RUMCars Forum

General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: Big Al on February 05, 2015, 08:57:51 PM

Title: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 05, 2015, 08:57:51 PM
Its a new one on me! I wonder if Jean has any knowledge of it?
Regarding putting it on the register, the register is to record actual surviving cars so at this stage it would not be appropriate but let hope it turns up somewhere.
Thanks very much for posting. Most interesting.

Eh? So one off cars do not go into a recorded file, so that details of them can be immediately referenced? That is lost people not being listed as either dead or alive. After a while they get forgotten, and no on looks for them. The effedct is that such things remain un-found. Still what do I know.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Bob Purton on February 05, 2015, 10:42:48 PM
You may be right Al but that's how I understood it anyway.
Otherwise if this is not the case could I register a car that I scrapped in 1968? I dont thinks so. The idea of the register is to keep track of where the cars are. So registering a car that may not exist? Can you see why I came to that conclusion.

Having infomation in a file is not the same as the register of cars. Of course it would be good for anything known about the Swift to be put on file.
 
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 05, 2015, 11:07:41 PM
Most registers do register scrap vehicles. It might be gone, but its a record, and it helps date all the other cars, by using its remaining information as facts. How else can you date, with any accuracy, low volume cars for which no other records exist. Its just a known dead record, as opposed to a known live one. As an entity aiding the issue of Registration and other documents most registers would actually be failing in their obligation to the State system they support to record such information. Then RUM is not an ordinary Register.

I rather like this Swift. It would seem it was to late into the field. Looks a bit Villiers 3Tish to me, but could be a 250cc. Not quite sure I am understanding the rear drive. Is there a diff? Its Brutsch meets Heinkel on steroids.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Barry on February 06, 2015, 07:22:41 AM
Wit respect, you seem to contradict yourself sometimes Al.

I have a register / index of photos which now includes the swift.  (under 'S')

Excerpt:-
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/42kcn6t1j2htsba/AACd9BeLsb69GbVRqt6Ku0xja?dl=0

In the past you have been bitterly opposed to this idea because of 'identity theft, cloning' etc. 
'you can find all this information on Google if you need to'.

I think the RUMCar register should concentrate on surviving cars with another record of general microcars supporting it.
Otherwise, the RUMCars register will be large and unmanageable, diluted by lost prototypes and vehicles that do not exist.

Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Chris Thomas on February 06, 2015, 08:16:49 AM
Dear All

The Rumcar Archive is where information on microcars that may not be registered and are historically interesting are kept in paper format. It does not have a digital side, so unless the original photographs of the swift are sent in to the archive it will not be filed.

Chris Thomas
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Bob Purton on February 06, 2015, 08:28:45 AM
The archive. That's the word I was looking for. Thanks Chris.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 06, 2015, 08:35:39 AM
No contradiction. David Dale chose to supply information in the hope of getting a few answers. The requires and deserves a response in line with the value of the information flow required. The pictures are excellent. It would seem valuable info as no one has any knowledge of the car. Those who research such things have something to find. He, and others, have chosen to put there facts before a public medium. Why am I not entitled to enjoy looking at this stuff, even if I point out certain problem connected with it. It is my choice not to, though some of the old pictures might get published once I have gone through them. I think you might struggle to steal this identity plate for re use.

I thought that RUM might do more than feast on finds. I think it means to, even if it is much is in the form of pages from editions of the Newsletter. Such solid and well illustrated evidence for an unknown and missing car as the SWift requires to be logged into some sort of file of missing machinery. Otherwise quick identification is not as easy, and irreplaceable remains might get lost for ever. Such wreckage should be saved, but its not always easy to accomplish this, as I have found out over the years digging out all sorts of mouldering cars. As you know I get quite annoyed if all the effort comes to nothing, recently the Powerdrive thread came up. As it happens, vandalised to parts only. I am still a bit miffed about it, but not with Grant anymore.

