The decline of the Classic Car forum
Discussion
I pop in from time to time, but it hardly seems worth it these days. This used to be a very lively forum, restorations going on, new builds, plenty of comments, and so on. But I guess it is anno domini that is the telling factor, with less "hands on" and even less discussion. Just two posts on Saturday for example, whereas ten years ago it was two pages.Is the interest in classics dying or people are commenting elsewhere on the "Youngtimers"? I don't know, but it is sad to see the decline.
I hadn’t noticed there had been such a drop off, but would agree that it is a shame. For my own part, the winter months don’t see me in the garage much and, therefore, my interest does wane slightly. I tend to check in for a bit of amusement (classics dwarfed by moderns etc) but less for anything technical over winter.
Hopefully others are the same and we might see an uplift as the weather improves. It snowed here last week!
Hopefully others are the same and we might see an uplift as the weather improves. It snowed here last week!
I've noticed this too.
Classic is the forum I always turn too first but each day there is less to see. The period pictures thread seems to be getting less and less popular.
I never look at the dwarfed by moderns thread as it's just got silly. It started with things like a Mini next to a MINI but it's degenerated to a Frogeye Sprite next to a Cadillac Eldorado.
Classic is the forum I always turn too first but each day there is less to see. The period pictures thread seems to be getting less and less popular.
I never look at the dwarfed by moderns thread as it's just got silly. It started with things like a Mini next to a MINI but it's degenerated to a Frogeye Sprite next to a Cadillac Eldorado.
jeremyc said:
Many of the restorations, new builds and ownership stories are now documented in the Readers' Cars forum.
That seems to be a fairly modern new forum, and certainly none of my cars would appear because I built the C-type in 2007 and the XKSS was 2012. It caused a lively conversation and much encouragement was offered, which helped as the bank balance drained! A quick search found the thread and the first page made me smile:-https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Typical PH criticism and defended by many who knew me, and I well remember that one member took the time to write to me about the "new way of welding fibreglass" asking for more detail. Most of you possibly weren't around back in those days and there was another separate thread when we built the 1952 c-type, of which I am still, even though sold, rather proud.Sadly, many photos were lost when the site wanted to charge for storage and access.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I just hope someone steps up to the plate with a build, conversion or rebuild so we can encourage them in their turn.
lowdrag said:
I just hope someone steps up to the plate with a build, conversion or rebuild so we can encourage them in their turn.
Readers' Cars is well worth exploring - there are some great classics stories as well as the more modern cars.How about a 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25HP Park Ward Saloon - barnfind project?
a8hex said:
jeremyc said:
Many of the restorations, new builds and ownership stories are now documented in the Readers' Cars forum.
Aren't the mods forcing them onto there?There was a Rover P6 thread a short while ago that got moved and redirects you.
lowdrag said:
Thank you PH. My faith in the state of affairs is restored. I shall now sit and read the RR thread, and have bookmarked it.
There's another one as well: The Rolls Royce 20/25 restoration thread.
And I can also commend the Full circle into a Marina again. My 73 Morris Marina Coupe if you fancy something a little more modern.
It is a bit sad, I’d guess many, like me just click on ‘What’s New’ and if there’s nothing classic there it’s not on the radar. You’d think that with time more and more cars are deemed classics, so it should be booming, but I agree it’s not the case.
I wouldn’t give up hope though, it’s always going to be relevant.
On account of this thread I’m going to make more effort to comment on posts in here.
I wouldn’t give up hope though, it’s always going to be relevant.
On account of this thread I’m going to make more effort to comment on posts in here.
The Facebook groups can get a lot of traffic, presumably because it’s so simple to access and use via phone. That’s there the fun ends though as the quality of the posting is low quality and very repetitive. A well ran forum with lots of well engaged users is tends to be much better quality in my experience.
a8hex said:
jeremyc said:
Many of the restorations, new builds and ownership stories are now documented in the Readers' Cars forum.
Aren't the mods forcing them onto there?There was a Rover P6 thread a short while ago that got moved and redirects you.
Don't even bother too much with GG these days either, for same reason, so likely miss a few classic topics that turn up there as well.
Hey ho.
jeremyc said:
Many of the restorations, new builds and ownership stories are now documented in the Readers' Cars forum.
No doubt but despite the request that make and model be included in thread titles many threads there use abbreviations which mean nothing to the uninvolved. That and changes to old-established certainties such as R-R which had been Rolls-Royce since the marque appeared is now supposed to mean Range Rover. Some of us older folk find many of the modern "classics" less than interesting, having owned them when they were just affordable second-hand cars and sold them on when changing to the next project.
Edited by Allan L on Monday 4th April 10:31
Jag_NE said:
The Facebook groups can get a lot of traffic, presumably because it’s so simple to access and use via phone. That’s there the fun ends though as the quality of the posting is low quality and very repetitive. A well ran forum with lots of well engaged users is tends to be much better quality in my experience.
Yep.FB is OK for 'general keeping in touch', events, gossip and quick access stuff, but its useless for build/restoration threads etc.
It's not just on here, several of the vehicle-specific website forums have waned significantly in recent years. I don't use FB but many people are moving to it; I've looked at a few club FB groups and don't find them very useful.
Those of us who've been on PH from virtually day 1 (when it was TVR) have seen huge change, as well as virtually a complete new generation of 'enthusiasts' sign-up and a generation no longer 'participating'. The newer members seem to have, at times, a strange expectation of what PH is about, and that is different to the expectations of early members. Times change, and not always for the better.
IMHO.
Those of us who've been on PH from virtually day 1 (when it was TVR) have seen huge change, as well as virtually a complete new generation of 'enthusiasts' sign-up and a generation no longer 'participating'. The newer members seem to have, at times, a strange expectation of what PH is about, and that is different to the expectations of early members. Times change, and not always for the better.
IMHO.
Edited by TarquinMX5 on Monday 4th April 16:32
90% of my PH activity seems to follow threads on “My Stuff”, because I know that I have posted there and new content might interest me. I only dip into the main forum indices now and then, so can be late to the party or miss it altogether. It just so happens I looked in the Classic cars forum today and saw this thread. It’s nobody’s fault, but 90% of threads posted even in the Classic cars forum don’t interest me. Likewise I rarely look in Readers’ Rides: too much dross to sift through and I’m not into modifying anyway.
My classic 911s story (and current 3 year rebuild…) lives in Readers Cars and has done since 2009 and some 1200 posts…
The classic section even then seemed really quite so Readers Cars was the go to.
I occasionally use the FB groups, but as mentioned they are useless for documentation of a cars history, so that’s done on here and in an early 911 forum elsewhere.
As I suspect many do I read a lot but don’t post much!
The classic section even then seemed really quite so Readers Cars was the go to.
I occasionally use the FB groups, but as mentioned they are useless for documentation of a cars history, so that’s done on here and in an early 911 forum elsewhere.
As I suspect many do I read a lot but don’t post much!
TarquinMX5 said:
Those of us (ignore my 'new' profile) who've been on PH from virtually day 1 (when it was TVR) have seen huge change, as well as virtually a complete new generation of 'enthusiasts' sign-up and a generation no longer 'participating'. The newer members seem to have, at times, a strange expectation of what PH is about, and that is different to the expectations of early members. Times change, and not always for the better.
Yep....its just life. Time stops for no one.There are people that are probably on here now, that were not even born when some of us first started looking at PH....
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