FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Gday guys ...I am new here but most of you know who I am ....I'm the guy from Brissie with the radical FC Coupe...I have been posting on oldholden .com for some time now and Just discovered this site. Looks very sophisticated and well presented.I will attempt to post some of my stuff up here  so excuse me if I get it wrong... Until I get the methods of posting on this site down pat I might be a bit rusty at first... For those who dont know who I am I own and operate streetneat panels in brisbane. I have a large collection of Early Holdens mostly FE ,FC ,FB,EK... most of them wrecks and parts cars...I have the afore mentioned FC Coupe (australias most radical FC Holden ) and a restored FC Ute ( with hot 186S and five speed) on the road at present. We are currently building a 8" chopped EK Panel van  and the wife is about to start on her FC sedan resto project.( this will be her daily driver instead of the VR Commodore she restored). This new project is the reason for joining this site as she wishes to gather as much info as she can on her car. We are not members of any FC clubs as we found clubs are clicky groups of people that only serve there own personal interests and excluder others. We were invited to the FC nationals (last year on the gold coast) by several of brisbanes club members only to discover that we were not welcomed as we had not joined any FC Clubs... A bit like the Yanks have a world series game and only inviting themselves.  We turned up any how and several people made us welcome and we emptied the park when we cruised in beside it with the custom... However we WOULD be interested in joining a Australian register of FC holdens. We are a family of four that does not wish to get tangled up in the politics of clubs but would be keen to participate in more FC related stuff. I am a member of the Australian street rod federation ( ASRF)  and this means I get restricted club type rego for the FC Coupe. Hopefully I can offer some good advise in this forum for other FE/FC devotees. We look foward to some response to this posting.  cheers streetneat

streetneat   by the end of the day, you will probably find that this posting will look like something that should have been in "rants & raves"  i belong to two holden clubs,both based 300ks from me..i did belong to a local club of mixed cars but found it to be a pain for various reasons.i'm reasonably new to this forum(despite my no.postings) & i doubt you will find a more helpful or welcoming bunch of people....if your not comfortable here , your a hard person to please.  im sure every one can learn plenty from you & you might learn from them...but be warned..this forum can be very adictive....
      enjoy
         cheers trev
ps   ya cars shit hot!! ;D

Streetneat,

Maybe you have to move to Sydney, as I've found the FE/FC club here particularly welcoming. I am building a Chev powered sedan, that shall sit alongside my low mileage original, so I have an interest in both modified and stock cars. No one seems to express anything but support regardless of their own particular interest.

That aside, the guys I've dealt with in Queensland have also been great, so maybe it was just the evils of competition at the Nationals that brought out the attitude that you experienced?

Having been a member of a car club in the past involved with a certain English marque, with a large cat as its emblem, I find the down to earth nature of the FE/FC guys a refreshing change.

I've seen your work on the Sheds of Old Holdens website, and the two door FC featured in Street Machine, all of which is a credit to you, and a great reference point as to what can be done.

I hope that you can get something out of this site. It is the best of its kind that I have come across.

Regards

Ed

welcome to a great site with lots of help Eddie,
cant comment  on politics of clubs as im not a member of any myself although that could change soon,
this forum can get a bit hot under the collar sometimes but that can happen anywhere in life with lots of different opinions converged into a small area, ( just ask anyone about the legendary Canadian block grey motor)
oh oh i forgot to ad FACT not Fiction, ;D LOL all jokes aside this site is full of help and great people.
reguards Nick

Thanks for the warm welcome people..... I will not be entering personal debates in this forum as I went through all that with oldholden.com...(which I am still a member of and reccomend it highly) My aim here is too  meet and chat to others with the same FC addictions as myself. The trouble with all forums is that we have to be mindfull of what we type as it can be taken the wrong way at the other end and people end up with noses out of joint... Politics in my opinion is best left to others. My stance on clubs is they are contradictory - welcoming on one hand to boost numbers and there are always good people in them  but gets a bit too clicky for those of us that wish to participate on the fringes only.  Is there a national register that we can join that would give us the same benifiets as a club with out physically having to go to meetings and runs all the time? I object strongly to the clubs that advise the transport department that the member is no longer attending meetings so therefore should have their rego rights recalled... Seems unimaginable but this has happened..  This may explain my dislike of clubs... I wont need to bring this up again I hope , as all we want to do is participate when it suits us - not others who think we have no other lives other than going to club meetings and runs etc... Cheers streetneat..... ;)

Hey Streetneat,

Nice work!!

