I'm starting to miss the old HAMB. I remember the days when I would be out in the garage, needed some advice and would run in and post a question. In a matter minutes I would get a helpful answer or 5 with suggestions and examples. Now it seems every time I post I at least get a few useless, smart ass remarks for no reason whatsoever and a few actual answers. I'm not complaining about the board at all, it has improved and improved since I've been on it and that has been quite a while. I think it is the fact that the "Rat Rod" and traditional hobby has grown so much lately that it has picked up all the trend followers and some of them have migrated to the HAMB. Sorry, guess I'm just tired of feeling like I have to defend my reasoning for posting a technical question these days. Theres these guys who bought their first OSR yesterday and has his grandfathers '68 4dr ford rustbucket with the flatblack treatment, that is claimed to be "old-school" laquer found in a corner of barris' shop and subsequently taken to a Roth party where it was pissed in by GERM himself. Or the guy who at one time in the distant past once rubbed nipples with a Grabowski look-a-like in the parking lot of an eastern Illinois Wal-Mart, because he was driving his '52 chevy that he chopped 12 inches in front and sunk the roof 20" in back just cause he has to "take it to the next level". These guys hop on threads and post some dumb smart-assed answer and walk away like someone actually valued their input. It's a waste of space and time. Much like this rant I don't claim to be any sort of expert here, but If I try to answer someones question on a post I am not an asshole about it and there's no need to be. The HAMB didn't used to have this many pricks on it... Where'd they all come from?
My thoughts- We get out what we put in. With so many others not really "PUTTING IN" the rest have to really work harder to keep the world in balance. I try to put in quality, and even I am guilty of being an ass sometimes. You almost can't help but be in some instances. With a community that is about to eclipse 27,000 members and 1 main page, it is no wonder that if I dont stay on top of the current reads, that next thing ya know you are 20-30 pages behind on the main board. I'm sorry I just dont have the time to "REALLY" read everything. I miss lots, and this is just well......lost. Ryan, and company has and have done a wonderful job with creating the avenues for the HAMB to grow to its current level, but it just seems watered down. As for TECH week. I really miss the old ones. But the crew today doesn't even bat an eye lash when its "TECH Week" We just get more O/T's, Post your dog, Who old are you, What do you do type of posts. Tech week as we know it is gone. I remember the last one, having to ferret through 20 pages of fluff to "FIND" them out. We get out what we put in. I am making it my personal goal to put in better higher quality topics and work to promote discussions. Anyone else? Wyatt "InDaShop"
Makes me sad I didn't know about the HAMB before. The whole rat rod kulture thing is a joke. Makes me wonder what will happen to all these hacked up cars and trucks in 5 years when the trend dies. and I'm obviously new here... what is tech week exactly?
Revhead; Anytime something Good is going on it attracts attention. A small group will draw Clingon's and Wannabee's as well as Copycats. That's the standard progression of anything. Not much we can do about that. As far as the Crap Cars that will never be Tradition Rods and the remarks that only show a Low I.Q. I normally just don't give those things the time of day. If a post has nothing constructive to add just don't respond. Those things will generally weed themselvs out. Somehow this post caught my Attention and I made an exception. The Old H.A.M.B. is still here, We're just not the Majority any more. Hopefully the New comers will learn and grow and eventually build Iron we can all appreciate. The Wizzard
Tech week was a week set-up by ryan in which only tech articles were allowed. No off-topic posts at all. Before tech week the board was pretty much Tech-full time unless it was a random debate by Mud and Steve about how big their 4x4 was or GERM and another hallucinogenic rant, but those were few and far between and never disrupted the flow of learning or what the board was about. Once it got bigger and more OT posts popped up Ryan introduced tech week to get everyone back on topic. I can weed through the topics too, that's fine with me. It's the serious topics and real questions that get bombarded with stupid remarks and usless posts that annoy me. Not only do you have to weed through the topics, now I have to weed through the content of each topic too.. All being said though, The HAMB is still an amazing resource. Especially after taking on so many members it still proves to be the best source for instant information on our hobby.
