Where have our members gone? (or, the self-absorption of Evan)

[trularin]

I came here because Brent had this idea that a bunch of guys with a common car interest would like to talk and share ideas.

And, through the course of time I have made some wonderful friends. People that I can talk to without having them jump down my throat because they don't necessarily see eye to eye with me.

But I have to say, I have watched this past couple years change CC.

The original premise of this club has slipped. The comrades we were, we are no more. Yes, a few people will come to a cause, but there is more fighting ( call it what you will ) than there ever was. Name calling for the sake of name calling and antagonism seems to be the directive of the day.

Are we really that hateful of our brothers that we really mean the crappy things we are saying?

I suppose this will not get far, but I hear from members that once loved coming here, drifting away.

I wonder if this should be the "you better think this way club"

Rant over.

[CobraEd]

I have been here for 10 years. I don't think there is any more fighting now, I just wonder where all the old timers are that I remember. Hell even Kristen does not post anymore. Our only token Cobra girl.


.

[Dwight]

trularin

in my opinion most of the guys that own Cobras are Type A personalities. Strong willed, very opinionated. Great guys, the type that build this country. People who get things done. Some are quick to disagree and let you know what they think. Also the Internet makes posting impersonal, you are not standing face to face with someone. I think they forget they are "talking" to someone. Over the years of going to Cobra events I have never meet any of the posters you talk about. Always meet great people who love cars.

So I think this great invention that brings us together is also the blame for bringing out the bad in some.
I don't think they are bad, they just forget they are talking to people not a machine.
Dwight

[JWilly]

I'm 100% with Dwight on this one. Although, I do tire of the completely non-car, non-humorous stuff (e.g., politics, guns, tea parties) that pops up from time to time.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Dwight

in my opinion most of the guys that own Cobras are Type A personalities. Strong willed, very opinionated. Great guys, the type that build this country. People who get things done.

Yep, and the few "Type B" personalities that received an inheritance from Uncle Floyd, that they then spent on a Cobra, don't stick around that long. And, of course, there are a few members on this forum that enjoy jousting purely for the fun of it... but they tend to only joust with the members that, deep down, they really like.

[RedBarchetta]

It's all Carroll's fault.

[rustyBob]

It could be that with some of the "older members" there interest have changed or they have moved on to things like grand kids or retirement or maybe the just lost interest in the topics being "talked" about.........

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rustyBob

It could be that with some of the "older members" there interest have changed or they have moved on to things like grand kids or retirement or maybe the just lost interest in the topics being "talked" about.........

Where is an "I'm Dying... and I Want to Drive My Car..." thread when you really need it?

[rustyBob]

spend less time at the key board and more time behind the wheel ........sounds like fun to me.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rustyBob

spend less time at the key board and more time behind the wheel ........sounds like fun to me.

You know, some of us do both at the same time.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Where is an "I'm Dying... and I Want to Drive My Car..." thread when you really need it?

I was just about to post about that, I just found it last night: I'm Dying...and I want to drive my car...All Read Please

[ERA Chas]

Tru,

Good post. I've been thinking along similar lines for a while now. I'm probably now amongst the first to express dissatisfaction about antagonism, rudeness and the recent 'replica make snobbery'.

I've never seen so many guys intent on fostering a hierarchy of replica makes and the ever present real/fake battles-and doing so in a snobbish, sometimes nasty way. It is tiresome and probably drove away some of the guys you're asking about. Maybe even our only 'Cobra Goddess'.

My reasons to come here are to learn new or better ways to do things, admire guys really well-done cars, and answer help questions with things I might have done or figured out. It's a great chance for me to talk to the top engine builders, chassis guys, fabricators or historical authors and collectors-and learn from them.

We differ slightly if you sense this is a 'new' phenomenon.
You've been here long enough to remember the Jamo, Turk, Pat era-all guys glad to help you out but they didn't suffer fools and clearly told you so. Cranky and McMahon fit that bill too and and there were many belligerent slaps handed out-deserved or not. To their credit those guys formed the Gasholes and Club Cranky and happily run them however they see fit. They make it clear upfront that you can act however the he!! they want you to.-Or you're gone. Fair and clear when you sign up. Some here are members in both places.

A trend I see developing here of late concerns the newer guys questions. Since it's now easy to have built anything you want without building it, many with the resources now just jump in because they think it's a sharp car. Haven't built an understanding or appreciation of what the replicas came from.