I am a member of the QLD club but have never been to a meeting. I've never felt any pressure to attend runs or meetings etc but after receiving a lot of assistance from the guys on this site I am really looking forward to getting to a meeting and chatting with some of the authors of this help. When "Hilda" my FC Special Station Sedan is complete, I may even attend a run or two.
So, for $35.00 it serves as a form of national register for me.

Your right, you do need to be careful about how you say things on this site..-- unless of course you are addressing "Kiwi" in which case you say what you like!!!

Emu - Superior Flightless Bird.

Andrew,

Let me start by saying I think your FC is fantastic.  At the FE-FC Holden Nationals on the Gold Coast was my first opportunity to see it in person, and it really is a work of art.

Now, I am the Secretary of the FE-FC Holden Car Club of NSW, and have been on the committee of that club for more than ten years.  We pride ourselves on being very accessible, open and free of cliques.  We've been going for 23 years this year, and have young members who have an FE/FC as their first car, as well as people who had (and in some cases still have) an FE/FC that they bought new in the 50s.  Stock, original, restored, modified, customised - all are welcome here.  Car Clubs are like society in miniature, it takes all kinds.  Successful clubs are those that can have wide appeal.  It seems your experience has not been with that sort of club.

What happened at the Gold Coast Nationals was regrettable.  We all want to see cars like yours at these events.  Clearly there was a breakdown in communications that led to what occurred in the park that day. The FE-FC Holden Nationals is an event organised by club members for club members of the FE-FC Holden Car Clubs of Australia, and under the current rules non-club vehicles are not eligible.  It was unfortunate that the site of the 2003 Show was too small to allow non-entered vehicles to be part of the display, as you were not the only one turned away.  (When the NSW Club hosted the previous 2001 Nationals, we had the luxury of a huge area to display the vehicles, so anyone who turned up on the day could still participate and feel a part of the event.)  This is an issue that has been addressed for future events, and if you poke around in the Nationals board in these forums you'll see what happened to you is pretty much why.

Like everything else in life, you get out of something what you put into it.  We have had any number of people join our club, take very little interest in it and then drop out again.  Why bother?  Those that do participate in club events find usually find it an enjoyable pastime.  I take offence at your suggestion that means we have no life, though.  It seems to me that you can't have it both ways.  Limited use (or historic) rego is a privilege, not a right, and if a club has rules that require participation in a certain number of events to be eligible for club plates and a member fails to meet that criteria, then the club has the right to take those club plates back.  It does seem heavy handed to contact the DOT directly without at least talking to the member in question first, but I don't know the ins and outs of the particular incident to which you're referring.

But I will say this.  If someone is flouting the rules and using a club registered car in ways they shouldn't, then more power to the committee that has the balls to ping them before their actions bugger up the historic rego scheme for the rest of their club.  Because that is what happens if someone is caught using a car on limited-rego when they shouldn't - the club they belong to suffers, and can have their club-rego endorsement by the DOT revoked: no club plates for anyone in that club.  So you need a registrar prepared to make the tough decisions that benefit the law-abiding majority.  Sorry if that rant does not relate to the specific case you were referring to, but it's a common misconception that people have about Club Rego.  Club Rego doesn't mean Cheap Rego.

At the end of the day, all clubs are (or should be) about promoting their dedicated marque and model.  That's what our club is for, and the Queensland FE-FC club is the same.  We have members all over Australia, and do not discriminate in any way against people who can't, for whatever reason, attend meetings and/or runs.  We have some members that we might only see once or twice a year (and some we've never met).  Those that do participate will certainly get more out of the club than those that don't, but hey, everyone's different.  Participate in what appeals to you.

