Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: Jim Beard on October 28, 2010, 10:42:38 AM

Title: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Jim Beard on October 28, 2010, 10:42:38 AM
I just got my CLC membership done and received my number yesterday. After I got my number, 26294, I thought I must be the 26294th member. So is there a member #1?
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: R Schroeder on October 28, 2010, 11:58:53 AM
Maybe its in the big book of members that comes out once a year. I have not received one yet, so I dont know.
Roy
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Chris Conklin on October 28, 2010, 12:45:06 PM
Just checked my 2010 directory, it's not really organized by member numbers. You'd have to hunt for it. I believe there was a recent thread where numbers were mentioned. If I remember correctly they didn't start assigning member numbers until a few years after the formation of the club. There are some founding members out there that will know.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Terry Wenger on October 28, 2010, 02:34:03 PM
Jim:

To more or less answer your question; the CLC was founded in 1958. In 1981 or 1982 it was decided to assign numbers to members. They were assigned as the members renewal came due with no thought given as to when the person actually joined the Club.

The result was that founding member Norm Uhlir is #1639, Doug Houston who joined in 1959 is #2257 and I, joining in 1967, am #1800. In other words the early numbers don't really mean anything. I contacted Lars Kneller about this and they may try to correct it at registartion time.

Terry
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Joe Manna on October 28, 2010, 06:40:24 PM
I've wondered that too.I have found #10.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Glen on October 29, 2010, 03:37:46 AM
That sort of jives with the info I have.  The earliest SS I have is January 79, the next one is February 1980.  The first one with a printed address is August 1980, (they may have given me back issues when I joined) but there is no membership number.  It looks like these addresses are printed with an Addessograph machine.   

The first addressed SS with a member number is January 1982.  The address is applied with a sticker. 

That’s not conclusive evidence as member numbers could have been assigned and used before the stickers were put into use.  Just not put on the address.

Member numbers could have been assigned alphabetically using the membership list, but my number is 000727H on that sticker and my name starts with H.  Where there that many members in ’82?  It is more inline with my procrastinating my renewal.  I think 700 â€" 800 members is more likely at that time.   

Glen
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Jim Beard on October 29, 2010, 08:35:59 AM
Since it seemed as though there is no order to the numbers I asked Mike Book who handles the new members if I could get my LaSalles's serial number as my member number. I thought that might be neat, he replied and said that would not work. I understand because if he did that for me he might have 10000 others wanting to change their number too. I also asked him if he could shed some light on how the numbers are assigned, maybe it is a top secret code of complex algorithms that reveal our name, location and cars we own.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Jim Beard on October 29, 2010, 09:41:02 AM
There goes my secret code theory, I got an email back today:

Hi Jim......The numbers are sequential. You are the 26,294th person to join the CLC. The beginning numbers were shuffled and are not all accurate as to the sequence of individuals joining the CLC. In the very early days, as members dropped out of the club, their numbers were reassigned to new members joining. That practice was stopped, but we are not sure exactly when. Now when a member drops out, their number is frozen. If that same member decided to come back into the club, we can reactivate the old number as long as that number is actually in the database. Hope this answers your questions. We'll look for that post on the forum and answer it there also.

Mike & Nancy
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: David Greenburg on October 30, 2010, 04:04:09 AM
I figured that the numbers are not recycled.  I'm actually surprised Glen got such a low number in '82.  I joined in '85 and got 3830.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Jay Friedman on October 30, 2010, 07:42:35 AM
I joined in '84 and I'm # 3210.

Jay Friedman
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Fred Zwicker #23106 on October 30, 2010, 09:14:33 AM
I was a CLC member for several years back in the late 1960s when I was in process of restoring my 1939 LaSalle 4-door.  Later, due to extreme business obligations I sold the LaSalle (big mistake) and eventually dropped out of the club for a few years (about 30 years to be exact - time goes fast when one is busy).  Some time ago, out of curiosity, asked what my old number was, and information received from Terry Wenger was the same as explained on this post.

