Author Topic: Fade away?  (Read 39119 times)

Bob Purton

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #60 on: April 02, 2014, 01:49:40 PM »
What do you mean "taking over RUMCARS?" The magazine has not been taken over by them but has just included them. The register is what it is, a register which you don't see so how do you know the proportion of modern verses old and the forum is only as good as the last post. I think the whole scene has shrunk, most of the core forum users don't drive microcars anymore, the rally attendances have dropped off, the only things on the up are the values of the classic microcars and the amount of investor collectors there are. If there is nothing to talk about with the old stuff people are going to resort to looking at the new stuff.

Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #61 on: April 02, 2014, 02:04:29 PM »
I'm happy for the magazine to cover a diverse spectrum of vehicles that fit within our predefined terms of reference whether old or new. I may be wrong, but I expect any nominally disproportionate coverage of more modern vehicles probably reflects the dearth of new and informative material about more vintage /classic machines rather than any genuine bias. Aside from unique vehicles the number of vintage /classic unusual microcars is pretty small, and a very large proportion of the limited reserve of informed material has already featured in the magazine over the years. I might have preferred a two page spread on the origins of the Gordon and Vernons industries in the last issue or a four page spread on Motobecanes, but without inserting a load of waffle, is there the material to support it? Perhaps reprinting old B&W articles from past issues with colour pictures of ongoing projects, stuff hidden in sheds and any addenda of note would help Chris boost "old" content without too much major effort - assuming that people have unseen colour pics to submit.
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richard

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #62 on: April 02, 2014, 02:26:58 PM »
DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER ! We were posed a question by Jean and I put my bit in - perfectly happy to be corrected . Perhaps all the old write ups and articles have been printed perhaps the mag has done it' s job - and very well too ! Perhaps the internet means owners can keep in touch more easily and don't NEED a printed magazine ?oh and on the Gordon front i never volunteered to do it ! :)
« Last Edit: April 02, 2014, 02:32:30 PM by richard »
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Chris Thomas

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #63 on: April 02, 2014, 02:45:54 PM »
Dear Richard, Bob, Malcolm and Barry

Rumcar News has been running for 30 years ( 120 issues) and has had four editors, in that time  virtually all of the historic microcars have been written about. Every time I have a bright idea I trawl through the back issues and low and behold it has been written about before, so coming up with new material is not that easy. Having said that, there are some cars that have slipped through the net, but these are so rare there is very little information available to write more than two lines.

My experience is to get the photographs first, and then write the article around the images and what they show. ( like the classic windscreens article)

There are three other areas that I try and include in each issue, But do not always succeed, and they are electric cars, cars from around the world, and new cars. With the one make register reports and at least one Uk based historic article, up to half the magazine is related to what Richard would call Historic Rumcars, leaving the other half for news, ebay sales analysis, books, cartoons, and the three other branches.

As I have always said. The readers are the experts and know more about their cars than I ever will, I as editor can help you to get the words on the page, like I did with Alan Evans for the Bambi Story. Do not be afraid to try putting pen to paper as it is my job to sort it out before it is published. The more you send me the less I will have to find from other sources.

Being restricted to 32 pages is another factor in the number of pages devoted to a subject. The 32 page restriction relates to 100 gm weight to get the magazine into the cheaper postage band, to save money. More pages means more printing and postage cost.

With such a narrow readership I need to keep the subject spread as wide as possible to keep everybody happy, as everybody would like a magazine just about their one love joy. producing such a publication for just three or four people would be uneconomic.

You write about your favourite cars and I promise I will publish it in Rumcar News as soon as I can squeeze it in.

THINKING CAPS ON GUYS

Chris Thomas
Rumcar News

steven mandell

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #64 on: April 02, 2014, 06:27:44 PM »
Both well considered and well stated Chris.
Thanks for doing such great work balancing out all the considerations and restrictions and still providing such quality content to the magazine.

Thanks also for being in on the process with Jean and who ever else that I have to thank for capitalizing on Milnes'  very generous donation to get the 35 copies of RCN to me on time for the big show here last Saturday.  I have finally recovered enough from the grueling 3 twelve hour days of moving cars around to find the energy to post my thanks to you all for making this possible.

I am declaring my representation of Rumcars at the South West Unique Little Car Show at least a moderate success, as  we definitely got noticed in our first North American exposure, I did sell 20 magazines, and everyone had lots of fun!
There were a good 135 cars on display.   I will retry sending a picture or 2 of our booth's presentation, as the 2 pictures that I tried to send when I first typed out this posting on my cell phone last night would not come through, and then required a complete retyping.