You do get out what you put in. When you ask a question and someone gives a light hearted answer, perhaps you shouldn't get all pissy, like you did with me when I questioned your use of compression fittings in a fuel line. Your pissiness in turn encourages others to jump on the bandwagon and spins the thread out of control. See the rat rod comment in that fuel line thread- Undoubtedly thrown out due to the fact you were acting just like the young punks you rail against. Meanwhile the guy who's answer you'd actually respect doesn't post anything cause you're in a mood to jump all over somebody who doesn't repeat your pre-detemined answer. No smart assness intended here, just my honest opinon. Hot rods are supposed to be about fun, enjoy your ride, compression fittings or not.
Maybe, an "Off Topic" forum isn't a bad idea.....and, maybe the posts on it only stay there for a set time, say a week........That way, it wouldn't waste too much bandwidth, with BS posts. Just allow so much space for it. Then, the tech posts wouldn't get lost in the bowels of the board so fast. Ryan made a post last week about this waste of the boards resources.......doesn't seem to have helped much.
I cant wait in about 5-7 years there should be a bunch of parts available to us from guys starting families and getting money for tattoo removal haha. Really though I expect this trend to peter out in a few years and the same old Rodders and Kustomizers will be around.
I've lurked here since 2003, though I joined fairly recently. The off-topic posts & smart-ass replies have long been a part of the H.A.M.B. However, I agree that it's gotten out of hand. The best case in point: Ryan posts a thread specifically asking for off-topic posts to be limited & carefully considered before posting.... ....and after it had been posted for at least an hour, I counted five O/T posts that were placed afterwards. They were short enough, and the timing was such, that it would have been difficult to have NOT seen Ryan's post... Another post asked about the details of putting a BBC into a '67 Mustang. When told that the post was not relevant to the HAMB or traditional rodding, the poster's response was, essentially, "I know & I don't care. Somebody here will know. Lighten up." The thread quickly turned into yet another Ford vs. Chevy post before Metalshapes killed it. The problems with the upgrade, & the search function, have undoubtedly caused some of the "basic" or "question already asked twenty times" style posts, but in my experience, a lot of people, particularly newer folks, don't use search anyway. They simply can't be bothered to take the time. I could see another section devoted to O/T posts such as deaths/illnesses- where the mods could decide that if a H.A.M.B. member or direct relation (spouse/child/parent) was involved, that thread could be moved to this forum (or others at the mods' discretion). Other items of interest such as old houses, cool shops, shop dogs, etc. could be placed there too. This might be an extra burden for the mods, or it may make things easier. Perhaps we need another moderator or two to help out. What it all boils down to is that we need to police ourselves better in terms of what's posted, the replies made, & using the "report" button to let the already overworked moderators know of real issues... I'm grateful that the H.A.M.B.'s still alive & kickin', overburdened or not, even in 2007.
Amen, Revhead. I was first attracted to th HAMB by the tech posts. I've been working on hot rods since the late '50's and this board is a great resource -let's keep it that way.
The sad part is, I didn't even notice it--must have been buried. I'm not saying I'm not guilty as anyone else. Something that everyone might consider, is that some of us know next to nothing (compared to others) so maybe we post "useless stuff" just to feel like we belong...man, I gots to stop over-analyzing myself... Tucker
Shop's comments ring pretty true. If you make it a point to put more in than you get out - it's a good place to hang. Success, in just about any form, is gonna attract a broader spectrum. I suspect the techie content is the same - just not as condensed as B4...but I wasn't here then, so I can't vouch for it. Personally - I look for the threads that are interesting - or where I think I can help. I'm down to reading only about 5% of the threads. Certain posters are worth reading - others...nope. In modding other (admittedly less active) boards, the best defense for weirdness is to ignore the source. There are personality types who are empowered by disruption, and as greatifying as opening up a can of whoop-ass is...it's exactly what they want. Let 'em go - they'll go away. If they don't - that's what moderators are for.
