i think that this is a great idea...when I saw the banner, i thought.."oh great..sell out time." seriously did. but the hamb has helped me do alot and like bleed said with class... So I will probably join and slap the tag on my shelf with the rest of my toys..until my car gets runnin..then I might put in on the inside of the glove compartment.. tok hey bleed..are you on myspace..hehe
I think part of what's bumming people out about the "Alliance Member" title under their name is the fact that now any newbie with $50 has the same title. You couldn't buy an "Old School HAMBer" title or a "Welfare Racer" title, or even a "Member" title... But you can buy your way into an "Alliance Member" title. The post count will still be there, but if I was an "Old School HAMBer" I'd feel a little bummed to see that title replaced. Isn't there any way you could add the "Alliance Member" title to whatever our previous title was, as a way of acknowledging both the monetary contribution as well as the forum participation?
The more I think about it..........the better it actually is. Ryan, you really stuck to his guns. You have always said that this will never be a pay site. And, it isn't. Pay your 50.00 or don't. Same great HAMB. Classy way to do it Ryan. I would GLADLY pay 50 bucks a year for the HAMB. With or without the discounts. Also, to add to my previous statement of this being like a AAA for hot rodders. It really is. Even the roadside assistance. I know of MANY folks who have broke down and been helped out by a fellow HAMBER. FONZI
I paid to help the HAMB, I havn't even checked out the vendors yet. This place is worth $50 a year for me
For those that think $50 is nothing, $50 will buy me 2 MONTHS grocerys. That said, I've gotten way more than $50 out of this place over the years. With my new job, I can afford the extra $50 to help out the HAMB, so I joined.
Early thoughts on the alliance...can't say anything any better than's been said. I see no negatives. Especialy the fact of the main gig stays as is 'cept for titles. I too could care less for a title. I'll send my $$ as soon as next week. Need summore decals too. I put one on my toolbox at work. I used the "Jalopy Journal" black n white. That lil piece of this place makes me fuckin smile inside every time I see it. I feel glad and proud to be on here and to participate. And Ima tell ya, it takes quite a bit these days for this old bastard to crack a smile. Tags...cool for the car show and meet gigs. Keeps us "hooked up" in a sense. Hope I been just a lil helpful for some of ya's. Lookin forward to many years more. Colors...peach? mauve? teal? ain't those like late 80s "billet" colors? I hope to see brandywine, organic green, and maybe spanish gold candies in the future myself. As always Ryan, great stuff and many thanx.
I'll sign up as soon as my employment ($) situation improves ,unless you have a payment plan count on it I rarely buy anything from "rod parts" dealers costing over $75,the HAMB is enough for me
I dropped Street Rodder years ago, Goodguys at least 5 years ago and Rod&Custom last year. Grass Roots Motorsports is probably next to go. No offense to the guys that keep those mags going, but I just didn't feel like I was getting a good value, though there's been some really good stuff in R&C recently. Might be related to my interests of late, but the bulk of my T touring will be bought at swaps and the local metal store, so I have little use for advertising in its various printed forms. I still miss the old SIA. Don't care about the title and I don't really care about the tag (though it is pretty cool). The discounts are excellent and unexpected and I appreciate the effort there. You have the right folks signed up, so far - some of the few who will supply parts for the touring. How 'bout a link to the vendor/members profiles on the vendor page so we know who we're dealing with? Overall - cool stuff for those of us who can't get off our duffs to set up an auction. Chris
It's gonna be cool to see the tags on cars at the carshows! Now I'll know which hamber owns which car, very cool! Now, are people really gonna change the tag on their car every year, or keep the black one, old school style?? I don't really care about the discounts much, or the title change, but the tag is cool and a HAMB logo T-Shirt? That would be awesome! I think those outta be available to members only or somethin maybe?!? Just a thought.
My thoughts: 1. I liked the old titles. After some good OR bad comment here, I always glance at the posters title to check his "status". The older/senior members crry far more weight with me when they speak. Also I felt kinda goofy as an FNG and tried to be careful in what I said. I think this DOES have a positive effect on the BETTER new members. 2. I love the opt-in idea. GREAT thinking. 3. ID cards are too esy to duplicate and to me the would be a waste of Ryan's valuable time. Check out how easily California drivers licenses are copied ($40 if you know where to look!) Now if i can get a poloshirt with a small HAMB logo on the collar tips.... 4. I would have paid $50 for the dash plaque alone. 5. I have been the leader/father figure in other organizations and I personally KNOW how draining that can be. I truly hope this eases the financial sting of your good works. We SHOULD pay you for this huge repository of lore and wisdom you now manage. 6. I hope you find a way to automate that tag process, my Brother, before you have forearms like Popeye. I think you gonna be making a LOT of tags over the next couple of years. Someone here said that the HAMB can't change them, only they can change themselves. I think the HAMB has changed me. CERTAINLY for the better. Thanks Ryan. Glenn
Way Kool Stuff, maynard. I've let most of the monthly rags expire since I do my own work and don't care for a monthly catalog of vendors and maybe a kool car or 2. I've never been into the web much b4 but now I look forward to logging into the HAMB and see what like minded guys and betties are doing. If the 50 bones keep Ryan from going "corporate" I'm there. Already made some friends here that rule, especially us GAY folks from Mi. Thanks Ryan, now I have to pull down my Evil Knievel drapes and hang up some Ryan Rules drapes hehehe
Helping The HAMB --- Priority Tag----------------- Bonus Vendor Discounts --- Bonus Title ----------------Bummer Three out of four ain't bad , Thanks for every thing Ryan
Ryan the Alliance is a out standing idea, thanx for all the work you do in our behalf! Know that we appreciate it very much!!!