Hey Jim and Jean- What do you think of making Vintage Microcar , and Rumcars sister organizations of a sort by allowing an even trade of advertising for each group in their transcontinental counterpart's publication?  I doubt that either org would lose any subscribers in the deal, just a win/ win for those enthusiasts that were not yet enlightened enough to subscribe to both.
I believe that the US postal rates are lower than the UK's, so Rumcars  subscribers that decided to take the additional plunge would not be as monetarily penalized as the similarly inclined enthusiasts from the US.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2014, 06:29:25 PM by steven mandell »

steven mandell

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #65 on: April 02, 2014, 06:43:27 PM »
The technology I am using is only allowing one picture at a time, as adding more to this brings up the message "exceeded file size"

richard

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #66 on: April 02, 2014, 06:57:21 PM »
i must just say that i have not meant to infer critisism of chris , or indeed tony , but only that it is a difference of approach . i also would like to thank chris for all the background work that he does making articles come together so neatly and comprehensively - it's certainly not his fault when it comes to the Gordon page ! you can't make a silkpurse ......  :)
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

steven mandell

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #67 on: April 02, 2014, 07:11:39 PM »
Here is another. This one wouldn't send without my including some text.

Jim Janecek

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #68 on: April 02, 2014, 07:23:59 PM »
The technology I am using is only allowing one picture at a time, as adding more to this brings up the message "exceeded file size"

The restrictions on file sizes PER POST are clearly listed where the attachments are added.
This is primarily to help accommodate those readers who are not on fast internet connections and don't want to wait forever and a day for massive images to load.
It also prevents someone from uploading dozens or hundreds of full-size images at once which can cause a lot of damage to the forum and make it run very slowly.
There is nothing preventing you from making multiple posts, each with a single large image.
That being said, I have "upped" the limitations to allow even you to upload 2 full-size images to a post now.
and yes, unfortunately you DO have to type SOMETHING in a post, this is not a photo gallery. You can just type a period if you want. But you can't leave it blank with only a photo.

I have already run an ad for RUMCAR News in the issue of MICROCAR NEWS that came out and was available to anyone at the Microcar Museum Auction last February.
How many new subscribers resulted from that?  Or was the ad just preaching to the already converted? I never heard back.

I know that from all the times I have travelled the USA to go to shows and manned a booth I have managed to disseminate a LOT of magazines and subscription booklets, but I have NEVER been able to account for more than TEN new subscribers from any single venue, usually much less.  That includes being at the 2009 Auto Show in NYC with 500,000 people coming to see the booth with 4 Vintage Microcars and giving away 5000 copies of the magazine (you can't sell them at the show).   Ten days in NYC to get Ten new subscribers. Not exactly cost-effective. Especially when you factor in the cost of the extra printing, the shipping, paying the union to move everything for you despite everything else being free at the venue because we were invited "guests".

The biggest "tell" I have been able to get from going to shows and trying to get people to join or subscribe is that I have found people leafing through magazines and then picking up subscription cards, only to put them back saying "I'll sign up when I get a car".

milnes

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #69 on: April 02, 2014, 09:34:55 PM »
Well done Steve, a nice collection of cars. Hopefully got some interest in Rum  8).
Did you get a chance to enjoy the show at all?
I need to stop buying!

steven mandell

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #70 on: April 02, 2014, 11:16:05 PM »
Sure did Milnes!
But I would be lying if I said that I don't feel somewhat physically drained by the experience still.
I am going to have to convert my trailer to a near flat bed configuration, and invest in an electric winch. :)
Thanks again for your support.

Big Al

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #71 on: April 03, 2014, 01:14:46 AM »
I would favour a vintage microcar  magazine but we do have to consider the next generation who in a few years may look back nostalgically to the Funtech of there teenage years. Remember, when rumcars started some of the now classics were not that old, Bondbugs for example.

To which I would suggest that as a classic non Microcar knocking at the door to come in. For me it marks the next generation of small cars by concept, date and CC. Just as Cycle cars are not Microcars. Yes there are crossover machines. But there remains a difference as well.
Does that matter. I do not know, but I know what I am interested in, and what I am not so interested in. Attendance and support depends upon those factors. I wish I was more of a polymath like Barry or Steve, but I have this kind of cut off on modern stuff. Done Light cars and lost interest really. So like Richard I have less interest in later French cars, electric jobs and new cars. Indeed I view many of the later groups as red herrings more to do with PR and politics than good production engineering practice. The forum is free, as is what folk wish to register. The Mag is not but in the absence of contributions it inevitably becomes more the reflection of the interests of the Editor who has to produce it. So if there is increasing demand for these newer subjects then something is going on in the way of Chicken/Egg. Its not for me to stop that but I cannot suddenly become interested. RUM has the ability to adapt that an outright club has not. Something to be embraced even if I am sort of against it, if that makes sense.
« Last Edit: April 03, 2014, 01:31:39 AM by Big Al »
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milnes

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Re: Fade away?
« Reply #72 on: April 03, 2014, 08:47:34 PM »
I would like to see any Microcar 4 wheel, 3 wheel, old , new, even the French ones  8)
I need to stop buying!