Conversations with NECOA's Earliest Members

[kenrogers1]

As part of the Celebration of our 10th Anniversary, I want to begin a conversation with some of our earliest members. This Thread will be dedicated to those pioneers who experienced the early growth of the NECOA and elcaminocentral, and later the merging of the two El Camino themed organizations into the Association we know now.

So, my friends, if you have a NECOA number that is 1000 or lower, please post up some of your earliest memories of the organizations. Tell us about how you came to join up, what you've gained from the Association, and of any "growing pains" the Association went through back in the early years. Please go for it!....................Ken

[kenrogers1]

I found this post this afternoon, and couldn't resist posting it on this Thread. Hopefully, Dale M. will find it here. If not, I'll make contact with him tomorrow and ask his indulgence. His NECOA number is 41, and he joined up in February of 2002, at least a year before the NECOA as we know it came into being an Association......................Ken

Originally Posted by 396guy

If the VIN plate reads 13380 then it was originally a 6-cyl car, the standard series with a V8 would have 13480. A Malibu series (or Custom) with the 6-cyl will have 13580 starting the VIN and the V8 will have 13680.

Originally Posted by 396guy

__________________
NECOA #041 - 67 El Camino

Originally Posted by 396guy

The Powerglide was the only available optional automatic transmission for th 6-cyl, the 283, and the 327. The 396 engines could also order a Powerglide or the beefier TH400. A manual 3-speed was the base/standard transmission behind anything.
__________________
NECOA #041 - 67 El Camino

Dale, I see that you joined up in 2002, and have only 46 posts. I find that fascinating - can you tell us about how you have came back to the Association after so long, or how you've kept the posts to only 42 over the past 11 years, and how the Association got off the ground back in 2002 & 2003? You’re obviously very astute about the El Camino and it’s history, so I would like to hear your story. Did you initially join Dan's group, the NECOA, or was it Robert's, the elcaminocentral group. I don't want to hijack this thread, so please go to the "Site Topics" Forum to respond - that is if you don't mind sharing the early stuff with us................................Ken

[acauth1]

I have NECOA number 124 and ECC number 1. Some of the join dates and numbers got bunged up during the first or second merging of the databases and site software upgrades, but I did go back and manually edit the resulting database to reflect everyone's original NECOA member number. Of course, the original elcaminocentral site had a different numbering scheme too and I chose to retain the NECOA numbering system when we merged or every one of the original members would have two numbers or a site number greater than their NECOA number. I do not remember exactly how many members each had but the majority of them were members of both NECOA and ECC.

[kenrogers1]

Would you mind going into some of the early growing pains of the merger, some of the interesting things that came about, maybe some of the funny things? I'm sure that most, like me, would be facinated with how the basis was laid for a 23,000 membership in 10 short years - or did you ever dream that the numbers would get so high, ever?

Based upon what you've told us about the numbers, I upped the eligible numbers to those with below Number 201..................Ken

Originally Posted by acauth1

I have NECOA number 124 and ECC number 1. Some of the join dates and numbers got bunged up during the first or second merging of the databases and site software upgrades, but I did go back and manually edit the resulting database to reflect everyone's original NECOA member number. Of course, the original elcaminocentral site had a different numbering scheme too and I chose to retain the NECOA numbering system when we merged or every one of the original members would have two numbers or a site number greater than their NECOA number. I do not remember exactly how many members each had but the majority of them were members of both NECOA and ECC.

[7d8ss]

The early roster numbers were a real cluster at the merge. Hell it doesn't even show that I am a member here to this day. Belonged to NECOA before the merge & you had to prove that you owned an Elcamino to join. I seriously doubt that this new crowd gives a .... what went on 10 years ago. Most of it can be reviewed through the "search " function anyway.

[DONE DEAL DONNY]

Originally Posted by 7d8ss

The early roster numbers were a real cluster at the merge. Hell it doesn't even show that I am a member here to this day. Belonged to NECOA before the merge & you had to prove that you owned an Elcamino to join. I seriously doubt that this new crowd gives a .... what went on 10 years ago. Most of it can be reviewed through the "search " function anyway.

So how would you prove you owned an El Camino?
Donny

[acauth1]

Originally Posted by kenrogers1

Would you mind going into some of the early growing pains of the merger, some of the interesting things that came about, maybe some of the funny things? I'm sure that most, like me, would be facinated with how the basis was laid for a 23,000 membership in 10 short years - or did you ever dream that the numbers would get so high, ever?

Based upon what you've told us about the numbers, I upped the eligible numbers to those with below Number 201..................Ken

Here's a good start for you Ken, don't know how or why but it eventually got deleted from ecc, but here goes.

A blast from the past, a copy of the original website of the NECOA (was necoa.org)

http://autocool.com/necoa_org/index.htm

[HKDUP87]

Nice always have to start somewhere.

[DONE DEAL DONNY]

Theres some neet reading in that link!!!
Regions covered a lot more miles then!
Donny

[John Harris]

Those were very interesting days ten years ago! I was the first registered member in Massachusetts (on both separate websites - NECOA and ECC) and I still have both the original NECOA 5th Gen T-shirt and the window sticker is still on my Elky.

It's nice to browse thru the list of early members and see quite a few are still active with the association.

[Lenny Carey]

John , The old website is pretty cool and I will go back and look at more of it . Ken , the idea of hearing from some of the members that were involved with the association years ago is very interesting and I look forward to reading about them .

[Sharp71]

Originally Posted by acauth1

Here's a good start for you Ken, don't know how or why but it eventually got deleted from ecc, but here goes.

A blast from the past, a copy of the original website of the NECOA (was necoa.org)

http://autocool.com/necoa_org/index.htm

WOW!!! Has it been that long?!?!
Great link!
To tell the truth, I can't even remember this site! I was surprised to see myself in the member's listing.
I'm getting way too old!

[gilby]

..great reading,thanks for sharing that with us..
..And for making me feel younger again..

[kenrogers1]

BuMp!...........................

[davem]

I don't think people realize what a prize this organization is. I build and show different brands of cars/trucks and by far there is no other organization that has informed and participating members like this one. I have done lots of custom mods to my vehicles and wrote a lot of tech articles for other sites with no response. So to learn how this site became what it is and why the people are so involved is very interesting to me. The people on this site have helped me Unknowingly, immensely, and they don't care if i also have a brand x.