The Experience Taught -
18 Years of Tri-Five Classic Cars
-Alan Arnell
My thoughts on the hobby of 1955/1956/1957 Chevrolets.
Although many introverts hate this term it best describes my personally. I am a high functioning introvert. What that means is that for short bursts, I am a very social person. For my career, I chose a job where I was in the public eye. Social interaction was a major function of my job. Therefor, I learned the art of schmoozing. I am pretty good at schmoozing. In short bursts, I actually enjoy talking
and being with people. But, unlike an extrovert when the interaction is over, I am wore out like an old checker cab with a million miles on the clock driving the streets of Chicago. Extroverts get energy from social interaction. Us introverts expend energy with that same interaction.
I told you that to tell you this. Many people say that the thing that brings members to a club function is the friendships, not the Tri-Five Chevys. I have attended many car show and club events during the last 18 years. I have make many good friends during those 18 years, but the
real reason I molded those friendships at all those many events that I have been apart of was the metal, rubber, plastic, glass and petroleum products that together make a Classic Tri-Five Chevrolet. The cars themselves are the driving force for car clubs and car events. So, what I am saying is that
friendships of a car club is a great thing and keeps people coming back, however it is the cars that are number one.
I would have never thought of of the statement stated in the above paragraph had I not became a Board Member of the Dallas Area Classic Chevys Club (DACC). As with anyone who assumes a leadership position in a club there is a learning curve. DACC is blessed with a President who
has been a member of the club since it was formed in 1976. He is a wise old car soul in a young man’s body. His experience with car clubs and learning by trial and error is invaluable. He brought home the realization for me, as we planned car
club functions for the club, that the car is number one for the formation and continued success of a car club. If you lose that focus the car club will slowly fade away.
Never diminish friendships as they are important. If you join a car club you must remember it is a car club not a social club. As a member of DACC, I have seen many one-timers. I define one-timers as people who come to one or two club functions and never return. I believe they are there for other reason other than the love of Tri-Five Chevys and are disappointed when his or her needs are not met. The real Tri-Five lovers keep coming back.
Friendship within a car club is made through years of contact, common interests and some unexplained feeling we have for the people we meet. Have you ever met someone and you just clicked and became best friends. It is a rare happening but one that does happen. I have met
thousands of people and can only count on one hand the number that became best friends. As time goes buy those people move away, go on to greater things or pass away, nevertheless those chosen few best friends became very close to us. We might even consider most of them to be non-blood family members.
Tri-Five owners are very lucky since the beautiful chromed-finned machines have created a class of their own. To own a Tri-Five is to own an unique and much loved automobile. To drive this reality
home please read
“Ode to the Fins.” Everyone can identify a Tri-five Chevy. Everyone likes the Tri-Five Chevy. You know I am right!
I will tell you up front, that even after 55 years of loving Tri-Five Chevys I still get an uplifting feeling when I see one. You might laugh, but sometimes when I am sad or upset all I have to do is go into my garage and look at my car and I feel better. Inevitable, when strangers get an up close and personal look at my 1957 Model 150, 2-door Sedan Chevrolet they want to touch her and pet her like she was a puppy dog. That sums the
reaction a Tri-Five brings to the majority of the public. Us Tri-Five guys even more so.
So what brings members and spectators to Tri-Five events? I will lay it out for you. It is the classic cars, first and foremost. Friendships are a great benefit related to car clubs and events however it runs in second place for the embetterment of a car club. But for me it is both!
Without our Tri-Five Chevys we would not have all of those wonderful people as our friends. Without our friends we would not have access to all the wonderful Tri-Fives. May BOTH never lose our admiration and respect!
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