THere was a dude on here that joined in like 04 that's already an "Ol School Hamber"... I'm cool with losing the old titles. So am I part of the Revolution now?
I fail to see what the old titles proved. All you had to do was have enough time to sit at a computer and post away. No matter what the content of those posts was. What you shouldbe more concerned with, if it's even a concern, is the join date. Even that doesn't mean a thing in my book. You want to know the value of a member? Forget about the title, forget about the join date. Click the profile button and check their other posts. That will give you a much better idea of who you're dealing with.
Well im all the way over here but the HAMB makes me feel like im over there and 70 bucks sees me in........ i am in.........
Since you asked, next year when we re-up next year, could there be a smaller plate made so we can stack them nice and neat on our firewalls? Even something without the stamped names would be nice and make it easier for you and Marcie... Or you can just call me a shithead.
I have EASILY gleaned fifty-plus dollars worth of free advice from the HAMB Board in this last year! The Alliance is a revolutionary idea in many respects, Ryan! At times I am amazed at the level of camaraderie and "like thinking" that this HAMB phenomenon has generated. In short, it's just a REAL good thing! I'm glad to be a part of it. It may sound strange. but I'm grateful for experience.
Thanks for the HAMB, Ryan. I'm torn with the title bit as well - I certainly see both sides of it. Someone recommended having the Alliance Member under the old title - don't know if that's compatible with the forum software or not, but good idea if it can be done. As far as being like a mag subscription, will there be reminders that "Act now, this is your last month to join without losing all the quality" PMs? Haha - just kidding - but you are going to have huge renewals in July every year... I appreciate what you're doing here Ryan - I hope this won't change the HAMB. My only concern is some folks will actually act like goldchainer snobs...you know, the same 100 post newbies who yell at folks to do an intro. We'll see. Hopefully, these people will be crushed & quickly. To end on an up note - I hesitated only long enough to double-check the PayPal was going to link up with me & sent the moolah in right away! THANKS RYAN!
I'm going to do it but not for the discounts, already made my large purchases at coker and o' briens for the year. I'm doin it to keep the HAMB ad free. That's my rant, the level of fuckin comericialism in this country is out of control. We are bombarded with ads everywhere in our life to buy buy buy our product. It's nice to have a little sanctuary where that shit doesn't exist,unless your searching for honest input to make a purchase! I'll pay fifty bucks for that, long live the HAMB
Very well said Rash, I agree. If a big name car builder joins under a nick name and is listed as a newbie, that doesn't mean his post aren't informational or just as important as a senior member. Thanks Ryan. This is a great place for education and friendship. Keep up the good work and stay your course. DeuceDog
Ryan I know you guys are busy stamping the Alliance tags but any thoughts on possibly stamping HAMB Drags timimg tags with our best run ET/speed and other info on the tag? ( Yeah, I know, it wasnt very fast!) The "permanent marker" has worn off my '05 tag on the dash of my roadster, and I would be willing to pony up $ for the time & trouble to get it and future timing tags stamped. Just a thought.
Just wanted to say that i paid the $50 even though i might not get any discounts and so on shipping being in sweden. I paid because i wanted to give some back to the HAMB for all the stuff i read and hopefully learn on here. My 31 would still be a pile of parts on the floor and me standing beside it scratching my head without the hamb. So i think the $50 has paid off plenty off times already.
ryan...how many have signed up so far???? i signed up fer 2 reasons... for the tag... i feel like its very special to have that connection to the HAMB on my celica ahh i mean 29 sedan!!! and for the fact that ive learned 300 times the $50 amount in the year ive been here...the very least i could do for that!!!! i see nuttin wrong with the name change.. who really looks at that much anyway...i figured they'd change mine to' bandwidth waister' or' post whore ' anyway and alliance member i think is better!!!!
Ryan, I also believe that the vendor list will grow like a wild weed as HAMBers are! I'd like to publicly say THANK YOU for supporting Cyclone in our continued growth as a company that is run by a HAMBer and for allowing me personally to be able to learn from this forum as well as contribute to them. I did the math also for the discounts & if someone were to purchase a set of Cyclone Caddy Heads as an Aliance Member, Man-they'd save an additional 2/3rds of the cost of the actual membership! That's like be paid to join with some major spare change!=lol! Primedia-Are you watching this . Sure does beat the hell out of a $2.5k ad. So step up guys, This is what Ryan means by it being a DEAL! Good going Ry Fry! Kevin
The Jalopy Journal
