car meets at a local restaurant, and of course, with “the socials.”
And it would appear that with the number of car clubs, nearly one for each brand, in the Midlands, car clubs will continue to grow here at home as well.
Even with the quickly growing interest in car clubs, Browne said that “it takes a lot of effort, dedication, and often money to maintain a high-end vehicle. You’ve got to really want to do it.”