Maybe you can help me

Despite what you read on the internet, not everyone in the on line Corvette world hates me. I think.....

I have been asked to write a blog on a new and unique Corvette centered website, which, is not a competitor to VetteMod. vetteblock.com

Anyway, they asked me what topic I'd like to cover.

Well, I'm not a technical expert, although I have and continue to turn a wrench on my own. So I figure I would pick a topic near and dear to my heart, and I believe many of you (based on your DB reaction) can relate to.

I am a Corvette enthusiast. I am not a Catalog Enthusiast. I am not an Brand Name Enthusiast. I love the cars, what they meant for me growing up, and the representation of all things right about America. Even those 195HP C3s. (joke)

I told them I want to write about what it means to be a Corvette Enthusiast in an internet world and how the internet plays a role in this hobby. The good, the bad, the destructive that is found on the internet.

Secondly, amidst of recent personal assaults on me on websites I am precluded to responding, I think this will be quite a cathartic excercise for me in a lot of respects.

So my first post will be something along the lines of how I became a Corvette Enthusiast. From the age six I loved the cars...etc...... It will be ongoing so I have time and opportunity to expand on all things Corvette and internet related, and I hope it serves as a tool, not just me being a tool.

I'd appreciate any input or topic suggestions you can provide, I will be sure to mention VetteMod as one of those purists sites, where appropriate.

Thanks in advance. I hope this will be successful.

Funny, I thought I was the most hated man in the vette community....

:stirpot::sos::suicide:

mrvette said:

Funny, I thought I was the most hated man in the vette community....

:stirpot::sos::suicide:

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Gene, I'll bet you dinner I have you beat. Drinks included.

I'm to the point I seriously considered selling the car as I can't even go to events without people having in the back of their head "there's that prick".

No, trust me on this. I have you beat. The vitriol for me is real, and deep seeded. This is my last refuge.

Jsup said:

[

I'm to the point I seriously considered selling the car as I can't even go to events without people having in the back of their head "there's that prick".

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Why would you buy, sell or choose a car based on what others think?

I'm a prick when i'm in the vette. I'm a prick when i'm in the suburban. I'm a prick when i'm in a rental car.

Changing cars doesn't help.:lol:

turtlevette said:

Jsup said:

[

I'm to the point I seriously considered selling the car as I can't even go to events without people having in the back of their head "there's that prick".

Click to expand...

Why would you buy, sell or choose a car based on what others think?

I'm a prick when i'm in the vette. I'm a prick when i'm in the suburban. I'm a prick when i'm in a rental car.

Changing cars doesn't help.:lol:

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AH, just frustration talking. Some idiots just get me to the point where I say fuck this whole corvette thing, I'll go pick up a hot rod something else. Having been in an environment where you are the subject of mob mentality attacks, I wonder if I really want to associate with these assholes. And yeah, participating in forums and going to events is part of the hobby isn't it?

Hang in there John, It may not be what you think it is. It is hard, even next to impossible, to judge one's true personality over the internet. Even with smilies, you don't see the actual body language that helps us all communicate. Case in point, we actually didn't hit it off when we first had dialogue here in the EFI section. Little innuendos like "No Shit", and "Well yeh" can easily cause one to jump to the wrong conclusion. I have seen it over and over again. I know I have been guilty of poking fun which when read on the internet comes across as tactless. Well ok there are some exceptions Turtle. :lol: Bottom line is we need to develop thick skin and choose our word carefully.
Look out if I ever get you on the Racquetball court. Your butt is toast. :clobbered:

Bullshark

I'm gonna ask this, someone eventually will. Don't flame me. What did you do that makes people respond to you the way you do? Something must be there...even if blown out of proportion. One of my bosses many years ago told me I had an "Abrasive" personality. Go figure..I'm from N.Y. I agree with him. What personality traits do you think you have? (We all have quirks in our personality).

turtlevette said:

Jsup said:

[

I'm to the point I seriously considered selling the car as I can't even go to events without people having in the back of their head "there's that prick".

Click to expand...

Why would you buy, sell or choose a car based on what others think?

I'm a prick when i'm in the vette. I'm a prick when i'm in the suburban. I'm a prick when i'm in a rental car.

Changing cars doesn't help.:lol:

Click to expand...

I wouldn't say I'm a prick, but I'm definitely becoming an intolerant arsehole :suspicious:

I have had a car hobby of one variety or other for 1/2 a century....and untill recently, the worst of the enemies over it was the fucking .gov, specifically the EPA and the safety mavens always something they gotta worry over, and make other people fret over something that don't even matter.....so I got used to that shit, but upon leaving Wash DC after 53 years, moving to Florida on account of arthritis, and being GOD DAMN stick and tired of the cold/wet/never ending cloudy winter times, the the sickening summers where not a stich of breeze blows for days on end.....where the weather would sack in and not see a RAY of sunshine for THREE WEEKS straight.....this move to Florida, I must have lost my mind.....moved to CAR HEAVEN.....

