He wanted to provide a place where good friends could make great memories and be a part of something fun. With that idea and a few good friends, what started as a few soon grew into a family of lifestyle minitruckers nationwide. How It All Started:
Shannon moved to Vegas from the East Coast scene and was looking for a place where he fit in. He never really found a club that fit his unique style an
d outlook. So with the help of Corey Lewis, he started what has become one of the most recognized minitruck-based clubs around. Over the years and with the help of members like Whiz, Fat J*p, Jason, and Cindy, they are stronger than ever and growing day by day. What Does The Future Hold? The Freaks of Nature future can best be described as a growing tree with branches spreading out across the world. They're growing worldwide to find fellow minitruckers; fellow Freaks of Nature-minitruckers that are dedicated to this lifestyle and FAMILY. Clubs Most Important Characteristic:
They are living the lifestyle daily. They don't chase magazines or trophies; they're just good ol' fashioned minitruckers! They have club members in all four branches of the military. Thanks to all of you for what you do and what you have done to keep us minitruckin' freely. They really emphasize family and closeness, as many of them have kids that they are bringing into the scene. One of their sayings is "We should all be able to look to our brother or sister for help, a friend, or a drinking buddy." The unwritten rule of a Freak Of Nature is that you can call upon any freak 24/7 no matter what part of the country you're in and know that they are there for you. General Information
Freaks of Nature Bylaws
Hello Freaks! Whether you have been a Freak for years or just now joining or thinking about joining please remember that the most important thing to this club is the people. The people (us and you) are what make this club great! They are the reason this all started, but the people and their spirit keep it alive. We are a family! And families stick together and help each other through
thick and thin. Enclosed you will find all the basic guidelines and expectations we try to uphold as members
for ourselves, our vehicles, our chapters, and Freaks of Nature Worldwide. However, most of it is up to the people who chose to be a part of this club. If you are just starting a chapter and picking your members…Be harsh! Be picky! You are picking family! This may be the only time in your life that you have a choice in such matters. Last but not least…do not forget…THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN! IT SHOULD NOT BE
A JOB! ENJOY! FREAKS WORK HARD AND PARTY LIKE ROCKSTARS! Sabrina Saffel
FON Worldwide Secretary
Freaks of Nature Bylaws
Members
Members are expected to:
Be at least 18 years old. (If a perspective younger member shows interest and has proven themselves worthy of being a freak and can act accordingly, exceptions can be made on a chapter by chapter basis with the approval of a Regional Representative.) Maintain a show worthy vehicle that meets vehicle eligibility. Show a legitimate improvement to vehicles previously grandfathered into the club that are
below current vehicle eligibility. Attend all possible meetings of their chapters. Attend all possible events and shows. (This is a car/truck club with show quality vehicles. What is the point if you are a member of the club and never show? None of us are rich and can do everything all the time, but doing nothing will not cut it. If you are unable to show your vehicle, at least show up and support your family!)
