I cannot say I disagree completely.   I was actually just thinking about this phenomenon the other day.  It does seem at times as if its become more of a "club" than a tech forum.    That being said:

I have not figured out, if its the expansion of the format, that has led to a more impersonal perception, or if most of the "core"  members have just finished their cars, and it actually has become more club like ,or if its because so many of the "core" have formed deep friendships in everyday life.  

Either way,  IMO, for whatever reason, this board is definately not the same friendly feeling it once was. What I mean by that is I can see how this can ward off newbies and those who are casually looking for advice/tech help.  Im just not sure if thats a good thing, or a bad thing.   All this being said.

When you do get answers, they are just as good as ever, and this IS still one of the best Mustang sites on the net.    

Disclaimer:  I hope everyone here understands, I AM NOT trying to critize anyone in particular.  I have met a good number of those involved here. And have absolutely no problems with a single person on this forum.  I am just noting that  I think I understand what the original poster is trying to say, because, quite honestly, I sense it, and I have been around hanging around this forum since the early 2000s. 

The 20 dollar question is:  How do we fix it?   Sorry, if this post offends anyone, that is not my intentions.  

I can see where the op is coming from and I sorta agree! Not sure if the new format "damaged" the magic feel of the original format OR...it has indeed run its course.
In our defense...it is hard to NOT make really good friends when meeting you guys "face-to-face" at the bashes. Great bunch of guys who make ALL Stangers feel welcome.  Hence the "club feel".
Could be......if you've never been to a MSBB you just don't have the same......feelings about the folks on here. Too bad everybody hasn't attended one( and I fully understand how that is impossible for some of you guys.)
6sally6
PS.....I still don't like this new format butt-eye don't let that stop me asking dumb questions!

You know...jersey joe just had a great idea.  Maybe all the posts should stay highlighted until we individually click on them.  Kind of like yahoo mail does.  

One thing I did notice, is on new posts, if I havent looked at them they are highlighted, when I first come onto the page.   But they all disapate into the regular font if I leave and come back, regaurdless if I have read them or not.    Makes it a lot easier to miss a post.   Especially  if you use this as a desktop marker to open a browser and immediately go to another page.  

 

I don't think it is the new or old forum.  I have asked questions on both and responses have been similar.  If I ask dumb questions (I mean really dumb ones) I think I actually get less replies.  I take this to mean you have to work to figure it out on your own.  If I ask for assistance troubleshooting an issue (like electrical) I had help coming from everywhere.  I think it depends on what is being asked.

I also try to ask a question with as much detail as possible so that I get a more pinpoint answer.

Now having said this, it would be nice if the forum is set up so that no question goes unanswered. If posts could remain at the top of the list until there is at least one reply (not just read) maybe that would work.  Unfortunately, this may be burdensome on a few "experts" to provide answers to the unanswerable.

My opinion.

There's definitely people who have formed strong bonds and they post back and forth to each other. But why does that bother anyone? I like seeing friends give each other a hard time To me it's the Internet equivalent of standing around a buddy's garage and ribbing each other.

I haven't been around a super long time and I have not had the chance to meet people face to face, but I NEVER feel like I cannot ask a question or post an idea.

Maybe some folks get turned off when they register and within a short time and make posts that have been answered many, many times and a forum regular says "here's a quick answer, but use the search feature to find all the discussions about this". But heck, that's on any forum.

I would hate to see anyone leave, but I would imagine it won't be long 'till you're back The information, knowledge, and innovation here is invaluable!

A club huh...well, I can sorta see what you mean, Butt (Thanks Sal).....

Jean and I got back into classic car a few years ago after having sold the last Model A ten years before.  The plan was to do some touring, meet some new folks, maybe make some new friends...not just aquaintenences.

I found this forum quite by by chance and was immediately drawn to the quality of the responses and the level of maturity demonstrated by the participants. 

Then I saw a post about the 09 Bash (hosted by TMacG)  and it became clear that this was just what I had hoped to find when I decided to get back into "old cars".  A group that actually got in their cars and drove them someplace...not just to the local drive-in on Friday night.

We didn't make the 09 Bash but reading the after-action reports made me determined to make the 2010, and we did.  Hooked up with Mr. and Mrs. 68Mustang from Seattle...they drove to Western Colo and spent two nights at our place (total strangers)...then cruised to Dallas and back, 2200 miles. 

Met Tubo, and Jim Bowie, and BobC & Cindy, and Josh-k-bob (he got his new name in Dallas) & Tanya, and Mr. Tim, and Glen and Steve B., and Jerry and Lori, and T & Lisa, and a lot of others.  Potential friends.  Good times.  Road trip in the old Mustang....what a hoot.  Jean even had a good time and met some fun ladies to hang with.  No whining noises.

