The 2 Percent
Our 2% Opinion
For those that do not know, the term “2%” originated around March of 1976 and is generally associated with a letter to the Nation Street Vans Association (NSVA) newsletter. The letter claimed that 98% of the van movement felt that certain van club activities were an undesirable element in the vanning community. The NSVA had been organizing van gatherings and events for some time. It was successful and had developed a list of rules for these van gatherings that some did not appreciate. A portion of these rules seemed to be aimed at bringing some of the rowdy aspects of van events under control or just eliminating them altogether. These “rowdy aspects” included; all night partying, wet T shirt contests and the like. There was also a level of commercialism that was developing around these van gatherings that some felt was not desirable to the true vanning culture. The NSVA also began to see itself as the vanning community’s sole authority by approving, authorizing and sanctioning individual clubs. Rowdy clubs could be labeled as undesirable if they pursued their “ways”. The 2% movement was supposed to be the more malevolent elements of the greater vanning community but it drew much support and continues to this day as an idea.
While these events happened many years ago, the idea of a vanning community continues. Many of those original vanners are no longer here but their spirit survives. I have my own opinion of what a 2% vanner represents and should strive to be. I share it here.
In 1976, the 2% represented a small portion of the vanners already associated with van clubs and events. I propose that these days, the 2% should represent the small portion of van owners who feel a sense of community associated with owning their van. 98% of van owners would not consider themselves to be part of a community. Perhaps it’s my desire to see the least amount of friction within this community but we shouldn’t be splintered. To me, 2% seems like a reasonable number of van community members within the universe of all vans. This van community stands apart from the greater universe of van owners because of a different mindset about their vans. Their van is more than just a transportation or work vehicle. It is much more personal. This different mindset, or sense of their van, varies with each vanner but I think that for most vanners, we think of our van in a more personal way. Much like our own room. A room that we will invite others to visit but not to move into. Even in our own homes we share our rooms daily with family members. Not so with our van. This is our personal space, our clubhouse, a place to escape to and a means to escape from. Better than just a room, this has wheels. How awesome is that? And when we drive about, others can recognize the personal touches we’ve made to our vans. Just driving a Vintage Van is a statement. By us banding together as a community do we make a statement. The way we treat each other inside this community is a statement about each of us. This vanning community and the van clubs that we form are what we make of it. The more righteous we treat each other as fellow vanners, the better the vanning community is as a whole. With that, I propose this list of “How To” be a good vanner.
1. Be a brother to your fellow vanner.
Help your brother or sister vanner by being kind and generous with your time and talents. Any brotherhood is only as strong as the members make it so do right by your brothers and sisters. I say make the vanning community stronger with your works to your fellow vanner.
2. Demonstrate respect toward your fellow vanners.
We are all so different but share the same passion in vanning. It is our differences that make us strong. Put down prejudices that cloud reasoning and realize that we all are fellow vanners.
3. Do right by your vanning brothers. That means walk it not just talk it. You’ll know you’re doing your fellow vanner a solid deed if you have to go out of your way or it’s inconvenient for you.
4. Don’t keep score. If you are doing a good deed, don’t expect an IOU. That would be keeping score and if you keep score then there’s going to be a winner and a loser, not good. Do your fellow vanner a solid and then just leave it at that.
5. Honor your club. Just as simple as that.
To me, the idea of a vanning community is a group of very different individuals bound together to a common goal, vanning. Each vanner has their own idea of the perfect van. Each vanner builds his van to reflect their individual goals. These vans can be like a blank canvas where each vanner paints the picture they want to reflect by building the van in their own way.
This website is dedicated to vanning. We will strive to provide free information and resources to assist the VCvanning community. Any money made from the sale of parts goes right back into finding and making more parts to keep these old gals going. VCVan on!