That is why I like the search function.........I know the guys that are on the "HAMB" alot and reply to certain post are worth searching http://eclipse.erichmoraga.com/AEM/posting.htm Chris Nelson Kansas
I think most hot rodders, traditional or not, have a strain of smart ass in em anyways. The anonymity(sp?) allows some overdo of that fact and most of us (even based on some of the above responses) know how to deal with it. Just like TV or radio...turn it off. I think this a great place to hang out and mingle with like-minded folks who dig this stuff. There's kool in a lot of it. Tech, helpful answers, resources for stuff are all automatic for those who understand. Those that don't, well, fuck em. Do your thing and police yourself. Let the rest fade away.
This is what the old H.A.M.B was like......... You'd post your '72 Citroen or a '67 Mustang and get flogged. Now, guys are jizzin' down their legs.... How I long for the good old days.... Still, it's alot like family here and you put up with what you have to.... JOE PS~ What's with all the YouTube crap...??? It's getting worse than Ebay posts...
AAAAHHHHH, yes. Who doesnt long for the days of Harlan, and Germ railing on and on about their shitboxes. Or SPANK talking about stealing beer. Or being able to post and have it stay on the first page for hours instead of mere moments. Gotta take the bad with the good, I suppose.
Yeah, what is the deal with all the youtube posts. If I wanted to see a bunch of video about traditional rods, I'd go to a traditional rod site! Ooops, there's that smartass streak again..........
" The whole rat rod kulture thing is a joke. Makes me wonder what will happen to all these hacked up cars and trucks in 5 years when the trend dies." That's my feelings too, same with all the tatoo posts.
How about... If I wanted to see a bunch of YouTube videos, I'd go to YouTube.com. This thread is that of mere opinion... I have mine. JOE
Thanks Revhead. Been thinking about a post like this myself but didn't think it would do any good. Oh and I'm not as new to the HAMB as my join date indicates. Had to go away for a while.
Mabey this is the reason some off topic car related questions are asked here.I don't know a single car guy who isn't into most cars in some way,The same guy who loves his banger A most likely has other off topic modified cars as well.and I gaurantee you If you ask for an answer here you WILL get lots more than 1 good one within a day!I have asked O/T questions here just because the answers are here !I would like to see a place for OFF YEAR post for teck questions and dont tell me to go to such and such a site because I just may have been there already!For one thing HAMBERS seem to give precise answers to my questions or anyone elses .I have had posts on 3 different S10 sites and haven't gotten the answer I need in more than a week .If I ask that question on here I WILL have it tommorrow!Now I will admit that for each good answer here I will most likely get 3 Ballbusters also which IS unfortunate.Some folks can only answer a question about a specific problem with a specific make/model Only the guys here can tell you that the rear from a 1982 Whatsits is what you need for a 1950 Whosists
Yes, I agree but sometimes you gotta tell the guy who's rambling on about his Gramma's doily collection he found in the attic to shut the fuck up. I second 3W Larry's suggestion: Tech Week please and I actually have one to post.
Been coming here for about 5 years and joined last year. Found this site on google searching for tech on my comet. I appreciate the ton of info and tips you guys provided me as a lurker. I miss that. A search for "60 comet" or "1960 Comet" back then yielded a ton of hits. Now I get 4 or 5 and all the cool shit I used to read is gone. I agree with all the above, if its not a tech article it should be placed in or moved to an off-topic section or canned. That way it is either gone or falls off the back end and some of the good stuff stays around longer on the board.
I agree with the "garage" thing... and I agree whole heartedly. I posted a couple of jokes (car related) for my buddies on the H.A.M.B. and it has grown into a big-ass thread, which has gone waaaay off topic.... but it's just one thread... and I've never bumped it back to the top unless it was right there already. I posted a question about a master cylinder the other day and it's on page 26 now, with no replies. Yet, between then and now there's been a shitload of YouTube postings that only push it further down the list. JOE
Yep... and no offense taken. I started that thread when there might have been 5,000 guys on here. It's grown alot. A new thread doesn't need to be started for EVERY video posted. That's what I'm saying... JOE
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