MARC vs MAFCA

ODFever

ODFever

Senior Member
I want to join one of the national clubs, but I’m not sure which one is the best fit for me. I’ve owned my fully restored ’30 Town Sedan for 4 months now, and I’m still learning about the car. I have no plans to modify it in any way. She’s perfect just the way she is. :) I’ve heard wonderful reviews about both clubs. I've spent time on the web sites of both clubs and have checked out MARC and MAFCA Facebook pages. I'm equally impressed, which makes it very difficult to pick one. What are the major differences between them? What do y’all recommend?



Thanks!
 
Attend meetings of local chapters of each club and base you decision on what local chapter you like. Some chapters are associated with both National clubs so you will still have a problem. I am a member of both and would have a problem if I needed to pick only one.

Charlie Stephens
 
I agree with Charlie. I couldn't decide either, so just joined both. Each one has it's strong points, but in combination they are great.
It is a good investment
 
I joined both, as well as AACA which our local club is associated with. The magazines are worth the price of admission.
 
Initially I joined both but eventually dropped MARC. The only way to find out is join both and see which one scratches your itch. It's cheap enough.
 
Join them both, the magazines alone are worth the annual dues. In the big picture of owning antique/classic cars, it is a very small investment that provides many returns. I also belong to both, and am happy I do.
 
I could not get either one of the local chapters to respond... so flipped a coin and joined MAFCA.

Will probably join MARC at some point probably just for the Model A news.
 
They are both great Clubs. Like others said, the magazine are worth more than the membership price. They are both interested in preserving the history and our beloved Model A Ford.
 
I am going to be unpolitically correct. I have always belonged to both clubs, and still do. I have lived on the West Coast and on the East Coast. IF..... I had to pick one, In my opinion, the two clubs are just a little more aligned regionally. West Coast seems to be a little more MAFCA, East Coast seems to be a little more MARC. The reason that I say that is that most of the National meets for each club are generally a little more aligned to their half of the United States. Everything aside, both clubs offer a great magazine and most local/ regional clubs belong to both so many of the local clubs members are both.
 
I joined MARC because the club I joined requires it, otherwise I wouldn't have. Their WEB site is lacking but the magazine is nice tho. MAFCA has a much better WEB site.
 
stouchton said:
I could not get either one of the local chapters to respond... so flipped a coin and joined MAFCA.

Will probably join MARC at some point probably just for the Model A news.
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I hope you gave them at least a week to respond. All kidding aside. The mail probably goes to a PO box that is checked once a month. The person checking the mail gives the letter to the membership chairman when they all get together once a month. If the membership chairman is not busy he will probably get back to you in a couple of weeks. Not the way it should be but probably the way it is in many clubs.

Charlie Stephens
 
Charlie Stephens said:
I hope you gave them at least a week to respond. All kidding aside. The mail probably goes to a PO box that is checked once a month. The person checking the mail gives the letter to the membership chairman when they all get together once a month. If the membership chairman is not busy he will probably get back to you in a couple of weeks. Not the way it should be but probably the way it is in many clubs.

Charlie Stephens
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Hi Charlie - I was trying to contact the local chapters by email and phone to learn more about them. Tried for about a month before I flipped the coin.
 
As a previous post has suggested, if you live on the East Coast (Florida) and are interested in some NATIONAL events, then MARC would be the better choice, as MARC is more Eastern-Centric and caters little to the West Coast.

If you are NOT so much interested in attending National events then either club would serve you well.

Personally I much prefer the MAFCA website to the MARC website, if you spend any time looking for Model A info. on-line.

The real issue is whether or not you are interested in local interaction with other Model A owners in your area. If so, join the local club and see where their National affiliation lies - and join the same National Club.

- Doug Vieyra * MAFCA member since 1965, MARC since 1966 (dropped in 1990).
 
When I first got my Model A, I inquired at MAFCA. They, in turn contacted the local club, who then contacted me by both by eMail and phone. Turns out that the guy that contacted me lives only a couple of blocks from my house. All this within a week or so.

The national events don't really come into play since neither club ever plans things reachable to us here in Alaska.
 
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31Tudor said:
I am going to be unpolitically correct. I have always belonged to both clubs, and still do. I have lived on the West Coast and on the East Coast. IF..... I had to pick one, In my opinion, the two clubs are just a little more aligned regionally. West Coast seems to be a little more MAFCA, East Coast seems to be a little more MARC. The reason that I say that is that most of the National meets for each club are generally a little more aligned to their half of the United States. Everything aside, both clubs offer a great magazine and most local/ regional clubs belong to both so many of the local clubs members are both.
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I agree with this summary of the overall situation about both clubs.

The only other thing I would add is that if you want to get active in a local club, and if you only have one local club associated with one of the national club, then that is the national club you would be wise to join.
 
I live on the east coast of Florida and joined MARC because it does seem more aligned with the eastern seaboard and most the local chapters here are with MARC. However, the suggestion to pic your local club and then join the national club that they are affiliated with is a good one if you only wish to be a part of one club.
 
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