Anyway I do not run things and this is not getting the Swift any further forward. Not time to look up much in the next few days. A lot going on. But this is the sort of oddity I would happily own.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Bob Purton on February 06, 2015, 08:48:29 AM
Why do you assume it wont be researched? If I know Chris and Jean there will be a new file opened already and contact being made with Mr Dale with a view to doing some digging. The best way to find out what has happen to a vehicle is to put it in the public domain such as a forum like this and maybe an article in RCN.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 06, 2015, 08:49:57 AM
Dear All

The Rumcar Archive is where information on microcars that may not be registered and are historically interesting are kept in paper format. It does not have a digital side, so unless the original photographs of the swift are sent in to the archive it will not be filed.

Chris Thomas

Oh dear, Sounds like a further reason for an independent encyclopaedia of microcars. Might get together with Root on that one once I have myself more time. Can publish under the ICR banner as it has a publisher ready.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 06, 2015, 08:56:39 AM
Where did I say that? I think I said that it would give researchers a target. Yep, there it is.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Bob Purton on February 06, 2015, 01:44:49 PM
Quote.
"Such solid and well illustrated evidence for an unknown and missing car as the SWift requires to be logged into some sort of file of missing machinery."


I'm sure it will.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: AndyL on February 06, 2015, 05:14:21 PM
Very interesting.

Wonder why they went for de dion suspension at the back?
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Alastair on February 07, 2015, 09:03:06 AM
This posting would seem to have generated a lot of heat but little in the way of light. First of all I'd like to thank David for his posting and the excellent photographs he has provided. Some seem to have taken the time to examine the photos and appreciate the engineering involved while others have chosen to argue about what RUM should be doing with the information.
As Registrar perhaps I should put the record straight as to how I believe information like this should be handled. First of all it cannot be "registered" as there are no identifying features such as a unique chassis number, engine number or registration number that would differentiate this car from any other car and no information has been brought forward to suggest that the vehicle survives in either built or dismantled condition. If a vehicle is to be added to the Register it needs to be identifiable as a particular car rather than simply a model of a particular make . If at any point in the future a vehicle were to be registered with any of the same identifying marks it would be immediately flagged up and we may then have an indication of the fate of the original vehicle. The Register can and does contain information on vehicles that no longer exist but at the time of their registration they most certainly did.
Jean maintains the RUM archive which contains original source material for use by future researchers. The existence of a previously unknown make of microcar is not something that goes unnoticed and readers can be assured that it will be followed up to ensure that all available information is collected and stored in the archive.
I hope I have made it clear the differences between an archive and a Register.

Alastair     
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: DaveMiller on February 07, 2015, 09:25:58 AM
Beautifully put, and very clear, Alastair!
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 07, 2015, 09:30:48 AM
What happens when the owner does not wish to part with his original information? If my dad made a car I would want to keep all the info on it. Like I have for the aircraft work he held records of, from Tempest through to Concord. I am all for archives, but its recording the gaps that makes the records useful, see regimental records. Wonderful archives but by no means complete in many cases. Therefore info is stored that is 'unofficial' or 'awaiting confirmation'. Some of that is in the form of interviews before the knowledge dies with the person who knew about it. Seems obvious to me, but whatever.

I have made a preliminary sweep of the topic and come up with no really good leads. Very tenuous is we are back into aircraft. Here the company was a CRO. Bedson flirted with many aircraft companies but seemed unsettled in employment. Someone commented on the Zeta look of the suspension on the Swift. Was this Bedson throwing the dice to get his existing work into use through friend, or contact, at Southern Aircraft? Did he have dealings with Mr Cuxon?
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Barry on February 07, 2015, 10:42:37 AM
This is all very much living in the dark ages with perhaps one very part time person being fully responsible for an archive.

I agree with Alastairs summary.

So many important archives are now digitised and made public.  The public can fill in the gaps if they have access to see what has already been collected.
The original documents can be hidden away for protection or kept by the contributor.

It is impossible for one part time  'keeper' of the archive to be expected to make much progress in collecting and indexing more and more information.

Rather than just one, or a small team, trying to make progress on research (in medical, space  or geological fields etc.)  The power of thousands of people and computers is harnessed to make progress in months rather than decades.

In principle, I am suggesting that an archive should be made public allowing more missing information to be uncovered.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: DaveMiller on February 07, 2015, 11:29:33 AM
There's sense in what you say, Barry, but also some difficulties.

