NSRA an NASC history

[BuffaloBill]

I have been going through some archives of The Welland Valley Roadsters and
have come across some very interesting articles!! I have lots more to go
through so there may be more to come yet!!
Note- Copied as written at the time.

Taken from the archives (No.3) of The Welland Valley Roadsters in 1974. (Re-typed due to a slight deterioration of the original.

National Rod Run 1975
Myself (Bill Wittkopp) and Pete Holmes attended the first General Meeting of the National Association of Street Clubs at Ridgemont near Woburn Abbey and seems more than possible that we (Welland Valley Roadsters), may be the Host Club to the first Street Rod Nationals to be held, hopefully at Wicksteed Park on August Bank Holiday weekend 1975!
Details are still to be finalised but is hoped to have the same type of Events as the Street Rod Nationals in America. More information will be given as we receive it.

(More to come soon)

[Brizey]

That`s interesting Bill and very much part of British Hot Rod history!.
Back in the `70s (Pre internet days) information like that was only known via word of mouth or until published in magazines. From memory, I believe the NASC was started by (then) NSRA member Tim Cook after he became disillusioned with the NSRA`s then pre `49 style vehicle criteria policy, so he started the NASC as an `Umbrella Club` encompassing any type vehicle clubs that wanted to join!.

Be interesting to read more articles!...

[BuffaloBill]

You are correct. There is more to show that in an upcoming post once I get it sorted.

[Willys coop v8]

It’s a shame the nasc is no more! It did fill a void

[Steve Case]

Welland Valley, was the very first weekend run I ever went to! Think it was either 1976 or 1977, had a great weekend there! ����

[BuffaloBill]

The history of The Welland Valley Roadsters and The NASC.

The Club was formed in early 1972 after a meeting with the newly formed NSRA in London, and was to be known as The East Midland Division of The NSRA. At the end of that year, members suggested that we broke away and formed our own Club which we duly did in December of that year. A poll of members suggestions came up with The Welland Valley Roadsters. The Club rapidly grew in numbers due to there being no other Clubs in the vicinity.
Our first Meet was called The Poker Run and Picnic in June of 1973. At that Meet, discussions were had with other Clubs that attended and a National Organisation was suggested to hopefully prevent other Clubs’ Meets clashing. A preliminary name was suggested as National Association of Street Clubs.
In Early 1974, Bill Wittkopp and Pete Holmes went to the first General Meeting of the newly formed National Association of Street Clubs with Tim Cook and Bob Rothwell (Chelmsford Drag&Hotrod Club) at Ridgemont near Woburn Abbey and it was suggested that we, (Welland Valley Roadsters) may be the possible host club of the first Street Rod Nationals to be held at Wicksteed Park on August Bank Holiday 1975. This Association lasted until around 2020/21?
Our own Rod Run was the Poker Run and Picnic and was a huge success and grew to be one of the must-go-to-Events every year. Cars came from far and wide, Scotland, Cornwall, Wales etc. to the point where a new camping site for the weekend had to be found due to the number of entrants!
Members of the Club did go to other Club’s Events and we all became very good friends over time.
Some of those original members are still active in the Hot Rod and Custom scene and can be seen cruising to and from car shows around the country but sadly not in the numbers that we used to.
If you were a Member back-in-the-day, maybe you have some photo’s or memories that you could share with us?
We do have a sister site for members only called Friends of Welland Valley Roadsters and is a closed private site. If you would like to join and contribute then you need to apply to join for which there is no charge and an Admin will OK it. Please keep in mind that it is NOT a sales site for businesses so please play by the rules.


‘Friends of Welland Valley Roadsters’ site:-
https://www.facebook.com/groups/431842780691000/

[Brizey]

The history of The Welland Valley Roadsters and The NASC.

The Club was formed in early 1972 after a meeting with the newly formed NSRA in London, and was to be known as The East Midland Division of The NSRA. At the end of that year, members suggested that we broke away and formed our own Club which we duly did in December of that year.