If you get the chance stop in to one of the FE-FC Car Club of Queensland's meetings, you'll find that club is made up of blokes just like you with a passion for early Holdens.  (Proper, 12 volt ones anyway ;)).  And I hope to see you and your car entered at an FE-FC Nationals in the not too distant future.

cheers
RET

oye emu ya pea brained chicken mrs streetneats a kiwi so if i waz ewe i would be apoligising REAL QUICK like ;) ;)




welcome streetneat to the forum glad to have ya onboard !!!!!!!


kiwi -emu ethical details advisor  ;) ;)

 Gday ret and thanks for the reply ... No offenece intended to be levelled at any one...( see this is why I cant be in clubs - here on the first day I am upsetting people!)  My point is that one of I have other commitments without being  available to attend meetings and club runs etc. I was notsuggesting that people that do these things need to get a life!...I have been in many clubs of different types and they are most definitly not for me... I think its very important they exist and with out them none of us would be driving old cars. I get my restricted rego by being a member of the asrf  -a national body that recognises people in my position. I am a hot rodder that has come full circle and gone back to playing old holdens... Most hot rodders do not belong to clubs... When a rodder joins a club he/she automatically becomes an asrf member. . There are more non- club members on the asrf  list  than club members and this works out fine... This might seem irrelevant but I hope it makes my point plain that whilst I am not opposed to clubs or people in them I personally choose to stay away from them. I also have not joined any clubs  just to get the benifiets of restricted rego- plenty of clubs of different kinds exploit this for their own means  but as I am a member of the asrf I have no need for this sort of thing. I fully appreciate where you are coming from with your statement of you get out what you put in .... clubs survival relies on this so I understand your stance. I have met some of the guys from the qld club and these guys where the ones inviting me to the nationals.... nice bunch of blokes I agree but still a club and as a club they assured me that I need to attend meetings and be a financial member to attend the nationals - this I found out way too late.. I still think its a joke that there  can be  a nationals  that only invites its members - other car clubs  invite all-comers to their nationals to boost the publics interest and even recruit more members... However this was not the case with the FE / FC nationals and the only way I will attend is by not being a member of a club...I am happy to be a member of a national register though and if this overcomes the problem ,then well and good. I must also clarify I have no real desire to win more trophies .... My FC Coupe has a 99% strike rate at winning first place every time at every event... It becomes embarissing after a while and I now only concentrate on major events ... Unfortunately I dont have the ego to go with  the car to enjoy beating people every show... no competition makes for a hollow victory. I seem to recall meeting you at the gold coast event and enjoyed the oppotunity to meet and talk with you and to put across my point of view...I bring my car out for others to enjoy and I enjoy seeing their cars which in my view are every bit as good as my own ... the quality of what I have seen at the nationals was very high and I was pleasently suprised that there were so many well turned out cars.  Finally I f I have upset any one with my views I unresevedly apologise... Take a look at the sort of cars I build and you will see that I think quite a bit differently to many other Holden owners. 8)... Cheers streetneat  :)

Hey, all I have to say is a big welcome to the forum. I too got to see your car for the first time at the Qld Nats, and was very pleased you brought it along.
Regards
Alex

Streatneat
Welcome to the FE-FC Holden Car Clubs of Australia forum.

I have read your introduction and I myself have enjoyed the style and grace of your fantastic FC Coupe.

I feel sorry for your views of the QLD FE-FC Holden Club, but rules are rules and non finacial member can not enter the nationals. This event is held by and for the members of the Australian FE-FC Holden clubs.

This forum is also paid for by the members of the various clubs, however is open to all enthusiast of FE's & FC's.

This forum and the nationals are a place that all the members can gather and enjoy the company of each other & share information. The forum is also a place that we hope to encourage people to become members of our various clubs in the hope that one day we will meet them around the traps and put a face to that name.

