Are they reading without speaking.

Strange title isn't it. I'll tell you more! Last week in North Carolina I learned from several people that they read the forum every day or close to it. <P>Some have very strong opinions about some subjects but have never gotten on and voiced their opinion. Some just read. <P>Anyone have any ideas that might encourage some of them to come out of the closet? It can't be the lack of spell check, heck we have run entire threads on mis-spelled words. I know they aren't shy. What do you DF'ers think. <P>I just went into edit and then realized I didn't have to fix anything. And they are shy!<BR><p>[This message has been edited by rcirilli (edited 07-26-2000).]

It's probably the same phenomena that keeps them silent at monthly meetings, even though they totally disagree with some decisions. I guess it's good just to have them reading and keeping current. I'll bet that some of the more contentious threads scare them off.

As primarily an antique Volkswagen enthusiast, it is not often that I find a topic to which I feel I can add much here at this Forum. Just the same, I would say I visit at least once a day, to see what the "hot" topics are, to see what's being said about them by the more active posters of the group, etc. (since I also enjoy & appreciate learning about other old cars as well). I'm happy this forum exists and I apologize for my usual "lurker" status.<P>Steve Mierz<BR>Stony Creek, CT

Just lurking here <P>It helps to have something to add to a discussion if you want to post. My limited expertise in many areas of the antique automobile hobby means that I read posts a lot more than I write them. After all, I've only restored one car and that is a "driver" or tour car not a show car.<P>Doesn't mean that I don't have opinions though

Hi all, Not everyone can jump in. I jump in too much! But, I try to move things along and give help where possible. A lot of people do not know who they are speaking to. It helped me in the begining to know several people who are active nationally. I can give advise on buy/sell, even if a guy sends me email about how we all seem childish to him about the running joke of "Beware of SalG". My technical skills are not worth writing about, but I can refer people to dealers and services who are good. I know a little about judging, newsletters and running a region, so those are the ones I jump in on. This forum can not be all things to all people. i.e. Bry & Dave@Moon. The guys with the know how are ronbarn, Rick Hoover, Howard and others. We should be happy they are so willing to give their time to total strangers. SalG

Amen to those last two sentences, Sal!

Aw shucks - your words are too kind!<P>I have also talked to some of these people and the fact that they return frequently is gratifying in itself. Remember, the justification for continuing the site and the DF is the number of visits, not just the number of posts. Their visits are important, so if you are reading this - welcome!

Those are all good comments, now I have to be completely honest, I was really sturring the pot to see if some new readers would jump in. I've been in this hooby some years now and still feel like a novice. Everytime I do something that works, I celabrate. Never will learn to spell though!

Hey, RC<P>I can't speal and my grammmer is treibal but I still tri to post! nrver took a typing clas in mi lyfe.<P>Litre<BR>Bob

Come on Nancy. I know you are out there. How about one little post. Howard

Howard,<P>Should we use her last name too?<P>Dan

My two cents.<P>I'm very glad to hear that other members are reading the AACA forum and hopefully enjoying it. Yes, I wish more members would join in, and in time, they will. My way at looking at this, is that I could learn even more than I am now on here. I have learned plenty.<P>After first reading this post by Bob, I immediately thought of when I first posted on here. I finally one day asked my daughter to show me how to work this computer contraption of hers and to find me the AACA website. I began to read on our old forum at night for a couple of months. At that time I would had never thought of ever typing a single word over and on the web. I continued to read and thaen one day realized that there were members here asking questions on how to fix their cars and such and sometimes nobdy was responding to them with answers. It seemed at the time, this guy named ronbarn was so covered up trying to give 90 percent of the answers to the questions asked, that I felt (This guy needs help!) So, I thought I could try to help with some of the ones I thought I knew. Now, the problem was, what if I'm wrong with my answer? What if I make a mistake? What if they don't understand what I'm trying to say, or they take me wrong, or even more personally, what if they make fun of the way I spell. Then I read a post by a fellow named D Binger, (who everyone seemed to like a lot) and I thought, well at least my spelling not THAT bad! Let's do it! It took another week to get up the nerve as that was the first I ever typed a word on the net!<P>Someday these readers will come on board with us and we will learn many things from them. It is important that we keep a respectable forum for all our members to enjoy. Sometimes we get carried away on here to have some fun and to some it may sound to silly. Other times we vent our frustrations and lose tempers and later realize that we should had not. (Unless it's defending the AACA and it's membership!)<P>We have a great working tool given to us here with this forum. We are capable of helping and being helped by our fellow members in the AACA and by some that we never met or seen. We have made new friends and there are new friendships to be made and we have continued to extend our fellowship to others in the tradition of the AACA.<P>As Ron has said ~ Welcome readers and please someday, come join us!<P>Rick<P>

Thanx Rick, I well remember those early days. Sometimes I felt like a one-armed paper hanger and knew darned well I didn't have all the answers. Now I don't feel so bad not responding to some of the posts, because there are more of you coming out of the closet. Again, thanx to all!