Act responsibly. Each individual member represents the club as a whole. (This means no
reckless driving, illegal racing, fighting, stealing or anything that will shed bad light on the
club.) Keep your personal life personal. Also see 10 Commandments. (Problems with significant
others, businesses, etc. should not be brought into the club.) *See also special note on Business
Respect your fellow Freaks and other clubs. (We are all part of the extended family of mini
truckers/vehicle enthusiasts and are all here for the same reason. If a problem should arise
with your chapter or an outside club, you should bring these issues to your chapter head to be resolved). Pay dues in a timely manner if applicable to your chapter. Spouses, friends, kids, etc. may participate in club events as appropriate, but are not
members. In the unfortunate event that you are between qualifying club vehicles for a period of 6
months or more you will be placed on inactive status. See Vehicle Eligibility for more info. Members can be removed at anytime by their chapter or any Freaks of Nature Worldwide
Officer for not adhering to any of the above standards/expectations. Freaks of Nature Bylaws
Petitioners
Petitioners are expected to:
Have a vehicle that currently meets all vehicle expectations (rides should be club worthy during the petitioning period) and follow all vehicle expectations. Follow all member expectations. Go through a petitioning period of at least 6 months. Total petitioning time is/will be decided by the chapter on a case by case basis. Membership is not guaranteed after the petitioning period has passed and the chapter may extend your petitioning time as they deem necessary. Petitioners will only be voted in once the chapter as a whole has decided that the petitioner and their vehicle is deemed worthy and meets club standards. (Petitioners who have been around the club a long time and are just now petitioning may have a shorter petitioning period. This is the only exception and should be a rare if ever occurrence.) Be judged by their peers based on ride, attitude, participation, and generally whether they fit
and belong in our family. They will be voted in/out accordingly. Run a petitioning logo (without tribals). Petitioning logos must be white and no more than 4x6. Petitioners may be removed at any time by their chapter or any Freaks of Nature Worldwide Officer for not following the above expectations. Vehicle Eligibility
All vehicles are expected to be/have:
Show quality vehicles. (Looks count! Quality is much more important the quantity.) A custom appearance. (In other words, no stock vehicles that are bagged. This club was
originally based on mini trucks, import racers, muscle cars, 4x4s, Volkswagens, classics,
muscle cars, lowriders, and motorcycles are welcome, but they must be of the highest quality. Wings and body kits don’t make it custom.) Maintain a neat and clean appearance at all times. (The vehicles that carry our logo represent the club 24/7.) In primer for a limited time. (Primered vehicles are not desired, but will be allowed to remain
with the understanding that primer is reserved for vehicles undergoing modifications. Vehicles
in primer with no forward progress/improvements in a year’s time will forfeit their
membership.) In running/driving condition. (To qualify for new membership the vehicle must be in
running/driving condition.) Participate in a minimum of 4 shows per year; at least two of these should be out of town,
meaning over an hour away from home. (Be aware this is a minimum. This is below what is
expected. If the minimum was a grade it would be a C-.) Follow the expectations listed below for the specific type of vehicle. Note that many list
minimum requirements, but since this is a custom vehicle club, more is expected. Questions about specific vehicle types should be addressed to Chapter Heads and Regional
Representatives. Daily drivers and support vehicles are not allowed to run any Freaks of Nature logos with or without tribals!!!! They may run any of the supporter stickers, such as the FN Star. Questionable vehicles will be judged by Regional Reps who have the authority to grant a final decision on the vehicles worthiness. In the unfortunate event that you are between qualifying club vehicles or your vehicle is
down for a period of 6 months or more you will be placed on inactive status. Your chapter head
may ask their Regional Rep. to review and update your status once they feel that the vehicle or new vehicle meets club standards. Members can be removed at anytime by their chapter or a Freaks of Nature Worldwide
Officer for not adhering to any of the above standards/expectations. Minitrucks
This club was founded on Minitrucks and as such these vehicles are the original lifeblood of the club and should adhere to the highest standards. Minitrucks should at an absolute minimum have adjustable suspension (hydraulics or bags), aftermarket wheels, custom interior, and at least 2 other
possible upgrades. Other possible/suggested upgrades include but are not limited to: body
modifications, body drop, custom paint, upgraded electronics, motor swap, bedliner, custom frame work, detailed motor, custom speaker boxes, and bolt on upgrades. Import Cars