During the latter half of 1972 and into `73 the NSRA tried the `Divisional officer/member` scenario, the idea being the divisional officer would help promote the NSRA within the divisional areas and bring local rodders together.
Many times, after the divisions were formed into local clubs these clubs, for various reasons and like the Welland Valley Roadsters, then broke away from the NSRA. This ultimately lead to the NSRA dropping the idea of local divisional officers!...

[martin]

Interesting Brian. I'm assuming this was before area reps which I seem to remember, which were disbanded for some reason.

Personally I think area reps should be bought back to help promote the NSRA, but not form breakaway clubs as you mentioned.

[MisteR Tee]

There were Divisional officers right from the start, if you check in old Kool Kams you'll see reports from various area reps around the country on stuff happening in their Divisions. That was how I got contacted by my first car club, the Con Rodders & from that progressed to form most of the Race Control team at SPR.

[Brizey]

Interesting Brian. I'm assuming this was before area reps which I seem to remember, which were disbanded for some reason.

Personally I think area reps should be bought back to help promote the NSRA, but not form breakaway clubs as you mentioned.

Yes Mart`, divisional officers and the later area reps were in essence of the same role and purpose.

Unfortunately, having area reps is one thing, but them then getting local members (or even non members) together and eventually deciding to form a breakaway club (non NSRA related) of their own is an entirely different matter and out of the hands of the NSRA.

Early 1970s the NSRA was more Pre `49 orientated (influenced by the L.A. Roadsters and American NSRA) towards it`s vehicle interests.
With very few rodding clubs about to join, guys with stock American `50-`60s cars or jacked up British cars wanted to join the NSRA but, basically, their cars were outside the then club interests! It was these car owners who often, along with the then NSRA divisional rep broke away and formed their own local clubs; the NSRA rep generally being the initial catalyst that brought these guys together in the first place! It was these smaller clubs and then member Tim Cook`s disillusionment with the NSRA (simply because his car wasn`t pre `49) that inspired the start of the NASC as an catch all umbrella club for cars that didn`t fit into the NSRA`s pre `49 interests...
As an aside, it was many of these breakaway clubs who, back then, started and constantly quoted the myth that the NSRA was a snobbish club.... when all it was was a club dedicated to a particular style (pre `49) of cars...much the same as a Mustang club is for Mustangs or a Ford Cortina club is for Cortina`s etc!...

[kapri]

I've always thought the NASC was formed .initially , the coordinate event dates so they didn't clash and to also to help gather the clubs together to hold the ROAMING Nationals ?

Southern Roadsters predate the NSRA with Surrey Street Rodders and Chelmsford all around the same time. Sothern Roadsters were a breakaway club from the BDRA Roadster division.

[kapri]

First NASC Nationals was held at Bisley hosted by already established Surrey Street Rodders. Don't ask me the year but i do remember the CC writeup mentioing the 3 rods that attended LOL

[Brizey]

I've always thought the NASC was formed .initially , the coordinate event dates so they didn't clash and to also to help gather the clubs together to hold the ROAMING Nationals ?

Southern Roadsters predate the NSRA with Surrey Street Rodders and Chelmsford all around the same time. Sothern Roadsters were a breakaway club from the BDRA Roadster division.

The main initial reason (catalyst) the NASC was formed was for the reason I stated above, Tim Cooks disillusionment with the NSRA because the cars he (and some others) were interested in didn`t fit in with the NSRA`s then vehicle interests. But yes, once formed, getting other clubs under the one umbrella become a major part of the NASC `s remit!
There was talk within the NSRA membership about it at the time as it was felt that Tim was, and did, `poaching` members away from the NSRA.

Much like the Southern Roadsters, the NSRA was formed after Chairman of the NDRC `Roadster Register, Chris Church, disbanded the Roadster Register because he felt that an entirely separate club would be more beneficial rather than be under the supervision of the NDRC...

[kapri]

I defer to my elders and betters