Mulling it over I think notification of sales is one of the main reasons I like the Forum. I have little interest in proceeding to buy any of the things advertised these days, but the massed eyes see far more than I do, and I enjoy looking at what junk people dig up and sell, what for, and how many times! Its Micro gossip of a high order.
Moving on from that, what we do lack is an area that has no marque affiliations, that offers us as a factual resource area for where stuff gets done, restorations, casting, tyres etc.
You can argue that here within the threads is a mass of information to aid people who want reference data to help them. However its not in an easy to find form. There is clearly a limit on how far you can cross reference, as someone has to do it. All such great ideas founder, as no one with the requisite skills, has the time they wish to give.
But certainly a page of Microcar contact details for clubs, spares sources, good restorers, and even marque experts who are approachable, would be a worth while.
In the same way there should be a premier events listing page, which should default to be THE place to look for micro friendly events. There are few organizations who actually offer a natural place for these important initiatives. Then a thread, like an invite to a Rally in Phocle Green, or Messymans ability to supply a number of Messerschmitt spares, stands out for all to find easily, until such time the information is out of date.
(For years it seems quite a few organizations have relied on me to collate dates, left over from running AUA as a service to enthusiasts. With my reduction in interest in Microcars and the difficulty in getting info I am not doing this anymore. The evidence suggests folk are not really interested, frankly, and the events need to re-learn to advertise themselves, so as to bring in as many owners as possible. The negativity and rudeness I have had over the last months has nigh on finished my interest in getting involved. I will promote what I think could be fun and attend myself, but the secret Microcar rallies can remain so. Hatton has legs, could pull in many non aligned owners if advertised well, so go for it and I plan to be there).
Without continued flirtation, then, on the thread, Messeymans Schmitty offers sink into the mire of many and varied facts of greater or lesser importance. In other words to promo on the forum at present is to operate a blog, a little like the Fisk Peel build. A great deal of work, less easy to find for none regulars, and possibly an irritation to some, just as IC news was.
I would add all the different pubnights to that listing page. I bet a few go off locally to people on this forum, who have no idea they do, as they are not in the right club to be told. Such an informative, undemanding, and even handed page of good info would, I think, bring a lot of new viewers to the website making the effort to build it, and possibly to any associated forum itself there to collect the information. Again waiting for feedback from Clubs with no PR is to have out of date information. Of course the info pages reach and accuracy is its own standard bearer. An in depth, accurate, and broad one, will win the prime viewing world wide, and thus the associated media recognition as a resource. In itself a feed back loop (As Dave H has achieved with the Trojan Trust, a far smaller interest topic). If I were to create a service microcar website this would be core to its structure, but I am not.
The question of carrying advertisements is a whole different subject. I am happy with the advertising mediums available and telling the Forum where the ad is. Since RUMcar is only one of the more integral parts of a fractured national interest, it currently does not offer a one stop shop for advertising anymore than the other elements, who claim specialist market position, nor was it set up with that in mind. So I only see a possible move to re-organise longer living information to a resource area, where it is easier to find. More than that requires a fairly major commitment from somebody to take up some sort of service, as suggested above.
No action leaves Messeyman to keep his offer of spares live, or it falls out of sight. Might not seem important till you want to save a few quid on schmitty bits and he is not there, as he had insufficient support. Been there, done that, fortunately still got the bits which are now worth an awful lot more!
I have a slight vested interest and am just buying some more, mainly, schmitty stuff this week. I think it is set to get expensive, or hard to source, shortly. It will then be time to open up again and clear the decks of much Micro stuff. Would love to do an autojumble stand, but I think only Germany offers an economic return for the effort. Telling in itself.