needed a job or a business.....things didn't go right in the real estate investments/remodeling/flipping end of things....HAD I stuck it out there instead of buying into a crooked operation down the road....called of all things...Hocus Pocus Engineering....after a off shore race boat....well I lost a quick 40 grand on that deal.....
it was supposed to be a race car shop.....
hotrods, sort of a Modifications Unlimited type place like Gordon Tatum used to own decades ago in Kensington Md......

so after that fiasco, my foray into stocks and crap ended poorly, then came another attempt at a business in the internet....vette related....vette sight....not a forum and the attendant web hosting/publishing gambit....
fellow named Douglas K. Johnson.....he died of brain cancer....used to have a ZR1, yellow, all custom shit from some California operation...465 hp...turned 12.5 on the '99 vette cruise to BG Ky......

so then came 9/11/01 and the final collapse of anything logical....

so all this car hobby/happy has led to a HUGE financial non recoverable loss for me...too damn olde now to make up for that crap....so I just exist on my stupid SS check and wife has her little book keeping business....

so you want to talk about getting pissed on from the car world....lets just say, I have some experiences with that, and also a few thoughts....

when it's time, some people have to pay up a debt....I leave it at that.....

:rose::stirpot:

big_G said:

I'm gonna ask this, someone eventually will. Don't flame me. What did you do that makes people respond to you the way you do? Something must be there...even if blown out of proportion. One of my bosses many years ago told me I had an "Abrasive" personality. Go figure..I'm from N.Y. I agree with him. What personality traits do you think you have? (We all have quirks in our personality).

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Wow, how fast this goes from asking for a suggestion on blog material to a psycho analytic exercise of online persona......

OK.....I piss people off I think because I ask them to substantiate their position or information.

For example. On one bulletin board someone said "Buy this engine product". Now, the guy who recommended the competition was a Nascar mechanic and gave lengthy discussions and opinions as to his opinion why.

The guy who said "buy this product" only said "buy this product". I put one simple word that started a shit storm of insults and personal attacks. "WHY"? You tell me who has the problem

Example 2: a "fair" comparison of heads one brand X one Brand Y.
Well, the Brand "Y" heads were taken off the shelf from a VAR and screwed to the motor.

The brand "X" heads had heads directly from the manufacturer (ringer) Brand "X" manufacture picked the cam. Brand X manufacturer paid for the dyno. Brand X manufacturer called the press to be present. Brand X manufacturer sold the heads at a significant discount. I called BULLSHIT as a rigged test. I became the bad guy. It's like a fkn internet bizarro world. As a result of these rigged tests, people were telling others on the internet that brand "X" was so superior. Which was not proven.

Now, given the evidence above, here's what I do to piss people off. I have a low threshold for ignorance and misinformation. That seems to be in conflict with the leg humping glitterati whose claim to fame is they got help with the big words on the back of the brochure and picked up their copy of Corvette Weekly out of their mailbox.

These people have spent so much time cultivating a false facade of expertise when someone actually calls them on it, they get mad. I don't let their claims lay unchallenged.

So once again, as I have outlined some of the problems of the internet, I have the opportunity to discuss how these things can help/hurt what we do. Probably only 10 people will read it, but it will be fun.

Oh, and I live right out of NYC in NJ.

Eh, you easy mon, between wife#1 and wife #2 I dated this Joisey gal, her fadda was a prize fighter, kind of did some work for the 'boom boom boys' on the side, to support his family, if you know what I mean, so she tells me he was asked to do some 'wet work' for the crew, he declined they never asked again, he dealt with the hospital trip details.....she was a tough bo-hunk city gal all the way.....we used to cut the dance floor back when Disco was the rage....been a while....Dat broad could dress wit da best....

Ex#2, the kids mom is from Lonk Islant.....south shore kid....

I been up dere pretty good back when, I know most of the places de way dey used to be.....

:2nd: Do I pass my language exam now????

:friends:

Jsup said:

big_G said:

I'm gonna ask this, someone eventually will. Don't flame me. What did you do that makes people respond to you the way you do? Something must be there...even if blown out of proportion. One of my bosses many years ago told me I had an "Abrasive" personality. Go figure..I'm from N.Y. I agree with him. What personality traits do you think you have? (We all have quirks in our personality).

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These people have spent so much time cultivating a false facade of expertise when someone actually calls them on it, they get mad. I don't let their claims lay unchallenged.

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Well,sorry I asked...Some people don't like to hear the truth..even if you are in the right. I've got a few people I have learned to ignore or keep a fair distance from. I am older and wiser now...so I choose my battles. It sounds like either you need to get used to the "politics" or leave them to themselves.

big_G said:

Jsup said:

big_G said:

I'm gonna ask this, someone eventually will. Don't flame me. What did you do that makes people respond to you the way you do? Something must be there...even if blown out of proportion. One of my bosses many years ago told me I had an "Abrasive" personality. Go figure..I'm from N.Y. I agree with him. What personality traits do you think you have? (We all have quirks in our personality).

Click to expand...

These people have spent so much time cultivating a false facade of expertise when someone actually calls them on it, they get mad. I don't let their claims lay unchallenged.

Click to expand...