In 2010 we went to Kalispell, 2700 miles, hosted by Daze & Evellyn (sp).  We drove 300 miles out of our way to hook up at the Royal Gorge with MS and Sherry, Tubo and Karol, Glen B who had Hakan and Emil (from Sweden) with him.  Then we drove to the top of Pikes Peak.  We've been passing those sights for years but never stopped.  Thanks to MS we finally took the time  to see some sights right in our own back yard.

Last year it was Tomball and a great time hosted by Glen (1965 5,0) and brother Steve.  We left our 66 home and helped Tubo take  his two cars.  Great road trip and lots of fun memories.  Friendships growing and more new aquaintenances. 

Now we're getting ready for Nashville (Franklin, TN) hosted by Lori & Jerry.  There should be a great turn-out so we'll get to meet even more new friends.  The 66 is laid up so it'll be an F150 road trip, but who cares?  It's being there that matters, not how you get there.

Yup, I guess you are right.  It sort of is a club.  And...like it or not, you are a member if you keep coming around.  It's a club of folks with similar interests who not only want to help each other with info, but who find pleasure in holding one meeting a year for anyone who can attend.  No dues, no by-laws, no plaques, just a few folks who were lucky enough to have the means and opportunity to go half  way across the county to spend time with a bunch of strangers....and turn them into  friends.

So If "the core group" posts personal messages and inside jokes and little quips that you don't quit understand, please don't be put off.  They mean no insult and don't want to exclude you.  That's just what friends do.  What they really hope is that you'll be able to get to know everyone better...maybe find a way to make it to a "club meeting".  Oh you'll always be welcome even if you can't make a "meeting".  Like with most forums, you may not get the response you hope for all the time, but you'll never be snubbed or put down for asking a question here, even one that's been asked many times.  That's what  truly makes this forum special.

Butt (TS&T), if you really want to get the most out of this forum and your Mustang, or any old Ford(whether it runs or not), you might try to make it to a Bash (meeting).  I can almost guarantee that you'll have a wonderful experience and you'll go away feeling even more a part of something special...sort of like being in an exclusive club.

I hope so....we'd all love to meet you and become friends.

BB
 

Last edited by Bullet Bob (8/12/2013 1:21 PM)

I brought this up about a year ago, nobody seemed too concerned.

I've been here going on 13 years now. I've seen the forum go from being very busy to being very slow. It just comes and goes in waves. But, I've seen the same thing happen at other forums.

As with any group of friends, some are more tight knit with each other than some. I've been to a number of Bashes and have actually met many of the people here. Even the people I may not know as well as some have always been very friendly to me.

This forum is not as large or busy as some forums. That's probably why there are many of us that are very tight. That, however, does not mean that we snub people, regardless of how long or how short of time they have been posting here.

The only way we can get to know someone well is for them to converse with everyone. I haven't been as active here as I had been in years past but, anyone with a job and family responsibilities knows that you can't spend every free moment on a site just waiting around to answer somone's
question.

I have answered way more questions than I have asked questions. There have been some times I have not had a response to what I asked. I didn't take it that everyone was snubbing me. I just took it that no one knew the answer to the question so, there were no replies. You can go to any other forum and see the very same thing happen there.

There aren't a lot of us here (compared to other related websites)  but, I've never met anyone here (just on the forum or in person) that I didn't like.

Years ago, I was a member of a Mustang club (I was vice president). It was a club that broke away from the Mustang Club of America. The reason for the split was because those people were largely a group of (mostly) well-to-do people (read, SNOBBY). If you didn't have at least $20 grand in your car and everything detailed to factory original, they pretty much looked down their nose at you. That is not what this hobby should be about nor should it be they way people interact with you.

I've seen some primered project vehicles that were way cooler than some snob's concourse correct mega-buck vehicle.

I think the forum might function better if the catagories were broken up into divisions; engine, drivetrain, electrical, brakes/steering/suspension, and something I've said for years that this forum needs --a General Discussion section. This makes it easier to focus in on a particular subject rather than every subject being thrown all together.

...take a look at fordification.com to see their layout. This is the type of subject grouping I'm talking about. It works very well.

It's your choice to be a part of this site or not. We'd be glad for you to stay and let us get to know you better and vise-versa. We will respect your decision either way.

...if you feel you didn't get a response before, you've definitely gotten responses on this thread. ;-)

Steve

Pete M wrote:

For what it's worth; I have ALWAYS felt like an outsider to this.
I don't think it's the format.  It's more of that "family" kind of vibe.
If a family is having a picnic in the park, you wouldn't just walk up
and grab a burger, would you?

I don't want to hurt feelings here.
We all know who does what, and no one does anything.

I'm sorry if I sound angry.  I'm just saying, I stuck around, while many others don't.
I do get tired of it sometimes, but this is still my home page.

I think GEMDIAM wants to stick around, also, or he
wouldn't have taken the time to give his "two weeks notice".

I'm glad he opened up this topic.
 

So  less socializing, less inside jokes etc,  and more car stuff, more content?