Import Cars in our club should be Minitruck inspired and at an absolute minimum have adjustable suspension (hydraulics or bags), aftermarket wheels, custom interior, and at least 2 other possible upgrades. Other possible/suggested upgrades include but are not limited to: body modifications,
custom paint, upgraded electronics, motor swap, custom frame work, detailed motor, custom speaker boxes, and bolt on upgrades. Remember that this is not a race club and that these vehicles should be built to be custom vehicles with as many upgrades as possible. Classics
To be considered a Classic, a vehicle must be pre 1970 and maintain the original/factory
appearance/style. These vehicles must maintain and adhere to a high standard of cleanliness and detail. Upgrades are welcome in this category so long as the classic factory style is maintained. Hot Rod/Muscle Cars
Hot rods are generally classified as roadster type vehicles typically from the 1930s and 1940s modified for speed. Muscle cars are typically American made sport style two door cars with rear wheel drive and a monster engine from the late 1960s through 1970s that have been modified for performance and speed. To fit within our club these vehicles should adhere to a very high standard of cleanliness and detail. Remember that this is not a race club, but rather a show club and the
vehicles must maintain a show quality appearance. Hot Rod/Muscle cars should have performance upgrades, highly detailed engine, aftermarket wheels and tires, and suspension upgrades, and a general period correct feel (except for the engine). Other recommended upgrades include: custom paint and custom interior. Other vehicles that do not meet the suggested years for this category may be deemed as Hot Rod/Muscle cars by the appropriate Regional Representative. Rat Rods
Rat Rods are typically classified as vehicles from the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s that are meant to be driven. They adhere to the concept of home built function over class and form and often utilize spare parts or whatever is handy. Rat Rods typically do not include glossy custom paint, but instead relish the rusted out patina look or flat paint. To fit in our club these vehicles must have aftermarket wheels and tires, extreme engine performance upgrades, extremely detailed engine, custom interior, and a general custom look. While these vehicles may not fit in the typical show
class, Rat Rods are still required to maintain a show quality vehicle within their own genre. Other vehicles that do not meet the suggested years for this category may be deemed as Rat Rods by the appropriate Regional Representative. Air-cooled Volkswagens
They are 3 main styles that we accept. Classic
Classic Air-Cooled Volkswagens must maintain the original/factory appearance/style. These
vehicles must maintain and adhere to a high standard of cleanliness and detail. Custom
Custom Air-cooled Volkswagens should be Minitruck inspired. At a minimum they should
have aftermarket wheels, lowered/and or adjustable suspension, custom interior, and at least 2 other possible upgrades. Other possible/suggested upgrades include but are not limited to: body modifications, custom paint, upgraded electronics, engine upgrades, custom frame work, detailed motor, custom speaker boxes, and bolt on upgrades. Volksrods
Volksrods are typically Rat Rod inspired Air-cooled Volkswagens. While these vehicles may not fit in the typical show class, Volksrods are still required to maintain a
show quality vehicle within their own genre.
4x4s
Due to the fact that this is a custom vehicle club and many 4x4s can be directly purchased with several custom features, they require a few set standards such as a minimum of an 8 inch lift, 35 aftermarket wheels, custom interior, and at least 2 other possible upgrades. Other possible/suggested upgrades include but are not limited to: body modifications, custom paint, upgraded electronics, motor swap, bedliner, custom frame work, powder coated or chromed parts, detailed motor, custom speaker boxes, and bolt on upgrades. Lowriders
Lowriders are required to have at minimum wire wheels or supremes, adjustable suspension (bags or hydraulics), custom interior, and at least 2 other possible upgrades. Other possible/suggested upgrades include but are not limited to: body modifications, custom paint, upgraded electronics, motor swap, custom frame work, powder coated or chromed parts, detailed motor, custom speaker boxes, and bolt on upgrades. Motorcycles
Due to the fact that this is a custom vehicle club and many motorcycles can be directly
purchased with several custom features, they require a Regional Rep’s approval to be deemed
worthy. All motorcycles should have aftermarket wheels, custom interior (seats), custom paint, a highly detailed motor, and at least 2 other possible upgrades. Other possible/suggested upgrades include but are not limited to: tank modifications, upgraded electronics, custom frame work, powder coated or chromed parts, upgraded engine, upgraded exhaust, suspension modifications
(including lowered stance), extended trailing arms, and aftermarket fairings. Worldwide Officers
All worldwide officers have earned their place in this club and have been appointed by the
Founder, President, Worldwide officer vote, or a club (chapter head) vote. Officers shall serve a term of 5 years, after that time if another member who has been a member for a minimum of 2 years chooses to step up and run for office the Founder, President (so long as it is not the President’s seat), Worldwide officer vote, and/or a chapter head vote will decide who shall be appointed. All officers