Please enjoy the forum and feel free to share your knowledge with us as we will with you.

Gday mate and thanks for the kind words... I have nothing against the QLD FE/FC club or any other clubs... Rule is rules and I accept that ... sort of... I guess outsiders dont have a say and if I want a say I hear what you are saying that its for club members only  Point taken .... ( did you follow all that ?) So I will leave this topic alone ...until someone else brings it up with me.... Like I said earlier I am here to enjoy the web site and this is all just entertainment... The web is a big place so if the entertainment costs money or gets nasty I leave and move on to somewhere else...  I am not free loading I feel as I can offer some sound Body work related advise for those who ask for it... I'm not sure if you were hinting at joining a club as the clubs pay for this site.. if thats the case then Im out of here.... Cheers streetneat

Welcome along streetneat,
I don't think you get many hassles here. I have been a member of the board for quite some time (hmm Sept 10th 2001 ?), haven't paid a dime and never been asked to.

I have only recently joined the SA Club, and between work, family and my commitments to the Street Machine Assoc of SA I am not sure how much time I can devote to the club.

I have been in a seemingly "cliquey" club before, a club celebration where there was lots of social lubricant (alcohol) soon broke down some barriers.

Enough preaching, each to their own, and hopefully I can direct some panel questions at you when my FC Woodie Wagon gets started.

Andrew,

It certainly wasn't my intention to get you off-side from the first word, and I'm glad I didn't.  I understand your viewpoint, and that's cool.  We've got over 500 registered members on the forum, and a little over 100 of them are members of the FE-FC Car Clubs around Australia.  So there's no obligation (explicit or implied) that you need to belong to one of them to share your knowledge, learn and enjoy this forum.

The Nationals are an evolving event, and if you hang around here you'll get to know what's happening at the next one (held at the Snowy Mountains in NSW, hosted by the ACT club).  It should be a ripper, and should there be changes in the rules regarding eligibility (not promising there will be, tho) this is where you'll find out.

Keep up the good work in metal and pixels.

cheers
RET

Thanks ret ... (PHEW!) ... I'm glad we all understand each other at last.... I really enjoy FC holdens restored / modified or other wise... Actually the FE is my preferred model as is all the other odball holdens such as EJ , AND HD...I try very hard not to be an instigator but things seem to go that way from time to time. I am still to find out if there is a national body( for FE/FC s)  that gives the same rights as a club or is this not possible? If joining a club is the only way around any of the sticky issues then I would do this as long as it meant I do not have to attend meetings and runs... I  ONLY attend events and meetings  if there is no pressure to do so ... Is this the case with the QLD club?  I seem to get conflicting reports  that say you must attend meetings or privledges are stripped  on the other hand members have posted to my introduction that they never attend meetings ... If this can be clarified I would be appreciative and may even join to help keep the peace... I just cannot be a part of all meetings or events due to running my business and other commitments... Plus I get too involved with the politics as I seem to get drawn into  debates that just go in circles with no resolution.... In a nut shell I would join a club or national body as long as I could come and go of my own free will. Most clubs  expect a certain level of participation and input that I cannot promise due to other commitments... I f you or someone else can provide simple concise answers to these questions I would appreciate it... My aim is to get the most out of this FC affliction  and help others ... without the politics.... Cheers and thanks again for your well thought out reply...Streetneat

Andrew,

The entity known as the FE-FC Holden Car Clubs of Australia is made up of the various state clubs: NSW, Queensland, ACT, SA, Vic and WA.  There is not a National Register in the sense that you're speaking of.

I can't speak for the Queensland club, but I can tell you that the NSW club has members all over the state (and indeed, some interstate) that we don't see very often.  In fact, the Grand Champion car at the last Nats (the blue/purple V6 ute) belongs to a member of our club we pretty much only see at the Nats because he lives on the far north coast.  We can't expect him to come to meetings or events.