An archive controlled by a limited number of people can be trusted - useful when it comes to supporting the provenance of a vehicle, when it needs to be registered, auctioned, or put in a museum, etc.

Expanding the work introduces more work, plus the work of organising, ratifying, standardising and managing that more work - and who is to do that?

There are then some legal problems.  For example, if I owned a particularly interesting vehicle, I'd be happy for a "private" archive to know that, and to know my address, and perhaps some details about the purchase.  I would not be happy for that to be accessible generally, online, for security reasons ("Hello, fancy a Bloggs Mk 7 in fabulous condition, currently valued at £45,000? Well, mine lives at 23 Railway Terrace, Naffsham").  Nor would it be legal for people to keep that record, unless the individuals named had consented to the details kept, and there was in place a proper management of the data to ensure that personal details were (a) correct and (b) deleted when no longer true.

A lot of work. And expensive.

Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Alastair on February 07, 2015, 11:57:58 AM
I'll work on the assumption that your analogy Al, is made tongue in cheek. When I made reference to original source material, I meant material that was published at the time. I would class David's photos as falling into this category. I wouldn't expect David to HAVE to hand over material with a family connection unless he wished it preserved for examination by future generations. (There comes a time in all our lives that we should perhaps consider this.)
Jean has an archive of advertising material, photographs and a variety of related publications which people can request information from. I'm 100% in agreement with Barry about the value of digitising a collection such as this and making it more accessible but I know from my own experience just how much work is involved in a project like that. I spent literally weeks digitising paperwork associated with the Register so that I could easily share photographs and records of vehicles with their current owners and address the concerns of people on this very forum who have said in the past that the Register wasn't relevant. As the process of collecting material is constantly on-going the job that lies ahead is not getting easier.
I firmly believe that Jean and Edwin showed great forethought when they created RUM back in 1980 and the information they saved from being lost becomes more and more relevant with the passage of time. Unfortunately in the digital age everyone expects to do a search online for the information they seek and have it instantly. That will only happen if people offer their time to make it happen. RUM isn't a large organisation with employed staff, it is made up of a very small core of individuals who give their time to help others. I took on the role of Registrar 6 years ago following an appeal from Jean for someone to take on some of her workload. At the same time she requested someone take on the accounts. Six years later I've taken on the role having witnessed the struggle by so many to hide behind a microcar. Does anyone reading this have the time to assist RUM to develop the way Forum users seem to expect?   
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Jean on February 07, 2015, 12:02:32 PM
The basis of the RUM archive was formed when Tony Marshall 'retired' from the scene in the mid eighties and gave RUM all the brochures, newspaper cuttings, old magazines etc.,etc., that he had accumulated in the early years.  I added these to the items of information and pictures that I had received during from 1980 onwards when I started the Register and it still continues to grow.

In the 1990's  I managed to sort the information into make and model roughly and I was also able to sort Tony's magazine's and tag the pages with microcar content, and even got as far as indexing what I had on the computer. All this material is stored in the loft above my office and in my office itself.  Sadly I am no longer  able to climb into the loft and the material that has accumulated in the last few years remains largely unsorted. Added to these files are most back copies of most one make club magazines plus many many books that have been published.

In the past people like Chris Rees, Giles Chapman,and others that have gone on to publish books on microcars having taken advantage of sifting through these files, when carrying out their researches. I would very much hope there may be some way of keeping this archive together for many more years for the benefit of all enthusiasts.

RUM is by no means the only source of microcar information, several other of our members have their own collections of information.  In an ideal world it would be wonderful if there could be one central archive available to all but it seems to me to be a mammoth task.

I would welcome any suggestions that could be made as to how these RUMCAR assets may be preserved.  Perhaps some could separate the Archive aspect of the initial Swift car topic so that a meaningful discussion about Archives could be held under a news heading.  Jean
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Bob Purton on February 07, 2015, 12:44:08 PM
Some are still confusing the register with the archive. If the archive was put on digital format and made available to all it wouldn't entail who owns what and where its kept, that is part of the register, not the archive. The archive is general information about the marques.

It sounds to me like Barry may be volunteering to digitalize said archive.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: AndyL on February 07, 2015, 03:08:43 PM
When it some to any job which is for the benefit of the majority, I'm always in favour of the wisdom that says many hands make light work.