are authority figures and as such are expected to act accordingly and be given the respect they deserve. Chain of Command
In order to run and maintain a vast organization such as Freaks of Nature, we must all follow a chain of command. All members are expected to report problems within their chapter to their officers and/or chapter heads. At which point the chapter head can/will contact his Regional Rep for guidance as needed. If further guidance is needed by the Regional Reps, they will then contact the Vice President, President
and/or Founder. (Do not attempt to skip rungs on the ladder and/or run to the next rung/officer when you disagree.) Regional Reps, Worldwide Secretaries, and the Vice President are appointed directly by the
Founder, President, Worldwide officer vote, or Chapter head vote to run their portion of the
country/club. These individuals were chosen due to their ability and experience within the club to make unbiased decisions on behalf of Shannon and the President. In other words, the buck stops here! Assume their decisions/opinions come straight from the top. Worldwide Secretaries are responsible for many of the day to day functions of this club. They are our keepers of information, money, and all things sacred. As part of our new objective to keep Worldwide dues and active member lists. They are in charge of collecting and sorting the data and
money as well as helping any Regional Rep, Chapter Head, Vice President, President, and Shannon with day to day functions and special projects. Chapters
Chapters are the life blood of this club. They are run as separate entities working towards a
common goal and come together to form Freaks of Nature. Chapters act independently. As such, chapters are given the right to create rules as they see fit in addition to the rules/guidelines set forth in these bylaws to help them govern and maintain their chapter. Club dues may be instituted and spent as each chapter sees fit. (For example, the Vegas
chapter collects $50 dollars per year. This money is used as operating money for parties,
shows, logo gear, etc. If a member is a year or more behind on dues they must pay a minimum of $20 per month until current. If they fail to do so, their membership is automatically
terminated.) All chapters must have a minimum of one chapter head/officer and three vehicles/members at
all times. Once a year in January, during the first meeting of the year, the chapter will vote on new
officers. If no other members want to run for office, nothing changes. For a new officer to be
voted into office the majority of the chapter must be present to vote and must vote in favor of the new officer. Only members who have been in the club for six months or longer may run for office. (Girlfriends, brothers, etc. are not members and cannot run for office.) If at any time the chapter feels that an officer is not fulfilling their responsibilities, they can be removed by majority vote. If chaos of any kind occurs and continues within a chapter, that chapter may be put on
probation or disbanded by a Regional Rep or the President or Shannon. Furthermore, chapters that have issues with other chapters or consistently cause problems with other clubs may be put on probation or disbanded by a Regional Rep, the President, or Shannon. In the event an individual wants to be a member but does not have enough interested mini truckers in his/her area, that individual can hold a single membership until such a time that
there are enough interested parties in their area to petition a chapter. (Single members must petition just as a member petitioning a chapter, the single member will report directly to their perspective Regional Rep.) Each Chapter Head will be responsible for keeping an updated member contact list for all
active and petitioning members in their chapter (including names, phone numbers, and e-mail
addresses). This list is required to be turned into the appropriate Regional Rep every 6 months (January 1st and July 1st) who will forward it to the Worldwide Secretaries. Petitioning Chapters
Chapters are the life blood of this club. Only those serious about becoming Freaks should
apply. Maintaining the Freaks of Nature image and family is of the utmost importance. Those parties interested in starting a new chapter will be directed to the appropriate Coastal Rep. These individuals interested in starting a new chapter must be/have:
One hour driving time away from any other existing chapter. A minimum of three vehicles/potential members ready to petition that meet or exceed previously stated vehicle eligibility and member eligibility. The coastal rep will require pictures of each vehicle petitioning for the chapter. If the rep feels the vehicles and individuals meet or exceed Freaks standards they will then contact the President and propose that a new petitioning chapter be granted. If approved, the potential chapter will be granted
petitioning status. Petitioning chapters:
Are expected to follow/ live up to all member and vehicle expectations/guidelines. (Doing
anything to shed bad light on the club and its name will guarantee that you and your members will never be Freaks!)