Then in 2006 I purchased my 1939 LaSalle Convertible and immediately re-joined the club (Member # 23106) and  have been an active member of this forum since. Attached are pictures of my 1939 LaSalle taken back in the late 1960s or early 1970s.  I bought the car for $150 and the engine had already been rebuilt. Body was nice and solid with some dings, but no rust to speak of.  After a carburetor rebuilding and tuneup, it ran well and I drove it frequently without any problems of any kind.   Car was taken down to bare metal and painted in lacquer at the time. Bumpers required plating, but most of the other chrome was in decent shape.  Owning a drycleaning business at the time, we tailored and installed a new interior for the car, which was fairly close to the original. In the picture, the car looks dark blue, but actual color was a very dark green (original '39 LaSalle Cavern Green per my research). 

At the time, Lester Wax (previous President of the CLC) was a great help, giving me much advice and also located some badly-needed parts for the car.  He stressed the importance of keeping such a car original.  He and I retained our friendship ever since. Thanks Les!

Perhaps some of the older members who, (unlike myself), remained members over so many years should have their numbers reassigned, based on "seniority date".  This might be a major project unless records were retained somewhere, but would provide deserved recognition for their loyalty and help in development of the club.  A fairly simple way to do this might be to place a 2-digit number with a dash before the existing club number to denote original membership year, such as in Doug Houston's case would be 59-2257, in Terry Wenger's case 67-1800, and in Jay Friedman's case 84-3210, etc.   These guys certainly deserves some recognition.

Fred
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Jeff Maltby 4194 on October 30, 2010, 11:11:06 AM
I joined in 1985 #4194M. The 1973 issue has a mailing address only.

Click on picture to enlarge.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Eric S. Maypother #15104 on October 31, 2010, 01:50:34 AM
So, basically to sum it up, I'd say after the renewals were complete and new members after 1982 your member number would be in the order you joined. So after say #3,000 would be in order, before #3,000 plus or minus, it's just random.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Tim Pawl CLC#4383 on November 01, 2010, 10:26:05 AM
The Cadillac Lasalle Club Museum & Research Center has in its possession the original  CLC accounting books for 1958, 1959 and 1960. Included is the order in which dues were received.  We have never checked to see whose $2.00 membership was logged first but CLC # 1  would probably be one of the original three founding members either Ansel Sackett, Norm Uhler (Living in Arizona) , or Baldwin (sp).    Tim Pawl , Curator , CLCMRC,  member #4383, I joined in 1985.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Bob Hoffmann CLC#96 on November 01, 2010, 09:39:46 PM
OK guys,
Most of the info so far is correct. I'd like to add some things.
#1 There were 2 founders & early club presidents. Larry Boland & Ken Anderson. They are seldom mentioned.
#2 It's too bad that #'s were not assigned as the Buick Club did.
#3 There were many members that came & went between 1958 & 1982 when the #'s were assigned.
#4 So... those people were NOT counted when #'s were assigned in 1982.
#5 Therefore, there's more than 26K members that have been or are in the club.

Bob
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Jim Stamper on November 01, 2010, 11:15:57 PM
     I am a re-joiner, having first joined in 1968, maybe 69 when I had a 1931 Cadillac V-8 sedan and a 1940 LaSalle sedan. When the cars went I lapsed until about 1995 when I re-joined.        Jim Stamper. #13470            I still have my unused club decal from 42 years ago. Maybe the tie tac too.
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Terry Wenger on November 02, 2010, 09:56:03 AM
Barry Wheeler suggested that the club ask the date that the pre 1982 members joined at the next(2011)  renewal. This wouldn't take into account either the members who have passed away or the ones as Bob said joined then quit. If the original records of all the years up to 1982 could be found, as Tim says the '58-'60 have been, all the numbers could be determined from when the initial dues were paid. With the members that came and went the new numbers might overlap the ones assigned in 1982. So unfortunately it appears that things will remain as they are. I guess if a member has a 3000 or lower number, you can safely say that he or she has been around for a long time!!

Jim is your decal a blue and yellow one? I still have one on my 60S.

Terry
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Bob Hoffmann CLC#96 on November 02, 2010, 01:24:05 PM
I have a 1982 directory available for $10 postpaid in the US. In case someone wants to do research.
Bob
Title: Re: Who is CLC#1 ?
Post by: Jim Stamper on November 02, 2010, 02:59:49 PM
     Terry;

     I don't have the decal right in front of me, but I believe it is blue and yellow. It has the numbers and the V, but it is different from todays decal I have noticed. I will look it up and make sure.               Jim Stamper CLC # 13470