Forum not the same lately

[vmax1974]

Is it just me that has noticed the forum is just not the same lately

Seems to have lost some of the spark it had a year ago

With the loss of saturn/nts and some people just not posting anymore I feel like its created a hole seems none of the usual traders valuable experience and knowledge is available

Just finding it a little bit sad

Whats everyones thoughts?

[ayjay]

Will I do ?:)

[vmax1974]

Maybe just tired but I am starting to lose motivation for my build

The not knowing if I will be able to get the bodywork I want when the time comes

Knowing I am now committed to making my own wishbones as these dont seem available anymore for the saturn mx5 build

I am not giving up just starting to stress out a bit that I have not touched my build for about 3 months whilst trying to get a chassis plate kit cut as I really dont have the time to do them myself can anyone help out at the right price of course

[Ben_Copeland]

Dont worry about bodywork, equinox has that covered ;)

[raceral]

Every build and every forum experiences dry periods.
A lot of people have that "been there done that" and head on to other interests.
As time goes by people usually will replace them.
Builds also sometimes slow down, I had a period of about three months where I did nothing, this for the most part seems normal so don't sell your build, you might regret it.

Also I think what is really important is to think outside of the box occasionally, don't rely solely on a predetermined plan, pre bought parts, change what is necessary to suit your personal interests.
If you are already building a car, you have a lot more talent than you are crediting your self with.
Don't rely on others, build your own parts.
Follow the book, it is one persons idea of what a lotus should be, but don't be hesitant in changing what suits yourself and then sharing it with others.
Nothing is written in stone and your method or idea may be a lot better.
Everyone benefits and the forum actually gets to be a more informative format and is stronger and more interesting in the long run.

Ooch, just fell off my soap box:o

Al

[vmax1974]

No intention of selling up this is a project I am going to complete want the car on the road for my 40th as its my present to myself

Not too keen on the bodywork from equinox its too straight lined for me and have already got the grill for the saturn nosecone

[deezee]

Personally I've watched many people come and go, on the forum. I think some think that making the chassis is making a car. From my experience it took 3 years to get my car on the road. 6 months making a chassis and 30 months doing the rest. Some people make a chassis, then realise the rest is up to them and sell the project.

I'd even go so far as too say my build was a particular turd and wanted to give up on many occasions. Disasters include,
- Poor wishbone bushes from 3GE, leading to an entire set on wishbones made wrong!
- broken fibreglass parts from Triton i waited 45 days for!
- engine and gearbox wrong place... Needed new mounts making
- drawing off forum was wrong leading to suspension brackets welded in wrong place
- engine i got was rotten (turd piston rings, bust oil pump and leaking crank seals)
- fuel tank leaking
- inlet manifold made backwards!
- using an engine not used before in kitcar!

[twinturbo]

Strange,

there have been a number of people activly working on their threads and updating build progress.

Cars are progressing to IVA. 2 recent passes and 2 in the pipeline..

Brainbug was leaving but the spirit here kept him in.

Sure we have a bit of a downer with NTS drying up, 3GE going last year and Phil looking after him'n'his (which he should) and his business rather than spending lots of time here.

I have not touched my car properly since september (apart from riging a cooling system.


Still lots going on.. but people do have real lives to get on with too ( and other forums to keep up with ;) )...



TT

[motomaniac]

im here, still lurking in the background, dont really post much as i havent even got anything to start on, been looking for donor cars, but not too much about at the right price/distance, plus my savings have just taken a battering as my normal car is having the gearbox and clutch replaced , plus brakes and mot.... so money that i had from my first months overtime has now gone bye,bye.... plus the possibility of a stroker crank for my ccm may mean the build is off indefinitely....

[Davey]

I check in several times a day although I don't necessarily post every day. I use several forums for different things and I go through phases with all of them where I find little of interest and little to comment on but it comes back after a while.

D.

[Spikehaus]

I guess part of the downturn is partly due to general lack of disposable income with the downturn of the economy. I am only 4 new tyres and the cost of the IVA away from completing my build after 48 months. I don't really see the purchase of the remaining bits for some time as I have my wedding to pay for in September in Glasgow and a stag night in London.