Will be granted the right to run petitioning logos (logos without tribals that are white and no larger than 4x6). (Earning your tribals is a right of passage into our family.) Shall petition for a minimum of six months (this time may be extended by a Regional Rep, the Vice President, President, or Shannon. Membership is not guaranteed after the minimum petitioning time is met). At such time that the Regional Rep feels that the petitioning chapter has earned their place as Freaks, they will then contact the Worldwide Vice President to request that they be granted membership. Petitioning Chapters can be removed at anytime by their chapter or any Freaks of Nature Worldwide Officer for not adhering to any of the above standards/expectations. Departure
Members may at any time take a leave of absence for a period no longer then 6 months. If their time expires, they will be allowed to re petition when their circumstances improve. (Note: this time is intended to give members the time they need to regroup. Sometimes life intervenes and things happen, be it medical, emotional, family related, etc.) Members who have had their membership terminated or have left the club on their own accord will not be allowed to re-petition. (If you think the grass is greener in the other club… GOOD
BYE!)
After leaving the club, all logos and identifiable marks must be removed from the vehicle
within 24 hrs of membership ending. If an ex-member has failed to remove a logo, club
leadership has the right to do so. (We do own the rights. The logo and its likeness have been
copyrighted.) Individual members may be removed at anytime by a majority chapter vote or any Freaks of Nature Worldwide officer. Special Note on Club Gear:
Freaks club gear that contains the full logo (including key chains, belt buckles, shirts, jackets, hats, etc.) is reserved for Members. It is one of the privileges of being a member. Petitioners, girlfriends, boyfriends, or supporters may not wear full logoed gear of any kind. Gear that does not contain an actual logo may be worn by all the above. Amendment (as of 11-14-10) members’ spouses (legally married) and their children may now wear any Freaks club gear. Special Note on Vehicle Trades:
It has been brought to our attention that some members like to trade vehicles quite often and in some cases the vehicles they are trading for are in worse condition that the vehicle they traded. In an effort to ensure stability and constant improvement in quality I would like to propose that when a member trades a vehicle that they not be allowed to logo said vehicle for a 6 month period. No one is saying that you can’t trade vehicles on a regular basis but we are saying that if that’s what you want to do then you will need to wait at least 6 months before that vehicle can be fully logoed. Much like the commitment that you as a member took on when you petitioned and decided to be a part of this club/family, you petitioned with a CERTAIN VEHICLE with PLANS to improve THAT VEHICLE. Quality is always a concern and something that with every members help we can continue to improve. Once again, not saying you can’t trade but we are saying that if you do you can’t just logo it as soon as
you get it. We are not a club that will logo just anything… (Exceptions may be made on a chapter by chapter basis by majority vote)
Thank you for your support,
James “Fat J*p” Penwell
Special Note on Business:
“Everyone who has been in or around the automotive world knows that many people in the industry are also in car clubs. The hardest part in dealing with this is when business deals go south. If you have ever heard the term”Friends are friends and business is business” you will understand what and where
this is going. As a club we just want to have an understanding that there are members out there that own businesses. Even though they may help members out and “cut them a break” for being in the club, it has nothing to do with the club. Sure they may be members; sure it may involve other member and friends, but not
the club. It is a gray area, a blurred line, but none-the-less it is a business deal and not a club deal. Persons’ business and club affiliation are entirely different entities. That line needs
to be distinguished and bold. Business deals need to be handled as any other non-club business deal would be handled, with the
parties involved and no others. Not going about this correctly can cause unnecessary drama that has and can destroy more than friendships, it can destroy clubs. We encourage using members businesses and services, but please handle them correctly if things don’t work out as planned.”
10 Commandments
1. The Master/Founder (Shannon) is always right
2. If thou dare doubt the Master refer to commandment #1
3. Thou shall be a minimum of 18 years old
4. Thou must on occasion show up
5. Thou must live up to the Freak name (i.e. no idiots)
6. Thou shall not covet another member’s significant other
7. Thou must be able to drink excessively and handle it
8. Club shirts shall be restricted to members only
9. If you leave the club, thou must remove thy logo immediately
10. Additional commandments may be made at any time by the Master