Queensland is bigger than NSW, and Queenslanders are generally pretty laid-back, so I'd be very surprised if there were rules requiring you to attend meetings etc, except WRT Club Plates as previously discussed.  They've got members in Cairns and Rocky, after all.

It just boils down to this: to enter the Nationals you have to be a member of one of the FE-FC Holden Car Clubs of Australia.  Each of those clubs has the right to impose their own rules regarding eligibility to the Nats if they choose, to, but TTBOMK none do.  The only other requirement (which was the other thing that brought you undone at the Gold Coast) is that entries close at the end of January.  Even if you are a club member, you can't turn up on the day and expect to have the car judged - and this is just a logistics thing, so that classes and trophies can be ready before the day.

Hope all that makes sense.

cheers
RET

I'd agree with the view that active participation in clubs does not suit everyone, but also that the great job that  clubs do is invaluable.
But I'd add that this forum is probably the best compromise, being a cyberspace club with no rules, no fees, and open to all to participate at whatever level suits them. How good is that?

(On the suggestion of a national register perhaps this forum could open an online register section, just a thought.)

SGO
Sounds like at great idea a national registar,
RET is it possible without taking up too much room?
Maybe a tick and flick type entry like the paintcode section, then Ken and all the others who collect numbers will have a National source.

Streetneat welcome to the forum and it is everyone having different views that makes this forum and the world an interesting place, even for large and small headed birds (Guru's of spam type posts) JOKE
John M

OK, let's move the discussion of a National Register out of streetneat's thread.  John/SGO/Andrew, one of you feel free to start it on the General Board and articulate what you think the Register should be and what it needs to achieve.

cheers
RET

Streetneat
               Join or dont join its your choice. I will still talk with you either way.  ;D If the clud thing is not your thing than thats that. your knowledge of body work and restoration would be missed. So just stick around and chat with who ever. you never know you to may make it to GURU.

Regards
Sarge

( 8 )  ;D

Dont panic sarge - I aint going anywhere.... As I said previously  People only like me for my body...........work....... Good for something is better than being good for nothing I guess... Spent today cutting rust in a mates f...d and  lead wiping my EK Van... this is a new skill I have tought myself and whilst its very succesful ,I now know why even the old panel beaters dont do it any more.... apart from the health implications.... Cheers streetneat Where abouts are you based buddy?

Streetneat
                That lead finishing will kill you. My older brother is a panel beater and refuses to use bog lead finish only. He looks like he is about 15 years older than he is. But if a job is worth doing, I am on the Gold Coast (Elanora). Looking forward to seeing your van at the show.

Regards
Sarge
(4)  ;D

Your are dead right lead will kill me... thats why This is a one off that I am doing just to putthe Van in the show in bare steel... I will not lead wipe everything - dont want to hide all my nice welding! Actually the main reason is so when the car heats up in the sun when its all finished painted the jpoins wont rear up due to the fact there is two differnt layers of steel getting hot at different rates. I had this problem on very hot days with the FC coupe and it was a bitch to fix... My therory this time is that the leaded join will prevent this from happening.... I never noticed joins  bulging in the sun on factory  cars so maybe it will work....  cheers streetneat....

Yeah that sounds much the same as what the big brother would say. But its water off a ducks back to me as Iam only a retired gun plumber from the army bluffing his way though a FE sedan restore to be used as a daily driver. So I can get to Rod Show and drule over cars like your.


Regards
Sarge GURU
(0)  ;D

There it is Sarge!!!

You rule Guru.

I feel much better about the position of Guru now. It has been somewhat restored to its glorious position.

Only 50 more posts and I'm with you. I tried to keep up but you were too good. I probably could have made it if I continued to reply to every one of Kiwi's posts by pointing out all his spelling mistakes, but that gets a bit tired.

I hope you keep up the participation rate.

Emu

Emu
      If you where to try and keep up with that pea brains spelling mistakes. You would need to give up your day job as that would be full time employment for you. Noticed I used the word employment that way stumpy bum big nose pea brain wont read this post.

Regards
Sarge

PS when are we going to meet seem we are only one suburb apart.