Well,sorry I asked...Some people don't like to hear the truth..even if you are in the right. I've got a few people I have learned to ignore or keep a fair distance from. I am older and wiser now...so I choose my battles. It sounds like either you need to get used to the "politics" or leave them to themselves.

Click to expand...

Here's the problem BG. It's not the people, it's the culture of the environment. It's a mob mentality, a "group think" as the case may be. You may ask, why does it matter to me and why do I give a shit. Well, here's why. When going through my build, if I listened to many of these experts my wallet would be $4-5000 lighter and I'd have not a lick more of performance. I want to save the next guy from that.

It's the tenor of the internet. That's why I am taking on this challenge I was asked to blog for. I'm just that idealistic.

Bullshark said:

Hang in there John, It may not be what you think it is. It is hard, even next to impossible, to judge one's true personality over the internet. Even with smilies, you don't see the actual body language that helps us all communicate. Case in point, we actually didn't hit it off when we first had dialogue here in the EFI section. Little innuendos like "No Shit", and "Well yeh" can easily cause one to jump to the wrong conclusion. I have seen it over and over again. I know I have been guilty of poking fun which when read on the internet comes across as tactless. Well ok there are some exceptions Turtle. :lol: Bottom line is we need to develop thick skin and choose our word carefully.
Look out if I ever get you on the Racquetball court. Your butt is toast. :clobbered:

Bullshark

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Good point. I am far more personable in person. I'm better looking and smarter than any of you can possibly imagine.

Exactly. As you point out, we had our "run in". Not what I intended, but at least you're not petty enough to get a chip on your shoulder about it. And it got fixed, didn't it.

I'm playing raquetball tomorrow for the first time since my car accident. I am one finger down, luckily on my left hand. I'll just tape it up and hope no one hits it.

C'mon up, my treat, loser buys the beer.

What I am talking about is not keeping a thick skin. Believe me, I have the skin of a dinosaur. It's a culture of mob rule.

Let me give an example. You need a headlight, (let's pretend it's a complicated part) and you get on a forum for advice. 100% of the discussion on headlights is SIlverstar. Now, Silverstar cost about 20% more than comparable brands which perform just as well.

Someone says....HEY, LOOK OVER HERE GE HAS A BULB....which is cheaper and will do everything the Silver Star does, perhaps not as well, but fits the application and budget. The mob piles on and says GE is a POS and only an idiot would buy them, just call Sylvania and ask them.

To me, it's not a personality thing, it's a culture thing. I can deal with personalities.

Based on the response just in this thread, I'm starting to think this blog thing is a great idea.

Go for it! we all need someone to challenge the group thought, and push reality. I tell my customers 50% of the stuff the Corvette rags is worthless. Case in point: On my '92 6-speed I ran it at the track and did several mid 13 second passes. About right for bone stock. Then I added a Hypertech chip, throttle body airfoil and 1.6 rockers. Picked up maybe a 10th. All that work and $$$ for .1sec.?...You can be the new Ralph Nader or Clark Howard....:beer:

big_G said:

Go for it! we all need someone to challenge the group thought, and push reality. I tell my customers 50% of the stuff the Corvette rags is worthless. Case in point: On my '92 6-speed I ran it at the track and did several mid 13 second passes. About right for bone stock. Then I added a Hypertech chip, throttle body airfoil and 1.6 rockers. Picked up maybe a 10th. All that work and $$$ for .1sec.?...You can be the new Ralph Nader or Clark Howard....:beer:

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EXACTLY. My goal is not to pick a product and trash it, but to drill into critial thinking of internet orthodoxy, which doesn't really exist. It's a religion and people need to understand how to sort through the manure and get what they need. You CAN learn something from the interweb, if you come at it from the right perspective.

Like I said above, I am a CORVETTE Enthusiast, not a CATALOG Enthusiast. Big difference.

Nader? I was kinda going Coulter... People hate her but she's right.

Here's a few topics:

Young, got money and an old car....how not to fall into the money pit trap. Most people who buy these cars for the first time have no friggin clue what they are getting into.

Bling, Bling....leave it to the ricers! My personal taste, but I prefer a solid looking stock vette with a healthy motor.

How not to modify your vette.....leave the ricer stained seats in the junk yard. A10k sound system and a vette don't go together, spend money on a decent exhaust system.



There, that should catch some shit!

SmokinBBC said:

Here's a few topics:

Young, got money and an old car....how not to fall into the money pit trap. Most people who buy these cars for the first time have no friggin clue what they are getting into.

Bling, Bling....leave it to the ricers! My personal taste, but I prefer a solid looking stock vette with a healthy motor.

How not to modify your vette.....leave the ricer stained seats in the junk yard. A10k sound system and a vette don't go together, spend money on a decent exhaust system.

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Great ideas. I think the first one is just going to address how I got into this Corvette thing and try to establish the basis of why I say "corvette enthusiast, not catalog enthusiast"...what that means, to me anyway.

There, that should catch some shit!

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Well, I think I was asked since threads I start, or are started about me, seem to get huge view numbers. :rofl: I have that knack. Like a train wreck I guess.