OK, since I can't post something that's longer than 1000 characters in this forum, I've decided to create a subdirectory on my website where I can put documents and pages for SCCNA purposes. I've made the directory password protected. I realize that anyone can become a member and come in here and read the password, but it's a process that takes a little effort and should keep out most of the riff raff. So the username and password for the following link is:

springhill
sl21991

the body of the letter I wrote can be found at:

http://www.chezhawk.com/SCCNA/TonyCervoneLetterBody1.0.html

Sorry about the formatting. When I saved it as html, it looked like that.

If nobody has any objections to it I will print it out and send it by Tuesday.

Karl

Excellent job cityhawk, looks well written and it should get the point across.
Hopefully the GM officials will get off their government pampered butts and help a club of enthusiasts who are just trying to preserve a little bit of Saturn history.
It seems like auto manufacturers nowdays have no affection for their previous models. I think we all know why, but you would think that a car company would want to look back on one of their best models. (The S-Series).
Thanks for putting the effort into this. I certainly appreciate it.
-Blackbeard

Thanks, Blackbeard. I just made a small change in paragraph 3, grammatical and I mentioned that FMC did prohibit SBC from using their logo just so I could be honest in full disclosure (and also to help make it more likely that the guy will do what I ask... which is to just use our own logo and our own pictures of our own cars).

The Saturn logo prohibition is fine with me for now, though I may request permission to use the Saturn logo for some things in the future -- for example Saturn hats or other things that have the Saturn logo on them in the event that they become no longer available. But one thing at a time.

Cityhawk,

I would make a few changes myself. Having dealt with this stuff back in my sign and graphics days before it got completely out of hand in legal terms, there are key points that create the problem.

The largest being profit. If you would state making the items and distributing them at cost, it often helps. But since you are outsourcing, someone else stands to profit. But at least you can show the clubs intentions are for use only, and not for profit.

Keep in mind that a lot of this legal crap is the result of ambulance chaser tactics from attorneys. One of my friends got a cease and desist letter for art he originally created and was stolen quite a bit in the local area.

We did get written permission from quote a few companies for use, primarily the audio companys. Very easy at times, hard at others.

FMC is very protective of the FORD script logo and the Blue oval logo. Might be worth addressing the obvious that the club is not poaching the Saturn logo.

Looks just fine to me overall.

Great letter cityhawk! I hope it works considering all of your effort with this.

Heads up! in the interest of accuracy I kept the Saturn Badge on the nose of the car in the illustration so they may insist it be removed (it takes considerable zooming in to see it) so it can be easily turned into a red rectangle if need be.

http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=55767&cat=500

Thanks guys! Dummo, hopefully they won't squawk at the presence of Saturn logos where they normally occur on the car, but that's a good idea if they do.

I've updated the letter to incorporate Signmaster's comment (see first paragraph).

I have a friend in the Corvair Society of America who's a lawyer.... I may pass the letter to him to glance through to see if he has a comment.

Looks overall quite good.

Thanks everyone,

My lawyer friend made some suggetions that I encorporated and put into this new version:

http://chezhawk.com/SCCNA/TonyCervoneLetterBody2.0.html

Basically, it toned down some of the rhetoric and that the fact that it's in GM's interest should be obvious. So it's more concise and I think gets the point across more amicably.

He also suggested that we incorporate sooner rather than later, so I may pick his brain a little about the best way to do that.

Karl

Good work Cityhawk. Making things legal is a big consideration, otherwise it can lead to issues down the road.

And on the plus side, though it is a hassle, it brings the club to the attention of GM. Years back when requesting such permissions for use from an audio company for a show car for a customer, it resulted in a financial contribution to that person. They essentially picked up the tab for a good chunk of his audio gear as an advertising expense.