31-07-2020, 07:50 PM
The present set-up of A7 Clubs, Groups and Registers - some very large, and some very small, covering the UK from side to side and top to bottom, (more or less) is surely a healthy sign of a great enthusiastic assembly of hobbyists, each doing their own thing, locally and generally successfully, and which has survived some sixty or seventy years. Add to that the many strong and long-established overseas Clubs and Groups and you have a worldwide powerful network of owners.
In the event of, say, one of the UK groups failing - for whatever reason - the remainder would still be strong and would continue. The formation of a National 'Club' might (almost certainly would) risk damaging the pride which members/owners take in their local group being lost. This may seem a somewhat biased, even parochial view, but as things stand with the A7CA still standing watch over all, as a good mother hen should, why even consider change?
I remember when I first joined the 750MC in 1977 that I could not understand why the National Rally was at Beaulieu, etc etc and did not then fully grasp the Seven ethic. I resigned after a few years, as there was no branch of the 750MC (nor any other) within convenient reach in order to form, with an A7 mate, a pub meeting locally which catered for any 'interesting' (in the owner's opinion) car on the basis of No Committees, No Rules, No Subs, No Politics and No personalities. It is still running very well some thirty plus years later...
I'd suggest it best to leave well alone, and, 'if it ain't broke - don't fix it'.
It is the heroic little car itself, and the enthusiasm of owners worldwide, whose loyalty to the model which appears to be beyond question which is the factor which unifies all, no matter where in the country, the U.K or indeed across the world.
In the event of, say, one of the UK groups failing - for whatever reason - the remainder would still be strong and would continue. The formation of a National 'Club' might (almost certainly would) risk damaging the pride which members/owners take in their local group being lost. This may seem a somewhat biased, even parochial view, but as things stand with the A7CA still standing watch over all, as a good mother hen should, why even consider change?
I remember when I first joined the 750MC in 1977 that I could not understand why the National Rally was at Beaulieu, etc etc and did not then fully grasp the Seven ethic. I resigned after a few years, as there was no branch of the 750MC (nor any other) within convenient reach in order to form, with an A7 mate, a pub meeting locally which catered for any 'interesting' (in the owner's opinion) car on the basis of No Committees, No Rules, No Subs, No Politics and No personalities. It is still running very well some thirty plus years later...
I'd suggest it best to leave well alone, and, 'if it ain't broke - don't fix it'.
It is the heroic little car itself, and the enthusiasm of owners worldwide, whose loyalty to the model which appears to be beyond question which is the factor which unifies all, no matter where in the country, the U.K or indeed across the world.
True satisfaction is the delayed fulfilment of ancient wish