Such a task would be significantly easier for a team of a dozen people coordinated by a central person. With internet connections it's easier to keep everyone in touch with progress etc.

Too often in clubs and societies, the willing horse gets overloaded and the legs begin to buckle.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: DaveMiller on February 07, 2015, 04:37:54 PM
Quote from: Bob Purton on Today at 12:44:08 PM
Some are still confusing the register with the archive. If the archive was put on digital format and made available to all it wouldn't entail who owns what and where its kept, that is part of the register, not the archive. The archive is general information about the marques.

It sounds to me like Barry may be volunteering to digitalize said archive.

Mmmm.  Not sure about that, Bob.  In many cases, yes; in some, no.  Who is going to do the work of separating the "yesses" from the "nos"?

As an example close to my heart: if I gave a set of Bond Club magazines to the archive, covering the last x years, it would give lots of useful information on use and activity, on repair and on values, and so on.  But who is going to redact the personal detail, before making the contents available?  I do not wish the general public to be able to see what rallies I attend, when they are, and when I will therefore next be away from home ...

I would not wish a 40-year-old picture of my car outside my then home to be a way in for some scam involving ringing up my aged father at that address still, and so on.  This, I'm afraid, is the sort of nonsense that general online access gives rise to!  It's a wonderful thing, but needs rules and care in its implementation.

Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Bob Purton on February 07, 2015, 05:04:27 PM
Hmmm I never imagined club magazines as being part of the archive but you may be right.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Alastair on February 07, 2015, 07:43:49 PM
Obviously a digital archive is at the moment a dream. It would need one or more volunteers with the time and the will to make it anything other than that but while I agree with a lot that has been said, I'm not sure if I understand the logic of the argument against club magazines being kept in an archive.
To be more specific, I don't quite understand the threat of having a 40 year old picture of a car parked outside a house. Surely the photo must have appeared in a club magazine that was at one time published i.e. it's been put in the public domain with the consent of the owner, when surely any immediate perceived risk of theft etc. is greater and that being the case does an owner have control over an image after it's been published. Obviously if that argument were taken on, the only photographs we would have of our microcars would be factory released images. The same argument applies to photos of cars taken at rallies. Surely if you exhibit a car at a public gathering organised with public access, you cannot control who takes photographs or how they're used. I know that the vast majority of images in the Register photographic archive have been taken at public events so the Register would certainly be the poorer if that viewpoint were accepted. Sorry Dave, I can't agree with you on that one.

Alastair       
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: DaveMiller on February 07, 2015, 08:41:48 PM
I'm not sure if I understand the logic of the argument against club magazines being kept in an archive.
To be more specific, I don't quite understand the threat of having a 40 year old picture of a car parked outside a house. Surely the photo must have appeared in a club magazine that was at one time published i.e. it's been put in the public domain with the consent of the owner ...

I understand your points, Alastair. And might I emphasize that I think an online store of CAR-related information would be a wonderful thing.

My negative-sounding comments arise from the use of personal data (on live persons).  It boils down to two things:
(1) electronic, internet-accessible data is so much more powerful (to those who might misuse it) than the original form in which it was compiled.  I have no concern about publishing my address, and where my cars and I will be when, in the limited distribution of a club magazine. And it would be for that purpose  that I gave the information.
(2) anyone running a computer or "filing" system containing personal data needs to run it in accordance with whatever law applies.  In the UK, that would mean, for example, that the operators have to ensure that data is accurate, is given and kept for the specified purposes, is updated properly and is not made available outside the UK.

What will be difficult is separating the car information from the personal.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 08, 2015, 09:28:12 AM
The purpose of RUM is not for me to say. It is a function of what those doing it want to do, and a framework of ideals. That has to face up to a need to respect private information and the law. RUM currently has little to chaff with against the latter problems. I think Barry's ideal might find more resistance. Trouble is like all really great collective ideals, there are always those who will pervert it to self advancement.