I'm going to have to call "BS" on the intruder feeling that you've conjoured up. sorry but I have never been to a bash. I have never met anyone here face to face. Everyone is welcome to ask questions and participate. There is on open door feeling here. It doesnt cost money to join. Absolute strangers have called me at my home to help me with something like MR TIM when i lived in NJ. Sorry but this isn't high school where there's a clique of people that are inapproachable and ignore you when you need help, or make fun of you for asking stupid questions, or make fun of you when you give a wrong answer.  Members I dont know give advice and encouragement. And most of all, i dont have to worry about inappropriate pictures or comments.  Those   other sites have cursing, and xxx comments, raunchy, etc. I'm not a prude, but, I can do without all that nonsense.  

The more you post and the more you ask and the more you contribute, the more you will be one of the insiders too.  All it takes to belong here, is just read other peoples posts, comment if you have something to contribute or even if its your  opinion of like or dislike, posts your questions, post your accomplishments, post things you have done, etc.   

 

I do understand the general frustration. For me when I get to a point I need to ask a question, I am already a$$ deep in my own mess. So, I am looking for an answer cause I need help quick.

Nobody's fault but can get frustrating when you just waiting for that answer and you see 25 replies of folls commenting on a photo. JMHO.

Last edited by commish10 (8/12/2013 6:22 PM)

Speaking of Nashville, I found this statement interesting..

."If a family is having a picnic in the park, you wouldn't just walk up and grab a burger, would you?"

Well, that is what the BASH is all about...  One big happy family of Mustangers and Ford enthusiasts gather once a year to have a picnic in the park.  Everyone is invited, and you can grab as many free burgers as you want.  And we would love to have you come visit with us.  I sure hope no one has ever felt not welcome at a bash, or on the forum in general.  Everybody I know here wants  to meet new people and share their ideas and learn something new.

As for posts that do not get an immediate answer.  Well, we don't know EVERYTHING!!!  Sometimes the info is not there.  I try to monitor those posts (all one has to do is look to the right on the index page and it tells you number of replies per post). and occasionally, if no response is posted by anyone, I will just chime in and say "well, I guess nobody knows the answer to that one".

We want to welcome everyone here.  Just imagine, if everyone that registered would post just their info, location and what kind of car they have or wish to have, or used to have, this would be alot busier.  Some people come and go, ask a question they need info on, and get an answer and leave.  And that is fine.  That is the basic rason we are here.  Some have just taken it a step further though and make this a meeting place to discuss their cars.  If the fact that I have an aluminum 427 and like to post progrss pics and info on the build turns anyone off, I would just say that I appreciate the first timer with an old clapped out Mustang, and would appreciate it if they would post more about their project.  We can all learn from one another at all levels.

John wrote:

I haven't noticed anything different other than the forum interface being easier to use and more modern.

But let's not forget that vintage Mustangs are pretty simple cars, and nothing really changes.  Add to this that Mustangs were recognized as collectibles very early, and manufacturers jumped in with all kinds of parts from the smallest screw to major sheet metal.  If Mustang parts had been slow to develop, we'd be talking about something new more often.  But let's face it, you can just about build a Mustang from a parts catalog, and could do so for many years.   How much about a vintage Mustang is unknown at this point?  Probably more Mustangs have already been restored than will ever be from now on.

Now if this forum encompassed all Mustangs up to the present, it would be hopping as new cars would develop problems as they age and new products would appear for them.  But other than an EFI swap, or aftermarket suspensions, things in this type of hobby are pretty stagnent, and that goes for vintage Camaros as well.

So I don't see this as a MustangSteve Forum problem specifically, but a problem that exists on all forums dealing with a similarly limited subject.   The only question then would be how to get a larger share of what's left.  I think that question is best left to people with marketing skills.

John

John, gonna have to argue with you on a few things you said first you said they were simple cars!  Ask 6sally6 how simple his electrical problems were when he drove to Dallas in 2010 for the bash!  there were several guys working 3 to 4 hours trying to figure solve his problem.  You want simple come work on this 29 model A I have in my garage!!  That my friend is simple!!
Second, you mentioned "if this forum encompassed all mustangs up to the present" who has excluded the newer cars??  I for one have a 65, an 01 and an 06 mustang and I have gotten advice on all three of these cars right here!  One member on here works in the factory where they build the stangs and he ordered a new one and posted pics right off the assembly line as his was being built.  I bought a sequential turn signal kit from him off the swap meet page.  The name of this forum is FYIFORD not FYIOLDMUSTANG.  Somewhere along the line people think they shouldnt post questions about anything but classics.  This is simply not true I just posted some questions about an F150 I just bought and got answers.  
Please dont feel if you dont own a classic you cant belong here!  This is a great forum filled with alot of knowledge and alot of BS as well.
I have made some really good friends thru this forum and socialize with them outside of the forum.  I am still looking to meet more members and thats why I get off the subject of FORDS sometimes, its what makes this a great place
OFF MY SOAPBOX!!