HOW THE CLUB WORKS


New members always have questions about how the club works, how the
magazines are mailed, how renewals are handled, how to place classified ads
and a dozen other things. This Fact Sheet will help answer some of the
questions you might have about the club. If you have a question not answered
here please feel free to E-Mail us.


MEMBERSHIP

A. Membership Packets. Each new member receives a SAAC New Member Packet immediately afler joining. Included are a membership certificate, membership card, windshield decal, dash plaque, back issue index, SAAC merchandise order form, the latest issue of The SHELBY AMERICAN (SAAC's magazine) and the last couple of issues of The SNAKEBITE BULLETIN (generally sent every other month during your membership).

B. Membership Expiration. SAAC membership lasts one calendar year. Members receive all magazines and newsletters printed during the length of their membership.

C. Membership Renewal. Renewal notices are mailed out to each member a month or two before their membership runs out, so there is ample time to renew without missing any publications. Members who do not respond by the time their membership lapses receive a second notice during the month their membership expires. A third and final notice is sent to members who fail to renew and who are deleted from SAAC's active mailing list. If a member renews afler their expiration date, the new membership picks up on the date the renewal is received, and any missed publications must be purchased separately.

D. Canadian and Overseas Members. Canadian and Overseas Members. SAAC members outside of the United States
and its possessions must pay additional postage costs. We have found that
First Class mail to Canada and Air Mail everywhere else is the best method
of delivery. It gets the magazines and newsletters to their destination
promptly and in good condition. The increased dues rates for Canadian and
overseas members reflects the standard U.S. membership rate plus additional
postage costs.
MEMBERSHIP RATE FOR THE U.S.  $47.00-SUBSEQUENT RENEWALS ARE      $40.00
 

MEMBERSHIP RATES OUTSIDE THE U.S
Canada$47.00
SUBSEQUENT RENEWALS ARE      $44.50
Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands $50.00
U.K., Europe, South America, North Africa $55.00
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Asia, Middle East, South Africa $60.00

If paying by check, we ask that you use a bank check, drawn on a U.S. Bank and payable in U.S. Funds. Merely writing "U.S. Funds" on your personal check will not be recognized by our bank. Doing this will necessitate our returning your check and asking that a bank check, made out in U.S. Funds, be forwarded to us. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. We also accept Visa and Mastercard.



STOLEN CARS

Cobras and Shelbys are rarely stolen by serious car thieves because each vehicle has a unique serial number and SAAC keeps track of these numbers. The unique Shelby serial number makes the cars easy to identify and extremely difficult to sell. It is in your best interest to make sure that SAAC has your car's serial number on file (for 1965-1967 Shelbys, this means both the Ford and Shelby numbers). If a car is stolen one of the first things the owner should do is contact SAAC HQ, giving us as accurate a description of the car as possible. SAAC will include this information in the next Snakebite Bulletin and as soon as it is mailed there are 5500 detectives on the case. If resale of a stolen car is attempted, it isn't long before a SAAC member sees or hears about it. Less than two dozen Cobras or Shelbys have been reported stolen to SAAC in the past five years. Most were taken by joy riders and recovered. Those that weren't were most likely shipped out of the country. Making sure that SAAC has your car's serial number on file is cheap insurance - it doesn't cost you a dime.


INSURANCE

A. Sources. SAAC continually attempts to assist members in securing stated value collision, fire and theft insurance by providing accurate information to insurance companies (relating to the current value of these cars as well as verifying their authenticity). SAAC also keeps track of specific companies that will write special policies at reasonable rates. Currently there is one company which offers just about any kind of coverage you might need. They have put together a special program exclusively for SAAC members, and they cover Mustangs, special interest cars, race cars and kit cars also. We suggest that if you need special insurance coverage you contact them directly for their rates:

PARISH HEACOCK CLASSIC CAR INSURANCE, P.O. BOX 24807, LAKELAND, FL
33802-4807, (800) 678-5173, EMAIL: info@parishheacock.com
TELL THEM YOU ARE SAAC MEMBER.

The best method of communicating with SAAC is by mail, fax, or E-Mail


B. Appraisals. SAAC provides letters of appraisal to club members for their insurance companies at no charge. SAAC has a special form owners must fill out to receive an appraisal. These forms are available from SAAC HQ. Write, call, fax, or E-Mail and we'll be happy to get one to you.


AUTHENTICATION OF CARS

As the prices of Cobras and Shelbys continue to rise, more and more is heard about fakes. In the case of Shelbys, these are simply Mustangs that have been customized or disguised to appear as Shelbys. With Cobras things are a little tricky, but reproductions can be detected by experts. Although it is possible to come very close to duplicating a Shelby or Cobra perfectly, because such a car was not made by Shelby American or Shelby Automotive it will not have as much inherent value as an original - no matter how high the quality of workmanship. No one should pay original prices for imitations. There are many long-time (and inside the club, well-known) enthusiasts who are experts at spotting frauds and they are happy to help members should doubts arise. Naturally we hope that buyers look (and ask questions) before they leap. One of the functions of SAAC is to preserve the blood lines of these World Champions. We take this responsibility very seriously - to the point of defending our pronouncements in court. We have yet to lose a case.


NATIONAL CONVENTIONS

SAAC holds a national convention every summer. The location rotates around the country and members as well as non-members are invited to attend. A typical national convention will see between 3000 and 5000 people in attendance and as many as 1000 cars. Typically a convention will be held at a major race circuit and that means hotels close to the track fill quickly. SAAC tries to arrange special security at the hotels it uses so members' cars are looked afler from sundown to sun-up. Anyone who thinks they will be able to just show up and get a room at one of the convention hotels is dreaming. The key words to attending national conventions are "advance planning". Pre-registration forms and information for room reservations are printed in the Snakebite Bulletin which is mailed around the beginning of the year. Everyone joining the club afler that issue goes into the mail receives a copy, so all members have information about the national convention. Our three-day get togethers are almost too much to assimilate. Among the scheduled activities at a typical convention are an open track event (the club rents a race track for members to use and they can run their cars - non-competitively - as fast as they want; past conventions have seen Cobras and GT40s top the 175 MPH mark!); race films from the 1960s; a popular vote car show as well as a judged concours; a huge parts swap that runs all 3 days of the convention; technical question-and-answer sessions; guest speakers (a list of all guest speakers at past conventions would include almost everyone who worked or drove for Shelby American and Carroll Shelby can usually be counted on to attend); and evening programs. SAAC's national conventions are the standard by which other clubs judge their conventions. You've got to be there to believe it. If you're a new member don't be bashful. Make plans to join us. You won't feel like an outsider... and you won't be sorry.


REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

SAAC has "Reps" in almost every state and major population center. Their job is to assist members by answering questions about the cars and/or the club. Most are long-time members or dedicated enthusiasts who can be used as resources. If you're thinking about buying a car or parts in another part of the country you can call the Rep in that area and ask if he or she has any information. Often they do. Many Reps are also active in regional activities and can tell you what is happening locally A complete list of SAAC Reps can be found in every issue of The SHELBY AMERICAN


COMMUNICATING WITH SAAC.

The best method of communicating with SAAC is by mail, fax, or E-Mail. The club's phone (860-364-0449) is hooked to a telephone answering machine 24 hours a day and almost all incoming messages get responses by mail because we have neither the time nor the resources to return every call we receive. The club also has a fax number (860-364-0769) and an E-Mail address (saac@saac.com).

SAAC HQ, PO BOX 788, SHARON, CT 06069 860-364-0449 FAX 860-364-0769 EMAIL: saac@saac.com
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