I have long been aware, like many collectors, that showing a car is to invite people to photograph and publish images of it, even worse, making statements about it, without reference to the owner. It has thus been many a collectors habit to restrict access, and knowledge, of that which they own, to retain control of the cars. I myself have suffered inconvenience and loss to people stealing identities, and cloning cars. This will be one reason certain vehicles will not be seen at rallies or events.

Yet buy the same token, not revealing a car can still lead to it being faked as it is assumed it does not exist and provides an assumed free original ID to be adopted. I have owned one very simple to prove original car that has a very convincing fake using its ID. If the two ever meet then someone is going to be very upset! In this case the group of cars were hidden for security reasons of remote storage.


As to the future and security of archive and register, be assured that there is a safe haven. I confirmed with David Hambleton that he remains willing to include part, or the entire, register into the Trojan Trust, or spin off a separate Trust, to administer, continue to build, and provide access and dissemination of the information in a way that is legal and fair. This as previously advised. The aim of the Trojan Archive Trust is gain museum space, or its own museum structure. It is almost entirely digitised with hard copies filed. I forget the number of documents, but its in the 1,000s. If that museum is achieved then the paper archive has a base from which it can be accessed by appointment at pretty short notice. With that safety net in place it is for the Register to find a better solution from a position of some strength, I think.

Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Barry on February 08, 2015, 09:57:17 AM
Some are still confusing the register with the archive. If the archive was put on digital format and made available to all it wouldn't entail who owns what and where its kept, that is part of the register, not the archive. The archive is general information about the marques.

It sounds to me like Barry may be volunteering to digitalize said archive.

Bob, the funny thing is, it is something I would like to do.
I have suggested a basic idea in the past but with mixed response.  more against than in favour due to vehicle identity theft and copyright etc.

I now have a massive index of Microcar photos etc.
The idea would be to run a separate folder in each photo folder for technical, publicity and other data specific to that model.

My suggestion was not for me to do it all but for anyone with scans, to add to the appropriate folder.
If someone sees something wrong (I am not an expert) or in the wrong place, advise me and I will sort it out.

Lots of moans and groans about this in the past so I just keep adding photos as they turn-up.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xiu9h6x7qbtfdqh/AAAZW1TFPepeQu-RyeT4qnYaa?dl=0

I am very happy to scan anything people want scanned - I have all the gear and know-how.
I had a bit of an upset with Mike once because he did not want to part with originals.  That is all in the past and forgotten.  He has been very helpful with Cursor info.

No doubt there will be many reasons why this idea would not work.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Bob Purton on February 08, 2015, 10:15:40 AM
Maybe its time to just do it independently of Rumcars or any other clubs but I guess thats what you have already done.  The BIBA,  Barry's independent bubble archive. People can blank out the registration numbers on the pictures they submit.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: richard on February 08, 2015, 10:23:14 AM
Just had a look Barry there are a lot there ! It could do with a bit of tidying up re Bond A /B's but generally looks useful . Many of the Gordon and Bruetschs are straight from my sets but I am not sure that I am entitled to them myself ..... :-\ we've just sorted the A/B i think  ;)
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Barry on February 08, 2015, 11:11:53 AM
Just had a look Barry there are a lot there ! It could do with a bit of tidying up re Bond A /B's but generally looks useful . Many of the Gordon and Bruetschs are straight from my sets but I am not sure that I am entitled to them myself ..... :-\

Thanks Richard and I agree about the Bonds.  I am no expert and the later Bonds seem to cross over a bit with back wing identification.  A's and B's seem to depend on the length of the body behind the back arches? but some A's have been extended.  See if you can sort them out for me :)  if you cant move anything about that might be an advantage.  Contributors could just upload files to an 'awaiting filing' folder perhaps.

Th Gordon and Bruetsch photos may originate from you but if they are in the public domain I just grab them.  apologies.

I would prefer to make my index available to Rumcars contributors only, others at special request.


Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: DaveMiller on February 08, 2015, 12:33:49 PM
As I understand it, the "ownership" of a photo lies with the photographer (unless the photographer has formally passed on that right - so, for example, couples having their wedding photos done should always contract to have the copyright passed to them).

Some pics will be copyright because the publishers have gone through that. Usually, though, if you buy a nice old photo off eBay, you own that piece of paper, with no control over the image on it.