My build was slow due to only working on weekends as the build is across town. I had wondered what I had got into at some times, but other days when you have regular people just popping in to check on progress, it all seems worth it again.

[SeriesLandy]

I just don't seem to have the time at the moment. Up untill May I was working all the time to pay for my wedding and now still working all the time so don't have anytime still.
Normally I would have a little break over the summer as normally the weather would be better.

[vmax1974]

Thanks lads

Have come to a decision and have started doing drawings of all the plates I will need for the roadster wishbone chassis and pedal box and will be taking them to the local laser cutter to have them cut for me

Was just exhausted last night and a little wound up more over doing an 80 hour week at work and not having any time to work on my own projects

Once I get the plates cut I will be back on track and able to work on the build on evenings

Will worry about bodywork when the time comes

[flyerncle]

I agree Dave, it has lost a little of the sparkle it had but I dont think the loss of some members and suppliers is the answer,it started a while before and no one picked up on it.

You get to a point where everything goes well and then you stop for a while and starting again is a real struggle,done it a few times due to different things and now working for myself I just want to get out of the garage asap and looking at the chassis sitting in the carpark everyday really peeves me as I cant throw money at it as I would like too.

Dont give up (anyone thinking of it) as you will regret it in the long and it would be case of "what if ".

[Oscar]

I know exactly what you mean, I finaly have the time to spend on my build and there seems to be a downturn in the activity here.

Saying that, there are still things going on (better pedal box design for example) and a few builds in the IVA stage etc.

Raceral has a point, all forums and clubs experience a lull at some point, and the misserable weather is probly gonna put a few people off the idea of an open top sprts car!

Lets just hope this promised single seater sparks up some new interest and the weather improves -Cue fanfare- :cool:

[HandyAndy]

chassis plate kit cut as I really dont have the time to do them myself can anyone help out at the right price of course

Ermmm:o

watch this space, welllllllllll NOT this space ( will be making a new thread/post later this evening );)

cheers
andy

[stew]

ive not posted in ages, since march, but im too busy with work to do any to my car. cant wait till october when i can get back to it. its a shame about saturn/nts etc for the mx5 based car, but seems like svok and johno are progressing well, as are a few others. guess its all about the end game. :)

[Big Vern]

Is it just me that has noticed the forum is just not the same lately

Seems to have lost some of the spark it had a year ago

With the loss of saturn/nts and some people just not posting anymore I feel like its created a hole seems none of the usual traders valuable experience and knowledge is available

Just finding it a little bit sad

Whats everyones thoughts?

I was thinking this a while back.
It was always very busy after the IVA came in and people were working though what was needed to get through that.
But now with the loss of Saturn/NTS and Phil at Talon has gone quiet I think the haynes roadster project has gone back to its roots with people having to build almostr everything.
I don't suppose the shortage of Sierra donors helps and the MX5 based book never got completed.
I suspect those who arn't into a hardcore diy build have gone off anf built an MEV exocet.
Just my two peneth

[twinturbo]

Ermmm:o

watch this space, welllllllllll NOT this space ( will be making a new thread/post later this evening );)

cheers
andy


Offs, not another for sale can't complete thread.. :rolleyes:

Waiting with baited breath...

TT

[HandyAndy]

Offs, not another for sale can't complete thread.. :rolleyes:

Waiting with baited breath...

TT

:eek: No way, during the 3 years of my build I,ll be honest & will say that I have at times felt like giving up.......BUT......with the support of all on this forum I got thru those dark periods & will NEVER sell my Roadster ,

in fact, when the time is right my Roadster will be given to my son as my Graduation present when he finishes Uni.....a Father Son thing , built with my hands etc .

I,ll just have to build myself another one when the time comes :eek: :D

cheers
andy

[twinturbo]

Having had the same car off the road for 12 years, I am not one to give up easily either.

Things are progressing, but it's not actualy work on the cars but work to enable work on the cars.

If anyone wants a pair of Dell Poweredge 2800 network servers then that would free up more space in the garage ;) .. Cheap!!

TT