Rick, why in the world are you in the restoration business? We need you in Washington! Seriously, you have said so eloquently what many of us wish we could. I think your only competition would be Howard.<BR>Keep up the good work.<BR>Patt

Patt,<BR>I went to Washington once, and got lost. <BR>As far as the competition part with Howard goes, coming from you Patt, I will take that as a compliment! Ha!<BR>Rick<BR>

For openers, The machine wouldn't recognize my password. Guess I just don't understand why we need passwords when unregistered users can come in and advertise:OLD BLUE CAR WITH YELLOW WHEELS FOR SALE period.SalG is right on! Seriously,Ted Schneider hit it on the head when he said: " I'll bet that some of the more contentious threads scare them off". I too was a passive observer for a while until I concluded that this is another example of the AACA doing something "exceptionally well".I am a novice member of AACA but I have been putzin around with '55-'57 T-birds as a hobbiest for the last 45 years and thought my participation could help preserve the breed. Shortly after that initial registration, a number of Malicious posts began to appear. I was embarrassed for the AACA membership to see us represented by these mean-spirited remarks. Anyway, I'm back to query you folks about AACA Practices and to contribute whatever I can to the satisfaction and enjoyment of Class 31. Respectfully Submitted, Tom<BR>

Thanks, Jim and Rick,<P>This is one of the best forums to be in. Notice my spelling and grammer have inproved but I still want spell check, whenever. You guys are a great help and without the DF group we would be lost. I for one hope this group grows and grows because the information that this group has to give is enormous. Lets keep plugging along and we will get there.<P>Later,<BR>Bob

Hi you all.<BR>I remember that I was in school not the first one who said: "Take me, take me". Some things change after a while... Here in the forum I answer questions if I can, make remarks to some post and have a lot of questions. I like to help people with their classic car problems, if I can. In Germany one website use now also the UBB system. That works. Not so much as in USA but it grows. I try to animate the people to talk with each other like here. It takes some time... <BR>All the best wishes to this forum and the lot of guys who helped me in the past. I hope that I will get this in the future, too. I would like to reciprocate this with one or two articles for the Antique Automobile. One article about a pre 18tour and one about collecting classic cars in Germany. Takes a bit time but it will come. I hope you will like it.<P><BR>------------------<BR>Thomas Borchers<BR>Member of AACA # 004829<BR>HCCA and MAFCA<p>[This message has been edited by ThomasBorchers (edited 07-28-2000).]

I read or visit the aaca site at least once a week. I have been in the club for several years but never wrote. Iwill when I have something to say. I do appreciate the comments. Keep up the good work. Thank you PETE

Well that's more like it. At least we got some new participation. I think Rick is amazing with some of his post and a clown with others. AACA is a big family and like a big family we spat occationally. I think what shows up in the spatting is how well some of us have come to know each other. Especially when we are going for a reaction. This is a healthy place because we learn, have fun and get closer. I would have never thought last February when I got intreged by the forum that we would be meeting at shows just to say hi and have some laughs. What a hobby!!!

Hi all, I'm getting all choked up, I have this warm fuzzy feeling. Seriously, I love the site and jump in to help when possible. We are a great bunch, people will get up the nerve to join us, we do not bite. We have fun here every day. SalG

WELCOME back Deering.<BR> Are you planning to be at the AACA show in Aptos , Ca. August 11, 12, and 13. If so drop by class 5 around 1:30 on Saturday and meet some of the discussion forum characters in person.<BR> Yes, I agree that occasionally we have a mean spirted comment but it does not take long to figure out who they are and ignore most of their future comments. A number of us know each other and jest with each other every once in a while that could be interperted as mean by someone who does not read the forum daily. I try to use the winking smile when I am kidding someone but some times I forget -that comes with age.<P> Over all I think you will find the forum entertaining, educational, addictive and a great place to meet new friends that have interests similar to your own.<BR> later-jac <BR>

Hi I read the forum daily. I can learn from it and some times I post replys. If everyone post daily the forum could not handle the hits. Some may do more but that is up to them to enjoy the forum the way they want to<P>Buddy

The closest thing I have to any kind of classic car is an '85 Nissan. My dream is to someday own an antique vehicle that will make me think "WOW, now thats a car." I enjoy reading your forum, getting what information I can retain, and keeping my dream alive. Thanks<P>cj9100@aros.net

C'mon back C. Johnson, Tell us what kind of car you dream about. That should be a great topic. Who knows - maybe one of us has the car of your dreams. I have several cars, but I still keep dreaming 'bout the Marmon 16!

Ok, car of my dreams...<P>Late '20's or early '30's, (I like the lines)something big and endulgent. Maybe a Packard (I like the '35 sedan I've seen), a Pontiac, or a Buick.<P>My dad is into the brass era. He has a garage full of "T" and Overland parts. His dream is to restore one for each of his kids. Not that I would mind getting one (or even help restoring one.) but there is nothing like having your own, something that you did.....<P>I have seen your dream car, Marmon 16, unrestored for sale at a museum site. What were they asking.... 100k?!? Way beyond my pricing or expertise. But then we are still dreaming... some dreams do come true.<P>Anyway, I am open to suggestions....<P>CJ

Hey there c.johnson - you appear to be just the kind of "young" car nut that we like here. Why not register on this site - it costs nothing - and then talk to us from time to time about the hobby. Sounds like you are in a great position to get active with antique cars and leave the dreaming to others. An affordable way to enter the hobby is to team up with your dad and use his T parts and your combined efforts to get a T on the road. It does not have to be a pristine show car to have fun with it. Let's hear from you again!

Any crowd where you can be called "young" can't be all bad....<P>Today is my birthday, I was born in '62.<P>P.S. you may notice that I registered.<P>cj

c.johnson - welcome aboard. My oldest princess was born in '62, and I consider her young.

Welcome C. Johnson, just a note from my own past, price maybe a problem but never worry about the expertise side. One thing I've learned about these boys is that there is always help.

C Johnson,<P>Welcome CJ <P>What year and what model Overland does your dad have?<P>Dan

Dad has 2 Overland he is working on now. A '15 (Marion) for a friend, and a '17 he is hoping to sell. He just finished making the wheels.<P>He also has a '13 (jug engine) that he should have enough parts to start on later this fall. I'm not sure of the models, I think the '13 is a model 79(?)<BR>I'm sure he will remind me of the models when I go to see him to take him the Schebler carb I found for him. <P>I'm his eyes and ears on the internet, he has a computer, but hasn't figured out why you need a keyboard......<P>cj