For the most part, I take it that people putting (old) pics on the internet haven't got the copyright, so the pics are fair game.  Same with the old brochures of defunct companies.
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Alastair on February 08, 2015, 02:59:44 PM
I wouldn't want to stray too far off the subject of creating a digital archive but as someone who has occasionally photographed "models" I'd offer the view that any photograph I take is "mine" and protected by copyright from commercial use. I can photograph anyone (or thing) in a public place and can publish these images but I can't use them commercially without permission or a "model release". It's obviously not straightforward though because a photo journalist can take and publish photos for commercial gain because his rights are protected under legislation covering freedom of the press.
However I feel this is largely a side issue. What we started discussing was the creation of an archive of microcar related material, be it photographs, brochures, articles or whatever. Bearing in mind just when most of the microcars we own were produced, I'd suggest that copyright on written material would largely have lapsed and the archive would be available for research purposes as opposed to any commercial interest.
Looking at it as a microcar enthusiast, when I buy a microcar the first thing I do before lifting a spanner, is to find out all the information I can on the make and model. I enjoy reading old road tests and sifting out the truth often diluted by the rose tinted glasses that journalists of the age all seemed to be issued with. I collect brochures relating to the model I own and I scour any available source of images to establish just what I should be aiming for if I intend to rebuild a car to original spec. Now, with the passage of the years and the nature of paper, there is a diminishing supply of original material available to buy out there at sensible prices so should that mean someone should get priced out of restoring a car correctly? Not if a digital archive exists.
Collectors who want original material will still find it where they can and pay the going rate. People who only require the information in that literature can access it free of charge. Is anyone hurt by such a venture? If I look at a photo of your car and see a particular detail I should have on mine, does that cause you injury? I'm currently restoring a car and have posted pictures of it in an on line Forum. I'm happy if my experiences save others from repeating the same mistakes and I've benefited by making new friends with a common interest. Am I strange in wanting to help others rather than wanting to draw a veil of secrecy over my cars? My cars and the components I've used in their rebuild are in no way illegal so I feel I've no reason to be secretive. Where does secrecy become oppressive? Perhaps I should resign as Registrar because there might be someone reading this that will now look up my address on the home page and come calling. What about anyone with a collection that opens it up to the public....... come on where does the paranoia end.
Finally to nail the difference once and for all. The Register is run in accordance with the Data Protection Act. I don't divulge either personal information or any information on the cars without the owner's consent. I know Al regularly questions the need for a register and I've repeatedly explained both here and in RCN related stories of how owners of rare cars have been put in touch with each other through the existence of the Register.
Any proposed Archive is simply a digital repository of information that has in most cases been published for all to read in the past. The risks involved in allowing access to information such as someone having lived at a particular address 40 years ago and owning a particular car ..... well all I can say is that if I were up to no good, I'd be looking for stronger leads than that to act on.
To me, a digital archive is a logical step forward for RUM. With the Register, RCN, the Forum and a digital Archive covering all aspects of microcar ownership and restoration we'd have covered most bases. As Jean pointed out in her posting, RUM currently has a paper archive but access by necessity is restricted. Creating digital images would allow access whenever needed. All that is needed are volunteers. Ideally having been there before, I'd suggest it's a job for more than one person but once the paper archive has been copied, the suggestion by Barry that anyone could add to it would ensure a more rapid build up of content is an excellent one. Perhaps one volunteer could maintaining it to ensure nothing inappropriate was posted - similar in fact to a moderator on this Forum.

Alastair     
         
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Jean on February 08, 2015, 07:17:59 PM
I find it encouraging that there are folk out there with know how and who would also be willing to undertake digitalising the RUM Archives so that they do not get lost.  If we had a web site  as active as our Forum, I would suggest that the Archive could be part of that with a restriction placed on it so that only active Rum car members have access to its contents   I have seen this done in on other web sites.  I have no clue how it works but it could temper some peoples fears about the dangers of unlimited access across the board.  Jean
Title: Re: Register and archive. Purpose and future.
Post by: Big Al on February 09, 2015, 07:45:06 AM
A pay for view area is a good move. There is some control and even if the income is not needed, it would be handy, I am sure.