Many have no sense of the original Cobra concept (which was a raw and unforgiving sports racer) and set out to have cars built with all the creature comforts and manners of C6 Vettes and Benz roadsters. Guys that want to use them for social functions instead of rewarding building, driving or competition. Building a replica in the 80's (as I did) meant you were a wild-a$$ed gear-guy/street racer. Now you can be a parade cruiser with clean nails. Fine-but...
What's not foreseen, in my opinion, is that all the 'softening' will not make a replica of a 46 year old sports racer, a successful, modern sports car or tourer. These buyers would be dollars ahead and better- suited with a modern car-for a similar dollar investment. I always think of Cobras as an acquired taste.

I try to answer their questions with an eye to saving them a lot of money on crap they'll find didn't do what they thought it would and ain't as much fun as they thought. (Credit to Patrick for that very clear statement) But I can see that I've got to move past trying to preach from the pulpit and just avoid those questions.

But it just seems like a 'watering-down' of what was once an exciting and 'suffer-no-fools' sports car. I think the JBL guys are the last example of those 80's wild-guys. They build rockets. Anybody remember 'Andy the Butcher'?
Sadly, he's gone from here too.

It would be nice to differ and discuss opinions like this without slaps and eye-pokes.

Off my soapbox.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

I was just about to post about that because I found it last night: I'm Dying...and I want to drive my car...All Read Please

A tragedy in the classic sense of the word. But it should be mandatory reading for anyone about to slip in between the sheets with a Cobra replica manufacturer. This is not always a friendly, I like you, do you like me, type of business.

[khansmith]

I blame the search function of this forum Seriously, instead of posting, I now search first and 9.5 times out of 10 I can find my answer either on this forum or another. As a result, my posts regarding help have gone significantly down and now occasionally post to make a comment where I have something to say or share. Other than that, changing jobs 3 times, moving once and having two kids in the span of under 2 years tends to get you busy

[rustyBob]

I learned first hand how someone can smile to your face and stab you in the back when you are not expecting it from them. I will never become that close of a friend to someone like that ever again .

[rattlesnakepete]

Originally Posted by JWilly

I'm 100% with Dwight on this one. Although, I do tire of the completely non-car, non-humorous stuff (e.g., politics, guns, tea parties) that pops up from time to time.

And I get sick of all the leftist bee-ess on the TeeVee when I am trying to watch a car race. Does that mean I boycott the Tee-Vee?

No. I hit FF, two or three times to make the bad man go away.

And I always keep at least one gun in my cobra at all times. Usually next to my tea cup holder.

[Dangerous Doug]

Originally Posted by JWilly

I'm 100% with Dwight on this one. Although, I do tire of the completely non-car, non-humorous stuff (e.g., politics, guns, tea parties) that pops up from time to time.

I have fewer questions than I've had in the past about Cobras so that might be why I'm not posting as much as in the past. However, I've got to say: the dominantly expressed politics on this site have turned me off. The overall tone of national politics has taken on an unprecedented nasty tone. I don't want to come hear and be subjected to more acrimony.

DD

BTW: What's wrong with a "hierarchy of Cobra"? Not all Cobras are created or built equally. Though, much of it is a matter of taste, some cars are just nicer products than others. I try to respect everyone's choices, and appreciate their cars for what they are. Some are just nicer than others.

[tcrist]

I do know one thing. Since the election for the POTUS, there has been too much political BS here. This is a Cobra forum and I wish it would go back to that.
I wonder if there is a way to set up a politics sub forum for people that want to talk politics and then be able to block that whole forum if you do not want to see that crap everytime you do a "NEW POSTS" search.

Rant Over, Terry

[RodKnock]

I like this Forum.

I belong to a few other forums and they're not nearly as good and I post far less. Some forums nit pick every little detail of a car. I mean they REALLY pick the fly-poop out of the pepper. Forums devoted to newer model cars, well, all they talk about is stereos and wheels. Then there's another forum that has way too many people who want to pee all over your parade. Try and post something for sale over there and you should head for the hills. Other fourms are WAY too technical for me and it becomes boring.

"Whilst" I still read and post on other forums, I like it here best.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

My reasons to come here are to learn new or better ways to do things, admire guys really well-done cars, and answer help questions with things I might have done or figured out. It's a great chance for me to talk to the top engine builders, chassis guys, fabricators or historical authors and collectors-and learn from them.

It would be nice to differ and discuss opinions like this without slaps and eye-pokes.Off my soapbox.

Good points. As a newer Cobra owner I have found some of you to be very helpful online and offline ( you know who you are) I have also found some some folks prefer to bicker and argue than just offer their advice, probably because they have offere it 1000 times. I also think the Mods have long-since tired of the many years of redundant BS and its shows, both in their responses and their impatience. Compared to other forums I am on or Mod, this one seems much more full of egotistical arguing and short on constructive content.

I think a nice family of FAQs around common subjects that grow over time would go a LONG way in changing the tone and harmony of this forum.

Just my 2 cents.